These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 16, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
BAHCELI GIVES ''LEAVE'' SIGNAL TO DURMUS
Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and acting Prime Minister, gave the signal to Health Minister Osman Durmus to ''leave''.
Bahceli refused the request of Durmus to hold a tete-a-tete meeting to discuss the situation of pharmacists who closed their shops to protest 10 percent reduction in domestic medicine by the Health Ministry.
Bahceli reacted to Durmus who said he would cancel the licence of the protestor, and pointed out that, ''this is the democratic right of pharmacists.''
MOODY'S: YOUR NOTE MAY BE UPGRADED
Leading rating organization Moody's raised the outlook to stable from negative for Turkey's B1 country ceilings for foreign currency debt and B3 country ceiling on foreign currency bank deposits.
This means that the outlook can be raised to positive or rating can be increased in the following stage if the positive course in economy continues.
A statement of Moody's said that the likelihood of ratings downgrades had diminished over the following year because of the improved refinancing and pricing prospects for domestic as well as external debt.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
''TURKEY HAS BEEN RUNNING''
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Horst Koehler praised Turkey for its implementation of a tough economic reform program following his meeting with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and said a new agreement possibly carrying some 10 billion U.S. dollars in loans could be signed within weeks. Koehler said that they recognize impressive progress in implementation of Turkey's reform program.
TREASURY AUCTIONS 112-DAY BONDS
Treasury Undersecretariat sold 452 trillion Turkish liras (TL) of nominal-valued 112-day bonds in an auction. The total bid had been 997.8 trillion TL while the net sale was 383 trillion TL. The bonds were issued with the ''single price auction system'' while the annual composite interest rate became 71.24 percent and annual simple interest rate became 58.50 percent. Besides, net sale to public became 42.3 trillion TL. The value date of these bonds is January 16, 2002 and maturity is May 8, 2002.
TWO PEOPLE FREEZE TO DEATH
Freezing temperatures have been continuing to affect daily life throughout Turkey. Mustafa Sevim, 60, and Gazanfer Kadioglu, 42, froze to death in northern province of Samsun and in Pinaronu village in Devrek township of northern province of Zonguldak.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
CHENEY'S FIRST TETE-A-TETE MEETING
The U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has been working in an underground shelter since September 11 attacks as his being at the same place with the U.S. President George Bush, could pose threat for the ''security of the state''.
Cheney, who had talked to Greek Prime Minister from this shelter through tele-conference method, held a tete-a-tete meeting with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit after months.
14 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS IS OKEY
IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler said 14 billion U.S. dollars loan would be discussed and approved by the end of this year.
Ecevit met Koehler in Blair House on Tuesday.
Speaking after the meeting, Koehler said he found the performance of Turkey as positive, adding that reforms are being realized one after the other, the interests and inflation reduce. ''Now that we are expecting growth from you,'' Koehler said.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
SUSURLUK CONVICTED
Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Chamber no: 8 approved unanimously the imprisonments given to 14 suspects in Susurluk case. The chamber discussed in merits the request of appeal in Susurluk case. Chief Judge Naci Unver said that the same chamber had earlier repealed the imprisonment verdict given by Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) no: 6. This time the chamber approved it, Unver said and noted that the reasoned verdict would be announced soon. The suspects of the case have the right to ask for correction of the verdict as an extraordinary way of law. The Chief Prosecutor of Supreme Court of Appeals has to accept that request first. If he does not accept it, all the remedies will be exhausted.
NAZIM COMMEMORATED ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY
Nazim Hikmet, one of the prominent poets in Turkish literature, was commemorated on the 100th anniversary of his birthday. A ceremony took place at Istanbul's Ataturk Culture Center. Speaking at the ceremony, Culture Minister Istemihan Talay said, ''he had always wanted to sleep in the shadow of a plane tree. Today, Nazim Hikmet became a plane tree. He is immortal and prominent.''
SERHADLI: ''SIX HEZBOLLAH MEMBERS WERE CAPTURED''
Diyarbakir Governor Cemil Serhadli said, ''a member of terrorist Hezbollah organization was killed and six others were captured in operations launched last year to capture murderers of former Police Chief Gaffar Okkan and five other policemen on January 24, 2001.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)
SAUDI AMBASSADOR INVITED TO VISIT SINOP CASTLE
Muhammad al-Bassam, the Saudi Ambassador to Turkey, who responded to reactions against demolition of Ottoman-era al-Ajyad fortress in Mecca by saying, ''what happened to Sinop Castle and ancient city of Zeugma?'' was invited by the Culture Ministry to visit these historical sites. The Culture Ministry said that works of art in ancient city of Zeugma were saved and Sinop Castle was restored.
ECEVIT TO MEET WITH BUSH
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who is currently paying an official visit to the United States, will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
YILMAZ CONCERNED
Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister said that he had both certain expectations and concerns about the visit of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to the U.S.
''I hope our expectations, not our concerns about the visit will come true,'' told Yilmaz to reporters who participated in the ANAP Women Branches Central Decision and Executive Board meeting.
DIRECT TALKS IN CYPRUS TO START
Direct talks, aiming to provide a lasting agreement between Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides will start today.
The talks are expected to continue till a result is obtained.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH CALLS ON SUPPORT FROM ERDOGAN
Turkish Armenians Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan visited Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and called on support for the draft law pertaining to the foundations which will be discussed in the parliament next week.
Mutafyan, who spoke to journalists following the party, said the draft law which will be discussed at the parliament directly concerned them as well as the other non-Muslim communities.
Mutafyan said foundations set up by non-Muslim citizens should have the same rights without any discrimination.