Russia and Germany

Alex Preston visits an extraordinary home in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, which offers help - of a rough-edged kind - to ex-convicts, bewildered in today's Russia after many years inside. And Steve Evans ponders the historical roots of German frugality. From discount supermarkets to Eurozone fiscal discipline, from unexpectedly low wage rates to surprisingly humble dinner party menus, he argues this is culture with a tight grip on its purse strings.

(Image: Hands hold a bowl of soup, Credit: Getty Images)