Strait Talk
754 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 months ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsFrom the border city of Hatay, Strait Talk brings special coverage of Turkey's anticipated military intervention in Syria's Idlib province.
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Episodes
Erdoğan to Face Kılıçdaroğlu in May 28th Presidential Run-Off
May 16, 2023 16:52 - 24 minutes VideoIt was a record turnout for Turkiye's presidential and parliamentary elections. But after more than 55 million votes were cast, no candidate passed the 50% threshold in the first round, setting the stage for a run-off scheduled for May 28. The record number of voters coincided with several new political parties entering the race for the first time. The People's alliance led by the ruling AK party is set to maintain its majority, as the country waits anxiously for the presidential run-off la...
Is Africa Finding Itself in the Middle of a Great Power Struggle Between the US, Russia and China?
April 20, 2023 09:50 - 14 minutes VideoFor decades, Western countries have engaged the African continent with a mixture of aid packages that often came with strings attached. Straddled with the legacy of colonialism, many African countries were often left dependent on their former rulers to develop their economies. But over the past decade, new players started engaging the African continent, offering alternatives to the West. Russia with its security and defence deals, and China with its massive infrastructure projects and loan...
US State Department Greenlights $259M F-16 Avionics Deal To Türkiye
April 20, 2023 09:48 - 10 minutes VideoOne of the biggest hurdles in US-Turkish relations has been the stalled sale of F-16 fighter jets, that Ankara requested back in October 2021. Being stuck in Congress for a year and half, a small part of the deal could be about to move forward. The US State Department recently approved the sale of F-16 software upgrades to Turkiye, in a deal worth $259 million. US President Joe Biden has notified Congress, putting the onus on them to officially approve the sale. But the agreement is just...
What's Behind the Increased Drone Attacks Between Iran, Israel and Syria?
April 18, 2023 16:35 - 11 minutes VideoBitter enemies Iran and Israel have been fighting a shadowy proxy war in Syria and beyond for years. But this low intensity conflict is seeing more and more armed UAVs. Even the US has thrown itself into the mix, including a drone strike that was launched in Syria earlier this month. The US military says it killed a suspected Daesh member who was planning an attack in Europe. Just a few weeks before that, the US said it retaliated against Iran-linked groups in Syria, after a drone attack k...
Russia Says West Acting Like 'Bandits' for Wanting to Use Its Frozen Assets to Fund Ukraine War
April 18, 2023 16:34 - 13 minutes VideoFor more than a year, an estimated $300 billion dollars that belongs to Russia's central bank, has been sitting in accounts frozen by the US and its allies. Immediately after Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, the US and several Western governments, blocked Moscow from accessing those funds. Now debate is growing both in Washington and Brussels on what to do with that money. Some US lawmakers are calling for it to be sent to Ukraine, to fund its war against Russia. Since February last ye...
Egypt's FM Visits Türkiye as Iran Reopens Embassy in Saudi Arabia
April 14, 2023 16:44 - 10 minutes VideoEgypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has paid an official visit to Ankara where he met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. The two ministers said they are taking concrete steps in reappointing ambassadors and will enhance cooperation to ensure stability in Libya. The meeting comes just weeks after Cavusoglu made a landmark visit to Cairo, the first of its kind in a decade. Shoukry's visit to Turkiye is his second since March when he toured the country's south in a show of solidarity...
US Adversaries and Allies Call For Dedollarisation
April 14, 2023 16:42 - 14 minutes VideoAmerica's foes, and even some friends have called for changes in how the world does business. Long dominating international trade, the US dollar also gave America unrivaled power to spend, lend and punish countries unilaterally, by shutting them out of the global financial system. But that could be about to change. Countries like China, Russia, and others across the Middle East, Latin America and the Indo Pacific are calling for less reliance on the US dollar. But when did it all start and w...
Türkiye Closes Airspace From Iraq's Sulaymaniyah Airport Over PKK Threats
April 11, 2023 15:53 - 9 minutes VideoA mysterious helicopter crash in northern Iraq a few weeks ago, is adding the latest sore point between Turkyie and its southern neighbor. The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced it was closing its airspace for flights to and from Sulaimaniyah airport in northern Iraq, citing intensified activities in the region by the PKK terror group. The decision came after two helicopters crashed in Dohuk, killing all those on board. But what alarmed Turkiye, was the aircraft had been carrying PKK-linked ...
