TURKIYE

WORLD PRAISES, WE CLOSE DOWN


The ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party will make its verbal defense at the Constitutional Court on Thursday. A party delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek will try to disprove allegations of the chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals that the AK party became an anti-secular center. The ruling party's defense was based on this thesis: "while the world is praising us, the judiciary is trying to close us down."

FIRST LAND-MINE SWEPT AWAY


Relations between Turkey and Syria which were about to declare war against each other in the past because of the PKK terrorist organization, have been improving day by day. A new border crossing will be built in the coming days. Therefore, a six-member team began sweeping away land-mines in an eight-decare field in the border region.

BALLOTS FROM FINLAND


A Finnish firm has won the tender for ballots and envelopes to be used in the local elections in March.

ZAMAN

TURKISH MINISTER PROPOSES JOINT
INDUSTRY ZONE ON BORDER WITH IRAQ


State Minister Kursad Tuzmen proposed to set up a joint industrial zone with Baghdad government on the Iraqi border. During a visit to the Iraqi capital over the weekend where he participated in a Turkish-Iraqi business forum, Tuzmen said the two countries could also build a power plant and a refinery on the border.

HOLDINGS IN TURKEY GROW 22 PERCENT IN 2007


Figures on the top 500 companies in Turkey revealed an interesting fact about Turkey: The country grew 4.5 percent in 2007 as opposed to a 22 percent growth of the Turkey's giant conglomerates. Turkish oil refiner and retailer Tupras reported 22 billion YTL net sales revenue as the biggest company. Turkey's main electricity distribution company came second ahead of Petrol Ofisi, a fuel distribution company.

YENI SAFAK


UEFA NOMINATES HAMIT ALTINTOP


UEFA nominated Turkish soccer player Hamit Altintop for Best Star Turns along with 9 other players. Soccer fans will choose the best among the ten by voting at an opinion poll on UEFA's website.

MALAYSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER TAKES REFUGE IN TURKEY
Malaysian opposition leader Enver Ibrahim who is accused of raping a man took refuge in the Turkish Embassy in Malaysia.
Ibrahim's "People's Justice Party" claimed that the accuser was forced to make a false statement. Ibrahim sought political asylum from Turkey.

VATAN

GET READY FOR ISTANBUL QUAKE


Ross Stein of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, one of the most prominent seismologists in the world, has said that Turkey owned the best seismological early warning system. You are able to record a massive earthquake in Istanbul 10-15 seconds earlier, he said. Stein warned that Turkey must get ready for a devastating earthquake since most of people who were alive today, would witness it.

IBRAHIM TAKES REFUGE IN TURKISH EMBASSY


Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has taken refuge in the Turkish Embassy after after his 23-year-old aide accused him of raping him. Ibrahim denied the accusation of sodomy and said that he was grateful to Turkey.
Malaysian police cordoned off the embassy building in Kuala Lumpur. Police allowed only daughters and wife of Ibrahim to enter the embassy building. Meanwhile, Anwar accused the government of a plot. Sodomy is punishable by 20 years of imprisonment in Malaysia.

CUMHURIYET

TURKEY'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY TO SKIP SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL


Leader of Turkey's main opposition party said he would not participate at an Athens meeting of the Socialist International, which is set to start on Monday. Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), revealed his decision for no show during an event over the weekend, heightening tensions between the party and the forum of more than 130 center-left parties.

U.S. WEEKLY WARNS ON CYPRUS: SETTLEMENT OR DIVISION


U.S. magazine Newsweek made a warning on the Cyprus issue in its current edition, saying that the division of the island would become permanent if peace talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders failed to produce any settlement. The weekly said that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would find a plausible ground to seek its independence as a sovereign state unless the sides reached an agreement in a year.

RADIKAL


SOCIALISTS HEADED TO SUMMIT, BAYKAL TO MULBERRY FESTIVAL


Around 150 socialist and social democrat representatives from 100 different countries will attend the 23rd Socialist International Conference in Athens. Environment, immigration and development will be on the agenda of the conference where Republican People's Party (CHP) will also be discussed.
CHP leader Deniz Baykal tried to prevent initiatives aiming to issue a warning to CHP for not complying with Socialist International's principles.
Baykal who is also the Deputy Chairman of the organisation had asked help from Chairman Papandreou, but could not find the support he hoped.
When it became almost certain that CHP would be discussed at the conference, Baykal, instead of going to Athens for the conference, went to the Mulberry festival in the Ayas town of Ankara.

STIGLITZ URGES TURKEY TO CUT RELATIONS WITH IMF


Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz said Turkey should cut relations with IMF. Stiglitz, who praised UNDP administrator Kemal Dervis, said, "IMF's priority was not welfare but guaranteeing the credit."


HURRIYET

MALAYSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER TAKES REFUGE IN
TURKISH EMBASSY AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF SODOMY


Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has taken refuge in the Turkish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur after being accused of sodomy with a male aide, saying that he feared for his life. Ibrahim was tried for similar accusations ten year years ago but he was exonerated. Ibrahim's wife, Aziza Ismail, accused the government party of conspiracy.

ELEVEN RENAL TRANSPLANTS IN THREE DAYS


An organ transplantation research center at Turkey's Antalya University performed eleven kidney transplants from alive donors in the last three days. Center's chief surgeon, Prof. Alper Demirbas, said they had performed 202 renal transplants and 20 liver transplants so far in 2008.

MILLIYET

WHAT DOES TURKISH SOCIETY THINK ABOUT TRIAL PROCESS?


According to a public survey carried out by A&G company, 53.3 percent of the Turkish people advocates that the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party should not be outlawed by the Constitutional Court. Those who defended that the political party should be closed down are generally educated people.
The survey also showed that 30.3 percent of Turkish people would vote for the AK Party in general elections while 12.7 percent would vote for the Republican People's Party (CHP) and 11.7 percent for the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

BAYKAL NOT TO GO TO ATHENS


Turkey's main opposition party CHP leader Deniz Baykal has decided not to attend a Socialist International (SI) general assembly meeting in the Greek capital city of Athens. CHP executives sent a message to SI president George Papandreou after getting information that some member-countries were planning to launch initiatives against the CHP. Since Papandreou did not send a satisfactory response, CHP decided not to attend the SI general assembly meetings.

SABAH

AFTER ACCUSATIONS HE TOOK REFUGE IN TURKISH EMBASSY


Malaysian opposition leader Enver Ibrahim took refuge in the Turkish Embassy in Malaysia, after his male assistant accused Ibrahim of raping him.
Ibrahim's wife said it was a plot by the government and showed the photo of the plaintiff and Deputy PM as evidence.
Ibrahim had served in prison for years in the past because of a similar crime.
About 100 of Ibrahim's supporters are on watch outside the Turkish Embassy.

OPPOSITION LEADER NOT TO ATTEND SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL


CHP leader Deniz Baykal who is hesitating to attend the Socialist International's meeting with fear of motion for expulsion of his party from the organisation, decided not to attend the meeting when guarantee he asked from Socialist International's Chairman George Papandreou was not given.

AA