Las Vegas Shooting: US President Donald Trump Addresses the Nation

Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia: Gearing Up for Change?

Theresa May – Full Interview on the Andrew Marr Show (October 1, 2017) – BBC News

Theresa May discusses Brexit, tuition fees, Boris Johnson and the Labour Party with Andrew Marr.

Defying Madrid: Catalonia's Independence Referendum

Inside Story - How Will Spain Deal with Catalonia's Separatist Campaign?

'Illegal' and 'irresponsible'. Those are the words of the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister who condemned Catalonia's leaders for Sunday's controversial secession referendum. Tens of thousands of Catalans turned out to vote. That led to violent scenes in some parts of Barcelona, when Spanish national police - sent from outside the region - tried to shut down polling stations and confiscate ballots.

In Madrid, the central government said police acted with 'professionalism' and in a 'proportionate way'. So, what does the future hold for Catalonia and Spain?

Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam | Guests: Enric Martinez-Herrera - Political Analyst; Luke Stobart - Barcelona based writer

Catalonia Referendum: Local Catalan Police Clash with Guardia Civil

A Right-wing Surge in Saxony | DW English

The right-wing AfD party made big gains in Germany’s federal election with racist and anti-Islamic slogans. In the state of Saxony, it even emerged as the strongest party. DW reporter Maissun Melhem travels to Dresden to explore why.

Interview - What Kind of Country Do We Want to Live In? | DW English

The political parties make their election promises. But many voters, it seems, are running out of trust. People need clear messages, says Jutta Almendinger of Berlin’s WZB. She’s studied the hopes and fears of the German electorate.

As Trump Struggles to Pronounce "Namibia," Meet One of the Country's Best-Known Journalists

The African nation of Namibia found itself in the news last week after President Trump mispronounced its name during a speech at the United Nations. Trump’s reference to the nonexistent Nambia left many observers confused as to whether he was referring to the Gambia or Zambia or Namibia. White House officials later clarified to say Trump meant to say Namibia. During that same speech, Trump congratulated African leaders for helping make his friends rich. We find out more from one of Namibia’s best-known journalists, Gwen Lister, who is in Paris to speak today at UNESCO. She is the founding editor of the independent newspaper The Namibian, which reported critically on the apartheid South African regime. During the 1980s, she was jailed twice, and her newspaper’s office was destroyed by arson. The building was later firebombed in the 1990s after Namibia became independent. Gwen Lister has since become a leading advocate for press freedom. She is a founding member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which gained fame for publishing the Panama Papers, which exposed how the world’s rich used tax havens to hide their wealth. Gwen Lister is speaking today here at UNESCO to mark the International Day for the Universal Access to Information.

Top US News & World Headlines — September 29, 2017

The Debate: Too Much Power? The French Presidency According to Emmanuel Macron

The Rise of Far-right Populists in Germany | DW English

For decades Germany’s industrial Ruhr region was a Social Democratic stronghold. In some districts the SPD used to win 60 percent of the votes. That vote has been cut in half, and the far-right populist AfD party has made inroads.

German Holocaust Survivor Gives View on the Rise of AfD | DW English

Nonagenarian holocaust survivor Horst Selbiger recalls his childhood in Nazi Germany. He sees the rise of the AfD as a continuation of the Nazi tradition.

Saudi Woman on Driving Ban: "Many of Us Are Thrilled about This!"

Finland's First Female President on Women's Rights, Healthcare & Rise of Far Right in Europe

As we broadcast from UNESCO in Paris, we speak with Tarja Halonen, who was elected in 2000 as Finland’s first female president and served until 2012. Her election came about 100 years after Finland became the first European country where women were given the right to vote. In 2009, Forbes named Halonen among the 100 Most Powerful Women in the world. Since leaving office, she has become a prominent advocate for gender equality as well as transparency. She spoke today to mark the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, and we asked her about the country’s cost-effective healthcare system, which she says has given Finland "a lower infant mortality rate, better maternity care than the United States."