Turkish Navy Officially Welcomes Its New Flagship, TCG Anadolu
April 11, 2023 15:40 - 15 minutes VideoIt's being called the world's first drone carrier. Commissioned on Monday, the TCG Anadolu, which began construction in 2016, was built mostly with domestic parts. It will also be equipped with the country's latest UAVs, the TB3 Bayraktar drones. The multi purpose assault ship, is expected to play a vital role in Türkiye's maritime security, espeically in the heavily contested eastern Mediterraean. Guests: Zoltan Egeresi Political Analyst Tarik Oguzlu Professor at Aydin University
Turkish, Greek Defence Chiefs Tour Quake Zones, Push For More Dialogue
April 07, 2023 14:40 - 12 minutes VideoThe last time a Greek defence minister visited Turkiye was back in 2002. Over those two decades, the neighbors saw their relations swing from co-operation towards confrontation. The last few years were especially tense, following a series of standoffs both in the open sea, and along their border. But following the devastating February 6th quakes that struck southern Turkiye, Greece stepped forward as one of the first countries to provide relief supplies and rescue teams. Turkish Defence ...
Russia Warns of 'Countermeasures' After Finland Joins NATO
April 07, 2023 14:34 - 12 minutes VideoNearly a year after applying to join NATO, Finland has become the alliance's 31st member. But the country that pushed Helsinki to abandon its decades of neutrality is not pleased. Not long after the Finnish flag was unfurled at NATO's headquarters in Brussels, Russia warned the accession was a dangerous historic mistake that would weaken regional security. Moscow went further, saying the risk of conflict has now increased, and it would be forced to take counter-measures. Russia and Finlan...
Azerbaijan Dismisses Iran's Warnings Over Baku's Growing Ties With Israel
April 05, 2023 08:35 - 13 minutes VideoAzerbaijan had tough words for its neighbor to the south, warning that no one could speak to it in a menacing tone. On Monday, the country's defence minister criticised Iran, and the comments it made about Azerbaijan's co-operation with Israel. Tehran recently condemned Israel's top diplomat, who said his country, together with Baku, was forming a united front against Iran. Last week the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Israel met in West Jerusalem, as Baku prepared to open its first emba...
Saudi Arabia Gets Closer to Joining China-Led SCO and Cuts Oil Production In Defiance of US
April 04, 2023 15:59 - 11 minutes VideoSaudi Arabia, a long-time US ally, has taken a step closer to joining a security bloc that many say wants to challenge NATO and other Western-led institutions. Last week, the Saudi cabinet approved measures to become the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation's newest dialogue partner. It's the latest move by Riyadh in its search for alternate economic and security partnerships. The SCO, established in 2001 as a political, economic, and security group, comprises China, Russia, and several Centr...
New Islamophobia Report Reveals Europe's Hypocrisy On Refugees
March 31, 2023 14:23 - 11 minutes VideoLast year, a UN resolution declared March 15 as 'the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Shortly after marking the occasion this year, the eight edition of the European Islamophobia Report was released, detailing how Muslims were seeing increased cases of discrimination. The report said that the war in Ukraine overshadowed many issues, and stressed that the conflict exposed glaring double standards. That Europeans are more welcoming to certain types of refugees than others. The repor...
Why Is Russia Stationing Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Belarus?
March 31, 2023 14:16 - 12 minutes VideoRussian President Vladimir Putin has raised the stakes in his confrontation with the West and NATO. Last week, he announced that Russia would be deploying tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. If carried out, it would be the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, that Moscow will station nuclear weapons outside its borders. The announcement comes as the war in Ukraine continues with no end in sight. Kiev responded to the annoucement by saying Putin's plan poses a ris...
Ankara Tells Washington To Focus on Its Own Human Rights Record Following New Report
March 28, 2023 16:07 - 13 minutes VideoTurkiye's Foreign Ministry had harsh words for the US following the release of a report by the state department. Every year, the US releases a so-called human rights report on nearly every country, but for 2022, it was particularly critical of Turkiye. Ankara slammed allegations in the report as baseless, saying it contains erroneous information of unknown origin. Instead, Turkiye's foreign ministry called on the US to focus on its own record on human rights. The Ministry condemned, what ...
Road and Rail Network to Link Türkiye and Gulf Via Iraq
March 28, 2023 16:03 - 11 minutes VideoIt's a plan that has been floated for years, but has seen slow progress as of late. A road and railway network, running from southeastern Turkiye, through Iraq, all the way to Basra on the Gulf. Although languishing for years in the planning phase, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave the project a new jolt, referencing it during a press conference last week with Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. Dubbed the Development Road Project, the railway and road network will beg...
