ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 18th, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH PARLIAMENT PASSES SOCIAL SECURITY BILL
Turkish parliament approved a bill which envisages amendments to Social Security and General Health Insurance Law on Thursday. According to the newly adopted law, the retirement age will be raised to 65 for both women and men in 2048. The retirement age was previously 58 for women and 60 for men. The main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) will apply to the Constitutional Court for annulment of the Social Security Reform.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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BUSINESS SLUMP IN ANATOLIA
Economic problems affected especially small-sized enterprises. Chamber representatives described the bad picture to Milliyet:
"Nearly 50-year-old enterprises were shut down in the eastern province of Erzurum. Large-scale dismissals have begun in the southern province Adana. Fourth debt collection office opened in the northern province Kastamonu. The number of bad cheques rose by 50 percent in the central province Kayseri."
Figures of the Turkish Board of Statistics reveal that the number of closed small-sized enterprises increased 255 percent in Turkey.

"COURT DECISION WILL BE THE ANSWER"
It has been one year over the deadly attack on a publishing house in the eastern province Malatya that killed a German and two Turkish citizens. German Ambassador to Turkey Eckart Cuntz spoke to Milliyet on the first anniversary of the killings.
"The important thing here is the decision to be made by the court. That decision, at the same time, will be Turkey`s answer to the world. We have confidence in Turkish justice," he said.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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BIG AWARD TO PARTNERSHIP
American-Turkish Society presented "corporate partnership" award to U.S. conglomerate General Electric and Turkey`s Dogus Group. Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Turkish businessman Rahmi Koc also attended the award ceremony in New York.

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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COMMANDERS NOT TO ATTEND APRIL 23RD RECEPTION
Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and army commanders will attend only the meetings at Turkey`s first parliament and the current parliament during ceremonies which will be held on April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children`s Day. They will not participate in the reception which will be hosted by Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan in parliament. President Abdullah Gul will attend Toptan`s reception.

CLASH IN SIRNAK: 1 SOLDIER KILLED, 7 INJURED
Security forces clashed with PKK terrorists during operations in Bestler-Dereler region of southeastern province of Sirnak at 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. Corporal Sezayi Kan was killed and seven other soldiers were injured in the clash.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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AK PARTY PASSES SOCIAL SECURITY LAW DESPITE PEOPLE
Despite all reactions from workers and retired people, Turkish parliament approved the social security bill that rises the retirement age to 65 in 2048. People, who will retire after this new law, will be paid less.
IMF-backed law will come into effect in October.

IRAQ SWINDLES TURKEY ON OIL
Iraqi central government did not include Turkish Petroleum Corporation in the list of 35 foreign companies that will prospect for oil in the south. However, companies from thousands of miles away, such as Malaysian, Indonesian and South Korean companies, are in the list. Iraq also cancelled Turkey`s rights to explore for oil that were stemming from deals made in 1990s.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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PERMISSION TO LAUNCH INQUIRY ON SIX POLICE OFFICERS
Istanbul governor`s office gave permission for inquiries on six police officers due to "neglect of duty" in the case on the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Colonel Ali Oz, former gendarme commander in the northwestern province of Trabzon, is expected to give testimony to the human rights committee of the Turkish parliament.

MEETING REGARDING MAY 1ST
The government will hold talks with the unions which want to celebrate May 1st in Taksim Square in Istanbul. Interior Minister Besir Atalay will meet representatives of Confederation of Revolutionary Labour Unions (DISK), Confederation of Public Employees Labour Unions (KESK), Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is) today.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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REFORM PASSED
Turkish parliament passed the social security reform bill. The law on Social Insurances and General Health Insurance will take effect in October.
Under the new law, retirement age will be 65 in 2048 for both men and women. The number of days to pay premiums to retire will rise from 7,000 to 7,200.

TRT TO BROADCAST IN 5 LANGUAGES
Turkish parliament`s Planning & Budget Committee debated an amendment to the law on state-run Turkish Radio and Television (TRT). State Minister Mehmet Aydin told committee members that TRT plans to broadcast in four or five languages.

"I DID NOT ASK ANY DECLARATION FROM PACE," AK PARTY DEPUTY SAYS
Justice & Development (AK) Party deputy Mevlut Cavusoglu said he had not requested any declarations from the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) about the closure case filed against his party.
"Mr. Puig (PACE President) told me that PACE had made a decision to issue a statement," he said.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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OPERATION AGAINST PKK IN SIX PROVINCES
Turkish Armed Forces launched the most comprehensive operation against terrorist organization PKK in rural area of southeast Anatolia after land and air operations against terrorist organization in the north of Iraq. Tens of thousands of soldiers take part in simultaneous operations in provinces of Hakkari, Sirnak, Tunceli, Diyarbakir, Bingol and Siirt.

TURKISH NATION COMMEMORATES OZAL
Turkey`s political leader, former prime minister and the 8th president, Turgut Ozal, was commemorated on the 15th anniversary of his demise. Ozal`s family and friends met at a ceremony at his tomb in Istanbul`s Topkapi district.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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WEAPON EMBARGO FROM TURKEY ON U.S.
When Turkey complained that "pistols leak from Iraq to Turkey", Austrian government stopped sale of 100,000 Glock pistols which U.S. army ordered. Same initiative was launched in Germany too. Sale of Walter pistols (which are produced in Germany) to the U.S. via Poland was stopped.

BAYKAL WILL NOT SIT AT TABLE WITH LEADERS
Republican People`s Party (CHP) chairman Deniz Baykal will not attend the lunch which will be hosted by President Abdullah Gul for leaders on April 23rd.
(TÇ-EÖ-GC-MS)