Türkiye's southeast has some of the earliest human settlements and is known for its delectable cuisine. But the region has long been overshadowed by the beaches of the country's west. Now Türkiye's top tourism organization is looking to change that. The historic monuments of Gobeklitepe and Mount Nemrut have already seen a surge in visitors this spring, and tourist officials anticipate that this trend will continue into the summer. Analysts, however, point out that much work remains in modernizing the region's infrastructure and facilities to serve to a larger, more global audience.

Guests:

Mehmet Uncu

General Manager of Sanliurfa Tourism Development

Thomas Zimmermann

Associate Professor at Bilkent University

Dimitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency, stated that resuming co-operation on the ISS and other projects would be difficult until all sanctions against Moscow were repealed. Russian Soyuz rockets have been critical in transporting equipment, supplies, and personnel to the International Space Station since its inception. However, the situation in Ukraine has thrown that long-standing cooperation into disarray. Russia's global space allies are attempting to get Moscow to halt its offensive on Ukraine by imposing heavy sanctions. So, how will this all play out, and could Russia seek help from China to keep its space program afloat?

Guests:

Subrata Ghoshroy

Researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Charles Boyer

Engineer and Writer

In Türkiye, nearly one in every ten people is above the age of 65. The country saw a 24 percent increase in that age group in the last five years. And estimates for the future portray a similar scenario. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, one in every six persons will be a senior by 2040. Türkiye's improvements in healthcare have increased living standards and extended life spans, following in the footsteps of other countries. However, this resulted in a decline in fertility, which now stands at roughly two births per woman. So, what obstacles would an aging society bring to Türkiye's economy and society?

Guests:

Ahmet Sinan Turkyilmaz

Professor at Hacettepe University

Aaron O'Neill

Researcher of International and Historical Data at Statista

The last time Europe saw millions of migrants flee across borders in search of refuge was during World War II. During the first five weeks of Russia's onslaught on Ukraine, approximately five million refugees fled westward, with Poland receiving the lion's share. Countless more people have been displaced within Ukraine. In response, the EU activated for the first time a policy developed two decades ago known as the Temporary Protection Directive.

Guests:

Achilles Skordas

Senior Fellow at the Max Planck Institute

Edouard Rodier

NRC Europe Director

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met for the first time since 2017. President Erdogan and Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman also met separately. The discussions took place as Turkiye and Saudi Arabia look to mend their ties after years of regional strife, including the embargo of Qatar and the Libyan conflict. The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istabul in 2018 also strained relations. So, are both countries prepared to strengthen their ties? And how is the region affected by a realigning Middle East in which the US is less involved?

Guests:

Vehbi Baysan

Assistan Professor at Ibn Haldun University

Ali Bakeer

Assistant Professor at Qatar University

Turkiye is lifting some of its last COVID-19 restrictions after more than two years. Turkiye is waving goodbye to masks indoors as it strives to return to normalcy. Masks will continue to be required on public transportation and in hospitals, but these requirements will be phased out very shortly. Cases have dropped sharply as the country looks to open up further for the coming summer months.

Guests:

Irshad Sheikh

Head of WHO Regional Centre on Emergency Preparedness

Andrew Freedman

Reader in Infectious Diseases at Cardiff University

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met for the first time since 2017. President Erdogan and Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman also met separately. The discussions took place as Türkiye and Saudi Arabia look to mend their ties after years of regional strife, including the embargo of Qatar and the Libyan conflict. The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istabul in 2018 also strained relations. So, are both countries prepared to strengthen their ties? And how is the region affected by a realigning Middle East in which the US is less involved?

Guests:

Vehbi Baysan

Assistan Professor at Ibn Haldun University

Ali Bakeer

Assistant Professor at Qatar University

Israel's central bank will add the Chinese yuan to its currency reserves for the first time. According to its central bank, two percent of the country's current 200 billion dollars in foreign cash will be dedicated to the yuan. Israel says the policy transition is a conceptual shift in which it will hold multiple currencies. However, the yuan's entry comes at the expense of the euro and the dollar. And Israel isn't the only country aiming to broaden its portfolio. According to a recent IMF poll, the US dollar's proportion of global currency reserves fell to its lowest level since 1995 at the end of last year.

Guests:

Dan Catarivas

Director General of International Relations at MAI

Einar Tangen

Political Analyst

Turkiye's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is undertaking a six-nation Latin America tour. His first two stops were to Uruguay and Brazil, where he opened Turkiye’s two newest diplomatic posts. Turkiye has seen swift expansion of its diplomatic presence in the region over the past two decades, as it looks to boost trade and political ties.

Guests:

Jose Duarte Ribeiro

Researcher at the Centre for Latin America Studies

Javier Farje

Journalist and Political Analyst

Violent clashes erupted in Sweden after anti-Muslim activists held rallies that planned to include burning Islam's holy book, the Quran. Counter protests broke out against the far-right rallies, which eventually turned violent. Dozens were injured in scuffles as cars were set on fire. Condemnation against the planned burnings poured in from across the Muslim World. How can governments balance the need to protect freedom of expression with preventing potential hate crimes?

Guests:

Yasser Louati

President of the Committee for Justice and Liberties

Jan Rath

Professor of Urban Sociology at the University of Amsterdam