conor: hello, and welcome to “focus on europe.” it's nice to have you here with me today. ukrainians are celebrating a huge military victory against the invading russian army. the strategic city of kherson in the south has been liberated. overjoyed residents, who suffered months of occupation, are welcoming the ukrainian soldiers as they re-establish control of the vacated areas. russia's retreat marks the largest withdrawal of its troops since the start of the war, and even now, the ukrainian government continues to announce the liberation of

even more occupied territories. one of those recently liberated areas is in the east of ukraine, including the city of vovchansk. for now, most of the city resembles a ghost town, not only because of the damage sustained during the fighting, but because the war remains so close, and also, because the residents who openly sympathized with the russian occupiers have fled. one ukrainian who stayed put throughout the occupation is serhiy konovalov. he's glad his town is once again under the control of the ukrainian army, but he also knows that peace, or a sense of harmony, will not be coming back any time soon. reporter: it takes five hours to drive to vovchansk from the regional capital kharkiv. or three times longer than before the war. you have to take small local roads, because all the major routes and bridges are destroyed. the town was home to 17,000 people before the invasion. and it's just four kilometers

from the russian border. the russian army occupied vovchansk on the very first day of the war. but in september, the ukrainian flag returned. serhiy konovalov was here throughout the eight months russians occupied the town. he calls them rashists, meaning russian fascists. serhiy: before the rashists came, i had everything. i had a job, my wife had nice clothes, and our fridge was full. and now they've come and messed up our lives. the town is basically gone. hardly anyone is left. reporter: most of the residents have fled. and there are traces of combat everywhere. the ukrainian military has taken over control and set up checkpoints at the entrance to the town. they fear russia might send in saboteurs. what russia has been sending

are a lot of shells from the other side of the border. >> they shell us the most on mondays. the same way they fire on big cities on monday mornings, they wish us good morning, too. and we respond however we can. reporter: traces of the blasts are everywhere. there are regular blackouts. there's no more gas, because the town was connected to the russian gas grid before the war. the people are preparing to face a cold winter without heating. and not enough humanitarian aid makes it over the bad roads into the remote town. so not everyone here is happy about being liberated. >> when the russians were here, we had relatively normal lives. there was work and we were getting regular humanitarian aid. they would also even hand out

money. now we have nothing. excuse me. reporter: even before the war, the town was considered pro-russian. and many residents fled together with the occupying forces. according to local authorities, no more than a fifth remain, mostly elderly people and those who want nothing to do with russian values. >> we had it rough living under russian rule, with russian fascists roaming the streets. it was terrible. reporter: two women pull the intoxicated man away. >> you all want to imply that we're collaborators. reporter: distrust runs deep among those

who stayed behind. accusations are rampant about who collaborated with the occupiers or might even still be passing on information, making it hard for the military administration. >> we hear many claims of duplicity. that those who denounced people to the russians are now coming to us and denouncing others for having been collaborators. reporter: like elsewhere, russian rule here was violent. young men would disappear into dark basements, and some came back with serious injuries. one of the torture chambers was found below this factory. serhiy, too, was targeted by the occupiers. he was caught on the street after curfew and summoned. serhiy: i was afraid that they would torture me here or something. but i was only forced to work for them. i had to show up at 8:00 in the

morning and slave away for them until 5:00 in the evening, digging trenches, carrying stuff around and stacking sandbags. reporter: serhiy has moved his wife and young daughter out of the town. and as soon as he's helped his mother to prepare for winter, he also wants to leave, at least for a while. serhiy: we're on our land. they attacked us, not the other way around. that's how i see it. and i think that's how many see it. that's how ukrainians feel about it. this is our land. we didn't attack our neighbors. we don't want anything from them. reporter: artillery fire -- the latest early morning greeting from across the border.

conor: four years ago, the death of jamal khashoggi caused outrage around the world. the journalist, who was one of the harshest critics of the saudi arabian regime, was brutally murdered inside the saudi consulate in istanbul. his body disappeared without a trace, and khashoggi's murderers, as well those who enabled them, have not been brought to justice. that is something that his fiancée, hatice cengiz of turkey, cannot accept. her world may have collapsed that day, four years ago, but she has not stopped fighting to find justice for her partner, and punishment for the perpetrators. hatice: i struggle with a big pain in my life, in my heart. jamal was hope. he was a part of my life, my identity. when i lost him in this way, it changed my life completely.

reporter: hatice cengiz doesn't come often to the saudi consulate in istanbul. the place has haunted her since that day in october 2018 when jamal khashoggi was murdered here. the famous saudi dissident, hatice's husband-to-be. hatice: we came here, because we needed to take some documents to complete our marriage officially. he went in and i started waiting outside. i waited and waited, and he did not come back. i knocked on the door and some man said, there is no one inside. reporter: while hatice waited outside, jamal khashoggi was brutally murdered and dismembered by a team of saudi agents.

