It's been three weeks since the United Nations declared we may be witnessing 'the beginning of the end' of the Yemen war.

#Yemen #ChildSoldiers #YemenWar

When it comes to the economy - 2018 was a year Turkey would likely rather forget. Inflation hit a 15-year high during the year, and a diplomatic spat with the United States sent the Turkish lira spiraling to a record low against the dollar.

The government has reassured the public, saying its initiatives and reforms will usher in a new year of stability for the country's finances. In part that will be fueled by a strong export sector, which rose by more than 7 per cent last year and that growth is expected to continue in 2019. But some economists are still wary. Unemployment and inflation rates are still worryingly high, and the current account deficit sits well above 30 billion dollars.

Guest:

Hatice Karahan

Senior advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

#TurkeyEconomy #TurkishEconomy #Turkey2019

During UN-brokered peace talks in Sweden, the Saudi-backed government and Iran-aligned Houthi rebels came together at the negotiating table for the first time in two years. But the fragile agreements they struck are already fracturing... with reports the Saudi coalition is recruiting child soldiers to fight their proxy war.

#ProxyWar #Saudi #Yemen

On this special edition of Strait Talk, we review the biggest events that impacted Turkey this year.

#2018 #Turkey #Turkey2018

We discuss Syrian regime's gains in the country.

Guests:

Matthew Bryza

Former US ambassador to Azerbaijan

Talip Kucukcan

Senior Fellow at the TRT World Research Centre

#Syria #SyrianWar #war

No story has arguably hit the Turkish leadership more and put Turkey in the spotlight than the murder of Saudi journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi.

Guests:

Matthew Bryza

Former US ambassador to Azerbaijan

Talip Kucukcan

Senior Fellow at the TRT World Research Centre

#Khashoggi #MBS

The US is currently pulling out of Syria, where it has been working alongside Turkey's sworn enemy, the YPG.

Guests:

Matthew Bryza

Former US ambassador to Azerbaijan

Talip Kucukcan

Senior Fellow at the TRT World Research Centre

#TurkeyUSrelations #Turkey #Syria

2018 has been a roller-coaster year for Turkey-US relations. Numerous events - including the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the imprisonment of Pastor Andrew Brunson and the war in Syria have taken a toll on the NATO allies. Sometimes friends but often foes, the controversies have had a severe impact on Turkey's economy. Omer Kablan explains.

#TurkeyUsRelations #nato #NatoAllies

President of the United States Donald Trump shocked the international community and many within his own administration - when he announced US troops would start pulling out of Syria.

The commander in chief said Daesh had been defeated, so it was time for soldiers to come home. He broke the news just days after Turkey announced it would launch a third military operation in northern Syria targeting PKK affiliate, the YPG terror group.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed he would delay this latest operation, for now. The move would avoid seeing the two NATO allies pitched against each other.

Washington considers the YPG its ally in the fight against Daesh and has had troops stationed in north-eastern Syria since 2014.

This latest operation will be east of the Euphrates River where the YPG controls swathes of land. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the removal of the terror group from his country's borders is vital for national security.

Its not the first time Turkish troops have confronted the YPG on Syrian soil. It carried out Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 and Operation Olive Branch earlier this year.

Guests:

Selim Atalay

Journalist a

Marwan Kabalan

Political analyst at the Doha Institute

Mark Kimmitt

Former US Assistant Secretary of State and a retired US army brigadier general