GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON AUGUST 4

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on August 4, 2008. Hurriyet English does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET

--GENERAL BASBUG BECOMES NEW GENERAL STAFF CHIEF

The names of the new commanders of Turkish Armed Forces were determined during the Supreme Military Council meeting.

Accordingly, former Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug became the new General Staff Chief, while former Gendarmerie General Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner was assigned as the new Land Forces Commander. The Naval and Air Forces commanders are still on duty.

--FIRE STILL COULD NOT BE EXTINGUISHED ON 4TH DAY

The forest fire in the Mediterranean province of Antalya reached the Koprulu Kanyon region near Beskonak town of the city yesterday. Local residents remained on alarm until the morning, officials said.

A new fire started in Antalya's Manavgat region in the afternoon yesterday, while the fire at Olympos was partially taken under control.

Governor of Antalya, Alaaddin Yuksel said that those who lost their homes at the fire receive 2,000 YTL, while citizens whose barns and warehouses burnt down would receive 1,000 YTL of financial aid.

MILLIYET

--WHY DID 27 BABIES DIE IN HOSPITAL?

It was claimed that 27 newborns died of infection at Ankara's Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Hospital. While the hospital administration rejected the accusations, families of the newborns said that there were 2-3 newborn infants in an incubator.

Also, Health Workers' Labor Union said that 27 infants died between July 31 and August 2, and 42 babies died in the last one month. The labor union added that the delivery room was moved because of ongoing repairs in the hospital and the move caused a spread of the infection.

--WAITING FOR FLAMES

The forest fire in Manavgat town of the popular Turkish resort province of Antalya continues to rage out of control. Some villages in the region are without electricity and water. Residents in those villages sat on guard against outside their homes all night. One person has died and another is missing in the blaze in the Antalya province, which was described as the worst forest fire faced by Turkey in recent years.

--THREE DETAINED

Three people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the collapse of the illegal dormitory building built in the central province of Konya in which 18 students were killed. Those arrested include the headmaster, his aide and the owner of the dormitory building.

SABAH

--A REPORT ON UGUR MUMCU

According to a document included in the 2,455-page indictment for the Ergenekon probe, Ugur Mumcu was assassinated while tracking down 100,000 weapons which were sent to Iraq. The document was found in house of Veli Kucuk, one of the suspects of the probe. It says, "100,000 weapons were sent from the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) to Talabani in Iraq under a secret state operation."

Mumcu was tracking down those weapons. He received a phone call not to gamble with his life. He was assassinated on January 24. Twenty-five days later, Gen. Esref Bitlis died in a helicopter crash."

--SUNDAY TIMES: BASBUG IS AN ICE WARRIOR

British Sunday Times has described Gen. Ilker Basbug, the new chief of the Turkish General Staff, as a commander who is referred to in military circles as the "ice warrior" because he has a reputation for being calm and pragmatic.

VATAN

--NEW ERA IN TURKISH ARMY

There were no surprises at this year's Supreme Military Council meeting. Former Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug was assigned as the new General Staff Chief. Basbug will remain in the post until 2010 and he will be succeeded by Gen. Isik Kosaner, who became the new Land Forces Commander.

Basbug will take over the command from Gen. Yasar Buyukanit on August 30.

--FIRE UNDER CONTROL AFTER 72 HOURS

Reduced wind strength and a drop in humidity helped firefighters bring under control the forest fire raging in Antalya's Serik town. While a major part of the fire at Kumluca region is now under control, the fire at Manavgat continues to burn.

A financial aid of 2,000 YTL would be given to those whose homes were burnt down in the fire, officials said. The state will cover all the losses, they added.

CUMHURIYET

--A NEW PERIOD IN TURKISH ARMED FORCES

The new command echelon has been shaped during the Supreme Military Council (YAS) meetings. Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug will replace General Staff Chief Gen. Yasar Buyukanit who will retire on August 30. Gendarmerie Forces Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner will be the new commander of land forces while Gen. Atila Isik will command the gendarmerie forces.

--A NEW FIRE EACH DAY

The forest fire, which broke out in Manavgat town of the southern province of Antalya on July 31, has spread over a large area. The fire, which rages out of control, engulfed nearly 4,000 hectares of woodland. Several villages were evacuated, one person died and another is missing. Millions of trees, some as old as 200 years, were reduced to ash.

RADIKAL

--HAYAL WAS A MEMBER OF BBP WHEN DINK WAS KILLED

It was revealed that when journalist-writer Hrant Dink was killed in an armed attack on Jan 19, 2007, Yasin Hayal, the instigator of the killing, was still a member of the Grand Unity Party (BBP). Earlier, it was claimed that Hayal was expelled from political party in 2006 because of his "rowdy" behavior.

--27 NEWBORN INFANTS DIE IN A HOSPITAL IN 15 DAYS

Twenty-seven newborn infants have died in one of Turkey's biggest maternity hospitals in the last 17 days. Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Hospital in Ankara denied allegations that the babies died of a "hospital infection".

The Health Workers' Labor Union (SES) said that hospital management placed pressure on them not to give information to anyone about the deaths of infants and newborns.

YENI SAFAK

--EXXON DESIRES TO PARTICIPE IN OIL EXPLORATION PROCESS IN BLACK SEA

Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) officials have declared that U.S. Exxon Mobil Corporation has plans for a joint cooperation to search for oil in the Black Sea. TPAO's deputy director general Yurdal Oztas said that he hoped the two companies would soon sign an agreement on the issue.

--A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

The fire in the Mediterranean province of Antalya is threatening residential areas. Local residents are working hard to protect their homes and farmland against the fire.

The fire, which started five days ago and destroyed 4,000 hectares of pine forest so far, gained strength as winds changed direction yesterday. While the fire continues to rage in Serik and Manavgat towns, a fire that began in the Yenikoy region has the potential to spread.

Inform,04.08.08