Turkey-press scan on Jan. 10

ZAMAN

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THREE SEAPORTS ON WAY

Turkey began reaping the fruits of incentives offered to investors in 2009. Thanks to the incentives, the north-western province of Tekirdağ, southern town of İskenderun and southern province of Mersin will have new seaports. The three seaports are worth around one billion liras (approx. 680.2 million USD).

CHINESE TECHNOLOGY GIANT TO MANUFACTURE TELEPHONES IN TURKEY

Chinese technology giant, T-Tech Mobile, will begin manufacturing cellular phones in Turkey. The company will sell the cellular phones to the European Union (EU) and other European countries.

YENİ ŞAFAK

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LATIN AĞCA

Mehmet Ali Ağca (accused for assassination attempt against Pope and murder of journalist Abdi İpekçi), who has been in prison for 25 years, will be released on January 18. Agca wrote a book in prison as "Basic Beliefs of Christianity" in Latin, and he has been looking for a publishing house.

TURKISH CONNECT CONQUERS U.S.

Transit Connect, a vehicle produced by Ford Otosan and exported to the U.S. in 2009, was nominated for the finals of the commercial vehicle of the year in the United States. The result will be announced on January 15 in Detroit.

TÜRKİYE

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BURSA SHOCK IN SARKOZY GOVERNMENT

France reacted to the plan of Renault to produce the new model of Clio only in Turkish northwestern province of Bursa. French press wrote that carrying the production of Clio to Turkey would create a serious gap in the aspect of employment in France. French industry minister said that they were trying to dissuade Renault, adding that he had been in shock since he learned that Clio 4 could be produced out of France.

WE NEED A PRIME MINISTER LIKE ERDOĞAN

British MP George Galloway, who was in the Palestine assistance convoy and deported by Egypt, pointed out Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's support to the convoy, and said that he wished both Egypt and Britain had a premier like Erdoğan.

HÜRRİYET

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SUPERVISION ROOM FOR HOOLIGANS

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said that precautions would be taken against match-fixing, betting and violence in sports, adding that they would put cameras in sports halls and stadiums, and keep people who caused disturbance in supervision rooms.

MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE OF THE YEAR

Economist Magazine conducted a survey with nearly 3,000 opinion leaders of business world. Accordingly, Ali Sabancı became the businessperson of the year, while Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz was selected the bureaucrat of the year. Turkey's GSM operator Turkcell's Director General Sureyya Ciliv became the professional of the year.

MİLLİYET

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SMOKING WILL ONE DAY BE BANNED IN HOMES, PROF. DAĞLI

Chairperson of the Cigarettes and Health Committee, Prof. Elif Dağlı, said that despite recent hike in the price of cigarettes in Turkey, the price of cigarettes was still low when compared to the European Union (EU) prices. "A 10 percent hike in the price of cigarettes causes a 5 percent decline in demand. The way to protect health is to increase the price of cigarettes," Prof. Dağlı stressed. The majority of people in Turkey want smoking to be banned in homes, Prof. Dağlı also said.

Sabancı TO TAKE 15 YOUNG TURKS TO "ONE YOUNG WORLD"

Turkey's Sabancı Holding has become an official sponsor of the world's first youth summit, "One Young World". The summit will take place in London between February 8 and 10. Sabancı Holding will take 15 young Turks to London. All expenses of the young Turks in London will be met by Sabancı Holding.

SABAH

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EGYPTIAN TORTURE

Egypt kept the convoy to aid Palestine waiting in Cairo Airport for hours on its way to return from Gaza. Egypt banned the assistance convoys to pass from its lands from now on. 318 people in the convoy, who were welcomed with flowers in Istanbul, said, "we entered Gaza; humanity won."

DIED FOR 23 LIRA

The expertise --which was released regarding the coal mine collapse killing 19 workers in Mustafakemalpasa town of the northwestern province of Bursa in December 2009-- said, "this is a chain murder. There was not a ventilation tube, which costs only 23 Turkish liras, in the mine." (1 USD = 1.47 TL)

VATAN

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DAVOS GETS BOYCOTTED

After the "one minute" crisis in 2009, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will not attend the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 27. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu have all not responded to invitations sent by the World Economic Forum in 2010.

NUMBER OF BUSINESSES ESTABLISHED IN 2009 DROPS BY 9.9 P.C.

The number of businesses established in Turkey in 2009 dropped by 9.9 percent when compared to the previous year. In 2009, the number of new businesses established in Turkey was 43,250. In the previous year, 48,003 businesses were established in Turkey.

RADİKAL

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MANY OBSTACLES IN EGYPT

Egypt tormented the convoy to aid Palestine on its return from Gaza. It kept seven people from the convoy in custody. Egypt's foreign minister said that Egypt would not allow the pass of assistance convoys anymore. While the convoy was waiting at Cairo Airport, people staged protests in Istanbul against Egypt.

MON CHER IS HERE!

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and ambassadors are in the southeastern province of Mardin for the evaluation meeting of the Second Ambassadors' Conference. They bought fruits and vegetables, drank tea and played card games in coffee houses, and made bets with youngsters. Ambassadors --who have been criticised by Davutoğlu and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for being "mon cher" as they are standing distant to public-- were together with the people in Mardin.