Iranian protesters are angry at the high cost of basic goods. The price of eggs, for example, has gone up 40 per cent in just six months. Some Iranians say it's time for the government to focus on domestic issues, and to forget Syria, and forget Palestine.
These protesters hoped the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2015 would ease their financial struggles. Most international sanctions were lifted, but life for many Iranians has not improved. Government critics say the economic benefits of the deal haven't been passed on because of mismanagement and alleged corruption. They add that the budget announced this month cuts vital social welfare programmes, while giving more money to religious and revolutionary institutions.
Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Ali Fathollah-Nejad –Brooking Doha center
Turkey has signed an agreement with Sudan that will allow it to have a military presence on the Red Sea. It's the latest country to expand into the area.
The list of countries already in the region or building bases there include: Saudi Arabia, China, Israel, United Arab Emirates and the US. The US and European Union maintain regular security patrols. But the Red Sea is also one of the world's busiest maritime gateways for transporting oil. So, why is there a sudden interest in the Red Sea region?
Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Metin Gurcan - Security Analyst and Columnist for Al Monitor; James Moran - Associate Senior Research Fellow, Centre for European Policy; Mamoun Abu Nowar - Retired Jordanian Air Force General
Donald Trump's views, policies and rhetoric have raised concerns among Americans. This documentary elaborates on Trump's standpoint on different issues.
The economist and author of Globalisation and its Discontents talks to the Guardian's Larry Elliott about why he considers Donald Trump unfit to be US president. He says stagnant incomes, the opioid crisis and falling life expectancies all pointed towards a political problem in the US but no one imagined it leading to a Trump presidency
The Trump administration kicked off 2017 with hope for better relations with Russia. But the year ends with hardening rhetoric between two of the world's most influential powers.
Washington is now taking a tougher stance on Moscow for what it calls 'destabilizing activities'. Just this week, Donald Trump announced the United States will give Ukraine 'enhanced defensive capabilities' to fight pro-Russia separatists, in other words, weapons. Vladimir Putin's responded with a warning that this will only increase the use of force, and he used the same tone in outlining how Russia will move into 2018. So are relations now at their lowest since the end of the Cold War? And what will 2018 bring?
Presenter: Sami Zeidan | Guests Nikolay Surkov, foreign policy analyst at the Russian International Affairs Council; Lawrence Korb, a former assistant secretary of defense and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress; Macharia Munene, international relations expert at the United States International University
Veteran British filmmaker Philip Saville directs the religious epic The Gospel of John| a production of the Canadian company Visual Bible International. This three-hour drama attempts to accurately follow the Gospel According to John| written sometime during the first century. The gospel contains four segments: an introduction to the nature of Jesus Christ; testimony by disciples and the presence of miracles; the Last Supper and crucifixion; and the appearance of the risen Christ. Henry Ian Cusick plays Jesus and Christopher Plummer provides voice-over narration. The Gospel of John was shown in a special presentation at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival.
On Thursday, the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a nonbinding resolution against President Trump's Jerusalem decision. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley spoke out, saying 'This vote will be remembered.'
