Istanbul
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Protests in Turkey
Civil Society Versus Father State
For the first time in the history of Turkey, an increasingly confident civil society is peacefully calling for more freedom and, so far, the military has not got involved. This is a completely new experience for Turkey, writes Cemal Karakas
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Protests in Turkey
Erdogan Braces Himself for a ''Civilian Coup''
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan refuses to be cowed by recent demonstrations. He is planning huge rallies in Istanbul and Ankara this weekend as a show of strength and determination. He has also warned that his patience has run out. By Ayhan Simsek
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Protests in Turkey
A Turkish Spring with a Leftist Bent
What began as a protest against plans to build a kitschy shopping centre on the site of a small park in the heart of Istanbul has escalated into a conflict of values. By Ian Buruma
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Protests against Construction Projects in Istanbul
A Government Addicted to Superlatives
The unrest in Istanbul is not only an expression of resistance to a misguided urban development policy, it is also a protest against a government that seems to be determined to construct monuments to itself. By Marian Brehmer
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Mass Protests against Erdogan
On a Knife Edge
Turkey's head of government is finding himself under more and more pressure: Protest against his policies and billion-dollar development projects continue, with sustained criticism even being levelled against him from within his own camp. But the "Sultan of Ankara" is allowing the situation to escalate, as Jürgen Gottschlich reports
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Freedom of the Press in Turkey
Tied to the Leash of the State
According to information from "Reporters without Borders", there are more journalists imprisoned in Turkey today than there ever have been since the end of the military regime in 1983. The freedom of the Turkish press is kept within very narrow limits. Yet, is this really such a new phenomenon? Fatih Cicek offers some answers
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Syriac Orthodox Christians in Turkey
''This Is Simply Our Home''
In recent years, around 60-100 Syriac Orthodox families have returned from central Europe to Turkey. Encouraged by changes in the political atmosphere, the minority nonetheless faces a host of problems, from the expropriation of land belonging to a monastery, to a ban on special schools and kindergartens, and also a lack of places of worship in Istanbul. By Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere
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Orhan Pamuk on Europe
A Beacon of Civilisation
If religion delineates the borders of Europe, then we have taken a disastrous step backwards. In the current crisis, the continent must not be allowed to become a place ruled by fear. An essay by Orhan Pamuk
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The Trio Olivinn
Schubert's 'Trout' à la Turka
The trio Olivinn blends Turkish folk songs with German art songs and jazz elements, creating a universal music language in which listeners from different backgrounds discover elements that are familiar to them. Ceyda Nurtsch met the group and set out on a musical journey through different cultures and history
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Erdogan's Authoritarian Drift
Retreat from Democratic Achievements
In the past decade, there were three kinds of Islamist governments: absolute monarchies in the Gulf region, the Mullah dictatorship in Iran and the freely elected government of Prime Minister Erdogan in Turkey. How he is running his country is setting an example for the entire region. But experts believe that his authoritarian leanings are beginning to prevail. By Peter Hauff
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The Turkish Oriental Dub Band "Baba Zula"
Music from the Fringes with a Rebellious Soul
The Turkish band Baba Zula ushered in a new style in Turkish music: oriental dub. The band with its rebellious spirit goes way back in the contemporary Turkish music scene. Grit Friedrich reports
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Charges against Turkish Star Pianist Fazil Say
Facing Trial for Joking on Twitter
Pianist Fazil Say is an internationally acclaimed Turkish artist. He could face a sentence of 18 months in prison on charges of insulting Muslim religious values on Twitter. Critics call him a "traitor to the nation". Arne Lichtenberg reports