As Turkey approaches its centenary in 2023, the country is hoping to reach a series of milestones. One goal is to become a leading technological hub. With five and a half million students attending 180 universities, Turkey has a large pool of young talent. The public and private sectors are on board, and their ambitions are huge. Many are hoping that big campuses like Teknopark Istanbul, will one day rival Silicon Valley. Acting as an incubator for the companies of tomorrow, you can find almost everything there, from the latest in healthcare technology, to robots and drones. So, can Turkey’s Silicon Valley compete with the world’s largest technology hubs?

Guests:

Hande Cilingir

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Insider

Ilhan Elgin

Founder of Core Strategy

Teknopark Istanbul is Turkey’s hub for technological innovation, with more and more of the country’s advancements in the defense and aerospace industries being developed there. Alongside established companies, the campus has a dedicated space for startups. Omer Kablan has more on how Teknopark hopes to make a dent in the global tech world.

The Syrian regime is intensifying its assault on Idlib in northwestern Syria. Bashar al-Assad’s forces targeted Turkish positions in the area, killing eight Turkish military personnel. Turkey retaliated killing at least 76 regime soldiers, according to Defence Minister Hulusi Akar. How will this attack change the nature of the Syrian War? Plus, US President Donald Trump calls his Israeli-Palestinian peace plan 'the deal of the century,’ but for most of the world, it’s nothing more than tacit US blessing for a one-sided land grab by Israel. Is Trump’s proposal flawed and has it only deepened the crisis?

Guests:

Vehbi Baysan

Lecturer at Ibn Haldun University

Yakzan Shishakly

Co-founder of the Maram Foundation

Chloe Benoist

News Editor at Middle East Eye

Mustafa Barghouti

Palestinian Activist

US President Donald Trump calls his Israeli-Palestinian peace plan 'the deal of the century,’ but for most of the world, it’s nothing more than tacit US blessing for a one-sided land grab by Israel. From the EU, to the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, many are asking how viable the plan can be, if the other side wasn't even consulted. We breakdown the global reaction and ask whether the proposal has further divided the Arab world.

Guests:

Chloe Benoist

News editor at Middle East Eye

Mustafa Barghouti

Palestinian Activist

The last bastion of opposition against Bashar al Assad is being pushed to the brink by an intensifying military assault. The Syrian regime's attempt to conquer Idlib province by force has also led to the death of several Turkish military personnel, who were stationed in a de-escalation zone. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the attack is the beginning of a new period, and warned that the Syrian regime must withdraw to a previous ceasefire line, or face the consequences. Will the war in Syria enter a new dangerous chapter?

Guests:

Vehbi Baysan

Lecturer at Ibn Haldun University

Yakzan Shishakly

Co-founder of the Maram Foundation

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan proposes creating a demilitarized Palestinian state and grants US recognition of Israeli settlements on occupied West Bank land, with Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Turkey dismissed the plan as an attempt to steal Palestinian lands and warns it will end any hopes of establishing a viable Palestinian state. So, has Trump deepened a crisis he promised to solve? Our correspondent Alican Ayanlar explains.

Turkey has engaged in a renewed diplomatic push to shore up its relations with North Africa. Turkish President Erdogan met with newly elected President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss energy cooperation and the Libyan conflict next door, where both leaders oppose warlord Khalifa Haftar. We look at how both countries hope to move relations forward especially when it comes to trade and security. Plus, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has called on Greece to demilitarise 16 islands in the Aegean Sea, which Athens has already rejected. What’s causing the sudden spike in rhetoric?

Guests:

Jalel Ouerghi

Director of the Maghreb Centre for Research and Development

Aylin Unver Noi

Associate Professor at Istinye University

Dimitri Tsarouhas

Associate Professor at Bilkent University

Mehmet Celik

Managing editor of the English-language Daily Sabah newspaper

Turkish Defense Minister Hulici Akar has called on Greece to demilitarise 16 islands in the Aegean Sea, which Athens has already rejected. Disputes in the Aegean are long running, so what’s causing the sudden increase in rhetoric? We break down the dispute and ask whether Greece is ratcheting up tensions in the Aegean in response to Turkey’s increasing support for the UN-backed government in Libya, a move Athens has opposed.

Guests:

Dimitri Tsarouhas

Associate Professor at Bilkent University

Mehmet Celik

Managing editor of the English-language Daily Sabah newspaper

Turkey has engaged in a renewed diplomatic push to shore up its relations with North Africa. Turkish President Erdogan visited Algeria as part of a larger tour where he met with newly elected President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. They discussed energy cooperation and new construction projects as well as the Libyan conflict next door, where both leaders oppose warlord Khalifa Haftar. We look at how both countries can move relations forward.

Guests:

Jalel Ouerghi

Director of the Maghreb Centre for Research and Development

Aylin Unver Noi

Associate Professor at Istinye University

Turkish President Erdogan started his three country Africa tour in Algeria in hopes of securing deals on trade, security and energy. But, as Alican Ayanlar reports from Algeria, despite having a common history with deep-rooted cultural ties, relations between Ankara and Algiers haven’t always been amicable. So, can the visit succeed in putting relations on a better path?