ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 19, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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HEART CELL PRODUCED FOR FIRST TIME IN TURKEY
Associate Professor Semra Kahraman and her team worked day and night for two years and achieved to produce ''beating heart cell'' in Turkey. Dr. Kahraman said, ''root cell treatment is today used to treat Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Also, we are hopeful that patients who suffer from heart damage after an heart attack will benefit from it.'' According to Dr. Kahraman, some progress can be recorded in treatment of neurological patients, severe burns, diabetic people, paralyzed people and blood diseases, thanks to root cell.

GUL: BUSH SHARES OUR VIEWS ABOUT KIRKUK
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul made warning about Kirkuk issue before the meeting of foreign ministers of countries neighbor to Iraq. Gul said, ''we don't only express our uneasiness about Kirkuk, and we will certainly take action if necessary. Kirkuk is in a very sensitive situation; therefore, we are following it closely. We will today protect Turkmens as how we protected Kurds yesterday. U.S. President George Bush also shares our views about Kirkuk. Turkmens are our relatives, and we have responsibilities to them.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY TO REMAIN AS A SPECTATOR AGAIN
The Big Bang theory, which is considered the beginning of the universe, will be tested in a laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. The intensity of energy, which emerged in the universe after trillion of a second, will be recreated during the test. Turkish physicists will not attend such a great experiment since Turkey did not become a member of the Nuclear Studies Center in return for 10 million U.S. dollars.

REAL RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT ANNOUNCED AS 22 PERCENT
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced rate of unemployment as 12.4 percent on the basis of international standards. When unemployed people who do not seek for a job are added to this rate, it increases to 22 percent.

TURKEY TAKES TWO MEDALS
Turkey won two medals in the 39th World Military Championships organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). Turkey was ranked second in the men's shooting race among 43 countries, and ranked third in the women's among 129 countries.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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VISIT OF DESTINY
Before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to French capital of Paris starting today, Sabah daily interviewed some people whom Erdogan will meet during his visit. People close to French President Jacques Chirac are hopeful about Erdogan's visit. They said, ''Chirac's perspective on Turkey and Erdogan has changed after the visit in 2002. We have encountered with concept of moderate Islam that day. Turkey is coming to the forefront as a democratic and secular country again.'' However, the ruling Union for the People's Movement and opposition socialists are approaching Turkey's membership ''conditionally.'' These circles are expected to express their views during their meeting with Erdogan.

FIRST TURKISH MINISTER OF EU
Emir Kir, a 35-year old Turk, became a minister in Belgium. Kir, who achieved to join the Brussels parliament in the elections held on June 13th, is today becoming the environment minister of local administration. Kir said, ''I am very glad. This is a historic event in Belgium.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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POVERTY INCREASES
The State Institute of Statistics announced the poverty line in Turkey as 1 billion 422 million Turkish liras. Recent studies revealed that more than 18 million people in Turkey are living below the poverty line. Meanwhile, the World Bank's report announced number of poor people in Turkey as 10.3 million. Also, United Nations Development Program's report noted that more than 7 million people in Turkey worked for only 2 U.S. dollars every day.

GUL SENDS A LETTER TO VERHEUGEN
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul sent a letter to European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen. In his letter, Gul assured the EU that Turkey would set up commercial relations with the Greek Cypriot side under the Customs Union.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CONDITIONED PERMISSION FOR SEMINARY
Ankara will lay down a proposal before Athens to re-open the seminary in Heybeliada, Istanbul. Turkish Higher Education Board (YOK) and Foreign Ministry found a formula which was later approved by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The formula suggests that Greece will increase number of Turkish teachers in Celal Bayar High School in Komotini and Turkey will re-open the seminary.

RACE TILL OTHER CONTINENT
365 people tried to swim between two continents in the 16th International From Asia To Europe Bosphorus Swimming, Rowing and Sailing Races held in Istanbul. Ali Sercan won the races by swimming between Kanlica, a district on the Anatolian side, and Kurucesme, a district on the European side, in 49 minutes. Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen became the first minister who swam between two continents in one hour.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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FIRST TURKISH MINISTER IN EU
Following last month's provincial elections in Brussels, the federal government was formed. Emir Kir, a Belgian citizen of Turkish origin, was appointed as the state minister in the new government. Kir will act as state minister for environment.

RALLY HELD IN SIIRT AGAINST TERRORISM
Thousands of people in southeastern province of Siirt attended a rally held by the non-governmental organizations against the terrorist organization of PKK/Kongra-Gel. Demonstrators carried Turkish flags in their hands and chanted slogans against acts of terrorism.

ERDOGAN DUE TO FRANCE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will leave for France today. On the first day of his three-day official visit, Erdogan will meet French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and the Turkish citizens living in France. On the second day, Erdogan will attend a conference in which French businessmen will join and make a presentation titled, ''Turkey-France: New Perspectives for an Influential Partnership''. Following the conference, Erdogan will be received by French President Jacques Chirac. On the third and last day of the official visit, Erdogan will meet leading French businessmen at breakfast.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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EU TO GRANT SCHOLARSHIP TO 120 TURKISH STUDENTS
The European Union (EU) will grant scholarships to 120 Turkish students for 2005-2006 academic year within the framework of Jean Monnet Scholarship Programs carried out under agreements signed by Turkish Foreign Ministry and the EU Commission, sources said on Saturday. Jean Monnet Scholarship to be granted to Turkish students to meet Turkey's need for qualified personnel will be met by EU funds. The scholarship program will be carried out by Turkish Foreign Ministry.

JUDICIAL RECESS TO START ON TUESDAY
Judicial recess will start on Tuesday. Courts in duty will hear urgent cases, but won't finalize them during the judicial recess. The Constitutional Court and criminal courts which replaced State Security Courts (DGMs) in 8 provinces will not go on a recess. The new judicial year will begin on September 6th.

(UK-BRC-AÖ) 19.07.2004