China’s Xi Tells Putin ‘They Are Driving Changes Not Seen in a 100 Years.’ What Did He Mean?
March 24, 2023 15:15 - 13 minutes VideoIt was a candid exchange between two of the US's most prominent adversaries. As he capped off his three-day visit to Moscow, Chinese President Xi Jinping hinted to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, that both are now shaping a new world order. Xi was on his first visit to Moscow since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine last year. Just days before, Vladimir Putin was issued with an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court - and the Russian leader was looking for some di...
EU Donors' Conference Raises $7.5B For Türkiye and Syria
March 24, 2023 15:08 - 10 minutes Video7.5 billion dollars. That's how much a European Commission donor conference pledged for Turkiye and Syria in the aftermath of the February 6 earthquakes. The funds consist of grants and loans, and will go towards rebuilding the devastated areas. Last month's quakes killed more than 50,000 people in Turkiye, destroyed over 300,000 buildings, and left around 1.5 million people homeless. The Brussels conference brought together hundreds of countries, international organisations and financial in...
Ukraine Grain Deal Extended As Tensions Rise In Black Sea
March 21, 2023 14:10 - 12 minutes VideoNegotiations over the weekend have secured a 60-day extension to last year's Black Sea grain deal that allows Ukraine to export wheat and cereals to global markets. The extension comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the west. Russian President Vladimir Putin has seen a mix of good and bad news in recent days, from welcoming one of his closet partners, Chinese President Xi Jinping, to being hit with an international arrest warrant from the ICC. Speaking after their meeting in Mos...
Turkish FM Visits Egypt For the First Time In a Decade
March 21, 2023 14:06 - 12 minutes VideoTurkiye's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has made a landmark visit to Cairo, where he met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. The meeting comes just weeks after Shoukry visited Turkyie, in a show of solidarity following the February 6th earthquakes that devastated the country's south. Both visits were the first of their kind in a decade, and expectations are high that full diplomatic relations will be restored soon. Guests: Wafik Moustafa Chairman of the British Arab Network Vehbi B...
Turkish Parliament To Vote On Ratifying Finland's NATO Membership
March 17, 2023 18:19 - 14 minutes VideoFinland is one step closer to becoming NATO's newest member. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkiye's parliament will vote on ratifying Finland's bid to join the 30-nation alliance. He made the remarks during a press conference with his Finnish counterpart, President Sauli Niinisto in Ankara. Citing Finland's fulfilment of its pledges made in Madrid last year to combat terrorism, President Erdogan reiterated that Turkyie remains open to NATO's expansion. The Finnish preside...
Turkic States Gather in Ankara To Plan For Future Disasters
March 17, 2023 18:10 - 9 minutes VideoThe Organisation of Turkic States gathered in Ankara, in a show of solidarity following the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkiye's south on February 6th. Leaders from the regional grouping met in the Turkish capital to discuss ways to jointly carry out emergency responses to future disasters. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the leaders and praised their help and support following last month's quake. Turkic states across Central Asia and the Caucasus were the first to ...
Türkiye Moves to Become Eurasia's Supply, Transport and Energy Hub
March 14, 2023 16:32 - 8 minutes VideoThe COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on global supply chains, disrupting everything from manufacturing to international trade. China and many parts of the Asia Pacific, saw their factories cut off from the rest of the world for months. But amid those uncertainties, many companies in Europe saw an opportunity, to bring those supply chains closer to home. Türkiye, with its strategic location between the two continents became a favored choice. Over the past several years, global investors h...
Türkiye Moves to Become Eurasia's Supply, Transport and Energy Hub
March 14, 2023 15:00 - 8 minutes VideoThe COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on global supply chains, disrupting everything from manufacturing and international trade. China and many parts of the Asia Pacific, saw their factories cut off from the rest of the world for months. But amid those uncertainties, many companies in Europe saw an opportunity, to bring those supply chains closer to home. Türkiye, with its strategic location between the two continents became a favored choice. Over the past several years, global investors h...
Is China Sidelining the US to Become the New Power Broker in the Middle East?
