we have the solutions, the future, this 77 percent every weekend on dw, the hello and welcome to focus on europe with me live, show, a prisoner exchange between russia and west. some countries drew international attention in august with many people celebrating those relieves from captivity. russian artist and activists such ask, what's your main goal? was part of that historic swap. she was convicted after criticising, put in, and his full scale invasion of ukraine. after spending more than 2 years in jail. she now lives in freedom in germany, while she's still processing that dramatic memories of her imprisonment. she's

determined to build a new life withheld from those who care for her deeply. a free after more than 2 years in a russian prison come to me, my little one. they can hardly believe their luck. on august 1st, after years of waiting, they can finally talk each other again in germany. artist, sasha, support you lank up her mother, not de stuck and partner sonya a reunion made possible because of a prisoner swap between russia and 5 western countries. is when they brought us to the airport and i 1st saw a clear sky without the prison bars. this was unbelievable to be on at the yet. so everything was based in lights, don't flash back to 2023 slash of sketchy link, or was in shock when a court sentenced her to 7 years in prison for criticizing rushes, invasion of ukraine, the support of her friends were no help. sketchy lincoln was arrested for replacing

price tags and a supermarket with stickers that said, stop the war and put it as lying to us for supporters shout, it's a disgrace. you for 2 is i wanted to do everything in my power, the open list. i knew it wouldn't be able to stop the war that way, but i did it anyhow. he did not for human kind, but for me, for my conscience stories, i couldn't stay silent to try. it was an obvious show trial meant to discourage russian anti war protesters. the sentence was a scare tactics such as partners. sonya was devastated, but she refused to be intimidated the after the trial such as mother not dish dot in paris and sonya and st. petersburg fund for her release, we reported on the 2 women as they did. everyone understood that it was on just

gosh, even the worst supporters were saying what veneers for 5 stickers that go to the zillow. the 1st time i saw her in that cage knew, i was so outraged that i couldn't even read for 3 now. but i'm sure then you've got the vanya many russians who let their country end up in terrace, including the day stuff they've been staging demonstrations, to draw attention to the fates of the softer and other political prisoners and russian dish dot met with you. politicians and activists to make sure her daughter wasn't forgot. today we focused on putting political hostages that they kept in touch with sonya and st. petersburg, who stayed to support sasha despite the risks. how are you doing? it's hard to be in russia because i never feel completely safe, especially since the new lawn l g b t. 2 people took effect that brand sasha,

in me, is terrorists and extremists. now, in russia, you can be put in prison for love search. and for positivism as well, sonya did what she could, she got hold of a special foods and medications such a need, it was denied and present the last session. social rights are not respected. yes, it's a way of putting her under pressure at 1st on my last visit. they wouldn't even let me give her drinking water to come in and you called and i never turned the light off. and saucers fell and it's always really loud, which is shown bullying. poor care and even torture are common place. and many russian presents. sonia brought food for sasha 3 times a week. she feared that sasha wouldn't survive percent the thoughts we were afraid that

associate had a heart attack the prison doctor wouldn't get to her until it was too late. an acquaintance shot this footage surreptitiously. it was a huge risk given the military censorship now enforced in russia. sonya took the risk to share such a story with the world the this here is rice porridge. it cooked quickly the but sonya wasn't allowed to see sasha that day. the session of a, we're definitely not counting on an early release, which is quite cute. unless the government is toppled. the unexpected happened. sasha was allowed to leave russia. the dish dot and sonia came to copeland, germany to meet her to the tune was

come every minute, felt like a year i was so desperate and it felt like my head would explode. well, but i told myself no matter what happened that i had to survive, lose it, go to length. it was traded for russian. hit man in spies for mother and sonya is persistence, insured. her name was included on the list of 15 political prisoners. this is not, you know, but even without the sonia i wouldn't have survived presents for if it's what happens. it's a miracle. i should should just so miracles are possible. bucetti. sasha is still struggling to regain her health. she's suffering post traumatic stress disorder nature and are to help her deal with the trauma. now she intends to draw lots of pictures of her oppressive experiences in her home country as a free woman with this question, this was my 1st trying to it shows that prisoner exchange forces. now i have to re learn to live in freedom. it may have been set free,

