Roundtable

Three years ago Britain’s Conservative government promised to come up with an official definition of Islamophobia … but now it appears work on that has stopped. As the country marks Islamaphobia Awareness Month, some have suggested that when it comes to dealing with anti-Muslim hate crime, the country is going backwards.

The United Nations says the human population of planet earth has now surpassed 8 billion. But it’s an upward trend with consequences that are not clear cut, and which might not continue for long.

Areas in the Global South are seeing the biggest population growth, in part driven by a lack of access to contraception. But wealthy societies across the world are facing the opposite issue - their populations are actually getting older and more expensive.

So what challenges are governments around the world facing from the ever changing population?

Guests:

Jennifer Sciubba

Author of ‘8 Billion and Counting’

Kathleen Mogelgaard

President of the Population Institute

Bill Ryerson

Founder and President of Population Media Center

Britain is facing its latest winter of discontent. Strikes over pay and pensions are planned by train drivers and civil servants. And for the first time in over a century even nurses are threatening to walk out.

The dramatic rise in inflation and interest rates are behind the biggest wave of industrial action in decades.

But is there any money to meet the demands of unions and strikers?

Guests:

Rob Wilson

Former Conservative MP

Dr Meenal Viz

National Health Service Hospital Doctor

Chris Nineham

British Political Activist

A visit by the German Chancellor to Beijing has highlighted one glaring fact above all others - Europe can’t make up its mind over what to do about China. There is no united position.

Last month European Union leaders held a three-hour-long conversation in Brussels, with each taking to the floor to express their concern about the dangers of becoming reliant on China’s money. Yet just weeks later Olaf Scholz arrived in Beijing with a group of industrialists, ready to do business.

Guests:

Klaus Larres

Professor of History and International Affairs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Michele Geraci

Economist at New York University Shanghai and former Under Secretary of State for Commerce at Italian Government

Bulent Gokay

Professor of International Relations at Keele University

2022 witnessed severe flooding in Pakistan, extreme drought in Somalia and heat waves across Europe. The COP27 environmental meeting in Egypt right now is aimed at speeding up action to prevent more of these climate emergencies.

Nations are trying to find a way to meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, but there appears little discussion about how to deal with the immediate problem of climate migration and the people searching for safety.

Guests:

Michelle Yonetani

Climate Action Policy, UNHCR

Ines Benomar

Researcher in Climate Diplomacy, E3G

Ayesha Siddiqi

Assistant Professor at Cambridge University

Roundtable is a discussion program with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by David Foster, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you. Watch it every weekday at 15:30 GMT on TRT World.

A treaty signed almost 30 years ago to protect Western investors and fossil fuel companies against losses. If former Soviet states renege on investments deals is spectacularly backfiring.

Guests:

Yamina Saheb

Former Head of the ECT Energy Efficiency Unit

Leah Sullivan

Senior Trade Campaigner at War on Want

Christof Ruehl

Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University

Britain now has its first South Asian Prime Minister. But unlike Barack Obama for example, who was elected by the people, Rishi Sunak was crowned by his parliamentary colleagues.

Some South Asians in the UK celebrated the news calling it a ‘Diwali gift,’ while others argue that he represents the elite and not them.

So is it a win for people of colour?

Guests:

Shareefa Energy

Activist and Poet

Rakib Ehsan

Social Policy Analyst and Writer

Samayya Afzal

Anti-Racist Activist

The remote work lifestyle is booming in Europe, leading several governments across the continent to set in place policies to attract more digital nomads. Croatia and Estonia are just some of them, with Portugal becoming the latest country to introduce a visa for remote workers. With more individuals making high incomes settling into European countries where the average purchasing power is much lower than theirs, will locals be able to afford to live in their own cities?

Roundtable is a discussion program with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by David Foster, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you. Watch it every weekday at 15:30 GMT on TRT World.

Famine once again threatens Somalia. Millions are going hungry, are leaving their homes and desperate for help. So far, little help has come. Climate change is just one of the many contributing factors. Why is this happening now and who is to blame?

Roundtable is a discussion program with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by David Foster, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you. Watch it every weekday at 15:30 GMT on TRT World.

The alliance between France and Germany is under strain as weeks of disagreements over fighter jets and energy plans led to divergent policies on key areas of European cooperation. The German Chancellor and the French President were all smiles last week in a meeting in Paris to mend ties. But will attempts to decrease tensions succeed at a time when unity is vital for the bloc?

Roundtable is a discussion program with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by David Foster, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you. Watch it every weekday at 15:30 GMT on TRT World.