Greece: The orphans of Alexandroupoli - The tragic story of the refugee boat that sank off the coast of Lampedusa shocked people across Europe. The disaster took more than 200 lives, many of them children. Europe faces a dilemma: as its borders are tightened, refugees become increasingly desperate to reach the continent. As a result, places like Lampedusa and the River Evros in Greece are subject to growing bottlenecks of asylum seekers. Thousands of people have already drowned. We look at an orphanage in Greece that takes in children who have lost their parents on one of the many perilous crossings. Croatia: The smallest town in the world - The smallest town in the world, Hum in Istria in northwest Croatia, has become a part of the European Union. The medieval town overlooking the Mima Valley is a popular tourist destination. The people of Hum hope that membership in the EU will bring in more tourists and their money. Hum has only about 25 permanent residents. They pride themselves on their openness and hospitality. But they do have some concerns about joining the EU and giving up some of their recently gained sovereignty France: A new record in fare-dodging - Fare-dodging is France's new national sport. Some fare-dodgers have even banded together to create a kind of insurance fund to cover the fines if they're caught. Many in France have lax attitudes toward buying tickets for public transport. There's even a famous photo of former president Jacques Chirac jumping over a subway turnstile many years ago. Meanwhile, some cash-strapped university students are paying seven euros each month into a fund that will cover fines rather than shell out for a subway pass. Fare-dodging is estimated to cost France's state-owned railway system around 300 million euros a year; for Paris's public transport system, it's a record 100 million. Albania: Marijuana Village - Farmers in a remote mountain village in southern Albania harvest a whopping 900 tons of cannabis every year, with an estimated market value of four and a half billion euros - despite the fact that cannabis cultivation is illegal in Albania. The villagers of Lazarat keep to themselves and threaten strangers with weapons. For years, law enforcement agencies have taken scarcely any steps to prevent cultivation of marijuana. Criminal networks from Albania and Italy are said to be in control of the trade, in most cases protected by members of the judiciary and politicians in exchange for hush money. A camera crew from European Journal has been one of the first to be allowed to enter the village. Belgium: Three-Star Accommodation for the Homeless - In winter, many street people in Brussels are able to spend the night in a hotel. A manager with a big heart provides them with free accommodation. But the operator of the Mozart Hotel, Ahmed Ben Abderrahman, does set some rules. Homeless guests must shower and change their clothes on a daily basis. During the cold spell in January, the hotel provided refuge for over 50 street people, but paying guests barely noticed their presence. The hotel manager organizes donations of clothing and money for his homeless guests. He says he goes to all this trouble because he's a Muslim and views Islam as a religion of sharing.
