Most recent articles by Cigdem Akyol
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Fighting over Kurdish independenceA political fiasco
By going ahead with the referendum on independence, Massoud Barzani has forfeited the support of his international allies, while bringing tensions with Iraqi central government to a dangerous head. If Barzani hoped the referendum would consolidate his own power base, he couldn′t have been more wrong. An analysis by Cigdem Akyol
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Press freedom in TurkeyWriting in a state of fear
Turkish journalists have been detained for their independent reporting, ahead of the international book fair in Istanbul. It takes courage to be a journalist in Turkey, writes Cigdem Akyol
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Turkish military operations against IS and the PKKErdogan's double strategy
After years of hesitancy, Turkey has begun launching airstrikes on IS positions in Syria. At the same time, Ankara has also deployed its air force against fighters with the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Analysts suspect that President Erdogan is now pursuing a strategy all his own. By Cigdem Akyol in Istanbul
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Male belly dancers in TurkeyShimmying, swaying and gyrating to the beat
In Turkey, men are conquering the stage in the world of belly dance. The increasing popularity of male dancers is based on more than just the apparent novelty of their performances. In Istanbul, Cigdem Akyol met two belly dancers and spoke to them about their profession
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Turkey after the general electionNo balcony speeches for Erdogan
The fact that a Kurd, of all people, has mounted a successful challenge to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is tantamount to a revolution. One thing is clear: the AKP can no longer continue deriding its critics as it has previously done. But what options are now open to the party? By Cigdem Akyol in Istanbul
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir PutinSunni Islam meets Russian orthodoxy
While the Turkish president is hoping his party will win an absolute majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Russian head of state has long since eliminated all opposition in his country. There is much that unites these two men – but much that divides them too on a political and biographical level. By Cigdem Akyol
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Germany's First Muslim Car Sharing Service''We Are Protecting Marriages''
Selim Reid set up Germany's first Muslim car sharing service to spare his mother disparaging remarks and to reduce the number of extra-marital affairs. Cigdem Akyol spoke to the entrepreneur about his concept and his motivation