Turkey
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Interview with Yasar Aydin on press freedom in Turkey
Repression reaches new heights
By seizing the newspaper "Zaman" and placing it under state control, the Turkish government has yet again compromised the rule of law and democracy, says Turkey expert Yasar Aydin in an interview with Helena Baers
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Sunni-Shia tension
Islam versus Islam
The religious element of the conflicts raging in the Middle East today is a major reason why they are proving so difficult to defuse. An essay by Shahid Javed Burki
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Science and research in the Islamic world
Rebuilding the Muslim House of Wisdom
Muslim governments know that economic growth, military power, and national security benefit greatly from technological advances. Many of them have sharply increased funding for science and education in recent years. And yet, in the view of many – especially in the West – the Muslim world still seems to prefer to remain disengaged from modern science. By Jim al-Khalili
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Settling into life in Turkey - with help
A patchwork of aid groups and independent volunteers have assembled in Izmir, Turkey, to help refugees restart their lives. The port city is now home to 85,000 Syrian asylum-seekers. By Diego Cupolo
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Iraqi Kurdistan in political and economic crisis
Barzani′s sinking ship
The ongoing political and economic crisis in northern Iraq is forcing many Kurds to flee. Instead of fighting the causes of the exodus from Iraqi Kurdistan, however, the Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani is relying on patriotism and empty promises. Birgit Svensson reports from Erbil
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Turkey: interview with Bilgin Ayata
No haven for refugees
Turkey′s military has been leading operations in the east of the country for months. The clashes have cost hundreds of lives so far. Ceyda Nurtsch spoke to Bilgin Ayata, assistant professor of political sociology at Basel University, about the political motivation behind the conflict and its impact on Turkey′s citizens
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Turkey′s campaign against the PKK
Siege tactics
Hundreds dead, whole districts reduced to rubble. That’s the outcome of Turkey′s military campaign in its south-east. For two months now, the predominantly Kurdish region has been under a curfew imposed by the Turkish army. Tom Stevenson reports from Diyarbakir
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Elektro Hafiz
A musical maverick
His sound may be a mix of psychedelic, arabesque and rock but, behind the anarchic facade, all "Elektro Hafiz" wants to do is touch people with his music. Ceyda Nurtsch on a musical maverick who constantly reinvents himself while remaining true to his Turkish roots
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Reforming Islam
Islam′s path to modernity
The clash between secular human-rights standards and Muslim religious doctrine mirrors the broader conflict between Islam and the West. An emerging school of Muslim thought is, however, demonstrating just how compatible Islam can be with modern society. An essay by Mohammad Fazlhashemi, professor of Islamic theology at Uppsala University in Sweden
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Islamic State
Know your enemy
There is much the West does not understand about its latest enemy, in which it faces more than ″just″ extremists. IS ideology thrives on hatred, anger and resentment – the most effective response would therefore be to introduce and nurture values of tolerance, unity, mutual co-operation and peace. By Abdel Bari Atwan
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Flouting freedoms in Turkey
Self-censorship thriving
Turkey welcomes private investment in its arts and culture. But freedom for artists and journalists is largely restricted. The alternative arts scene has slipped into the background. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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Helly Luv: Revolution
Female Kurdish singer rallies the troops
Iraqi Kurdish singer Helly Luv was in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, filming the video to her latest hit. Luv is aiming for international fame as she releases her new English song 'Revolution', calling for action against terrorism and violence.