GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON FEB 15

HURRIYET
-- TURKEY GIVES NOTE TO ISRAEL
Turkish Foreign Ministry (MFA) and General Staff reacted strongly on Saturday to accusations made by Commander of Israeli Ground Forces Avi Mizrahi. Mizrahi's comments came the other day in response to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's remarks made in Davos recently. Mizrahi accused Turkey of "massacring Armenians" and continuing such "a policy on the Kurds" currently. Turkish MFA issued a protest note to Israel while the Turkish General Staff said in a statement that "Mizrahi's comments may hurt the national interests of both Turkey and Israel".Â
       Â
-- FAREWELL TO AZERBAIJANI POET VAHABZADE
A funeral ceremony took place in Baku for the Azerbaijani poet Bahtiyar Vahabzade who passed away on Friday. The ceremony was attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkey's Ambassador in Baku Hulusi Kilic and other dignitaries. Vahabzade was a poet well known and respected throughout the Turkic world.
       Â
MILLIYET
-- "THREE MONKEYS" EN ROUTE TO MIAMI
"Three Monkeys", a Turkish film by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, will compete in the Miami Film Festival. The film was also one of the first nine films in the best foreign films category of the Academy Awards. Three Monkeys will compete in world cinema section of the Miami Film Festival. It may win the big award, as well as the jury award and FIPRESCI award. The film will also be screened in the United States at the end of the month.
       Â
-- "EAR" IN THE ROOM DOES NOT CARE ABOUT LAWS
Turkey has been shaken by "tapping of a place" for a year. Although recording voices through illegal methods is a crime, these records are posted on the internet and this cannot be prevented. Prosecutors cannot take action. However, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure, persons cannot be tapped in their houses even with a court order. According to Turkish Penal Code, it is a crime to record voices without the consent of persons. However, prosecutors are remaining silent saying that they do not receive any complaints, and thus no one is taking action to hamper web-sites in which voice recordings, creating a crime, are posted. The state, which has to take under guarantee the freedom of communication of citizens, is hiding behind the regulations and asks those affected to complain.
       Â
SABAH
-- "THEY MADE ME MEMORIZE A MURDER"
Yener Yermez, convicted of killing businessman Uzeyir Garih, made a new claim during his testimony taken upon an instruction of Ergenekon case's prosecutor Zekeriya Oz. In his testimony, Yermez said that those who killed Garih recorded it and he was made to memorize his role. Yermez claimed he saw in the video that a woman named Meral and a man stabbed Garih to death. "They made me watch the video for several times, and they made me memorize the murder. They said I was wanted by police, and if I admitted that I killed him, they said they would give me money." Police searched how Yermez spent the nine days after the murder. Yermez was taken out of the prison and he showed what he had done and where he had been. Yermez could not find the hotel where he claimed to stay with the woman named Meral.
       Â
-- TURKEY GAVE ISRAEL A NOTE
Ankara responded to remarks of the Israeli ground forces commander with a note, and the Turkish Armed Forces released a harsh statement. Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy was summoned to the Foreign Ministry of Turkey upon the remarks of Israeli general Avi Mizrahi. Turkey gave a note to Levy. The General Staff said, "the remarks of the commander can harm national interests of the two countries. The Israeli General Staff should make a clarification." Levy and the Israeli army spokesman said they were commander's own views.

VATAN
-- I HAVE NEVER BEEN DISCRIMINATED IN TURKEY, BUSINESSMAN ALATON
Speaking to the New York Times, 81-year-old Turkish businessman Ishak Alaton said that he was never been discriminated against in Turkey. "Unlike Russia, which embraced democracy in a day, Turkey has been working for democracy for many years. Turkey is well ahead of Russia with its democracy. We are all in a position to promote democracy in Turkey," Alaton said.
       Â
-- TEMPERATURES TO DROP BY 7 DEGREES CELSIUS
Temperatures all across Turkey will drop by 5-7 degrees Celsius as of Sunday. Most parts of Turkey will receive snowfall beginning on Monday.
       Â
CUMHURIYET
-- LABORERS IN KADIKOY
The "labor and democracy demonstration for a joint fight against unemployment and poverty" will be held in Istanbul on Sunday. The demonstration is organized by unions, and supported by vocational organizations. A large number of workers and public laborers are expected to participate in the demonstration that will begin in Kadikoy district at 10 a.m.Â
       Â
-- RELATIONS GETTING TENSE WITH ISRAEL
Israeli Ground Forces Commander Avi Mizrahi made remarks accusing Turkey of "making a genocide against Armenians and Kurds", and Ankara harshly reacted to his remarks. The Foreign Ministry of Turkey gave a note to Israel, and asked Israeli authorities to make a statement. The General Staff said that the remarks of the Israeli commander could harm national interests of the two countries.
       Â
RADIKAL
-- 70,000 PUBLIC JOBS
Turkish State Minister Murat Basesgioglu said that the government will hire around 70,000 new personnel who will work as public servants as of 2009. "Our goal is to provide equal pay for equal jobs. We want to do away with inequality in pays within the next four years," Basesgioglu said.
       Â
-- SAFAK HOSPITALS GROUP MERGES WITH GREEK HYGEIA GROUP
Turkey's Safak Hospitals Group merged with Greek Hygeia Group on Saturday. The merger was announced in a ceremony held at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace. The ceremony was attended by Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for European Union (EU) talks Egemen Bagis and Greek Minister of Health and Social Solidarity Dimitrios Avramopoulos.

YENI SAFAK
-- FROM GENERAL STAFF TO ARROGANT COMMANDER: KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Israeli Ground Forces Commander Avi Mizrahi used ugly words targeting Turkey and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which caused tension between the two countries. Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, and given a note. The Turkish Armed Forces called on the Israeli General Staff to take action. The General Staff said, "Mizrahi's words are unacceptable, unfortunate, irresponsible and can hurt national interests of the two countries. We expect the Israeli General Staff to clarify the matter."
       Â
-- TURKISH BAGEL IN MADRID
A Turkish businessman living in Spain introduced Turkish bagel to the Spanish people. Businessman Riza Gumus started to cook Turkish bagel and sell it to cafes in Madrid. He said he was selling 200 bagels a day in return for 1 Euro each. "First only Turks were buying bagels, however now Spanish people are also buying them," Gumus said.