The Netherlands, a small country with significant agricultural output, faces challenges with water pollution due to intensive farming practices. Despite being a global agricultural leader, the country's use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers has led to issues such as eutrophication and pesticide exceedances in water bodies. Dutch farmers have protested government proposals to reduce nitrogen pollution. Scientists like Marina Vijver from the University of Leiden study the subtle effects of pollution on aquatic life, while initiatives like the Farm of the Future and community-supported agriculture explore sustainable farming methods. The EU has proposed legislation to protect biodiversity and reduce chemical use, but these efforts face delays amid current economic pressures.

Cultural heritage encompasses language, traditions, customs, dance, song, architecture, and even the sounds and smells that define a place and era. UNESCO's efforts to preserve tangible, cultural, and natural heritage are crucial in the face of globalization, loss of know-how, conflict, and climate change. France has legally protected certain countryside sounds and smells, while in Australia, the Victorian Trades Hall, a symbol of the eight-hour workday movement, could become a World Heritage site. In Iraq, researchers document a disappearing dialect among the Marsh Arabs, and in India, Abhinav Agrawal records and promotes rural folk music, aiding musicians' livelihoods.

In the era of COVID-19, maintaining personal space in the office is crucial for health safety. Employers have implemented measures like social distancing and hand hygiene, but some employees may still violate these rules. HR expert Gary Cookson suggests understanding the reasons behind such behavior, leading by example, and using the Example, Effect, and Change model to address the issue. If necessary, involve management or HR, but do so in writing to avoid confrontation. Employees have the right to refuse work if their health is threatened, and workplace safety rules are there to protect everyone.

The article discusses the failure of the #MeToo movement in Croatia's healthcare system, highlighting the case of Lana Tovarlaža Žugec, who experienced sexual harassment by an orthopedist at KB Dubrava in Zagreb. Despite numerous complaints against the doctor since 1998, the system showed leniency, with minimal sanctions. The investigation by Nacional, in collaboration with European media, revealed a lack of reporting and accountability for sexual harassment and abuse by medical professionals. The article criticizes the Croatian Medical Chamber (Hrvatska liječnička komora) for insufficient disciplinary measures and the healthcare institutions for their inadequate response to complaints. It also addresses the broader issue of victims not reporting due to disbelief in the system and the normalization of such behavior.

Juvenile inmates at the Lipjan Correctional Center in Kosovo are being housed with adult prisoners, violating their rights and the Juvenile Justice Code. Despite legal requirements for separation and specialized treatment, juveniles like Arta, who was convicted of murder, are placed in the same facilities as adults. Experts and organizations like KOMF and CDHRF highlight the negative impacts on minors' mental health, security, and rehabilitation. The correctional system's officials acknowledge the issues but cite low numbers of female juvenile inmates and lack of resources as reasons for the current situation. The Ministry of Justice defers responsibility to the Kosovo Correctional Service. Legal actions for damages due to emotional harm are suggested by experts for the affected juveniles.

Zoran Milanovic, the candidate from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SDP), won the Croatian presidential election with 52.7% of the votes against the incumbent president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic from the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), who received 47.3%. Milanovic, a former Prime Minister, campaigned under the slogan 'For a normal Croatia' and has promised to be a unifying figure. Despite a mixed record during his previous government tenure, his victory is partly attributed to divisions within the right-wing, with the populist candidate Miroslav Skoro having weakened Grabar-Kitarovic's position. The presidency in Croatia is largely ceremonial, but Milanovic's win could pose challenges for the HDZ in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Mate Rimac, a Croatian innovator, founded Rimac Automobili, which has made significant strides in the high-performance electric sports car industry. The company, based near Zagreb, provides technological solutions to global car manufacturers and has developed its own range of cars, including the Concept One and Concept S. Despite their high price tags and limited production, the company has seen substantial growth, with profits increasing by 300% in 2015 and a workforce expansion from eight to over 150. Rimac Automobili has attracted foreign investors and plans to expand production while maintaining its operations in Croatia, setting an example for other Croatian entrepreneurs.

A Croatian shoe factory, Borovo, has endured through two wars, communism, and a period of being unfashionable. Founded in 1931 by Czech industrialist Jan Bata, the company was nationalized in 1945 and managed by its employees. It produced a wide range of products and built a town for its workers. The factory faced destruction during the Croatian War of Independence but reopened in 1998. Despite financial struggles and a damaged reputation, Borovo has seen a resurgence with its Startas sneakers and Borosana shoes, thanks to designers like Mauro Massarotto and Iva Ćurković-Spajić. The company now sells internationally but still faces challenges with debt and marketing.

The Pankisi Valley, a secluded area in the Georgian Caucasus near the Chechen border, has seen dozens of young men leave to join the Islamic State in Syria. The exact number is unknown, but the loss has affected the community, which traditionally practices Sufi Sunni Islam. The valley, with about 10,000 inhabitants, is cut off from the world, with the capital Tbilisi nearly three hours away by road. Residents are attempting to initiate projects to prevent their children from leaving. Tsitsino is particularly worried about her son amidst these challenges.

Norway has authorized professional boxing. In Hungary, the government is enforcing politically correct language among officials, banning certain words and expressions from official communications. Twenty-three years after the breakup of Yugoslavia, the concept of 'Yugoslavs' is still used in Croatia by the right to denounce state enemies, a situation that could resonate in a country still troubled by the crisis and haunted by war. In Scotland, free higher education for European students is a recent topic of discussion, with mixed reactions in the UK.

In Croatia, a country with a high unemployment rate, refugees, mainly from Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, and Iraq, struggle to integrate, with few obtaining asylum status. Meanwhile, aged merchant ships carrying refugees, such as the Ezerdeen and Blue Sky M, are a concern, with organizations like Robin de Bois tracking them. Georgian cinema is experiencing a revival, with films like Zaza Ourouchadzé's 'Mandarines' gaining international acclaim. In music, José Gonzales's 'Vestiges and Claws' is achieving success.

The article discusses the cultural phenomenon of 'sworn virgins' or 'burrneshas' in Albania and the surrounding regions, where women live as men to escape the constraints of a patriarchal society. It tells the story of Diana, a 60-year-old burrnesha who chose this path for freedom and recounts her life experiences, including her career as a customs officer. The article also introduces Stana Cerovic from Montenegro, who chose a similar path but identifies as a woman. The practice, which involves taking a vow of virginity and chastity, is rooted in social motives rather than sexuality and is linked to the Kanun code of honor. The article highlights the changing times, noting that women now have more freedom and no longer need to become burrneshas to escape their condition.

The discovery of Romanian horse meat in Findus lasagna has sparked controversy in Europe due to consumer deception and cultural taboos against eating horse meat. While horse meat is nutritionally valued in many countries, the scandal has raised issues of trust, animal mistreatment, and potential health risks associated with the consumption of horse meat treated with phenylbutazone, a banned substance in France. The debate is particularly intense in Anglo-Saxon countries where horse meat consumption is almost taboo, and the situation has led to a clash between those who consume horse meat and their opponents.