ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on June 3rd, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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LEAVES FOUR LETTERS BEHIND
Turkish businessman Abidin Cevher Ozden, who was known as Banker Kastelli, shot himself to death at his office. 75-year-old Kastelli was depressed recently, said his lawyer Tufan Atli.
"He had attempted to kill himself 3-4 months ago. A rich man`s fall causes depression," Atli said.
Kastelli was the one who started the "banker rush" in 1980s. He collected 100 billion TL, a very significant amount those days. Like many other bankers, also he went bankrupt in 1982 because their certificates were cancelled. He ran away to Switzerland and then headed to Tunisia. He was caught there, brought to Turkey and was put behind bars. Later he was released.
HE ASKS ASYLUM FOR EUTHANASIA
50-year-old teacher Tugrul Cankurt became paralyzed after a traffic accident four years ago. Now he asks right of asylum from the Netherlands where euthanasia is legal.
His wife said, "I am the witness of his pains and what he has been going through for four years. My brain says `yes` to euthanasia but my heart says `no` for the death of my love."
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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400 PERCENT FROM FIELD TO DINNER TABLE
Prices of a number of foodstuff rise by about 400 percent till it reaches to dinner tables from producers. For instance, cost of cucumber is only 0.20 new Turkish lira (YTL) in villages while its price rises to 1.02 YTL in markets. That makes a 408 percent difference.
BANKER KASTELLI EXISTS NO MORE
Abidin Cevher Ozden, known as Banker Kastelli, one of the symbolic names of 1980s, has committed suicide at his office in Istanbul. He suffered a financial deadlock lately.
TWO SOLDIERS DIE DURING TRANSPORT
A minibus carrying soldiers has plunged into the shoulder of road near Baskale town of the eastern province of Van, killing a major and a senior sergeant. Four security officials and driver of the minibus were injured in the accident.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH GOVERNMENT FAVORS RATIFYING KYOTO PROTOCOL, CICEK
Spokesman of Turkish government, Cemil Cicek, said that Turkish government adopted in principle the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
The Kyoto Protocol was discussed in Monday`s meeting of Turkish Council of Ministers. "We will send the Kyoto Protocol to the Turkish parliament for ratification," Cicek said. The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the international Framework Convention on Climate Change with the objective of reducing greenhouse gases that cause climate change. As of June 2008, 182 parties have ratified the protocol.
TURKS SPEND MOST TIME READING NEWSPAPERS
A report prepared by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said that Turks spend the most time reading newspapers in the world. Turks allocate 74 minutes to newspapers on a daily basis. There are 11,926 newspapers published in the world. The newspapers are read by around 1.7 billion people on a daily basis.
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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HOW WILL POLITICAL SCENE LOOK WHEN AK PARTY GETS CLOSED?
A poll conducted by a strategic research center showed how the Turkish political scene would look if the Justice and Development (AK) Party gets closed. 48.8 percent of respondents said that they would vote for a party led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan if the AK Party gets closed. The poll was conducted in 26 Turkish provinces.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FEES RISE
Public transportation fees rose in Istanbul by 4-10 percent. The Municipality of Istanbul has also recently increased the price of natural gas for residences and businesses.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BANKER KASTELLI COMMITS SUICIDE
Abidin Cevher Ozden, known as Banker Kastelli, the symbolic name of the serious banker crisis in 1980s, has committed suicide at his bureau in Istanbul. Ozden who collected 2.5 billion USD from people till 1982, suffered both financial and emotional difficulties lately. He left a suicide note reading that no one was responsible for his death.
TICK NIGHTMARE
Fifteen people have died of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Turkey since the beginning of the year. More than 300 people were hospitalized after being beaten by ticks. CCHF is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by tick bite, with a high mortality rate.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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RECENT POLL: AK PARTY FALLS BELOW 40 P.C.
A poll conducted on May 24th and 25th for Credit Suisse showed that ruling AK Party continued to lose votes. Results of the poll said votes of undecided electorate were around 29.3 percent, AK Party 28.1 percent, main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) 13.7 percent, Nationalist Movement party (MHP) 12.1 percent.
When floating votes are prorated, AK Party would get 39.7 percent, CHP 19.4 percent and MHP 17.1 percent.
"PORTUGAL AND TURKEY WILL QUALIFY"
Turkish national football team continue preparations for Euro 2008 in Geneva. Striker Colin Kazim was hopeful like his teammates.
"Turkey and Portugal will qualify from our group," he said.
Separately, Yildiray Basturk, who was taken out of the squad by coach Fatih Terim, spoke to Kicker, a German sports magazine.
"I will no longer go to national team as long as Fatih Terim is the coach," he said.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUL TO TRAVEL TO JAPAN
President Abdullah Gul will pay a state visit to Japan to boost the economic relations between the two countries. State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, State Minister Mehmet Simsek, high-level bureaucrats and 100 businessmen including Union of Turkish Chambers & Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu will accompany Gul during his six-day visit. Gul will be the first Turkish president visiting Japan.
Gul will hold a series of talks with Japanese authorities such as Emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Yosuo Fukuda. He is expected to invite the Emperor to Turkey in 2010 which was declared as the year of Japan in Turkey. Gul will also meet executives of Japanese companies, and call on them to invest more in Turkey.
BABACAN TO MEET RICE AND CHENEY
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan left for the United States on a seven-day official visit. Babacan is set to hold a series of talks both in Washington D.C. and New York. He will meet U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and U.S. congressmen. Besides the bilateral relations, the fight against terrorism, regional and global developments will be high on Babacan`s talks.
DISMORR SAYS ERDOGAN`S LEADERSHIP IS INCONTROVERTIBLE
Ann Dismorr, who was Sweden`s ambassadress to Turkey from 2001 to 2005, said that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s leadership was incontrovertible. Dismoor introduced her book "Uncoded Turkey" at a meeting. She said that some Turkish businessmen extended support to closure of the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party at their unofficial meetings. Dismorr said that she could not understand them since inflow of direct foreign capital occurred as a result political stability.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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FORMER SWEDISH AMBASSADOR ACCUSES TUSIAD
Sweden`s former ambassador in Ankara Ann Dismorr argued that many members of the Turkish Industrialists` and Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) support the closure of the ruling AK Party in informal meetings. Dismorr was Sweden`s ambassador in Ankara between 2001 and 2005.
CONSUME WATERMELON ON AN EMPTY STOMACH AND WITH SEEDS
Health experts say that watermelon is full of vitamins. Watermelon lowers blood pressure and protects consumers from cancer. According to health experts, watermelon should be consumed on an empty stomach and with seeds. Chief Doctor at the Sakarya Vatan Hospital Dursun Bostanci said that "watermelon helps the functions of kidneys. Watermelon gives energy and helps lose weight".
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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MAY SAME HAPPEN ALSO TO OTHER BARBER
Turkish barber Ersin Taze, who was in jail in Saudi Arabia on charges of "insulting Prophet Mohammad", was released.
Another Turkish barber, Sabri Bogday, was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia on charges of "swearing at the God". His trial at the court of appeals has still been continuing.
I.D. FOR 12 MILLION CARS
Turkish Finance Ministry is set to implement "vehicle identity system" to prevent fuel smuggling.
The system will be integrated to 12 million vehicles so that the ministry will be able to monitor and record which vehicle bought gas from which station. All vehicles in Turkey will be included in the system in two years.
(UK-SOL-TÇ-MS)