but the realization that i'm actually a free person hasn't sunk in yet. do you mind if this one showing your couch a chest or lift in mine, use them? i'm so happy they're letting us stay in germany, and we don't have to go back to russia. now we're in a free country, and it's so incredible that we can go outside the and i can to saucer without fear . it makes us so happy to go and show it to you on your planning to marry soon. i'm pushing it. sanction says that in spite of all the hardships she has no regrets, she'd do it all over again. the, the weather at the pool or at the beach seeing women in bikinis in bathing suits is nothing unusual. but now the fashion industry is catching up with the needs of its diverse customers and is catering to muslim women who want to cover up their bodies in montenegro, where about a 5th of the population is muslim. there's not even

a separate a beach that allows women to enjoy some hours in the sun without having to worry about unwanted gazes. however, not everyone is happy about that. a beach and southern montenegro are universal on the is ethnic albanians. a minority group in montenegro. she's muslim and has come here today to test a very special place, a beach area reserved for women wearing his job or headscarf as i dropped the girl . i never before i could experience the fox effect of getting to sun coast and find the lake and do it. it's also good for my house, for my skin, and i think i will get away from today. we're not allowed to accompany her. the fenced off areas, protected from the prying eyes of the outside world. muslim women sunday of here without sales just indicates the special beach for his job,

where it is located on one of the longest, sandy beaches on the tragic coast. the long beach stretches 13 kilometers from the montenegrin town of olsen to be in here and leaves nothing to be desired. there's a beach for dogs, one for kite surface, a new just beach, a woman only beach and now an area for the job. the women. make up so we can relax and then dress and peace here. do you my there are also women wearing the full lakeville leaking address here to go alone knows best and i've already received it. i think it's positive, it's good that they'll the women can have a speak for themselves where they feel free and then observe. they're not disturbing anyone. and no one districts that are the new coordinate, somebody that muslim tourist from oliver montenegro and some neighboring countries are now coming to the new who job beach entry costs. 8 euros, and the private operator prioritizes comfort and privacy. our

unit has finished sunbathing and needs to cool off. she has to get dressed again to swim and done, super keen, like many others here. the new beach behind the fence is very popular. are you not tells us that you can hardly find the free sun that of the really relaxing to they can enjoy the benefits of fun and they feel secure that that is the most important thing, i guess. whoops. and is a liberal town with a population of about $11500.00 inhabitants. the majority are ethnic albanians and almost 72 percent are muslim. nonetheless, the headscarf is still a device of topic here. are doing a can't avoid it either, especially at work. she's a presenter on a news program. her 1st appearance and a head scarf was memorable to say the least. well,

i was talking about the really important up in the topic about crime here in montenegro and the all the comments were about to mind your job. you know, the top 3 years a search we were talking about just what kind of the you are. you are like a m, on the, your read my make up on lives. doesn't fit with your, your job, your own like this 0 list. is it those 2 reports from kinda hard, almost all the coma and there are a lot of them. and as you can see, where the kind of the recently there have also been incidents of harassment was that there was a drop the girl who was there with her family as a tourist. and it was i taught this and beecher energy harden. it will thing. and he wants to do all that when he saw the revised harvey on. he said, you have a lot of interest to go somewhere else. you are not welcome here for. are you not

one more argument in favor of the new beach exclusively for his job? you women, but not everyone's a fan, sick friend, miss mcgee, owns a hotel, a few kilometers away. he lived in fryeburg, germany for many years. he's a muslim on paper, but not a practicing one. and he opposes the new beach for covered women. they couldn't by the near the, nobody could swim on any normal beat on odds if nobody bothers them. oh here, but it was even here in our hotel, they're allowed to swim in the pool on the option. and the self isolation scares us a bit times the for me is most the we don't like extreme is and when does this? and that's a bad development for us on the head for many of my friends and tourism the most up to an urban initially the big them but so far and like in germany, there haven't been any extremist incidents or do you, how does the tax and montenegro we meet are, you know, again in the city center, she's proud that there's no beach in her home country of montenegro for women like

her go. i door to door says from now on. she wants to visit it more often equipped with a new bathing suit. that's a specific way. so are you in a trice on a bricini style that has just come in the shop assistant seemed satisfied. i really loved them. and the part here, it fits really well with the leukemia as she doesn't understand why people associated her religion with extremism. ha, nissan doesn't support the ward and the grind grime. yes. and she says, this is when we gave all the rise to a woman to work to drago, to get dressed. the eunice made her decision. and as soon as she has time, she'll be wearing her new berkey on the long, sandy beach and or next to her friends in bikinis. until now,

