European Journal

Many "war children" are growing up in the Balkans, children conceived in Serb rape camps. It's estimated that 20,000 women were raped during the Bosnian war. These victims are still traumatised as a result, and the subject is still taboo in Bosnia. And those who became pregnant gave birth to children who are now reaching puberty, and beginning to ask some awkward questions. Providing the answers is a painful process for all those concerned.

The goose barnacle may not look very appealing, but it's actually Spain's most expensive and most dangerous delicacy. The percebes, as they're known in Spanish, live in treacherous tidal waters between rocks, and fishermen risk their lives to collect them. Prices rocket whenever the weather turns bad and the surf is high. Then, a kilo of goose barnacles can fetch up to 150 euros at the fish market. Critics say consumers are seduced by the risk-factor involved in fishing for goose barnacles, and that actually they taste like stale seawater.

At the French winter sports resort of Courcheval, the focus is on keeping the Russians happy. They form the richest, and therefore the most important group of visitors at the moment. Hoteliers, ski instructors and anyone working in the tourist industry in Courcheval is cashing in. The Russians, for their part, have a whale of a time and are made to feel at home in the French Alps.

The Swedish icebreaker Frej packs a proud 20,000 horsepower. Its job is to ensure that shipping on the Bothnian Sea doesn't grind to a halt. For several months a year, the northern offshoot of the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland is completely frozen over. The Frej has a crew of 20, from the captain to the cook. When there's nothing to do, they while away the hours jumping from ice floe to ice floe. That's until the next mission comes up, and the engines are switched back on bringing the ship back to life.