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[February 27, 2006]

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(Turkish Daily News Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Gul rebukes press:

Milliyet -- Asked during an interview with Samanyolu TV whether he was upset by the comparison Israel made between Hamas and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul replied: "I was not upset by it, I was angered by it. Is Turkey an occupier on its own land? This comparison was made entirely because of the Israeli elections."


Gul continued: "The Israeli side acted honestly. This comparison didn't appear in their media; you couldn't find it there. But it did in Turkey. I can see that the press is open to the manipulation of foreign services and diplomats. I can tell who has influenced a headline."

Bombing of mausoleum sparks sectarian violence in Iraq:

Radikal and Milliyet -- A Shiite shrine in Samarra, the final resting place of two Shiite imams, was bombed yesterday. While there were no deaths, much of the edifice was destroyed, including its 100-year-old golden dome. Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Husaini Sistani called for "peaceful protests," upon which the Shiites of the city began to revolt, attacking over 60 mosques. Six Sunni imams were killed as a result. As the events ballooned, Sistani issued the plea not to attack mosques.

Children at pro-Ocalan demonstration taken into custody, beaten:

Radikal -- Taken into custody at the 100. Yyl Kemalpathorna police station on suspicion of involvement with seditious organizations a day after they participated in a pro-Ocalan demonstration in Baethcylar on Feb. 15, 11-year-old M.Y. and a group of other children he was with were repeatedly beaten by police, according to a statement given by M.Y. Twenty police kicked, slapped and punched the children, hitting M.Y.'s head against the wall. Held at the police station overnight, M.Y. was subsequently brought before the prosecutor and released to his mother. The gashes on his head resulting from blows he incurred while in custody were documented by both police and a doctor he subsequently saw. His family has filed a complaint against the police.

Valley of the Wolves -- Iraq' banned in Germany

Cumhuriyet -- After drawing much political attention, most notably from Christian Social Union (CSU) leader Edmund Stoiber, "Valley of the Wolves -- Iraq" will no longer be shown by Cinemaxx, the largest movie chain in Germany, despite the movie's strong box office sales. Cinemaxx said in a press statement that their decision has no connection with political reactions.

Wolves,' a product of imagination:

Cumhuriyet -- Responding to a journalist at a press conference at the Pentagon yesterday, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace pointed out that "Wolves" is a product of the imagination and not based on fact. "Producers show works of fiction in many different countries. The film has no basis in reality. There's no need to comment on a product of the imagination," he said.

Greek Cypriot ship stokes tension in Mersin:

Cumhuriyet and Hurriyet -- The Greek Cyprus administration sent a RoRo ship to the Port of Mersin yesterday. The container-carrying ABLE-F caused tension at a time when the European Union has insisted that Turkey open its ports to the Greek Cypriots as it anchored two miles out to sea. Due to its political nature, the crisis was managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which refused the shipt permission to approach the harbor. The ship eventually left after waiting for 13 hours.

The incident sparked speculation that the Greek Cypriots are preparing for crisis diplomacy. The Greek and Greek Cypriot administrations, which at every turn assert that Turkey is not fulfilling its obligations, reacted to Turkey's refusal to allow the ship to enter the port, saying it would bring the matter before the EU. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the ship had acted in violation of international law.

Policeman commits suicide after killing wife, two sons:

Vatan -- An assistant to the chief of police in Adana, Zulkifli Akbaba, 53, shot his wife and two sons, ages 25 and 28, in the head on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself. Debt was determined to have been a factor, along with alcohol and family problems.

Credit card interest rates to be lowered to 18 pct:

Yeni THORNafak -- The Cabinet has arrived at a solution to the credit card debt problem, which has caused a recent spate of family tragedies and suicides. Interest rates will be restructured, lowering them from 22 to 18 percent. The number of installments will be increased from 12 to 18.

Ruling and opposition deputies worked on the new provision until yesterday evening, agreeing to revise the basis of the principal from the amount at the start of bankruptcy proceedings to that at the time when the bank issues its first late notice.

The minimum payment for the first six months following enactment of the new credit card legislation will be kept at 10 percent, later rising to 20 percent. Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif THORNener stated that the motion would have the full backing of the Cabinet.

The new legislation exempts debts for premiums existing prior to March 31, 2005. Premiums, including those for insurance, social security, unemployment and business fines, in the amount of YTL 21 billion will be allowed a 60-month repayment period.

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