March 14, 2023 14:56 - 15 minutes VideoThe Middle East has seen its latest diplomatic outreach, putting years of tensions to rest. But it wasn't between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Instead, it was between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The two regional rivals have agreed to restore ties, after they were severed back in 2016. And like other dramatic shifts in the region over the past couple of years, one country's involvement was notably absent, the US. Instead, China led the way, hosting top Iranian and Saudi security officials in Be...
Strait Talk Visits the Port of Mersin, a Diplomatic and Quake Relief Hub
March 11, 2023 08:56 - 25 minutes VideoOne of the biggest harbours on the Mediterranean, the port of Mersin sprang into action immediately after the February 6th earthquakes that struck southern Türkiye. After more than a month, the death toll stands at over 45,000. But even before the earthquake struck, Mersin, with its strategic location close to the Suez Canal and other key maritime routes, has played a valuable role in global trade. In this special edition of Strait Talk, we visit Mersin port, one of Türkiye’s largest gat...
Strait Talk Goes to the Epicentre of Türkiye’s Feb 6 Earthquakes
March 03, 2023 14:03 - 25 minutes VideoIt’s been one month since Türkiye was hit by the largest twin earthquakes in nearly a century. A magnitude 7.7 quake struck followed by powerful aftershocks, with several measuring over 6.0 in the country’s south. After the one-month mark, the death toll has passed 45,000. In this special edition of Strait Talk, we visit the epicenter of the destruction in Kahramanmaras as we take a look at what lies ahead. While international aid steps in and work shifts over to recovery and reconstruction,...
Should the West Be Worried About South Africa's Naval Drill With Russia and China?
February 28, 2023 15:50 - 11 minutes VideoRussia, China and South Africa have just completed 10-days of naval exercises in the Indian Ocean. The drill code-named Mosi II coincided with the first anniversary of Russia's attack on Ukraine. While the US marked the day with a visit by President Biden to Poland, Russia was flexing its military might thousands of kilometres away. The joint war games took place between Durban and Richards Bay in South Africa. They included anti-piracy, air defense and helicopter landing exercises. The R...
Egypt's FM Oversees Aid Delivery, Visits Türkiye's Quake Zones
February 28, 2023 15:44 - 13 minutes VideoThe last time an Egyptian foreign minister visited Türkiye, the world was a very different place. But in the aftermath of the February 6 earthquakes that devastated southern Türkiye, Egypt's foreign ministry said a trip by its top diplomat, would show solidarity between the two brotherly peoples. The two countries saw relations plummet following the 2013 coup that brought Egypt's current president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to power. For the past year, Ankara and Cairo have traded diplomatic ge...
How Much Damage Did Türkiye's Agricultural Heartland Suffer From the Feb 6 Quakes?
February 24, 2023 15:18 - 14 minutes VideoThe UN has warned about possible disruptions to food supplies, following the February 6 earthquakes that devastated one of Turkiye's key agricultural regions. While the twin tremors damaged many cities in Turkiye's south, it also wreaked havoc on rural areas. In response, the Turkish government has pledged financial assistance to farmers, including cash payments and subsidies to secure food supply chains. Guests: Sharon George Senior Lecturer at Keele University Aylin Oney Tan Food Write...
Türkiye's Government Vows to Protect Quake-Hit Region's Demographics
February 24, 2023 15:13 - 9 minutes VideoThe February 6 earthquakes have brought unimaginable destruction across 10 provinces in Turkiye's south. Turkiye's disaster management agency says more than 350,000 apartments have been destroyed, leaving countless people homeless. Over two million people have left the quake-affected areas, with many relocating to other parts of the country. The areas where the quakes struck, are some of Turkiye's most ethnically and culturally diverse regions. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vo...
How Are Türkiye’s Quake Survivors Managing Their Mental Health?
February 21, 2023 13:41 - 9 minutes VideoThe February 6th earthquakes left a devastating toll on countless families. But while we can count the number of lives lost, those who were injured, and how many buildings were destroyed, measuring the long term mental health effects from the quake will be far more difficult. The trauma tens of thousands of survivors endured, and the psychological impact left on the most vulnerable people, including young children, will be felt for years. Guest: Tarik Tuncay Turkish Association of Social W...
Hundreds Injured After Two New Quakes Felt Across Türkiye and Syria
February 21, 2023 13:34 - 14 minutes VideoTwo new earthquakes have hit southern Turkiye's Hatay province, reigniting the horrors millions felt on February 6, when a pair of quakes killed more than 41,000 people. A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Monday evening, and was followed just minutes later by another 5.8 tremor. Several people have died, with eyewitnesses reporting damaged buildings collapsing. Just a few dozen kilometres away in Syria, the situtation was also grim, with monitoring groups saying several hundred had been injur...
