GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON FEB 22

HURRIYET
ERDOGAN ADRRESSES RALLY IN DIYARBAKIR
Ahead of local elections in March, Turkish Premier and Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party addressed a rally in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir on Saturday. Erdogan said ideological polarization severely affected Turkey and he called for unity. "The fate of Diyarbakir and the fate of Ankara are one and the same," Erdogan told the crowd.

--INTERNATIONAL PRESS BODY SAYS TURKISH PREMIER'S TARGET IS TO LIQUIDATE MEDIA
International Press Institute (IPI) released a statement on Saturday over a tax penalty given to the Dogan media group, saying that the 826 million USD penalty "has intensified concerns that efforts were underway to silence the Dogan Media Group." IPI Director David Dadge said, "Erdogan has called for boycotting newspapers of Dogan group and others, but that did not work out. The timing and amount of the tax penalty have caused concern that state mechanisms have begun to be used."

MILLIYET
--SAFARI IN KENYA FROM THE OBJECTIVE OF PRESIDENT
President Abdullah Gul, currently in Kenya, visited Nairobi National Park together with his wife Hayrunisa. President Gul photographed wild animals in their natural environment. Gul and his wife entered cage of cheetahs and pet animals that were domesticated.

--BUILDING COLLAPSES IN FATIH: ONE DEAD
A wooden building collapsed early on Saturday morning. Body of a 70-year-old Italian descent musician "Erginho", who was reported to be living alone at the top floor of the building, was pulled from under the debris. Hatice Memi, who lives in the second floor of the building, said "we have heart voices from the building before and informed the municipality officials about this. But they said the building was resistant. Memi said she was able to take her five children out of the building before it collapsed."

SABAH
--HE PETS CHETAAH IN KENYA
President Abdullah Gul and his wife Hayrunisa visited Kenya's National Park where wild animals live. Gul took photographs. Gul couple entered cage of cheetahs and pet them.

--SNOW TO CONTINUE TILL MARCH
Snow and cold weather wrapped Turkey. Cold weather will stay in the whole country till the end of February. Temperatures will drop 2-4 degrees celsius as of Monday. Directorate of Meteorology warned citizens against heavy storm in Marmara and North Aegean regions.

VATAN

--FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION LOOKING INTO BANK ACCOUNTS IN DENIZ FENERI e.V. CASE
A financial crimes division in Turkey has moved to probe into bank accounts of a number of individuals after an order by prosecutors who launched an investigation into a Germany-based charity fraud, publicly known as Deniz Feneri e.V. case. The division asked a total of 46 commercial banks to provide information about the accounts of Mehmet Gurkan, Kanal 7 TV's executives, and Zahit Akman, chairman of Turkey's broadcasting regulatory authority.

--PREMIER IN DIYARBAKIR RALLY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed a local elections rally in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir under tight security measures. Erdogan gave messages of unity: "This is the spirit of being a Turkish citizen. We are all the owners of our country. No one can treat others as if they are guests." Erdogan also recalled "the sufferings" in the Diyarbakir prison in the aftermath of a military coup in 1980. Erdogan received a long ovation when he described Iraq's north as "a friend and a brother nation."

CUMHURIYET
--"GENOCIDE" DRAFT MAY PASS FROM THE CONGRESS
Bulent Aliriza, Director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Turkey project, one of the leading think-tank organizations of the United States, said Greater Middle East Initiative ended after election of Obama. Aliriza said Turkey could not convince the United States on Hamas and that there were serious concerns on its mediation. CSIS expert said draft on "genocide" may pass from the Congress.

--PRESIDENT GUL ENTERS CAGE OF CHEETAHS
President Abdullah Gul met Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga within the scope of his formal visit to Kenya. Gul and his wife also visited Kenya's National Park.

--WARNING AGAINST HEAVY SNOW
Heavy snow is expected in central and eastern regions of the country. Directorate General of State Meteorology Department warned the citizens to be careful against frost. Cold weather is expected to continue to prevail through the country.

RADIKAL
--HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES SALES ALARMING
The sales of four main items among household appliances; washing machines, dish washers, ovens and refrigerators, saw a record drop in last December, with domestic sales plummeting 30.8 percent over the same period in 2007. The production of items dropped by 18.6 percent and their exports were down by 14.5 percent. Automotive sales also plunged with 39.2 percent in October, 56.6 percent in November and 58.1 percent in December 2008.

--BUILING COLLAPSES IN ISTANBUL, KILLS ITALIAN WOMAN
A wooden building collapsed in Istanbul's Fatih district on Saturday, killing an Italian woman. The body of 70 year-old woman, who was identified as Eugenio Gosta, was pulled out from under debris by search and rescue teams. A family of seven had managed to escape as they have left tumbling building at the last moment.

YENI SAFAK
--RET. GENERAL SAYS ERGENEKON IS "A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION"
Retired General Erdal Senel said he had realized that Ergenekon is "a terrorist organization" when he was shown documents during his interrogation. "Ergenekon is a terrorist organization and it is a very complicated network. Turkey faces a very serious establishment. I was shivered when I saw the documents in prosecutor's hands," he said.

--TURKISH PRESIDENT ON SAFARI IN KENYA
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his wife Hayrunnisa visited the Nairobi National Park in Kenya, making a brief safari tour. Gul and his wife also pet cheetahs in their cages and taken photographs of other animals at the park. On a visit to sub-Saharan countries, Gul is the first Turkish President ever to travel to Kenya.
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