Catalonian Independence Opens 40-Year-Old Wounds

Spain is in the midst of its most serious political crisis in 40 years. As the Spanish cabinet roundly reject Catalonia's decade-long drive for independence, what is next for the divided region?

Inside Putin's Russia

Correspondent Nick Schifrin and producer Zach Fannin take us inside Vladimir Putin's Russia, with an in-depth look at the resurgent national identity, the government's propaganda machine, the risk of being a Kremlin critic and much more.

Robert Spencer: Pope Francis, the Pope of Islam

Jihad Watch director Robert Spencer discusses the praise Pope Francis has received from Muslim leaders for his false claims that Islam is a religion of peace that has nothing to do with terrorism, and his ignoring of the plight of persecuted Middle Eastern Christians.

Inside Story: What Happens Next in Catalonia?

Spain pushes back after the independence vote by firing the government and the police chief.

In less than 24 hours Catalonia has declared independence and Spain has responded by stripping the region of its autonomy and taking control of its government and police. The Spanish prime minister dismissed Catalan's leaders including Carles Puigdemont. Mariano Rajoy called for a snap election in the region on December 21. And handed over Catalonia's reins to Spain's deputy prime minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria. But will that simply exacerbate Catalans’ ambitions to split.

Presenter: Patty Culhane | Guests: Enric Ucelay-da Cal - Senior Professor emeritus at University of Barcelona; Daniel Gasconid - Spanish writer and political analyst; Luk Van Langenhove - senior researcher at the Institute for European Studies

Saint Helena - A Remote Island in the Atlantic | DW Documentary

Every third week, a British Royal Mail ship begins its journey from Cape Town to Saint Helena, the remote island in the Atlantic where Napoleon was once in exile.

It’s like the end of the world in the middle of the Atlantic. Five days, with a northwesterly course, and only then do the sheer black cliffs appear in front of RMS St. Helena. The island’s 45000 residents are often waiting impatiently for the ship’s arrival and panic if the schedule changes. Director Thomas Denzel and his team went on the journey to Saint Helena and met the people living on the island. Many of the residents are descendants of people who were sent into exile there by the British crown - the most famous among them, the French Emperor Napoleon. This is a report about life at the end of the world, loneliness, unique vegetation, and a very special journey.

Saddam Hussein: 'I Knew Saddam'

Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president, was executed on December 30, 2006. His death, like his life, was filled with controversy.

Saddam Hussein was born into humble beginnings, but his straightforward, brutal efficiency eventually propelled him to power. By 1979 he had absolute control of Iraq, and had become a prominent figure on the world stage.

I Knew Saddam was first broadcast on Al Jazeera English in 2007.

Alastair Campbell vs The Archbishop of Canterbury: Alastair Does God | GQ Politics | British GQ

GQ’s arch interrogator Alastair Campbell finally does God, as he meets the man leading the Church of England, Justin Welby, to discuss the Queen's death, gay sex and battling depression.

The World This Week: Catalonia's Day of Reckoning: Barcelona Opts for Independence, Madrid for Direct Rule

British Government Wants to Criminalize Web Use

The British Government is set to expand terrorism offenses to include the act of viewing content online. Jim Killock of Open Rights Group says the move amounts to criminalizing thought

Sue Lloyd-Roberts - BBC Newsnight - Saudi Arabia, the Lives of Women, 2011

Could Saudi Arabia Be the Next Dubai? - BBC Newsnight

How should we view Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's promise of reform? Evan Davis asks Saudi journalist Abeer Mishkhas and Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik.

Science Myths and Health Misconceptions | DW Documentary

We've all heard that a glass of wine a day is healthy or that spinach is a good source of iron. But what is true and what is a myth?

There are many misconceptions about what is healthy and what is unhealthy. Insight is a constant process: what was accepted as true yesterday could be scientifically refuted today. But how do myths become embedded, even in the scientific community? Why can’t we simply replace old insights with new ones? Everything from methodological errors to manipulation can play a role. New myths aren’t just created in spite of science, but sometimes even with its help. One example: detoxing is a very popular myth at the moment. Removing toxins from the body is based on an understanding of medicine dating back to the early 20th Century. But modern medical experts say this notion of a build-up of toxins is nonsense. So why is it so hard to debunk the detox myth when it has no scientific basis? Dr. Lilian Krist, an epidemiologist at the Charité Hospital in Berlin says: "People want to believe in something. For many, these diet hypes and lifestyle trends have become a substitute religion." New studies often throw up more questions than answers and more room for wrong interpretations - or even deliberately false conclusions. Once wrong information has become embedded in our brains, it’s difficult to get rid of again. Cognitive psychologist Ullrich Ecker has discovered that established myths people have believed in for generations are incredibly resilient. There’s even a boomerang effect: the more we try to destroy a myth, the more people believe in it.

10 Minutes: Saudi Arabia's New Crown Prince

Saudi Arabia's new crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has become the de facto ruler of the kingdom given his father's poor health. Bin Salman's record of reckless decisions over the past two years has triggered fears that he may take the Kingdom into uncharted territory and further destabilize the Middle East.

Inside Story: Can the Crown Prince Change Saudi Culture?

In the three years since he emerged as a central player in Saudi Arabia's government, Mohammed Bin Salman - also known as MBS - has seemed to be a young man in a hurry. The 32-year-old formally became Crown Prince earlier this year, but well before that he had announced broad plans to transform both Saudi Arabia's culture and its economy.

At a conference this week in Riyadh, the prince made headlines by calling for the Kingdom to "return to moderate Islam." He suggested that his country's embrace of a particularly strict version of Islam, was a reaction to Iran's 1979 revolution. But questions are being asked as to whether the prince will be able to push his reforms through the country's conservative bureaucracy and religious establishment.

At the same time he's spending $2tn on the 'Vision 2030' plan which seeks to lessen the country's dependence on oil revenue. Will Mohammed Bin Salman be successful in both, or even just one of these ambitious projects?

Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Abdullah al-Shayji - Chair, Political Science Department, Kuwait University; Yasemin Saib - Saudi Activist; Jane Kinninmont - Deputy Head, Middle East & North Africa Programme, Chatham House, London

Direct Rule or Independence? Catalonia Crisis Comes to a Head

Prophet Muhammad’s Truthful Predictions

Top US News & World Headlines — October 25, 2017

Catalan Companies Are Leaving Catalonia and Other World Stories | DW Documentary

Catalan companies are leaving Catalonia because of uncertainty; Famine as a weapon in South Sudan; Conservative party MP's in Germany are pushing for a quota; Fears of a new refugee route to Romania.

Egypt's Sisi: 'There Are Countries Who Are Supporting Terrorism'

How East German Voters Fuelled Far-right's Parliament Breakthrough