These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 26, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER RETURNS THREE ARTICLES OF BANKING LAW TO PARLIAMENT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent three articles of the Banking Law back to parliament to be discussed once again. President Sezer returned articles 6 and 7 and temporary article 1 of the Banking Law to the parliament. Article 6 of the law includes the rule that personnel, who are not subjected to provisions of special law can not work at state banks after December 31, 2002. Article 7 regulates supervision of autonomous committee, supreme committee and institutions which are connected to those. Temporary article 1 of the law links responsibility of administration, inspection and discharge committees of the state banks to the provisions of special law that is implemented for private banks.

ORAL: ''SEZER'S DECISION WILL NOT AFFECT OUR RELATIONS WITH IMF''
Finance Minister Sumer Oral said, ''three articles of the Banking Law which were vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer can be debated and adopted by parliament in a short period of time. President Sezer's decision to veto these three articles will not affect our relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).''

ECEVIT: ''I WILL SEND A LETTER TO SADDAM HUSSEIN''
In an interview with the private CNN Turk television channel, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''during our meeting, U.S. President George W. Bush stated that any military operation against Iraq would not cause a separation in Turkey. The U.S. administration is determined to get rid of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Steps taken by Iraq and Saddam Hussein can change the United States' decision. I except Saddam Hussein to take recent developments seriously. I will send a letter to Saddam Hussein in coming days.''

TURKISH-JAPANESE FOUNDATION TO COMMEMORATE BARIS MANCO
Turkish-Japanese Foundation will commemorate prominent musician Baris Manco on the third anniversary of his demise in a ceremony to be held at the Turkish-Japanese Foundation Culture Center.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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CALL FOR TURKISH HADJIS
Nearly 85 thousand Turkish citizens will perform their Hajj duty this year. They will sacrifice 100 thousand sheeps. These sheeps will be buried. It means that 2 million 800 thousand kilograms of meat will be wasted. In fact, thousands of poor people in Turkey can benefit from these sacrifices. Turkish hadjis should sacrifice their sheeps in Turkey.

SECURITY DEPARTMENT INFORMS INTERIOR MINISTRY ON SATANISM
Directorate General of Security prepared a four-page report on satanism which was brought onto agenda of Turkey after Lara Falay, 16, a student of Uskudar American College, committed suicide by throwing herself from the Bogazici Bridge. The report which was submitted to the Interior Ministry, described satanism as a terrorist organization. The report emphasized that special units should be set up to fight against satanism.

T. SINAI KANKINMA BANKASI TO MERGE WITH SINAI YATIRIM BANKASI
T. Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi will merge with Sinai Yatirim Bankasi. Releasing a statement, Sinai Yatirim Bankasi said that the T. Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi would take over the Sinai Yatirim Bankasi with its all rights, credits, debts and commitments.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SCANDAL
In a live program broadcast by a private television channel, it was discussed for four hours whether or not a 36-year-old woman, mother of two, slept with a 20-year-old man. These two people became famous in a live TV show titled ''What is happening there?'' Experts said that people's interest in such a program about these two people and their private life was nothing but a social degeneration.

BAHCELI: ''WE ARE ACTING LIKE A SINGLE POLITICAL PARTY''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said, ''three political parties forming the coalition government have been acting like a single political party. We will support the economic program until the end. Success of the economic program is of vital importance for the future of our country. Meanwhile, general elections should be held in 2004. Early elections will not be beneficial.''

GENERAL DOSTUM: ''I AM GRATEFUL TO TURKISH PEOPLE''
Deputy Defense Minister General Abdul Rashid Dostum of Afghanistan who is currently in Turkey to visit his family, held a press conference in Istanbul. He said that he was grateful to Turkish people. He asked Turkish Armed Forces to assist Afghanistan in modernizing its army. He invited Turkish businessmen to follow their government's lead in helping rebuild Afghanistan.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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MUMCU COMMEMORATED
Prominent journalist-writer Ugur Mumcu who was assassinated in a bomb-attacknine years ago, was commemorated throughout Turkey. In western province of Izmir, people gathered in Cumhuriyet Square with candles in their hands. They chanted slogans and read out poems.

TUSIAD: ''MENTALITY SHOULD BE CHANGED''
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan said that ''mini democracy package'' would narrow borders of freedom of thought. Ozilhan stressed that a mentality reform should be made in Turkey.

TOXIC BARRELS RETURN TO ITALY
Turkish and Italian members of the environmental organization Greenpeace gave two of toxic barrels which were thrown into the sea off northern province of Sinop by an Italian firm, to Italian officials. They held a demonstration in front of the Italian Environment Ministry with toxic barrels stolen from depots in Sinop.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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BAHCELI: ''WE INSIST ON ARTICLE 312 OF TCK''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), responded to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who said that adjustment bill could be discussed by leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government. Bahceli said, ''Article 312 should be kept without any change. It will be wrong the further discuss the bill. However, if Prime Minister Ecevit wants us to discuss it again, we will take up the bill. But we will insist on our views.''

146 MEMBERS OF HADEP DETAINED
Clashes erupted in demonstrations held in Siirt, Diyarbakir, Batman and Gaziantep on the first anniversary of dissappearance of Serdar Tanis and Ebubekir Deniz, members of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP). 17 people including four policemen were injured in the clashes. Security forces detained 146 members of the HADEP.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GREEK CYPRIOTS GO MAD
Greek Cypriots started an uproar when the United States opened a representation and hosted a reception in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The U.S. Embassy opened a representation in the Turkish Cypriot side of the island and invited Turkish commanders together with TRNC President Rauf Denktas. Greek Cypriots asked for an explanation from U.S. Ambassador Donald Bandler by saying, ''Was the TRNC recognized officially?'' And Bandler gave a response which shocked Greek Cypriots: ''we meet with everybody who contributes to peace.''

PIECE OF CAKE
The draw for the 12th European Football Championship in 2004 qualifying groups was made in Portugal. Turkey was drawn with Britain, Slovakia, Macedonia and Liechtenstein in group seven. Authorities said, ''it is the best group that Turkey could be. We will vie with England for the leadership.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SEZER SAYS ''YES TO RESCUE BANK, NO TO IMMUNITY''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer returned three articles of the Banking Law which is publicly known as ''operation to rescue bank'', to parliament to discuss them once again. This veto decision meant the failure of efforts of State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy who had visited the Presidential Palace twice to persuade the President. This law foresaw rescue of banks facing financial difficulties and problems by extending financial aid. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had put forward adoption of this law as a pre-condition of approval of the new stand-by deal including 10 billion U.S. dollars of new source. The President who approved the law's part about rescue of bank vetoed articles 6 and 7 and temporary article 1 of the law. These articles foresaw immunity shield against trial to managers of state banks, lifted of the Council of State's authority to control Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and supervision by the State Supervision Board was prevented, and public personnel who are working at Ziraat Bankasi and Halk Bankasi were forced to work under contracts.

HE COULDN'T HEAR FROM HIS SON ABDUCTED BY PKK FOR TEN YEARS
Fifty-year-old Abuzer Yaman living in eastern province of Malatya could not hear from his son Dogan Yaman for ten years. His son was abducted by PKK while he was serving army in Cukurca hamlet in eastern province of Hakkari in 1992. Abuzer Yaman who has knocked on every door in order to find his son applied to the European Court of Human Rights as the last remedy. Yaman said, ''other families pray before tombs of their martyrs. But we don't know what happened to our son. I am willing to see even a hair of my son.''