silenced for being a critical journalist. a monument of white stone now stands near the consulate. it has jamal's name on it, but it's not a gravestone. because to this day, his remains have not been found. hatice: they vanished him. still, i am asking this question, where is his body? what happened to his body? from that day until now, i'm fighting. i'm fighting for justice for jamal. reporter: hatice met jamal at a politics conference in istanbul and soon they became close. hatice: these moments in my life i will never forget. i said, ok, this is my new life with this guy, with this man, full of love, with jamal.

reporter: it never came to that. a few months later, jamal was dead. and hatice, devastated by the loss, made a decision that would give her life a new direction. hatice: then i thought, i can't stay silent. it is time to act. and from that day i think my life changed and i put myself on the stage, speaking up and saying the truth. my power is my words. reporter: hatice started to travel the world. she testified in front of the u.s. congress, the european parliament, the united nations human rights council. a u.n.

investigation found evidence that the saudi leadership was responsible for the killing of jamal khashoggi. u.s. intelligence agencies concluded that crown prince mohammed bin salman had approved the assassination, an accusation he denies. for some time hatice was certain that justice would prevail. until she learned the meaning of realpolitik. in a world in turmoil and hungry for energy resources, pariahs can become partners again. court cases can be closed. and justice for jamal khashoggi may never be achieved. hatice: it wasn't easy to understand. it's realpolitik. it was hugely disappointing for me. everyone knows it's a political decision. reporter: the couples on the banks of the

bosporus remind hatice of her loss, but also of the fact that life is worth living and justice woh fighting for. hatice: i have a duty. i have a big responsibility. i have to remind people wh happened to jamal. reporter: a researcher turned human rights defender, hatice cengiz has found new purpose in her life. speaking for those who are silenced, listening to those who are not heard. hatice: please speak up. what we need for our future is more humanity, more democracy, more human rights. do not give up, that's my message. conor: i would like to introduce you, right now, to some of the luckiest pigs in all of europe -- they're the ones owned by

timo heikkilä. timo owns the largest piglet farm in finland, and he can think of nothing worse than fattening pigs up for a terrible, and very short life in a cramped stall in semi-darkness. that's why he makes sure his piglets get enough exercise and are kept in a healthy environment. he wants the animals on his farm in rusko, to the west of helsinki, to just be happy. and in europe, that is anything but a given. reporter: these piglets are probably among the happiest in europe. they belong to timo heikkilä, a finnish farmer who works hard to ensure all his animals are well cared for. another thing that's unusual about heikkilä's herd of pigs, they all still have their tails. timo: when their tails curl up, it means the pigs are doing well and i know they're happy.

reporter: it's something many pigs wouldn't know about. in most european countries, they have their tails cut off from early on using a cauterizing iron that burns them off. the idea is to stop the pigs biting each other's tails. but animal rights activists have long seen it as brutal practice that needto stop. heikkilä's pigs never bite each but another's tails.tivists he says they just need enough space and appropriate toys to distract them. timo: this here is made of rubber and feels a bit like a tail. so if a pig has a need to do something with its teeth, it can just chew on this. reporter: at his farm in southern finland, heikkilä rears over 100,000 pigs each year, to sell to farms that then fatten them up for slaughter. he also used to cut off their tails. but in 2003, the practice was declared illegal in finland.

it's supposed to be banned right across the european union. but nearly all member states allow exceptions en masse. that's something taru antikainen is working to change. she's part of an organization that advises european pig farmers. together with people like timo heikkilä, she's fighting to improve standards on europe's pig farms. only stressed animals bite each other's tails. so they need larger sheds and more variety. she doesn't accept the argument that it's too expensive. taru: the biggest obstacle always is attitude. if you think that, “oh i can't do it,” of course you can't. you have to think from the animal's perspective, how the animal thinks, and stop thinking about money, how much money can i make from it? reporter: but even here in finland, not all farmers prize animal welfare over profit. in the capital helsinki, we met with activists from the organization oikeutta.

they frequently visit pig farms undercover to document the conditions there. many pigs are living in appalling conditions, including being kept in very narrow crates. kristo: this sow crate, and in many of our neighboring countries we've seen progress in getting rid of this, but in finland, nothing. this animal only has the space to move forward a couple of steps and go back. e problem is not that there's something illegal in these images, the problem is it's perfectly legal. reporter: timo heikkilä would never treat his pigs that way. he makes sure they not only have sufficient space, but also that they're not too hot or cold. he even installed his own ventilation system and tried it out for himself to check its effectiveness. timo: i laid right down here, i was half naked.

and then i felt the air coming in and i thought, no, i wouldn't want that for myself. and so i developed this new ventilation system. reporter: with this much love, it's no wonder that timo heikkilä's pigs are thriving. he can't understand why 30 years after the law was changed, the ban on amputating pigs' tails still isn't enforced across europe. he says what's good for the pigs is good for the farmer. timo: if your animals are healthier and perform better, then you soon recoup your costs. and you have a farm that you can be proud of and that is more acceptable to the general public. reporter: in finland, you can't sell your pigs if their tails have been cut. the eu wants to put the issue of pig farming back on the agenda. then there could be many more happy pigs like timo heikkilä's all across europe.