people of different religions have lived in faith, tear peacefully alongside one another. this may not be the case in other regions, but it's still possible here in montenegro. it's a societal problem that millions of elderly people in germany are facing and still quite a taboo. poverty in old age. those affected by it are often a shame to talk about how they can afford 3 full meals a day, how they can buy birthday presents for their grandchildren. we met 3 seniors who openly told us the personal stories and well the history of how they got into poverty differs. they all share the same desperate struggle of having to make ends meet the brim, unix. inga who doesn't want to give a full name, is on the way to freelance organized by the association of the split meaning ray of hope. the 67 year old only receives

a small pension and the spindle. germany's puppet t loan is most center. i am very careful what i buy when i'm food shopping is to hand. i generally eat very little. you forget how to eat when you no longer have the money. that is, as the most taken to that one in 5 german pension is on a similar position. they at risk of poverty in old age. in germany, it is referred to as a relative poverty. in other words, they have less than 60 percent of the efforts german income enough to enjoy your food. it does meet many new people. she'd be happy today to make a new friend. but she is the soul, skeptical. the house of my ego gotten a can no need never. oh let's. and what's that? oh, potatoes and beans, potato salad, and fried potatoes. who have the feeling to isn't it

enough for thoughts? she would need help from a charitable organization set up for poor pensioners. she worked as a nursery school teacher on her life, the road exit and changed everything. she got seriously injured through no fault of her own. afterwards, she was unable to walk and eventually fell into poverty. it's been an issue that i didn't fall into it because i didn't work hard enough. i knew i fell into it because of a situation that wasn't my fault, meg guns, and that's what changed my entire life working, surviving fighting and can, i don't want anything else, can it? can i get mix under? what to the $800.00 euro pension is just enough to cover her rent and regular bills to buy food. she works as a private child care for families. she badly makes ends meet them. why are you still living this damn life? no, i don't. and then i tell myself the children need you this,

the children need you. that's what keeps me going. otherwise, i think my life would already be over my name, and i want to say this quite openly to the camera. there's no more pleasure in life if you can't take part in it and i'm leaving this time even come to the also has to make do with very little after deducting fixed costs, the pensioner is left with around $300.00 euro is a month to take his mind off his financial worries, the 72 year old likes to psycho through a night. the more i meditated deluxe and the more because i have peace and quiet here. so i me to tell them when i meditate, i mentally put my financial worries into little bottles. if i'm going to wind encourage these little bubbles away with it. so i can place it with rick or the lives in a small one bedroom, flat name unit. his bed is in the living room that's only can afford,

but things used to be quite different. only it was a pioneer of digital video transmission and had his own company to arkansas and the good times i brought home up to 10000 german bucks a month. i lived in houses that had 180 square meters of living space before it was a comfortable life. he saw him. but soon, companies abroad started producing the pots cheaper and smaller. the globalized market made him go bankrupt, he lost everything, insurance justified. it was my mistake, his wife, like mine, didn't put much to the side if you can, just so i thought i just thoughts. we're going to enjoy our lives now, ones on the market so that even if you're self employed in germany, you don't have to pay into the public pension fund for time and schemes of voluntary and private. that's why many people end up like only they pay to, to, to, or nothing at all into the pension fund and end up in old age poverty. but he has

developed a method to make ends meet with the list. so he's got an envelope for every week. the money inside will have to do thought is does he me to? so beyond i because i organize myself so systematically, mice and i know my limits. are somebody concerned now, for example, there's only 20 years left. it doesn't have to buy cleaning products this week. puts me to the bottom. who indeed the last case neither self employment, no one accident for the reason for how many problems today is she lives in poverty because she cared for her father for 11 years that i must says that he was always there for his family. she did everything and does it so you don't forget that to focus. that's why i considered it a given to be there for my parents to go make slips or stay. i never gave it a 2nd start on monday,

then that's designed obviously i need to go go mess up the need to not get the it's not just gisela whose stuff is the consequences of our own selflessness in old age in germany, one in 5 people who calf or relative is at risk of pulling into poverty. so fema cara's, it's even one in full. they use that time for caring for do use the working hours unless and that's what receive a smaller pension that we need. oh, but the small pension you get is not enough to live on later in life when this thing, which ultimately leads to old age poverty, 4 chairs cards, but caring for relative saves the health insurance the state and everyone involved a lot of money. it's just so wrong to the not compensate these people enough financially fit today. the 75 year old lives in a counsel fled in born in west germany, together with the 2 cuts, homeless loyal companions. she has $600.00 euros to live on after rent and bills.

