Foreign Minister Gul made warnings on Kirkuk, before the Summit of Neighboring Countries of Iraq which will be held in Cairo this week. Pointing out that Kirkuk was a high-ranking issue for Turkey, Gul said, US President Bush shares same ideas with us.

Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals overturned on Wednesday conviction of four former Democracy Party deputies including Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan, Hatip Dicle, and Selim Sadak, and ordered the retrial of the case.

Studies are underway to determine whether or not the training would be under the NATO umbrella, or this training would be given in Iraq or any other country.

The 2. Labor Court in Ankara asked Eğitim-Sen, (Education and Science Workers Union), to amend its statutes in 60 days. Kazim Genç, the lawyer representing Eğitim-Sen, says the case should be considered under freedom of expression criteria.

It is unfortunate that the ECHR in its recent decision sustaining the headscarf ban in Turkish universities has fully adopted the assumption that in Turkey secularism can only be secured by state control of religion and restriction of religious freedoms.

According to a quarterly monitoring report by BIA2, the grip on Turkeys audio-visual media is eased with lesser number of bans, while the strict control by the Supreme Board however continues with doubled number of warnings.

German Ambassador to Turkey Wolf Ruthart Born, who was unable to attend a dinner hosted by former DEP deputies on Monday, invited Leyla Zana and her friends to a breakfast.

Tuna, lawyer of Sahin, the Turkish woman who opened a case in the ECHR against Turkeys ban on headscarves in universities, said that even though the ECHR ruled in Turkeys favor, the legal process had not ended.

Prime Minister Erdogan alluded that European Court of Human Rights decision in Sahins headscarf case is political and amounts to a double standard.

A woman form the Labour Movement Party claimed she was sexually abused by police during the NATO protests and applied for legal action. Womens groups condemned police violence against demonstrators in a press statement.

ECHR announced its decision in the 1998 lawsuit filed by Sahin and Tekin. The court found that Turkey didnt violate the ECHRs 9th Article on religious freedom. Jurists interpreted the verdict as ECHR found restricted freedom enough for Turkey.

The growth rate has become 17.5 percent in current prices and 12.4 percent in constant prices in the first period of 2004 when compared with the same period of 2003.

15 minutes prior to Bushs speech, guests are taken to the place where the speech will be delivered. It is not that easy to listen to a formal speech when the sun is at its zenith. However, Istanbuls beauty imparts a cold happiness to the people.

Anti-NATO demonstrators who on Tuesday, gathered on Istanbuls central Istiklal Street to protest against NATO and Bush have been harshly treated with tear gas and clubs. Some 40 people were dragged on the ground and detained.

The NATO Summit brought stress, fear and more taxes to the people of Istanbul, said Economist Sonmez. Sponsoring companies will reflect their expenses to the prices of their goods and services, Sonmez criticizes the NATO.

The Turkey PEN Women Writers Committee announced their opposition to war and all initiatives in support of war. We are protesting NATOs initiatives which are supposedly in the name of peace, the committee said.

Police fired chemical gas on the group, which had gathered in protest of the NATO summit. We wont remain silent as decisions are made concerning our future, said SDP head Kocali. The governors decision was just a show, added Turek of EMEP.

De Hoop Scheffer and Afghan President Hamid Karzai held a joint news conference on the second day of NATO Summit. Scheffer said NATO, UN, EU and all the donor countries should act in coordination during the election process.

Turkey, who assumed responsibility within the framework of the decision made by NATO, will train the Iraqi police. The training is expected to be carried out, both inside and outside Iraq.

A group of Greenpeace members hung a banner writing Nukes out of NATO on the Bogazici Bridge, chained themselves on iron bars of the bridge and made a press statement to protest NATO.