French Activist: Emmanuel Macron Is "Younger, Prettier" Face of Anti-Worker Reforms, Police State

As we broadcast from Paris, we examine political turmoil in France, where it has been less than five months since the centrist political figure Emmanuel Macron defeated Marine Le Pen to become France’s youngest president ever. While Macron won in a landslide, opinion polls show most French voters now oppose how he has governed. On Saturday, leftist opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon led up to 150,000 people in a protest against Macron and his attempt to rewrite France’s labor law. Meanwhile, human rights groups are criticizing Macron for pushing a new anti-terror law that would make permanent key parts of France’s state of emergency, which went into effect after the 2015 Paris attacks. "The situation in France is highly volatile, both socially, economically and politically," says our guest Yasser Louati, a French human rights and civil rights activist.

Top US News & World Headlines — September 28, 2017

Inside Story - Is Saudi Arabia on a Reform Path?

It is the only country in the world where women are banned from getting behind the wheel of a car, but not for much longer, nine months to be exact. King Salman is allowing women to legally drive for the first time from next June.

The royal decree removes a cornerstone of Saudi conservatism. Some conservative voices are accusing the leadership of 'bending the verses of Sharia'. While rights activists are delighted that Saudi women are finally being allowed to do what's entirely normal everywhere else.

But will the royal go-ahead accelerate existing tensions in the Kingdom? And is it a major step towards gender equality in the male dominated society?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan | Guests: Eylem Atakav - Senior Lecturer, University of East Anglia; Yasemin Saib - Saudi activist; Rothna Begum - Women’s Rights Researcher, Human Rights Watch

The Debate - The Battle of Glyphosate: Can You Feed the Planet without Poisoning It?

Science in a Golden Age - Al-Razi, Ibn Sina and the Canon of Medicine

North Korea: What Would A War Look Like? – BBC News

Two US experts talk to the BBC about how a conflict might unfold.

Qatar Looks to Increase Tourism despite Blockade

Tourism industry leaders from around the world are in Qatar to celebrate World Tourism Day. The number of tourists worldwide is expected to rise to around two billion by 2030, and sustainable tourism is a major concern for delegates. ¶ Qatar wants to attract five-and-a-half million visitors within the next five years, despite a blockade by neighbouring countries.

Trump Is Destroying Puerto Rico | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann | GQ

This racist disregard for Americans who need help is beyond the pale.

Saudi Arabia: Big Economic Imperatives behind Lifting of Driving Ban

Top US News & World Headlines — September 27, 2017

Leaving Christianity in Ten Questions

Women in Saudi Arabia: A Long Road to Equality

Russia in Secret Talks with North Korea

Russia's foreign ministry has revealed that it is engaged in behind-the-doors diplomacy with North Korea. It also thinks that US President Donald Trump is acting recklessly. Moscow believes that sanctions are not effective, but it could possibly take the route of offering Pyongyang economic benefits in exchange for scaling back its nuclear programme. Al Jazeera's Rory Challands reports from Moscow.

Queen Victoria's Last Love - Relationship with an Indian Servant - Full Documentary

Terry Ramsey reviews the documentary exploring Queen Victoria's relationship with her Indian servant Abdul Karim.

Turkey: Erdoğan Threatens to Cut Oil Pipeline, Food Supply Due to Kurdish Referendum

US - North Korea Tensions: From a War of Words to Words of War

US-North Korea Tensions: "Rhetoric on Both Sides Has Gotten Pretty Out of Hand!”

What Does Germany's Far-right AfD Party Plan to Do Now? - BBC Newsnight

What does Germany's far-right AfD party plan to do now? Our diplomatic editor Mark Urban speaks to the deputy leader of Alternative for Germany Beatrix von Storch.

Far-Right Enters Germany's Parliament for First Time in 60 Years

The Alternative for Germany party, which has moved so far right that it includes neo-Nazis, now has a seat at the table. Meanwhile, both the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats lost big, explains TRNN's Shir Hever

Mad Man vs. Rocket Man: North Korea Crisis Hits Fever Pitch

North Korea says Trump's dangerous rhetoric is tantamount to a declaration of war. But even if military officials try to act as a restraint on Trump's hostility, Trump isn't bound by the advice he gets from anyone, says Col. Larry Wilkerson

Merkel's Bittersweet Election Victory

The German right wing party AfD has been voted into parliament with the third largest share in votes. Many say their surge is due to Angela Merkel's controversial refugee policies, but is it that simple? PBS NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Christopher Livesay reports.

