Sunday, 22 January, 2006 , 15:30 AFP — Protesters calling for the release of jailed Kurdish separatist leader Abdullah Ocalan clashed with police Sunday in a working-class district of Istanbul, an AFP photographer reported.

Saturday, 21 January, 2006 , 18:16 AFP — Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Kurdish regional president Massud Barzani on Saturday signed an agreement that paves the way for a single administration to run their autonomous northern region.

Saturday, 21 January, 2006 , 11:11 AFP — Kurdish authorities announced Saturday that a mass grave dating from the time of Saddam Hussein had been unearthed in the course of routine road repair.

Wednesday, 18 January, 2006 , 20:50 AFP — A court in Turkey on Wednesday ordered the temporary release of a soldier accused of killing a demonstrator and injuring five others during riots in a Kurdish region in November, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Wednesday, 18 January, 2006 , 12:09 AFP — A 14-year-old girl has died in Iraqi Kurdistan after showing symptoms of bird flu, spurring emergency measures to keep the illness at bay although tests on the victim have so far proved negative.

Wednesday, 18 January, 2006 , 11:51 AFP — Strung out along the border with Turkey, Iraq's Kurdish provinces are scrambling to put in place measures to prevent avian flu from spreading south across the mountains.

Wednesday, 18 January, 2006 , 08:58 AFP — A girl has died in Iraqi Kurdistan after showing symptoms of avian flu and, while initial tests were negative, officials said Wednesday they had sent samples to Jordan for further checks.

Wednesday, 18 January, 2006 , 08:32 AFP — Health officials in northern Iraq sent samples to Jordan for testing for avian flu on Wednesday following the death of a 14-year-old girl.

Tuesday, 17 January, 2006 , 13:12 AFP — Lawyers representing jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan protested Tuesday that they were unable to meet their client after authorities increased his isolation on a prison island in northwestern Turkey.

Monday, 16 January, 2006 , 10:53 AFP — Turkish police seized 23 kilos (50 pounds) of plastic explosive and arrested three presumed members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the town of Van in eastern Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported Monday.