WORLD IN BRIEF
Downpours Turn Deadly
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TURKEY
Secularists Protest Head Scarf Plan
Tens of thousands of secular Turks rallied Saturday against a plan by the government to allow female students to wear the Muslim head scarf at universities, a move they say will usher in a stricter form of Islam in Turkey.
Parliament is expected to approve a constitutional amendment this week, sponsored by the Islamic-oriented ruling party and a nationalist opposition party, that is aimed at easing a 1989 head scarf ban for students in higher education.
"Turkey is secular and will remain secular," shouted protesters carrying national flags and banners of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the republic that separated religion and state, at his mausoleum in Ankara, the capital.
GAZA STRIP
Hamas Apologizes to Egypt
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar said Saturday he had apologized to Egypt for attacks on its forces after Palestinian guerrillas destroyed the border walls between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Zahar spoke to reporters after returning from talks with security officials in Egypt.
Zahar said Egypt had agreed to continue allowing students and medical patients to cross from Gaza, but left unclear whether other Gazans would be allowed to cross at will as they have for the past week. He said he expected talks on control of the border to continue.
Egypt said at least 40 troops were injured by thrown rocks or other attacks.
-- Ellen Knickmeyer
KENYA