German Economist Says EU Isn't Concerned with Maintaining Access to UK Market

A Chief Economist at Berenberg tells Sky's Ian King that "narrow economic interests" such as Germany's pursuit of tariff-free access to UK trade after Brexit will in no way shape Brexit negotiations - it follows Angela Merkel's re-election as German Chancellor. Senior International Economist at Barclays, Tomasz Wieladek says Merkel's new government is unlikely to change its stance on Brexit negotiations after the election.

Inside Story - The Resurgence of the Right in Germany

She was expected to win, and she did. But Angela Merkel's re-election victory in Germany on Sunday is bittersweet. The Chancellor's Christian Democratic Union won 34 percent of seats in the parliament or Bundestag - that's enough to be the biggest party, but not for a majority government. She'll start talks to build a coalition. At the same time, Merkel's contending with a surge of support for the AfD - the nationalists won the largest far-right representation in parliament since Hitler's Nazis in the 1940s.

For the first time in decades, a right wing party that's opposed her every move has a seat at the political table. Merkel says her party has a clear mandate. How will she govern this time?

Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam | Guests: Dietrich Von Kyaw - Former German Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the EU; Thorsten Benner - Director of Global Public Policy Institute; Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian - Contributing Writer, Foreign Policy

North Korea's Foreign Minister Says Trump ‘Declared War’

North Korea's foreign minister has accused US President Donald Trump of declaring war on North Korea, in reference to Trump's tweet about Kim Jong-un "not being around for much longer". He also said that under the UN charter, Pyongyang has the right to take countermeasures, including shooting down US bombers, even if they are not in its airspace. Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from New York.

Top US News & World Headlines — September 25, 2017

The World This Week: Power Play in Barcelona, May's Brexit Speech

Inside North Korea Newest Documentary (2017)

In this documentary you get to see how north korean people really live in one of the rarest documentaries ever recorded.

Covering the North Korean Threat - The Listening Post

Zigaretten - Verführung zur Sucht

British in Europe: Letter to Theresa May by ‘The Coalition of UK Citizens in Europe’

British in Europe letter to Theresa May on EU citizens rights after Brexit by LisaO'carroll on Scribd

Top US News & World Headlines — September 22, 2017

Dotard: An Educational Insult

Inside Story: Is President Donald Trump to Blame for a Rise in Hate Crimes?

The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC celebrates its first anniversary this week. It took a century to get it built - a salute to the history, culture and achievements of America's almost 40 million black people. Fittingly, it was the Obamas who opened it along with George W. Bush, who had signed off on the project. Its opening could have heralded a new era, a departure from the racism of the past. But it hasn't.

In the past 12 months the US has had perhaps its most divisive election, there's a new man in the White House and racist violence and hate crimes are on the rise. So, what's behind this spike in hate?

Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Daryl Johnson - Author, 'Rightwing Resurgence'; Day Gardener - President, National Black Pro-Life Union; Corey Saylor - Director, Department to Monitor & Combat Islamophobia, Council on American-Islamic Relations

How Saudi Arabia Financed Global Terror (2015)

Funding Jihad? (2003) - Did the Saudi Royal Family really finance 9/11? Although a key Middle Eastern ally of America and Britain, the Wahhabist Saudi regime is nevertheless suspected of financing terror groups around the world.

Saudi Arabia's Dissenting Princes Are Being Hunted

Saudi Arabia - a key ally of the UK and America - has been ruled as an absolute monarchy since its foundation. Any opposition in the country is often brutally oppressed. BBC Arabic has been investigating allegations the Saudi monarchy has operated a system of illegal abduction and capture of dissident princes who have criticised the government, including evidence of princes kidnapped in Europe and forced back to Saudi Arabia, where they've not been heard from since. Reda El Mawy reports.