when diesel goes grocery shopping money problems become apparent. she doesn't go to the supermarket much because the groceries are often sold in big quantities, which she can't afford. at the farm shop though she can buy smaller amounts. oh that's it for you. yep. of the shabby i bought some apples to i knew a small cucumber from which is enough for me for 2 days. and the carrots. you can make salad and soup out of that bible in every, every day it helps such overcome the fear of what might happen. should she one day not be able to get up and walk anymore. but sometimes she loses her courage. this is good. i don't want to go on any more different and i want to tell everyone out there as the germans. oh, we don't have a good either. please open your eyes or is this i'm the reason i'm

speaking so ultimately is because i can't do it anymore. and i'm not the only one, it needs to, isaac millions of pensioners feel the same way. so only also helps the change he's learned to make do with little. but instead he would prefer politicians to distribute domini spells, most valley for the politics. what i hope for from politics is justice, even 100 justice cards. i want to hear more people. you've worked hard, you've created the foundations for his boss. now you can rest. it's always all i don't see docs on the countries. the gap between rich and per is actually getting wider and wider and wider the or sometimes it only takes one person with a great plan and lots of perseverance to save

a whole industry. when adam cox from the u. k noticed that more and more british piano manufacturers are forced to give up their businesses because of cheaper competition from abroad. he decided to take matters into his own hands. he runs a company that is said to be the last piano manufacturer in the u. k. located in north yorkshire, england adam and his team won to preserve a british tradition that's been around for more than 2 centuries. this is the last step to creating the perfect piano. the deafening stress test confirms that adam cox's piano makers have done their work properly over the past 3 to 5 months. the no 2 pieces of wood are the same kind and that's why each one needs to be made individually winter seats. so there's no move, it's like the difference between a piece of furniture from a carrier and all that where everything is flat made by robots. and then something

made by a cross person out of real wood by 2012, 4 and companies had bought up all but one of the british workshops and move production overseas, mainly to asia. adam cock seized an opportunity in britain's last piano workshop. the pianos are hand built just like they were 200 years ago. british craftmanship at cox is determined to preserve. these are skills that are part of our culture. and what is culture? culture is probably the most important thing. we have really. our actions in our language make us who we are. each found board is painstakingly sanded each string expertly to each camera, carefully glued a large scale producers use machines to assemble the instruments and

a fraction of the time and that a fraction of the price. but more and more british customers are tiring of mass produced goods. cox order books are full and there is no shortage of new recruits. the final step out of the modern world, i think it's quite a nice break from all of that. was it? it feels like a nice route to go down before retiring. cox wants to pass on as much knowledge as you can to the next generation and ensure that traditional british piano building lives on perhaps even in more than a single workshop. well that's it for today's show. i hope you enjoyed it. remember to stop by our website and to follow us on social media for more in depth stories from across europe for me and the rest of the team. thank you so much for watching. my name is live, show by and see you next time the

the conflict. so ukraine is facing another fisher winter as well with russia and there's many, many without the equipment needed to wait. and i guess this week is kara roodick or ukrainian opposition m p and leave the goals or voice coffee as western lead evaluation over where the kids should target russia with long range missiles. she reminds them that they promise support all the way to victory conflict. in 30 minutes on d. w. how tiny brains do brilliant things.

insects are smarter than we thought the researchers are investigating their true abilities and making a sounding discoveries. these little creatures are pretty clever martin insects in 75 minutes on d w, the living shannon dw, how to make greener choices in your everyday lives. i tried to be working 32 hours a week could be better for the environment, but of course we shouldn't be not the be the living scientists. why don't having does get drunk. that causes gravitational ways to squeeze all

buddies. how much more do we need to de screen for help with the stress styles and how can need suites plus by on the on says get small on dw science. oh, tick, tock, channel the frankfurt international gateway to the best connection, south road and radio. located in the heart of europe, you are connected to the world experience outstanding shopping and dining offers. and certainly our services be our guest at frankfurt and bought cd managed by front bought the

piece is the w. news. life from building fee is of old down pool between israel and has been of the 2 days of explosion since i've been on, as well as need to close the blasts mask. because as soon as they amount to a declaration of war, thousands of dead and hundreds more injured. the rain has stopped, but the flood waters are still rising across parts of europe. old hands on deck to protect lives and property in poland way european leaders, a beating to talk about the clean up costs by jerry uprising, spoke more flooding with neighboring camera room sets release boarding from one of its largest dams. wasting funds,

the whole brady displaced hundreds of thousands of people and.