A standoff between Russia and Ukraine is threatening to boil over into the worst escalation of tensions since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. And Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan's multi-nation tour to South America is set to push forward one of the country's main foreign policy goals

The Ukrainian government has blasted Russia's seizure of three of its ships and its crew, as a clear act of aggression. But Russia maintains that Ukraine violated its territory and hinted that Kiev orchestrated the crisis for political purposes.

Guests:

Halil Akinci

Former Turkish ambassador to Russia

Hakan Akbas

Senior adviser at Albright Stonebridge Group in Turkey

Energy, trade and strategic partnerships are all likely to be on the agenda during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's multi nation trip to South America.

Guests:

Alev Kilic

Former Turkish Ambassador to Mexico

Javier Farje

Political analyst and former Editor of the UK-based news outlet - The Latin America Bureau.

Like tens of millions of others across the world, South Americans have also fallen in love with Turkish TV dramas. This year alone, 165,000 South American tourists have visted Turkey.

Turkey’s investments in Ghana have increased to more than half a billion dollars. Turkish companies are betting their investments will help Ghana transform into a major transport and energy hub.

It's been more than a year since the last remnants of Daesh were driven out of Iraq. The city of Mosul, in the country's north, bore the brunt of the fighting. A rebuilding effort, now fully underway, is hoping to breathe life back into this city. Also we look at Turkey's investments in Ghana.

Iraq's new government is looking to tackle a host of challenges from security threats, to quelling protests directed at officials in Baghdad. The country's north is also reeling from the devastation left by Daesh, who were largely driven out in heavy fighting one year ago.

Guests:

Mowaffak al Rubaie

Former national security adviser in Iraq

Mehmet Ogutcu

Former Turkish diplomat and the CEO of Global Resources Partnership

Ghana is one of Turkey’s largest and fastest growing trading partners in Africa.

Over the last five years, Turkey’s investments have increased to more than half a billion dollars, from 190 million. And with close to 200 Turkish businesses operating in the country, trade ties are expected to strengthen further.

Guests:

Seydat Aybar

Professor

Istanbul Aydin University

Agnes Gitau

Managing Director

GBS Africa

Uneasy truce between Israel and Hamas has paused the worst round of violence between them in more than 4 years. And also on the show, Saudi Arabia has come out and again changed its story regarding the murder of Saudi journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi.

#Israel #Hamas #Khashoggi

Saudi Arabia's attorney general provided gruesome details on how the murder of Khashoggi was an improvised, last minute decision. It was also the first time the kingdom admitted that the journalist's body had been dismembered, falling in line with the Turkish government's account of the murder.

Five of the suspects who were allegedly part of the hit team are facing the death penalty. But the country's public prosecutor emphasized that Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman had no knowledge of the operation. The US has also come out with its first direct response, sanctioning 17 Saudi suspects implicated in the killing. Meanwhile Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavasoglu has called for an international investigation into the murder, saying the Saudi account is insufficient.

Funeral prayers have been held in Istanbul and Ankara as well as in Saudi Arabia, to pay respects to the slain journalist. Turkey has long maintained that the order to kill Khashoggi came from the top - but has stressed that King Salman was not to blame. Saudi officials initially denied any knowledge of what had happened to Khashoggi, before admitting that he had been murdered at the consulate in a rogue operation.

Guests:

Omer Ozkizilcik

Analyst at SETA

Ali Bakeer

Political analyst

#Khashoggi #KhashoggiKilling