On Wednesday, the peace commission of the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association staged a protest for peace and a solution to the Kurdish question in Taksim.

Local authorities in Diyarbakir have found a creative means of criticising the ban on Kurdish: They have added Chinese to their repertoire and are awaiting reactions…

A film about a vilage girl in Hakkari struggling against family pressures to become a painter has won a film competition and will now join the international Panasonic film competition.

In protest at Hrant Dink's murder, writer Demirer had called on others to commit the same "crime" as Dink had done, i.e. to recognise the factuality of an "Armenian genocide." He is now facing a trial under Articles 301 and 216.

Prices of basic goods rose by 13 percent in the last year, while rents rose by 16 percent. Lower-income and middle-class families have been most affected.

The workshop with local and regional reporters in Antalya brought up issues particular to that kind of journalism. Particularly difficult are lack of training and the sensitive relations in small towns.

Yesterday, former IHD branch president Ridvan Kizgin was sent to prison for two years and six months for investigating the murders of villagers.

Lawyers for the Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper have demanded that the case against Seropyan and Nalci be heared by a different court, arguing that the current one “cannot be independent and neutral.”

Hundreds of protesters joined the DTP press statement at Galatasaray Square in central Istanbul, but the police intervened in the ensuing march with tear gas, water cannons and shots fired in the air.

As we reported in December, bianet adopted a rotation model last year in order to put into practice our ideal of democratic collaboration. Now our third period of rotation has begun, with Gökçe Gündüç as our new editor-in-chief.

The General Staff has announced that ground operations in Northern Iraq have ended. 240 PKK militants are said to have been killed, as well as 24 soldiers and 3 village guards.

The General Staff has sued lawyer and human rights activist Keskin for “denigrating the army”; Keskin said, “I will continue to criticise militarist pressure.”

In the last six days, so the General Staff, 24 soldiers and 230 PKK militants have been killed. Iraqis are fleeing their villages. Turkish human rights activists are starting a peace vigil.

At the fourth hearing on Monday, the court finally reacted to the untolerable behaviour of defendants and defense lawyer Fuat Turgut.

Singer Bülent Ersoy’s courageous anti-war utterances on live TV have provoked a nationalist backlash and an investigation.

The fourth hearing has brought no further clarity in the case, as many of the requests of the joint plaintiffs were refused.

DTP politicians have called for an end to operations and violence in general. Journalist Akad criticises the mainstream media for misleading the public.

Yesterday there were hearings in the Hrant Dink and the Malatya murder cases. Whether or not all the shady connections in the murders will emerge will decide on the future of Turkey’s democracy.

The Iraqi government has demanded that Turkish soldiers be withdrawn from Northern Iraq. US Secretary of Defense Gates has called on a “dialogue with the Kurds which would strengthen effect of military operations.”

The General Staff has announced that ground operations in Northern Iraq are continuing and that 15 soldiers and 112 PKK militants have been killed in the first three days.