Have Türkiye's Quake Relief Efforts Created Diplomatic Openings?
February 20, 2023 17:29 - 25 minutes VideoRight after the February 6 quakes struck, dozens of countries mobilized to provide both search and rescue teams, and crucial aid supplies. Türkiye's disaster management agency says that more than 9,000 international workers participated in post-quake operations, and that nearly 100 countries offered assistance. Many that were the first to provide aid, were both long time allies, and countries that Ankara saw a year of tense relations. Guests: Ibrahim Ozer Turkish Red Crescent Tudor Onea Ass...
Azerbaijani Rescue Teams Save Dozens in Türkiye
February 15, 2023 08:58 - 14 minutes VideoOver a week has passed since two powerful earthquakes devastated southern Türkiye. Despite the golden window to find survivors dwindling, more than 230-thousand rescue workers are still combing through the rubble for any signs of life. Azerbaijan was among the first to dispatch rescue teams, which included more than 700 personnel in a show of solidarity with Türkiye. The country also sent a high-level structuralized mobile hospital with medical equipment to Kahramanmaras, the epicentre of th...
UNDP’s Türkiye Rep Says Earthquake Was Unprecedented in Scale
February 15, 2023 08:53 - 9 minutes VideoOver a week has passed since two powerful earthquakes devastated southern Türkiye. Despite the golden window to find survivors dwindling, more than 230-thousand rescue workers are still combing through the rubble for any signs of life. Since the quake struck, thousands have been pulled out in dramatic rescues, including a 77-year-old woman who survived, trapped at the 212th hour of the earthquake in Adiyaman. February 6th’s magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaras provin...
Miracle Rescues Continue a Week After Türkiye-Syria Quake
February 14, 2023 09:30 - 23 minutes VideoOne week after a pair of devastating earthquakes hit southern Türkiye, survivors are still being pulled from the rubble. One of those miracle rescues involved a 40-year-old woman in Gaziantep, who was saved 170 hours after the quake struck on February 6. Several others, including a young boy and a 62-year-old, were also rescued on Sunday, having spent more than six days under the rubble. Türkiye's disaster agency AFAD says that more than 230-thousand people are involved in search and rescu...
Thousands of Troops Deployed to Türkiye’s Quake-Hit Areas To Help With Rescue Efforts
February 08, 2023 15:42 - 24 minutes VideoNearly one-hundred thousand rescue workers are racing against time, in their search for survivors from Monday's devastating earthquakes in southern Türkiye. Several thousand victims have already been pulled out of the rubble, as freezing temperatures and bad weather set in, making rescue attempts even more challenging. International aid teams from dozens of countries are already on the ground, as thousands of tonnes of aid and supplies make their way to the hardest hit areas. Turkish Pres...
Death Toll From Türkiye's Earthquakes Soar As Rescue Workers Search For Survivors
February 07, 2023 16:45 - 23 minutes VideoNearly twenty thousand rescue workers are searching for survivors one day after a pair of powerful earthquakes rocked southern Türkiye. Battling rain, freezing temperatures and hundreds of aftershocks across 10 provinces, rescuers are scrambling to find those trapped under rubble. The death toll has been rising every hour, passing more than 3,000 by Tuesday morning. The first international rescue teams have arrived in Türkiye, following aid pledges from several dozen countries. Monday's mag...
Powerful 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Southern Türkiye
February 06, 2023 15:27 - 24 minutes VideoIt's being called one of the most powerful earthquakes to have hit Türkiye in nearly a century. Felt by millions of people from as far away as Israel, the quake's epicentre was located in southern Türkiye. Dozens of aftershocks have followed. Major cities affected include Kahramanmaras, Adana, Malatya, Gaziantep and Diyarbakir, where thousands of buildings have been destroyed. Rescuers are also battling harsh weather conditions, as freezing temperatures make life difficult for survivors, too...
Türkiye and South Korea Sign $200M Defence Deal
February 03, 2023 16:08 - 13 minutes VideoIt's a defence deal that will be worth $200 million once completed. A South Korean company will be supplying engine transmissions for Türkiye's main battle tanks, the Altay, which could run all the way to 2030. SNT Heavy Industries, the manufacturer of the 15-hundred horsepower transmissions, are replacing an earlier deal with a German firm, that collapsed due to an embargo imposed on Türkiye in 2019. The tank deal is the latest where Ankara has found alternate sources for defence equipmen...