Worlds Apart: German Elections – Harold James, Professor of History and International Affairs

Germany is soon going to the polls for an election that most probably won’t change much, but will mean a whole lot. This is because the country, which once was blamed for destroying Europe, is now tasked with saving it. How well are the Germans coping in balancing their guilt for Europe's past with their sense of responsibility for its future? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Harold James, Professor of History and International Affairs at Princeton University.

Top US News & World Headlines — September 21, 2017

Brexit: The UK's Charm Offensive in the EU Regions - BBC Newsnight

Brexit secretary David Davis has been quietly reaching out beyond the EU's formal structures - to some of the places that could have most to lose from Brexit. Our political editor Nicholas Watt reports.

France: Front National Leader Philippot Explains Why He’s Leaving the Party

US - At United Nations, Rouhani Defends Iran Nuclear Deal against 'Rogue Newcomers'

What Is Trump's Message to the World? - Inside Story

The United Nations hosts the 72nd General Assembly - a gathering of 193 members to discuss the most pressing problems of our time. It is US President Donald Trump's first.

What is Trump's message to the world?

Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Ian Williams - former president of the UN correspondents association; author of "Untold: A Guide to the UN”; Jeanne Zaino - political analyst; professor of political science and international studies at Iona College – specialist in US elections and political parties; Evan Siegfried - political strategist; author of "GOP GPS: How to find the Millenials and Urban Voters the Republican Party Needs to Survive"

The Debate: Iran's Rebuttal: Tehran Answers Trump and Netanyahu

Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim's UN Speech in Full

Qatar's emir has addressed the 72nd UN General Assembly session in New York City. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani addressed Qatar’s blockade and called “for an unconditional dialogue based on mutual respect for sovereignty”.

On international matters, he called on Myanmar's government "to stop violence against Rohingya minority" and appealed to Palestinians to complete their "national reconciliation".

Hurricane Maria Tears through Puerto Rico

Hurricane Maria has made landfall in Puerto Rico. It is one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the island.

The Category 4 storm is packing winds of 250 kilometres per hour, with officials warning of catastrophic damage.

Al Jazeera's Andy Gallacher reports from San Juan.

Kim Jong Un’s Most Bizarre Claims

N. Korea’s Kim keeps teen sex slaves, executes musicians with anti-aircraft guns, defector reveals »

Are Universities in Pakistan Becoming a Breeding Ground for Terrorism?

Top US News & World Headlines — September 20, 2017

Eine letzte Zigarette: Aufstieg und Fall des blauen Dunstes (2009)

A Final Cigarette (Swiss documentary) - Das war einmal: Schweizer TV-Moderatoren mit der Zigarette in der Hand, Swissair-Piloten, die sich nach dem Start mit einem Glimmstengel belohnen, Nationalräte im Tabakdunst: DOK dokumentiert den Aufstieg und Fall des blauen Dunstes. Ist die zunehmende Reglementierung des Rauchens richtig oder falsch?

Auf der Terrasse des rauchfreien Bundeshauses stehen schlotternde Nationalräte im Schneesturm und rauchen trotz beissender Kälte. DOK-Autor Fritz Muri vergleicht diese Szene mit Fundstücken aus Film- und Fotoarchiven aus einer Zeit, als mehr als 50 Prozent der Erwachsenen in der Schweiz noch rauchten.

Ein besonderes Highlight ist die Szene, in der Dichter Friedrich Dürrenmatt und Literaturpapst Marcel Reich-Ranicki während einer Fernsehdiskussion einen Studiobrand verursachten. Besonders die Eliten aus Kultur, Medien und Politik waren dem blauen Dunst zugetan. Kettenraucher gab es aber auch unter Piloten und Chirurgen. Models hüpften mit der Zigarette in der Hand über den Laufsteg, und die Werbung verbreitete omnipräsent den Duft der grossen weiten Welt.

Die weltweiten Kampagnien der Tabakmultis hatten damals ihre Gesichter. Zwei davon gehörten Schweizern: Der Berner George Herriger zog als Camel-Man durch den Dschungel, und Beat Wyss lächelte als Parisienne-Protagonist von den Plakatwänden der Luzerner wurde damals unfreiwillig zum Vorzeigeraucher und erforschte später als Professor der Kunst- und Mediengeschichte die Kulturgeschichte des Rauchens. Im Dokumentarfilm wird er zum Experten im doppelten Sinne.

