ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on March 23rd, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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I AM VERY SAD AND AMAZED
President Abdullah Gul talked to representative of Hurriyet Newspaper in Ankara on the phone and said, "I am very sad and amazed."
Gul later telephoned Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin and wanted him to give information to the Cumhuriyet Newspaper administration about the situation of journalist Ilhan Selcuk, who was taken into custody.
BODIES OF 6 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS FOUND OFF SHORES OF DIDIM
Bodies of 6 migrants, who were trying to flee abroad illegally, were found in Tekagac headland of Didim town of western province of Aydin.
Coast Guard Command released a written statement and said the teams found 6 bodies, one of them woman, off shores of Tekagac headland.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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NEW BAN ON ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION COMING SOON
Turkey`s Justice and Development (AK) Party is trying to implement new bans on alcohol consumption in Turkey. A draft law submitted to the Turkish Parliament bans all sales via the internet as well as orders made by fax and telephone. Catalog sales are also among the banned activities.
ISTANBUL OWES MOST DEBT
Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) made a study on debts owed by Turkish citizens. According to the study, Istanbul residents are the ones that owe the most debts. Debt owed by an Istanbul resident is over 12,000 YTL. Ankara ranks second with the most debts owed. The total debt owed by Turks increased by 28.7 percent last year and reached 321.9 billion YTL.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SELCUK RELEASED
Journalist Ilhan Selcuk, who was detained within the scope of Ergenekon investigation, was released by the prosecutor`s office after being interrogated for 4.5 hours.
Selcuk, Editor-in-Chief of the Cumhuriyet Newspaper, who was accused of assuming duties in line with the targets of the Ergenekon terrorist organization, was released at around 01:30 a.m. after being interrogated for 4,5 hours.
Upon the request of the prosecutor, Selcuk was banned from going abroad. Additional custody period was given against 6 people including Workers` Party (IP) chairman Dogu Perincek and former rector Kemal Alemdaroglu.
I AM ANGRY AT THOSE WHO WANT PRIVILEGES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended Justice & Development (AK) Party Women Branches Congress in southeastern province of Gaziantep, said his party came to ruling for the second time in July 22nd elections with 47 percent of the votes of the nation.
"They say the prime minister is very angry. I am angry at those who want privileges from us, not to those who ask for justice."

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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ILHAN SELCUK RELEASED
Cumhuriyet newspaper`s columnist Ilhan Selcuk was released at 01:35 a.m. after being interrogated for a total of 9 hours in the security department and prosecutor`s office separately.
Selcuk, who was taken into custody on Friday at 04:30 a.m., was accused of "undertaking mission on behalf of the organization without being a member". "I have not deviated from the line drawn by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk," Selcuk said in his interrogation.
Selcuk will be judged without detention in case a file is opened against him.
CANAKCI: THERE WILL NOT BE SERIOUS DEVIATION IN GROWTH
Treasury Under-Secretary Ibrahim Halil Canakcy said improvement in macro-economic indicators will reflect as employment, low inflation and rise in national income to the citizens.
Canakci said there was serious progress in economic indicators of Turkey.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ILHAN SELCUK FREE
Ilhan Selcuk, Editor-in-Chief of Cumhuriyet daily, who was detained within the scope of Ergenekon investigation, was released by the prosecutor`s office after being interrogated for 4.5 hours. Selcuk was accused of assuming responsibilities in line with the targets of the Ergenekon terrorist organization. Thousands throughout Turkey protested Selcuk`s, Workers` Party (IP) chairman Dogu Perincek`s and former rector Kemal Alemdaroglu`s detainment on Saturday.
43 NEW TOWNS IN TURKEY
43 new towns will be established in Turkey in 2008. The law making the new towns possible has been published in the Turkish Official Gazette. Below is a list of provinces that will receive the new towns:
Adana: 2
Ankara: 1
Antalya: 5
Diyarbakir: 4
Erzurum: 2
Eskisehir: 2
Istanbul: 8
Izmir: 2
Kocaeli: 6
Mersin: 4
Sakarya: 4
Samsun: 3

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GUL TELEPHONES CUMHURIYET: I HAVE BEEN SADDENED BY WHAT TOOK PLACE
President Abdullah Gul called Cumhuriyet Newspaper after the newspaper`s 83 years old columnist Ilhan Selcuk was detained at 04:30 a.m. Gul said, "I have been saddened by what took place."
Later, Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin gave information to Cumhuriyet with the initiatives of Gul.
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TENDER TO TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY
A tender will take place tomorrow (Monday) for the nuclear power plant, which has been on the agenda since 1970`s but could not be realized so far. Companies who are interested in the nuclear power plant will be able to submit their proposals till September 24th, 2008.
The nuclear power plant is expected to be constructed in Akkuyu, in southern Silifke town.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE JEALOUS OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN TURKEY, ERDOGAN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that there are circles in Turkey who are jealous of peace and stability in the country. "In the past five years, Turkey constantly displayed growth under the rule of the Justice and Development (AK) Party. There are those in Turkey who can not accept AK Party`s achievements," Erdogan noted.
TOKI TO CONSTRUCT 25,000 RESIDENCES
Turkish Housing Administration (TOKI) will begin constructing new residences this spring. TOKI will begin constructing 25,000 residences throughout Turkey in 2008.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ILHAN SELCUK RELEASED AFTER 45 HOURS
Cumhuriyet newspaper`s columnist Ilhan Selcuk, who was detained on charges of having links with the Ergenekon terrorist organization, was released at 01:30 a.m. after being interrogated by Istanbul Public Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz.
"CONCLUDE INVESTIGATION" PRESSURE ON PROSECUTOR OZ
With the recent detentions, pressure increases on Istanbul Public Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz, who conducted the investigation regarding the bombs seized in Umraniye district.
Kazim Kolcuoglu, chairman of Istanbul Bar, defended that the investigation should be concluded soon and the trial should start.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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PILOTS FLYING TO TURKISH AIRLINES
Pilots working for private airlines in Turkey are slowly "flying" to the Turkish Airlines (THY), said sources. Pilots are being attracted by THY`s high salaries and other benefits. Yavuz Cizmeci, chairman of the Private Airlines Enterprises Association, told that "THY is taking away pilots by offering many incentives. Our planes will soon be without pilots."
RECORD APPLICATIONS FOR EXPERT COMMANDO POSITIONS
Turkish Land Forces will hire 3,018 expert commandoes. A total of 25,084 young men filed applications for the positions. Commando candidates will go through a written exam on Sunday, March 30th.

(SOL-AY)