GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON AUGUST 26

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on August 26, 2008. Hurriyet English does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET

-- HE MADE BLANKET WITH MONEY

Upon intelligence from the FBI, Turkish police cracked a virtual gang. It was revealed that Ercan F., one of the important hackers of the gang, took photos of himself with U.S. dollars and Turkish liras, and sent them to hacker friends. Police also found some photos which show Ercan F. taking a yacht tour and staying at Burj El Arab Hotel in Dubai. The gang accessed information of many banks in Europe and Asia, as well as of First National Bank, Bank Oklahoma, American Bank and Old National Bank in the United States. Police found bank account numbers of 500,000 people in the computers of gang members. A total of 14 gang members, including Ercan F., were arrested.


MILLIYET

-- MILAN BAROS COMING TO CIMBOM

Galatasaray (Cimbom) soccer team will explode its last transfer bomb with Milan Baros. The team's executive Haldun Ustunel shook hands with 27-year old forward player Baros. Baros played in the Czech national team on 66 occasions and scored 32 goals. Meanwhile, Fenerbahce soccer team is expecting news from Aurelio. If they cannot agree, the team will start talks with Dutch Zeeuw.

-- PLANNING TO ROB 500,000 MORE PEOPLE

It was revealed that the virtual profit gang, which conducted the biggest internet robbery of recent years, spent the money at the 7-star Burj El Arab Hotel in Dubai. The gang also accessed the personal banking information of 500,000 people. The gang, which has 28 members, was led by a doctor working in the Health Department in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa. Police searched the home and business residences of gang members and found e-mail addresses of 10 million people.


SABAH

-- BAROS IN GALATASARAY

After Kewell and Meira, another super star was transferred to Turkish soccer team Galatasaray. Czech Milan Baros, 27, will sign a contract with Galatasaray in the coming days. Baros, who is a striker, was the winner of the Golden Boot at Euro 2004, where he scored five goals.

-- MNG HOLDING BENEFITS FROM FOREST FIRE

A wooded land in Guvercinlik, Bodrum was reduced to ash in the summer of 2007. Officials said any construction would not be allowed on this land. But a part of it was given to MNG Holding in 2006 for the construction of a tourist facility.

VATAN

-- A MEMBER OF CHP STABBED TO DEATH

Fahrettin Tanyar (56), who was a member of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in the Bolu Provincial General Assembly, was stabbed to death in his home. Tanyar was stabbed in chest by unidentified persons and died on Monday night. Police have launched an investigation to catch murderers.

-- PAMUK'S NEW NOVEL TO BE SOLD IN BOOKSTORES IN 30 LANGUAGES

Turkey’s Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk's new novel will be sold in bookstores in 30 languages. Pamuk, one of Turkey's best-selling writers, completed his latest novel, Masumiyet Muzesi (The Museum of Innocence) and it will be sold in bookstores as of Friday. It was translated into 30 languages before being distributed to bookstores.


CUMHURIYET

-- 'FULL SPEED' IN NUCLEAR ENERGY

Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said there was no delay on the date of bidding for the tender process on nuclear power station which was set as Sept. 24. At a news conference in Ankara, Guler said, "We will open envelopes on September 24th because we don't have time to waste."

-- TURKISH WOMEN DON'T HAVE MONEY

State Minister Nimet Cubukcu, who delivered a speech in the 1st Congress of TOBB (the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey) Women Entrepreneurs Board, said men managed financial sources in Turkey and that is why there was not a sufficient number of women entrepreneurs in the country.


RADIKAL

-- KOBI WOMEN IN ACTION

The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) showed that it was ready to produce serious projects to develop women's entrepreneurship by gathering the 1st Women Entrepreneurs Board. The figures which TOBB wants to change are bad: The rate of women's employment in the EU is 56 percent, while it is 24 percent in Turkey. TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said, "The economy which is not touched by the hands of a woman shall not be productive".

-- NUCLEAR POWER RIGHT NOW

The government rejected the demand to extend the period for companies --which would offer bids for nuclear power plant tender-- due to uncertainties in international markets. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said, "We don't have time to waste."

YENI SAFAK

-- LOSS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE IF OPERATION HAD BEEN LAUNCHED IN SUMMER

Regarding the operation which was launched in the north of Iraq, General Staff Chief Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that they examined the weather reports of the last ten years before starting the operation. Gen. Buyukanit said, "Operations are generally staged in the best weather conditions. But we chose the worst conditions." He said that the success of the operation showed they had the right timing. Gen. Buyukanit said, "We did not sustain losses because it is not possible to detonate explosives under the snow as the snow covers the explosives. If we had staged the operation in summer, losses would have been higher."

-- BARELY ESCAPING FROM FLAME TRAP

Twenty people, who were trying to extinguish the forest fire in Yilanli region of the western province of Mugla, were trapped by the flames. Ten of the firefighters were rescued by helicopters. Five engineers, ten workers and AA correspondent Kenan Gurbuz were rescued from fire with water pumps.