Zu Wort kommen auch Präventivmediziner, Manager der Tabakmultis, der ehemalige Tabak-Lobbyist Edgar Oehler und der vormalige Tageschau-Chef Heiner Hug. DOK zeigt, wie in Büros, Fernsehstudios, Spitälern und Polizeistationen die Raucherinnen und Raucher immer mehr an den Rand gedrängt werden, aber auch wie eine Handvoll Genussraucher auf ein Zürichseeschiff flüchtet, um ungestört ihrem Laster zu frönen.

Fritz Muri schildert in seinem Film zudem die Geschichte des Bündner Volksmusikkönigs Peter Zinsli. Nach 60 Jahren als Raucher kann er heute nur noch mit einer Sauerstoffmaske überleben. Kann sein Beispiel seinen Sohn und seine Enkelin vom Rauchen abhalten? DOK gibt die Antwort.

UN General Assembly: "Trump Looks to Sell 'America First' to the World"

Full Speech: President Macron Speaks To the UN General Assembly – September 19, 2017

How Germany Grapples with Its Dark Nazi Past

Margaret Evans travels to Berlin, where she investigates how Germany now grapples with its dark past.

Portugal's Biggest Wildfire: 'We All Thought We Were Going to Die'

On 17 June, a fire swept through the forests of central Portugal, killing 64 people and destroying more than 480 houses. After a summer of record numbers of wildfires across southern Europe, the Guardian travelled to devastated villages in Portugal to find out why the June fire was so deadly, and what can be done to prevent it happening again

Full Speech: Trump Addresses World Problems at the 72nd UN General Assembly

Trump delivers 1st speech as US president at 72nd UN General Assembly.

US - Trump Calls North Korea's Régime "A Band of Criminals", Kim Jong-un "Rocket Man"

Watch Live: President Trump Speaks at the UN General Assembly

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Trump Threatens to ‘Totally Destroy’ North Korea »

Top US News & World Headlines — September 19, 2017

Trump Goes to the UN: What Rôle for the United Sates on the World Stage?

Snapchat Bans Al Jazeera's Discover Channel in Saudi Arabia

Snapchat has blocked Al Jazeera's Discover channel at the behest of the Saudi government. According to Saudi Arabia, the channel's content is in breach of the country's cybercrime laws.

Al Jazeera Media Network says the action is a direct attack against freedom of expression, and will have detrimental consequences for the media industry/>

Farage: 'We've Changed British History' | DW English (April 2017)

As Brexit begins, Tim Sebastian confronts its architect Nigel Farage on whether the break with the EU is making Britain a nastier place.

Merkel’s Struggle for Re-election | DW Documentary

Angela Merkel wants to remain chancellor. She continues to defend her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany despite significant criticism from all sides, including that of her SPD challenger Martin Schulz.

Angela Merkel changed Germany with her refugee policy and over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of people have arrived in the country. The chancellor has been praised but also heavily criticized, especially by right-wing populist AfD party. She’s currently touring Germany and campaigning for her CDU party, all the while meeting vocal opponents but also new supporters, for example many Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans.

Top US News & World Headlines — September 18, 2017

Four More Years for Angela Merkel?

Third Night of Violence Rocks St. Louis

Police confiscate several weapons from demonstrators

Linda Sarsour Appears on the Glazov Gang!

Jared Kushner’s Finances And President Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy | AM Joy | MSNBC

Joy Reid and her panel discuss Jared Kushner’s reportedly troubled 666 Fifth Avenue property, his foreign policy decisions, and his recent business dealings with foreign entities.

Inside Story - Who Deserves the Nobel Peace Prize?

It’s anyone’s guess who will win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

No less than 318 people and organisations are nominated. The nominations are supposed to be secret but on the list are expected to be the White Helmets search and rescuers in Syria, Pope Francis and Donald Trump.

Previous winners have been controversial, including Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Vietnam war diplomat Henry Kissinger - and now Aung San Suu Kyi.

With hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims escaping the army campaign in Myanmar, critics are questioning how the 1991 Nobel Laureate can remain silent.

