Now some once prounity catalans, like maria vallverdoo, are in favor of secession. Reporter everywhere she turns, the crisis is in evidence. Maria vallverdu guides a tour group through barcelonas old town, where catalan history and the current political upheaval appear to vie for attention. Protest banners and flags hang from buildings where normally only laundry is strung out to dry. Like many locals, the historian is outraged that madrid is moving to enforce direct rule on catalonia. The current political situation is like some 18th century rule by decree. It is a step backwards by 300 years. Even if Prime Minister rajoy claims he hasnt revoked catalonian autonomy and everything will return to normal, i do not believe it. Reporter the next stop on the tour is the historic palace of the generalitat, the seat of the regional government. Journalists from all over the world are here reporting on the standoff between barcelona and madrid. Opinion is divided on whether catalonias bid for i
If convicted, they could face up to 30 years in jail. So will josep back down . Reporter mayor josep companys is having a hard time these days. Is his village being forcibly ruled by the Spanish Government, or is the Community Part of the Free Republic of catalonia . The residents of santa pau a Mountain Village in rural catalonia want to know. Almost everyone here voted in favor of independence in the controversial referendum, and they havent changed their position. Josep i would like for the new catalan republic to be socially and politically sound. A republic established by its citizens, the regular people, from the ground up. Reporter its been a long time since the spanish flag has flown above the town hall in santa pau. The local Council Still considers ousted regional leader Carles Puigdemont their head of government. It doesnt matter if hes abroad or appearing before a spanish court. Proponents of independence continue to adhere to different laws. Josep of 900 towns in catalonia
If youre a soft southerner like me, right . But that was almost seven Degrees Higher than normal. And Scientists Say its due to Climate Change. Now locals have to contend with a new danger avalanches. Our reporter went to norway to find out why the arctic is heating up faster than the rest of the world. Reporter the Svalbard Archipelago is covered with ice, snow, and glaciers as far as the eye can see. At first glance theres no obvious sign of the drastic climatic changes taking place here. But the arctic is warming two to three times faster than the rest of the earth. The appropriatelynamed isfjorden or ice fjord west of the island of spitsbergen, no longer freezes over. Now fishermen catch salmon and mackerel here in the winter. In the past they could only do that further south. Kim holmen of the norwegian polar institute, says whatever the causes, the current warming of the arctic is unprecedented. Kim we see quite a few results that point to the fact that it is unlikely that we can
Status. Now locals, many of whom earn their living from the travel industry, are calling for more sustainable tourism. Reporter every time tour guide paolo patuzzo crosses the rialto bridge, he cant help but wonder where did his charming city go . The one thats now overrun with millions of tourists . How can venice protect itself from the onslaught of visitors . Hes sure this piece of world Cultural Heritage wont survive as a photo backdrop alone. Paolo patuzzo my love for this city makes me seek out places and people who are keeping venice alive. Because there are enough people who are countersteering and navigating the city into troubled waters. Reporter like most venetians, paolo lives from tourism, which presents him with a dilemma. He now conducts special tours to draw attention to the citys problems, like in his own district, where rents are rising as flats are being used as holiday homes. More and more venetians are moving away. At the bar paolo frequents, venices decline is a h
Merkel stands emptyhanded. And this doesnt suit french president emanuel macron, who has big plans for europe. He wants to comprehensively reform the e. U. , but he needs germany at his side. Some of his most passionate supporters, like the parisian chantal leib, worry that without the support of their teutonic neighbor, europes future could look bleak. Robust relations between paris and berlin are vital for a strong europe. Thats the firm belief of chantal leib from paris. A supporter of emmauel macrons La Republique en marche party, shes disappointed by the failure to form a government in berlin. She and a friend of hers say the setback in berlin means yet another delay to macrons vision of a united europe. Chantal leib if we dont move forward, germany will focus on russia and china, and france on the mediterranean, and thatll be the end of europe. [applause] reporter Emmanuel Macron has championed a europe with a joint army and an elected president , a vision chantal leib shares. Ba