At least 36 people lost their lives when a packed express train crashed on the way from Istanbul to Ankara. Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim under fire for allowing the new express train along old tracks in spite of warnings from specialists.

According to a report by Human Rights Association (IHD) in the first six months of 2004; 61 people lost their lives in armed clashes, 692 people were tortured or mistreated and 3,688 were arbitrarily detained.

Prof. Dr. Aksit receives the 2004 gold medal, the biggest prize in allergy research in the world, by the World Allergy Research Foundation. He won more than 20 awards, including Simavi Medicine Award, Prof. Storck Prize and Allergopharma Prize.

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.

Of 139 complaints filed with the Prime Ministry Human Rights Department over the past six months, only seven of the cases dealt with torture, causing it to fall from first to tenth on the list.

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.

63 children from six different countries, all from economically disadvantaged families and suffering from psychological problems, came to Marmaris through an organization of the International Yacht Club (IYC).

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.

Prime Minister Erdogans daughter got married with Berat Albayrak, the son of correspondent Sadik Albayrak. About 7,000 guests, including Jordanian King Abdullah, Pakistani President Musharref, Greek and Romanian prime ministers attended the wedding.

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.