Reporters Without Borders has protested after police beat nine journalists who were covering the crushing of a demonstration against electoral fraud in South-eastern Diyarbakir.

The local elections consolidated the power of the AKP. According to semi-official results, the AKP gained nearly 42% of the votes against 34% at the legislative elections of 2002, very far from its nearer rival, CHP, which obtains 18% against 19% in 2002.

With 92 percent of the nationwide local election ballot boxes opened: AKP 42.2 percent, CHP 21.2, SHP 5,8 percent, DYP 8,2 percent, MHP 8,6 percent.

The Human Rights Association and the Turkish Human Rights Foundation demand that conditions are met so that Ismail Hakki Avci, who was tortured in the U.S. can press legal charges.

AKP got the mayoral seats of 56 provinces, out of a total of 81, CHP of 9 provinces, Democratic Union of Powers of 5 provinces and MHP of 4 provinces, Saadet and DYP each of one province, according to the returns of 54 % of ballot boxes counted.

The Employment and Labor Council report said that one out of three educated youth in Turkey, and two women out of three are jobless. Joblessness is more widespread among women, said the report and added the jobless rate would double in the year 2010.

Nuri Ok, the Chief Prosecutor of the Appeals Court said that the protests staged by DEHAP against the imprisonment of PKK leader Ocalan, evidenced that this group had a connection with the terror organization.

The state will pay a compensation of 109 billion TL to the family of an inmate who was killed during the bloody Return-to-Life operation of the state in prisons, four years ago.

Italian Prime Minister Berlusconis media group Mediaset announced that they were looking for media groups in different countries, including Turkey, for making investments.

The Human Rights Association published a statement on Newroz, which is also the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. IHD emphasized that Turkey had still not ratified the protocol -12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Turkey and Greece will attend the talks that will begin today in Burgenstock, at prime ministerial level. These talks will be the first since 1974 talks, which started with the watchword Ayse went on for a holiday.

Kara has been released after serving in prison for 5 months for threatening the bodyguard of the son of former premier Ciller. His trials shows that the media in Turkey is under threats, said Sefiloglu from CGD. Its worst for local media.

A former head of Anti-Terrorism Unit and three police officers are standing trial for charges of torturing Mehmet Desde under detention. The court has been awaiting a report from the Forensic Medical Institution for the last three months.

Second Chief of Staff General Ilker Basbug said that We expect a concrete step from U.S. to liquidate PKK from Northern Iraq.

Human Rights Foundation called on the AKP government to end its pressure on the Forensic Medical Institution. The Forensic Medical Institution isnt postponing the sentences of people it had previously diagnosed with the Wernicke Korsakoff disease.

P.M. Erdogan will be the third leader joining two previous Turkish leaders Menderes and Demirel whose popular vote went over the 50 % threshold in general elections, a survey showed.

An appeals court asked a lower court to wait for the outcome of the trial about torture allegations. The decision of the appeals court overturns the prison sentence of 12 years and six months and could affect the basics of the trial.

The anti-war activists will protest U.S. and British forces at the Taksim Gazi Park on the first year of the invasion of Iraq. They will emphasize that the lies about the reasons of invasion have become more obvious a year later.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that he learned about the decision of Turkish Cypriot President Denktas from the TV. He said This issue can go nowhere with heroic speeches.

In the trial of the death of student Altunbas under detention, which began 13 years ago, yet another defense lawyer withdrew from the case. How is this trial going to end if a new lawyer comes to each hearing and asks for more time? asked the judge.