Thursday, 5 November 2009
These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on November 5, 2009. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET
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TURKISH PROFESSOR ELECTED FOR EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES UNION BOARD
A Turkish professor has been elected as an executive board member of a European universities union. Professor Muhammed Sahin from Istanbul Technical University became the first Turkish scholar ever to be named an executive board member of the Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research.
DEATH TOLL FROM SWINE FLU RISES TO 15 IN TURKEY
The Turkish Health Ministry reported Wednesday four people, including two women aged 24 and 31, a 55-year-old man, and a five-year-old boy have died in several cities of Turkey due to swine flu, raising the death toll to 15. The first victim of the swine flu in Turkey was a 28-year-old male in Ankara. He died on October 24.
MILLIYET
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POLICE CATCHES POLICE RED-HANDED
The Security Department in the capital city of Ankara has launched one of the biggest operations in recent years against bribery. After receiving tip-offs that some policemen accepted bribes from taxi and minibus drivers systematically, a large-scale operation was launched. 61 policemen were dismissed.
EMERGENCY LANDING
An Airbus A320 plane of the Turkish Airlines en route to Cairo from Istanbul made an emergency landing at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport after an engine problem. A passenger saw that one of the aircraft's cowlings, the metal covering of the engine, dropped immediately after the take-off. He informed the crew members and the aircraft returned to the airport.
SWINE FLU CLAIMS FIVE MORE LIVES
Two women, a man and a five-year-old child died of swine flu in Turkey. After another person died in the northwestern province of Edirne, country's death toll rose to 16.
SABAH
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PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE REPORT PROPOSES SENTENCE FOR PARENTS IN EARLY MARRIAGE CASES
A committee with the Turkish parliament has prepared a report on early marriages in Turkey, proposing sentences to parents for encouraging child marriage. The committee said out of every four marriages in Turkey is believed to be early marriages.
TURKEY COURT SENTENCES BUSINESS MAGNATE TO SIX YEARS
Turkish media mogul Cem Uzan has been sentenced to six years in prison for "instigation to constraint freedom." The court passed judgement on Wednesday in the case which was filed after Uzan sent a group of his muscle to raid a former ranch in Sakarya that was seized by Turkey's deposit insurance fund.
VATAN
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DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AMONG DOCTORS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement that he was not going to be vaccinated against swine flu have accelerated the discussions nationwide. The Vatan daily revealed that there was a difference of opinion among doctors working in leading hospitals. While some of them said that the vaccine was safe, some others said that they were not going to be vaccinated.
GIANT FUND BECOMES PARTNER OF SANCAK
World's giant funds are contesting with each other to take part in Turkish health industry. U.S. Carlyle with assets of 86 billion USD is going to purchase 40 percent stake of the Medical Park of the Turkish Sancak Group. Earlier, Abraaj Capital became partner of the Acibadem Hospital and the Marlin purchased stakes of the Safak hospitals.
CUMHURIYET
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EP CALLS ON COORDINATION WITH TURKEY ON FOREIGN POLICY MATTERS
The European Parliament has urged Turkey to act in coordination with the European Union in foreign policy issues. "European Parliament calls on Turkey to act in coordination with the EU especially on issues related to Iran," said the parliament in a draft report on the Union's enlargement. The report also urged the Turkish government "to reach an understanding with all opposition parties" and "underlined the urgency of reform in judiciary."
WORKERS' UNION APPEALS TO HIGH COURT ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD CODE
A Turkish workers' union has filed a suit to the country's highest
administrative court for the annulment and the suspension of execution of a code that set the rules for trade of genetically modified food items. Turk Saglik-Sen appealed to the Council of State for action on the issue.
RADIKAL
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VILLAGE GUARDS AGAIN
Two village guards, a father and his son, killed four members of the same family in the town of Ergani in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. They used weapons given to them by the state. It was revealed that victims applied for state protection for many times before the killings.
KNOCK KNOCK BASHIR
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir will visit Turkey for the third time although an international court asked for his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity.
PROTEST AGAINST LEVY
Students protested Israeli Ambassador Gaby Levy during his visit to the Black Sea Technical University as part of his tour of the northern provinces of Turkey. They threw eggs on the vehicle carrying the Ambassador.
TURKIYE
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A COWLING ON PIST
A Turkish Airlines (THY) passenger plane en route to Cairo from Istanbul
with 103 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the Ataturk Airport
after one of its cowlings, the metal covering of the engine, dropped.
LET'S DISCUSS EVERYTHING
President Abdullah Gul said, "if we cannot resolve problems by discussing them in a transparent environment, they will be a burden on shoulders of the next generations. Any kind of problems can be resolved through dialogue. Such discussions will further strengthen us."
ZAMAN
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TURKEY'S HIGHER EDUCATION BOARD SEEKS WAYS TO DRAW STUDENTS FROM ABROAD
Head of Turkey's Higher Education Board said they had been working on a plan to draw foreign students to Turkey for higher education. Prof. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan said foreign students who had passed an internationally recognized test in their countries would be accepted for universities in Turkey, adding the Board could also give "a simplified test" in Turkey for foreign students.
TURKISH POEMS IN ARMENIAN
After protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia to normalize relations, Armenia has asked for the translation of 200 poems by 15 renowned Turkish poets. The poets include Nazim Hikmet, Orhan Veli, Atilla Ilhan, Necip Fazil Kisakurek, and Metin Altiok. The poems will be translated to Armenian by scholars Arthur Antronikian, Gevork Kalloshian and Arkadi Asrian from the Armenian State University.
YENI SAFAK
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A JOURNEY OF DEMOCRATIC MOVE
President Abdullah Gul will be going to the eastern province of Tunceli to attend the beginning of new academic year at the Tunceli University. President Gul is expected to address the residents in the province who are pleased with the government's recent democratic move.
"LISBON PAVES THE WAY FOR TURKEY"
State Minister and Chief Negotiator for the EU talks Egemen Bagis said about the Lisbon Treaty, "the EU saw that Turkey was making good progress. There are some circles with the EU putting obstacles in front of Turkey's membership. But we will overcome all those obstacles."