Erdogan Calls on Sweden to Take Sincere Steps in Fight Against Islamophobia
February 03, 2023 16:07 - 11 minutes VideoDuring an hour-long interview with TRT, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had tough words for Sweden. He reiterated that Ankara won't back Sweden's NATO bid, if it continues to allow the burning of the Quran and fails to crack down on terror groups. Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year, but have faced opposition from Türkiye. President Erdogan said Sweden has not lived up to the commitments it made to join the alliance, while also turning a blind eye on hate crimes against ...
Italy Signs $8B Gas Deal With Libya Despite Ongoing Political Turmoil
January 31, 2023 16:18 - 13 minutes Video8 billion dollars. That's how much Saturday's gas deal between Italy and Libya's Tripoli based government is worth. The agreement, signed during a visit by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, will tap Libya's offshore gas reserves, boosting both the domestic market and exports. But analysts warn that any deal with Libya comes with risks, where a deep political divide is paralyzing the government and raising risks of renewed violence. Under the deal, Italian energy giant Eni will develop ...
Azerbaijan Says Warnings About Threats to Its Embassy Were Ignored By Iran
January 31, 2023 16:13 - 10 minutes VideoAn act of terrorism. That's what Azerbaijan has called Friday's attack on its embassy in Tehran. A gunman reportedly killed a security guard after storming into the embassy, where he shot two others. The attack comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan, over disputes in the South Caucasus and the treatment of ethnic Azeris inside Iran. The diplomatic fallout from Friday's attack is already mounting, with Azerbaijan's president demanding a full investigation. Azerbaijan's ...
Ukraine's Ambassador to Türkiye Speaks on the Delivery of US, German Tanks
January 27, 2023 16:00 - 17 minutes VideoAfter giving a stern warning to NATO, Russia has followed through on its threat. Just hours after Germany and the US announced they would be sending their most advanced tanks to Ukraine, a wave of Russian missiles struck Kiev, and cities in the country's south. Ukraine's prime minister confirmed the attacks, saying at least 55 missiles had struck the country, mostly hitting energy facilities and power stations. The barrage followed Wednesday's announcement that the US would be sending its M...
Türkiye Stands Firm Against Sweden's NATO Bid After Quran Burning
January 27, 2023 15:20 - 7 minutes VideoRelations between Türkiye and Sweden hit new lows following a week of provocative acts that have put the Scandinavian country's desires to join NATO in jeopardy. That's according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said Sweden should not expect Ankara to back its membership into the alliance. The announcement came after a copy of the Quran was burnt at a protest in Stockholm, which set off a wave of global condemnation. In response to the incident which happened in front of the ...
Türkiye’s Tourism Industry Makes Comeback in 2023
January 24, 2023 16:01 - 11 minutes Video2023 will be known as the year that the tourism industry in Europe and the Middle East finally returned to pre-pandemic levels. That's the projection the UN World Tourism Organisation made last week, as global tourism operators eye the return of more travelers. But many parts of the world remain cautious due to the conflict in Ukraine, and also rising inflation, which might keep some people from travelling. But if 2022 was the year that travellers began venturing out with the easing of COV...
Germany Hesitant as NATO Agrees to Send Lethal Weapons to Ukraine
January 24, 2023 15:57 - 13 minutes VideoIn one of its strongest signs of support for Ukraine, the US and its NATO allies have pledged billions of dollars in military aid, as the conflict nears the one-year mark. On Friday, the US and NATO countries announced that huge shipments of heavy weapons would be sent to Ukraine, including air defences and armored vehicles. The US said it alone would committ 500 Bradley Figthing Vehicles, as Ukraine remains locked in heavy fighting in its eastern regions. But Kiev didn't get everything it...
Sweden, Finland Must Extradite 130 Terrorists Before Joining NATO
January 20, 2023 15:46 - 11 minutes Video130. That's the number of suspected terrorists Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Sweden and Finland need to deport or extradite, to secure their bid to join NATO. On Sunday, President Erdogan said the Turkish parliament could not ratify the Scandinavian countries' desire to join the alliance, unless they fulfil the commitments made last June to crack down on terror groups like the PKK operating on their soil. Tensions between Türkiye and Sweden worsened over recent demonstrations...