Italy: Olive groves under threat - In southern Italy, a strain of bacteria is destroying ancient olive groves. The European Union has proposed a range of emergency measures to stop the spread of the disease, including asking Italy to destroy affected trees to establish a buffer zone. About one million olive trees are now threatened with the chop. The disease is affecting Puglia, a poorer region of Italy where olive farming is a centuries-old tradition and a mainstay of the economy. The destructive xylella fastidiosa bacterium spread to Italy from the Americas. Switzerland: Talent show for a new national Anthem - The Swiss have decided their national anthem is too old-fashioned, with many citizens complaining that it sounds like a mix between a church hymn and a weather report. To change that, they've now launched a contest to find a new one. Swiss songwriters rose to the challenge and submitted 208 entries. A jury has already selected the ten best. Now the Swiss are taking part in an online vote for the one they like best. The winning anthem will be selected in early September and then presented to the Swiss parliament. Britain: Class conflict in Scotland - About half of all private land in Scotland is owned by just 432 people, most of them lords and earls. Local communities say that's a vestige of feudalism and are demanding land reform. But the landowners don't want to share. Many leaseholders who farm on land belonging to these large landowners say it's no longer economically viable, and are moving away from rural regions. This is having devastating consequences for small Highlands communities and island communities, which are slowly dying out. Now some Scots have decided to take action. They want to buy the land and farm it themselves. But the Scottish Lairds say the land is theirs by right and long tradition. Estonia: Defense leagues on the advance - Voluntary defense leagues are on the rise in Estonia. The Ukraine crisis and fear of Russian aggression are driving many civilians to take up arms. Meanwhile about 15,000 volunteers have joined citizens' militias, which are headed by officers from the Estonian military. Estonia is a member of NATO, but has only a small domestic military made up of about 4,000 active-duty soldiers. But many Estonians want to defend their independence at any cost. Civilians from all walks of life have now joined the Kaitseliit, a volunteer defense force. In the event of an attack, they plan to support the regular army. Romania: The abandoned luxury village - In the village of Certeze, one house is more luxurious than the next. But most of the villas are empty most of the year. Their owners are Romanians who live and work in Western Europe. During the summer, they come to spend their holiday back at home. Then the village comes to life, for one short month a year. In the past ten years, about three million Romanians have emigrated, and the mass exodus has had a devastating on the country. The village of Certeze in the Carpathian Mountains has been especially hard hit. More than half the village now live elsewhere. Many only return for summer holidays. Certeze may be one of Romania's most affluent villages on paper, but the people who still live there draw little benefit from that.
