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.
As the Senate narrowly passes a budget bill that clears the path for a historic tax reform, we’ll look at how President Trump’s proposed tax overhaul would shower billions of dollars in tax cuts upon the wealthiest Americans—including President Trump’s family and members of his administration. An analysis by the Center for American Progress Action Fund shows President Trump’s family and Trump’s Cabinet members would, combined, reap a $3.5 billion windfall from the proposed repeal of the estate tax alone. Trump’s plan would cap the tax rate on “pass-through income” at 25 percent—a move that would also shower millions in savings upon millionaires and billionaires. We speak with economist James Henry of the Tax Justice Network and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston, whose latest piece is titled “Nine Reasons Trump’s Tax Plan Will Hurt You.”
In Austria, conservative leader Sebastian Kurz has been tasked with forming a government after he won a slim majority in the snap elections earlier this month. His conservative party, which campaigned on an anti-immigration platform, is now weighing whether to form a coalition with Austria’s far-right populist Freedom Party, which won 26 percent of the vote in the Austrian elections. The Freedom Party was founded by former Nazis six decades ago. This comes as hate crimes in Britain hit a record high and anti-immigrant nationalist movements are surging across Europe. For more, we speak with Dominic Thomas, professor at UCLA who specializes in European politics. Thomas is chair of the Department of French and Francophone Studies.
It is a case of try and try again for America’s top diplomat. The US Secretary of State‘s back in the Gulf reviving mediation efforts in a bid to end the four-month-long Gulf crisis.
Rex Tillerson is visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar as part of a regional tour. His last visit was in July for intense talks, but no deal was made. Tillerson is playing down the chances of a quick solution in his latest shuttle diplomacy.
He is already been blaming the Saudi-led group of countries for the lack of progress.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June, and imposed a land, sea and air travel blockade on the country.
The Saudi-led bloc accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism, allegations strongly denied by Doha.
What will it take to find a solution? And does the Saudi-led quartet want to talk?
Presenter: Jane Dutton | Guests: Fahad Bin Mohamed Al-Attiyah, Qatar Ambassador to Russia; Andreas Krieg, Assistant Professor at the Defense Studies Dept. King's College London; Khalil Jahshan, Executive Director of the Arab Centre of WashingtonMAIL
Lord Heseltine remained adamant the UK would adopt the currency when the “circumstances are right”. Joining Iain Dale in the studio, he also said it was “very possible” that Britain does not end up leaving the European Union.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is set to launch a fresh bid on Sunday to ease a crisis between Riyadh and Doha, both allies of Washington, but without high hopes of a breakthrough.
Omar Ashour, a senior lecturer in Middle East Politics and Security Studies at the University of Exeter, speaks to Al Jazeera about Tillerson's Middle East tour.
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) responds to Chief of Staff John Kelly's criticism of her following President Trump's phone call to the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson.
Former President Barack Obama, back on the campaign trail for the first time since he left the White House, has appealed for unity in America. Without mentioning Donald Trump by name, Obama said: 'Instead of our politics reflecting our values, we've got politics infecting our communities.' He went on: 'If you have to win a campaign by dividing people, you won't be able to govern them.'
Conservative politician Sebastian Kurz has won Austria's elections by espousing right-wing positions. What consequences will that have for Europe? Guests this time: Ulrike Herrmann (taz), Frank Hofmann (DW), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico).
It's been almost a year since Clinton lost the election and one Russian collusion believer has mapped out a scenario where she could be installed as president.
The former president spoke at an event held at the George W Bush Institute on Thursday in New York. Bush says bigotry seems emboldened in modern America, along with a climate of discontent. He added that US politics appeared more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication.
