The Hagia Sophia holds its first Friday prayers in 86 years, just weeks after reverting back to a mosque. We look at Turkey’s legal arguments around the issue of sovereignty on administering the UNESCO site as well as the international reaction to the decision. Plus, recent media investigations show that refugees on Greek islands in the Aegean are starting to ‘disappear.' What's behind this disturbing trend that Athens has denied?

Guests:

Ali Huseyinoglu

Assistant Professor at the Balkan Research Institute, Trakya University

Vehbi Baysan

Lecturer at Ibn Haldun University

​Basak Yavcan

Assistant Professor at TOBB

Hanne Beirens

Director at MPI Europe​

Although data shows that the number of refugees arriving in Europe from Turkey is down 94 percent since 2016, the ones that do still make the journey are finding new dangers. Recent media investigations show that refugees on Greek Islands in the Aegean are starting to ‘disappear,' and there have also been reports that the Greek government is illegally pushing refugees back. We look at this disturbing trend, which Athens has so far denied.

Guests:

Basak Yavcan

Assistant Professor at TOBB

Hanne Beirens

Director at MPI Europe

Hagia Sophia held its first Muslim prayer service in 86 years. But while many in Turkey and abroad have welcomed the change, there has been criticism. Hyder Abbasi explains.

There is growing mistrust between Turkey and Egypt, from taking opposing sides in the Libyan conflict to competition for vast energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean. We delve into the rivalry between Ankara and Cairo and ask how it will impact the future of the region. Plus, 46 years ago, Turkey launched a military operation to protect the Turkish minority in Cyprus. The intervention came after Greece initiated a coup on the island. Since then, Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines. So, what's the future of this resource-rich Mediterranean island?

Guests:

Murat Aslan

Assistant Professor at Hasan Kalyoncu University

Omar Ashour

Associate Professor at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

Ata Atun

Professor at Cyprus Science University

Mehmet Ogutcu

Former Turkish Diplomat

Forty-six years ago, Turkey launched a military operation to protect the Turkish minority in Cyprus. The intervention came after Greece initiated a coup with the aim to annex all of the island. Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since then. So, what's the future for this resource-rich Mediterranean island? And can future peace talks succeed?

Turkey and Egypt shared a close relationship dating back centuries, but all that changed in 2013 when Egypt saw its first democratically elected president overthrown in a coup. Turkey, which was a strong supporter of Egypt's fledgling government and its president Mohamed Morsi, condemned the military take over. Since then, mistrust between Ankara and Cairo has only grown. The two countries are on opposing sides of the Libyan conflict and are competing for vast energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean. How will their rivalry impact the future of the region?

Guests:

Murat Aslan

Assistant Professor at Hasan Kalyoncu University

Omar Ashour

Associate Professor at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

As Turkey marks the fourth anniversary of the failed July 15 coup, members of the FETO terror network continue to be apprehended. So, where does the fight against the group stand today? Plus, In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces killed more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims. As the world marks 25 years since that genocide, what lessons have been learned?

Guests:

Waqar Azmi

Founder and Chairman of Remembering Srebrenica

Hariz Halilovich

Professor at RMIT Melbourne University

Ozden Zeynep Oktav

Professor at Istanbul Medeniyet University

Enes Bayrakli

Brussels Coordinator of the SETA Research Centre

25 years on from the Srebrenica genocide, where 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Bosnian Serb forces, bodies of the victims are still being recovered and identified. But as Hyder Abbasi reports, it seems old divisions and hatred haven't been laid to rest.​

Twenty five years ago, more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred in a genocidal attack after the besieged enclave of Srebrenica was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces. We look back at how the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II changed the continent.

Guests:

Waqar Azmi

Founder and Chairman of Remembering Srebrenica

Hariz Halilovich

Professor at RMIT Melbourne University

Four years ago, a shadowy faction within the Turkish military attempted to oust the government by force. Tens of thousands have since been arrested for suspected links to FETO, a terrorist organisation led by Fethullah Gulen who was also the chief architect of the failed coup. So, what measures is Ankara taking to break up the network?

Guests:

Ozden Zeynep Oktav

Professor at Istanbul Medeniyet University

Enes Bayrakli

Brussels Coordinator of the SETA Research Centre​