Who are the other questionable winners from the past?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan | Guests: Fredrik Heffermehl - Author of 'Nobel Peace Prize: What Nobel Really Wanted'; Rohan Jayasekera - Journalist and Editor at Vivarta digital media news organization; Azeem Ibrahim - Center for Global Policy & author of 'The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmar's Hidden Genocide'

Inside the Lives of the Rich Kids of North Korea

Take a sneak peak into the hidden and small world of the élite people of North Korea.

What Hillary Clinton Really Thinks

Hillary Clinton’s theory of politics is unfashionable, but she doesn’t care.

Das Dritte Reich: Privat

James O'Brien vs Who Will Get the Blame for the Brexit Disaster

Donald Trump Says We Need To Shut Down The Entire Internet

In response to an attack in London, Donald Trump is once again calling for the entire internet to be shut down so that radicalized people can’t use it as a recruiting tool. Not only is this a major over-reaction to what happened, but it would serve the dual purpose of silencing many Trump critics, which is likely Trump’s motive. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains.

British Police Condemn Trump's Tweets after London Attack

US President Donald Trump began tweeting about the London incident soon after it happened.

Despite no details being released about suspects, he suggested the attackers were known to UK police.

The tweets were described as unhelpful by British officials.

Al Jazeera's Victoria Gatenby reports.

The World This Week: Myanmar’s Ethnic Cleansing; Duterte Takes On the Church

Trump's Judicial Makeover is White and Far-Right

Through his nominees of federal judges and prosecutors, Donald Trump is overseeing a radical overhaul of the US judicial system, says Kamau Franklin, attorney and political editor of Atlanta Black Star

'There Is a Military Option' on North Korea, Says McMaster

US warns of military option if North Korea nuclear and missile tests continue »

What Is Life Really Like In North Korea?

A tyrannical dictator, no upward mobility, and poor living conditions, and even starvation paint a bleak picture for what life is really like in North Korea.

Top US News & World Headlines — September 15, 2017

Jacob Rees-Mogg's Full Interview with Julia Hartley-Brewer

The MP for North East Somerset and possible future leader of the Conservative Party came onto talkRADIO for a chat with our host.

Gulf Blockade against Qatar Continues

This week marks 100 days since four Arab states began a blockade against Qatar, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt accuse Qatar of supporting extremism, which it denies.

Saudi Arabia usually takes the lead in Gulf affairs, but what is interesting this time is the prominence of the UAE.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra explains.

France vs Brexit Britain: Who Will Come Out On Top?

Parsons Green: Device Intended to Cause Significant Harm Says PM - BBC News

Speaking to the BBC after chairing a meeting of Cobra, the Prime Minister Theresa May thanked the emergency services for their professionalism and bravery.

She said the police were doing all they could to identify those responsible and bring them to justice but urged the public to continue to go about their daily lives.

The meeting of Cobra has not increased the threat level to critical, Mrs May said.

The threat level is only increased to critical if the security services believe the threat of another attack is imminent. "The threat of terrorism that we face remains severe but by working together we will defeat them," she added.

Youtube Is Censoring Free Speech? | Dave Rubin On Tucker Carlson

From Ronald Reagan to Bernie Sanders – Reality Asserts Itself (RAI) with Thomas Frank

On Reality Asserts Itself, Thomas Frank, author of 'What's the Matter with Kansas?' and 'Listen, LIberal,' talks about his journey from being an enthusiastic supporter of the Vietnam War and Ronald Reagan to embracing Franklin Roosevelt and socialist Bernie Sanders

Thomas Frank »

US - Donald Trump Reacts to London Parsons Green Train Station Terror Incident

Gulf Crisis Explained, 100 Days after Anti-Qatar Blockade

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain along with Egypt announced an embargo on Qatar on June 5, setting off the Gulf crisis. More than three month blockade has affected families, students and made it difficult for Qatari pilgrims to perform Hajj. So far, Kuwait's mediation efforts have not yielded any results with the blockading nations, who say they will not budge unless Qatar agrees to a list of 13 demands. The demands include cutting ties with Iran and shutting down the Al Jazeera media network.