conor: brewing beer -- it's kinda been seen as a man's job for a while, hasn't it? well, in spain, a growing number of women are working against that all-too-sticky perception, like in bustarviejo, or in vigo. there, groups of women are united by their love of the hoppy beverage and by their desire to create brand-new beers. now, if you think this is all kind of a new, trendy thing, it is not. in the past, women in the country were also deeply involved in brewing. store operator susana ner is fighting to revive that tradition with the help of some very passionate women from across the country. reporter: susana giner is a beer expert with a store and bar in barcelona. she specializes in craft beer made by women. susana: nowadays, people enjoy drinking beer, but it used to be a

foodstuff and made by women. reporter: from barcelona to galicia in northwestern spain, susana seeks out women brewmasters and their beer, for her store and her blog about beer made by women. she meets isabel viéitez near vigo. susana: how much do you brew? isabel: i started with 250 liters, but now it's more than 10,000 liters a month. i see myself as a professional brewmaster and businesswoman. i've brewed up my own success. reporter: isabel started six years ago, breaking with her family's winemaking tradition. the old cellars now house their modern and successful craft beer brewery. her galician brew is a real hit. and it will soon be in stock at

susana's store in barcelona. now it's on to bustarviejo, a mountain village 70 kilometers north of madrid. this is bailandera, a cooperative of four women -- a former architect, media designer, journalist, and psychologist. all are around 40 and left their previous careers to pursue their passion of brewing beer. clara: we wanted to be able to work in the town that we live in, with our families. ana: we'd already made beer at home. and when we thought of starting a company, it had to be a brewery. reporter: their beers are a product of inspiration and imaginative ingredients, using mango, blueberries, and even hibiscus

flowers. today, a lot of cinnamon is going into susana's beer. the bailanderas sell some 45,000 liters a year, making a good living for their families. ana: we also have a bar which seats 20 people inside and 120 with the beer garden. there are 2500 people in the village, and we've created nine permanent jobs, including our own. reporter: women brewers may seem uncommon today, but centuries ago brewing was primarily a woman's job. beatriz: women were the homemakers, baking bread and brewing beer for the family. they sold any extra beer at the market, especially in the 14th century, when beer consumption rose sharply because of the plague. beer was healthier and cleaner to drink than water.

reporter: hops brought the great change, because it allowed beer to be stored. beer became big business. women brewers were reviled as witches, banished and burned. beatriz: it was a way to force women out of a business that was becoming lucrative. men began to take over the beer industry, in monasteries and businesses, and women were driven out. reporter: the last thing susana has to do is remove the malt from the kettle. her beer will be ready in two months. susana: does anyone ever ask what women are doing brewing beer? clara: yes, a lot. that's why we take a provocative sign to beer fairs that shows women with mustaches and “beer mistress” written on it. susana: really? clara:

yeah, we'll show you. ana: it's a joke. susana: it's great. ana: they ask us where the brewmaster is. why master? we're a brewery of women. reporter: with humor and prowess, the women brewers are intent on taking beer back into their own hands. conor: do you know what a town leader does all day long? well, in cockington, in the southwest of england, the primary job of a very special, honorary mayor is simply to spread good cheer. he's open to selfies, doesn't mind being photographed, and he's also present at the opening of schools or hospitals. the only thing he's not very good at, though, is making speeches, or shaking hands, or signing documents. that's because patrick, the mayor, is a mini shetland pony, and one with a long history of helping those in need. reporter: watch out, here comes the boss.

patrick, the local mayor, is out and about in his constituency, the village of cockington in the south west of england. and of course, he's dressed for the job. like all mayors in england, he has a chain of office. local residents signed a petition last summer to have patrick become mayor. his main task, to spread a little happiness, a job he performs with distinction. laurie: it's wonderful. i think there are too many annoying mayors and he's a perfect mayor, do you know what i mean? he's a good character to run the town. imogine: he's just so cute, and so soft. reporter: the idea was born at the local pub. patrick was training to be a therapy pony. his owner kirk took him along to get him used to people. patrick was an immediate hit, and when the job of mayor became free, he was first choice. the tourists love him, too. kirk: patrick's biggest part of his role is to bring happiness to everybody all over the world.

but he does attend events as well. so, if there's a ceremony, patrick will turn up in his mayor's outfit, and rather than cut the ribbon, he will bite the ribbon. reporter: unfortunately, the local council didn't share the joke and has banned patrick from the pub. the problem is, he's gained quite a taste for beer. thankfully, he's still allowed a quick drink after work. kirk: he takes a few sips of it, but yeah, he really -- look at him, he's so excited, aren't you? reporter: locals are now hoping a song about patrick will make the charts. everyone here in cockington is convinced he has a great future ahead of him. conor: and if you're wondering, patrick actually changed the laws to allow horses to drink alcohol.

i was one of his first acts as mayor. that's it from us here at “focus on europe.” until next time, goodbye. ♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy.

12/08/22 12/08/22 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> that the people elect her. but the people did not like her. -- but people did not elect her. amy: pedro castillo was ousted