What drives people in Europe? How do Europeans lead their lives? What are their views, hopes and fears? Fokus Europa provides the answers: up close, exciting and balanced.
http://dw.com/focusoneurope?maca=en-podcast_european-journal-2940-xml-mrss
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 4 days 1 hour 17 minutes
Sweden: Stepping up the fight against organized crime
Sweden is taking a tougher stance against the rampant violence of organized crime. In 2022, gang violence claimed over 60 lives, the highest toll ever. Both perpetrators and victims are getting younger and younger.
France: Dispute over cooking frog legs
More and more people in France are calling for a ban on cooking frog legs. Thousands of tons are imported each year because catching wild frogs is largely prohibited in the country. A French frog farmer is stepping in.
Britain: ‘Drag Syndrome’
'Drag Syndrome' is Britain’s first collective for drag artists with Down syndrome. On tour for five years, the group has performed on stages worldwide, including the famous Glastonbury Festival and for the fashion magazine, Vogue.
Italy: A village at the end of the world
There is no road to Codera, only 2600 steps of a staircase. A helicopter can also take you to the village with nine inhabitants.
Finland: A sustainable Christmas
Tourists visiting Rovaniemi, Finland, meet an environmentally friendly Santa Claus.
Bosnia: Is coal mining making people sick?
Bosnia generates two-thirds of its electricity from coal. Increasingly, residents around the largest power plant are being diagnosed with cancer, respiratory problems and diabetes. They see a connection.
African refugees flee to Canary Islands
In 2023, around 32 thousand African refugees arrived in the Canary Islands—twice as many as in 2022. Their goal is mainland Europe, but the chances of receiving asylum are slim. And Spanish authorities are overwhelmed.
Illegal firewood threatens forests in Kosovo
The high cost of energy in Kosovo means that more households are heating with firewood. As a result, illegal logging is on the rise. That's devastating to the forest ecosystem — and puts rangers at risk.
Helsinki's 'underground city'
In Helsinki, Finland, a massive network of underground bunkers has been carved into the bedrock to shelter the population in an emergency. Some of the spaces are open to public use, with a pool, play areas, sports facilities and more.
Serbia's election — is change on the horizon?
The opposition coalition in Serbia says President Aleksandar Vucic has fueled a climate of hatred and violence in the country and eroded democracy. They're hoping the December parliamentary elections will bring change.