Turkish women gain voice in fight to stay secular

Turkish women are on the street protesting as never before as the fightto preserve Turkey's secular status gives them a louder political voicethat could translate into parliamentary seats in this summer'selections.Women have dominated recent rallies in Turkish cities against the rulingIslamist-rooted AK Party, fearful of what the party might do if, asexpected, it wins another big majority. (Emma Ross-Thomas, The Scotsman,4 June 2007)