Headscarf Is Also a Scarf Over the Head

While Belgium’s politicians, academics, business leaders and feminists grapple with the concept and reality of a law banning headscarves in public institutions and beyond, two entrepreneurial women have joined forces to rescue the headscarf from the country’s political debate. Inge Rombauts and Fatima Rafiy run the exclusive hijab boutique Noor D’Izar, which offers women, "a fashionable solution regardless of their reasons for wanting to wear a headscarf," Inge Rombauts tells IPS.

BALKANS: Anger Over Sentencing Could Lead to Calm

Sentencing of two former generals ignited protests across Croatia over the weekend. Thousands of angry people protested in the streets of Zagreb and other major cities, claiming injustice had been done to heroes of the homeland war for independence that ended 16 years ago.

EUROPE: The Harmless Invasion of the Pacific Oyster

In the 1970s, French oyster breeders introduced the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) to the Bay of Biscay to diversify the area’s species and develop the commercial oyster industry.

ECONOMY: Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Revive Old ‘Kingdom’

Two decades after former Yugoslavia fell apart, leaders of the newly created nations of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia met earlier this month to agree on joint economic strategy, putting some of the effects of wars of the 1990s finally behind them.

Baltic States Faulted for Discriminating Against Minorities

A large ethnic Russian minority population in Latvia and Estonia, which joined the European Union (EU) along with Lithuania in 2004, has repeatedly complained of discrimination and denial of political and social rights by the three Baltic governments.

HEALTH: Market Interests Fight Iodised Salt

Russia and the Ukraine have been warned they are lagging behind the rest of the former Soviet bloc in introducing a simple and inexpensive public health measure that has curbed the incidence of mental disabilities among children across the region.

Q&A: Subtle Racism and Unemployment “Push Gypsies into Marginalisation”

Bruno Gonçalves wears many hats: he is municipal mediator in this city in central Portugal, a leader of the NGO SOS-Racismo, author of a book on integration in schools, and a human rights activist -- but, he stresses, "I never stop being a gypsy."

Spain Backpedals on Renewable Energy

Spain put the brakes on the use of clean energies to generate electricity, as the government approved an energy savings programme to cope with its large oil bill which affects its commitment to reduce non-renewable sources by 2020.

ENVIRONMENT: Dioxin Levels Soar on Icelandic Farms

In the northwestern Icelandic town of Isafjordur, milk is causing pandemonium. A local milk marketing board recently tested one farm’s milk for the presence of harmful chemicals. Dioxin, and dioxin-like compounds, were found to be present in amounts higher than the recommended maximum levels, threatening the future of local farmers, and angering residents.

BALKANS: Rising Anti-EU Sentiment

Anti-European Union (EU) sentiment is growing across the Balkan countries that have proclaimed membership in the European family of nations as their highest political goal during the past decade. It is caused by prolonged economic hardships that still bite hard, failure of authorities to fight widespread corruption and political deadlock in creating stable governments.

HUNGARY: Media Struggles to Find a Free Voice

EU pressure may force Hungary to step back on some provision of its controversial media law, but its main goal has been achieved before it even took effect: media are intimidated.

ITALY: Berlusconi Gets ‘Automatic Justice’, for a Start

The trial of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on charges of underage prostitution has just taken a turn that some commentators are calling an appropriate twist of fate: the trial, due to begin on April 6, will be adjudicated by a panel of female judges.

CLIMATE CHANGE: In Europe, Pollution Is a Masculine Noun

Many aspects of gender inequality are well known and well documented. But there seems to be little awareness that male behaviour leads to greater emissions of climate-changing gases.

Not Just Berlusconi’s Party Girls

While a handful of young sex workers have been under the spotlight in the weeks following a high-profile sex scandal involving Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, tens of thousands remain invisible victims of human trafficking.

Soviet Shadow Over Russia

With less than a year remaining for parliamentary and presidential elections in Russia, human rights activists and opposition forces have become targets of political intimidation and frequent harassment by law enforcement agencies. They see an effort to exclude them from the country’s democratic process.

ITALY: It’s a Lot Worse Than Sex Parties

The demonstration by an estimated million women across Italy Sunday points to a continuing denial of fair opportunities for women at work.

Global Crisis Strengthens WSF’s Legitimacy

European non-governmental organisations combating neo-liberal globalisation find their position vindicated by the ongoing socio-economic and environmental crisis upsetting the world.

Serbs Turn Back to Arms for Money

A long-running joke in Serbia goes that the country’s most successful export products are berries, grains, maize, and world-renowned tennis players like Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic.

Russia Struggles to Get a Grip on Corruption

A government initiative aimed at rooting out deep-seated corruption in Russia has hit a number of stumbling blocks since its implementation. According to experts, the initiative, adopted by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the beginning of his term, has been unsuccessful in combating the pervasive issue of corruption, particularly in regional administrations and offices, in this eastern European country.

France Holds Back the Sun

France's high tariffs for solar-generated electricity have led to an investment boom in photovoltaic panels, but now the government is rowing back, much to the chagrin of environmentalists.

Public Unrest Boils Over in Albania

The Albanian opposition is set to hold another mass rally on Friday, even though three people were killed during an anti-government demonstration last week, allegedly by armed forces of the Ministry of Interior.