GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON DEC 16

HURRIYET
-- GLOBAL CRISIS HITS TURKEY HARD
A global financial malady has forced Turkey's economy to brake, bringing the growth rate to 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2008. The growth rate for the same period last year was 3.3 percent. Turkey's economy grew 2.3 percent in the Q2 of 2008. The overall figure for the first nine months of 2008 was calculated as 3 percent. The unemployment figure rose by one point to reach 10.3 percent. The number of the unemployed grew to 295,000 in September and stood at 2.5 million.
       Â
-- NO PLANS FOR GENERAL AMNESTY, JUSTICE MINISTER
Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said the government had no plans to grant a general amnesty as the number of inmates climbed over 101,000. "We do not have such an agenda," Sahin told reporters. Turkey last passed a general amnesty in 1999 under the government of late premier, Bulent Ecevit.
       Â
MILLIYET
-- TURKEY GROWS 0.5 P.C. IN THIRD QUARTER
Turkey grew 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2008. Declining consumer demand resulted in the smallest amount of growth since 2001.
       Â
-- CRITICAL INCREASE IN NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED IN TURKEY
The number of unemployed people in Turkey increased by 295,000. The percentage of unemployed people in Turkey stood at 10.3 percent in September, 2008.
       Â
SABAH
-- TURKISH ECONOMY SLIGHTLY TOUCHED BY ECONOMIC SHRINKAGE
The Turkish economy grew 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2008 after consumers and companies halted most of their spending. While Turkey's national income rose to $786 billion, economists expect serious economic shrinkage in the last quarter of 2008. The Turkish economy has been constantly growing for the past 27 quarters and it has been only slightly touched by the global economic shrinkage. While the private sector in Turkey postponed investments, the Turkish government increased its spending and saved the economy. The Turkish economy is worth 952 billion new Turkish liras. Turkey's economic growth rate in the first nine months of 2008 was 3 percent.
       Â
-- IMF TO ARRIVE IN TURKEY IN JANUARY
A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will arrive in Turkey in January. The IMF delegation is expected to sign the 20th stand-by agreement with Turkey.

VATAN
-- BAN ON EXPOSURE WHILE MAKING ARRESTS
Interior Minister Besir Atalay sent a circular to security department chiefs of 81 provinces. The circular says: "be careful while capturing and taking people into custody. Don't insult people while taking them into custody. Don't expose suspects as if they are criminals. Show respect to human rights. Abide by the directions of public prosecutors and judges."
       Â
-- IMF DUE IN JANUARY
Officials of International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that they recorded progress in ongoing talks with Turkey, and they were invited to Turkey at the beginning of January. The Treasury also confirmed that the IMF delegation was invited to Turkey and that will probably sign a 24-month stand-by deal with the IMF.
       Â
CUMHURIYET
-- RECORD INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT
The Turkish Board of Statistics (TURKSTAT) announced that the number of unemployed Turks rose by almost 300,000 in 2008 and reached 2,548,000. The unemployment rate in Turkey in September was 10.3 percent. A total of 20 percent of all young Turks are unemployed.
       Â
RADIKAL
-- RECIPITATION IS BACK
There will be rainy weather again in the western part of Turkey by the weekend. Temperatures will reach 20 degrees Celsius in Marmara; and rainy weather will affect the region as of tomorrow night.
       Â
-- RUSH TO YOUTUBE AFTER ERDOGAN
The number of youtube's visitors from Turkey --where the site is banned-- increased two-fold after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that he was visiting the site.
       Â
-- GROWTH ALMOST STOPPED, UNEMPLOYMENT RISING
Turkey grew 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2008, while the unemployment rate increased 10 percent. Now, the impact of crisis is clearly seen in the growth rate which is considered as the biggest macro-economic indicator.
       Â
YENI SAFAK
-- IMF DUE IN TURKEY
The Turkish Treasury said a delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will visit Turkey at the beginning of January for a new stand-by deal. Turkey's largest business association welcomed the news as economic circles saw a higher chance of a short-term stand-by deal with the Fund. Turkey has signed 19 stand-by agreements with the IMF so far.
       Â
-- TURKEY'S COACH AMONG WORLD'S TOP TEN
Fatih Terim, coach of the Turkish national football team, has been named by British World Soccer magazine among the top ten football coaches of the world. Terim was placed seventh, while Manchester United's Alex Ferguson topped the list.