20 Indian Website Hacked by Team Cyber Turk Hacking

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Syrians protest Arab vote; embassies attacked

BEIRUT (AP) — Tens of thousands of Syrian government supporters poured into the streets Sunday to protest an Arab League vote to suspend the country's membership, as Turkey sent planes to evacuate diplomatic staff and their families after a night of attacks on embassies.

Pro-Syrian regime protesters, carry a giant Syrian flag during a demonstration against the Arab League decision to suspend Syria, in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday Nov. 13, 2011. Tens of thousands of pro-regime demonstrators gathered in a Damascus square Sunday to protest the Arab League's vote to suspend Syria over its bloody crackdown on the country's eight-month-old uprising. Saturday's Arab League decision was a sharp rebuke to a regime that prides itself as a bastion of Arab nationalism, but it was unlikely to immediately end a wave of violence that the U.N. estimates has killed more than 3,500 people since mid-March. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

Facing growing isolation, the Syrian government called for an urgent Arab summit to discuss the country's spiraling political unrest and invited Arab League officials to visit before its membership suspension was to take effect on Wednesday.

In a significant concession, the government said the Arab officials could bring any civilian or military observers they deem appropriate to oversee implementation of an Arab League plan for ending the bloodshed.

The 22-member bloc's vote on Saturday was a stinging rebuke to a regime that prides itself as a bastion of Arab nationalism and left Syria increasingly isolated over its crackdown on an eight-month uprising that the U.N. estimates has killed more than 3,500 people since mid-March.

The violence continued Sunday, with activists reporting at least 11 people killed in shootings by security forces in several parts of the country.

The Local Coordination Committees activist network said at least four of the deaths occurred in the central city of Hama when security forces fired on a group of opposition protesters who infiltrated a pro-government rally in the area.

Sunday's protests in support of the government drew large numbers in the capital and four other cities — a turnout helped by the closure of businesses and schools.

"You Arab leaders are the tails of Obama," read one banner held by protesters accusing the Arab League of bowing to pressure from the U.S. president.

Thousands of people carried red, black and white Syrian flags and posters of President Bashar Assad in a Damascus square. Similar demonstrations were held in the cities of Aleppo, Latakia, Tartous and Hasakeh.

The Syrian leader asserts that extremists pushing a foreign agenda to destabilize Syria are behind the country's unrest, rather than true reform seekers aiming to open the country's autocratic political system. Sunday's demonstrators accused Arab countries of being complicit with the purported conspiracy.

The government called the Arab League decision "illegal," claiming it was intended to set the stage for foreign military intervention like in Libya.

However, the offer to allow a visit by an Arab League ministerial committee and accompanying monitors appeared to signal some will to try to implement an Arab League-brokered deal for ending the violence that the government has so far seemed unwilling or unable to do. The Nov. 2 deal calls for Syria to halt attacks on protesters, pull tanks out of cities and hold talks with the opposition.

There was no immediate reaction from Arab League officials on the Syrian invitation. Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby, on a visit to Libya, demanded immediate implementation of the Arab peace initiative.

Youssef Ahmed, Syria's ambassador to the Arab League, said the official request for an emergency meeting was on its way to the organization and that Syria was awaiting a response.

Iraq's representative with the Arab League has offered Baghdad as a location for the meeting if it is approved.

Members of the Syrian opposition rejoiced and saw the Arab vote to suspend Syria as a step toward greater recognition for their movement.

"This gives strong legitimacy to our cause. ... We consider this decision to be a victory for the Syrian revolution," Bassma Kodmani, a spokeswoman for the Syrian National Council opposition group, told The Associated Press.

Hours after the Arab League vote, pro-regime demonstrators in Syria assaulted the diplomatic offices of countries critical of the Syrian government, including break-ins at the Saudi and Qatari embassies and attacks at Turkish diplomatic posts across the country.

The overnight embassy attacks are likely to stoke anger in Arab states against the regime in Damascus. Arab disapproval in itself may not seriously damage President Assad's hold on power, but if Syria further antagonizes Gulf states, it risks having them build up the Syrian opposition into a unified body that can win international recognition, as happened during Libya's civil war this year.

Syrian security forces had confronted Saturday night's protesters at embassies with batons and tear gas but were unable to stop a group from breaking into the Qatari embassy and bringing down the Qatari flag and replacing it with the Syrian flag. Others entered Saudi Arabia's embassy compound, broke windows and ransacked some areas, the kingdom's media reported.

The kingdom strongly condemned the attack in a Foreign Ministry statement and said it held the Syrian authorities responsible for protecting its interests.

Saudi King Abdullah, who has condemned Assad's crackdown, had already recalled the Saudi ambassador to Syria in August. Kuwait and Bahrain have also recalled their ambassadors.

Protesters also tried to break into the Turkish Embassy in Damascus Saturday and into the country's consulates in the cities of Aleppo and Latakia, Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency reported. Turkey is not a member of the Arab League but has also been sharply critical of Syria's crackdown, and Turkey's foreign minister welcomed the League vote.

Turkey on Sunday sent a plane to Damascus to evacuate the families of its diplomats as well as nonessential staff, Anatolia reported. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also said Turkey summoned Syria's charge d'affaires who was given a formal protest note demanding protection for its diplomatic missions.

France also said it had summoned Syria's ambassador to "remind" him of Syria's international obligations, after demonstrators tried to attack an honorary French consulate in Latakia and another French office in Aleppo.

On Sunday, hundreds of baton-carrying Syrian riot police in helmets ringed the U.S., Qatari, Saudi and Turkish embassies — all located in the capital's upscale Abu Rummaneh district. Three fire trucks were parked in front of the Turkish Embassy. The Turkish and Qatari embassies were closed for the day but the Saudi Embassy was operating, an operator said.

Source: The Associated Press

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Another building collapses in Turkish quake zone

ERCIS, Turkey (AP) — An Associated Press Television journalist says a 7-story building has collapsed two days after a powerful earthquake hit eastern Turkey.

The building, with 46 apartments, collapsed on Tuesday in the city of Van. It was not known if anyone was inside but witnesses say voices can be heard.

Emergency workers carry a youth they rescued from the rubble and debris of a collapsed building in Ercis, eastern Turkey, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. Dozens of people were trapped in mounds of concrete, twisted steel and construction debris after hundreds of buildings in two cities and mud-brick homes in nearby villages pancaked or partially collapsed in Sunday's 7.2-magnitude earthquake in eastern Turkey. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake has been followed by hundreds of aftershocks and authorities have warned survivors not to enter damaged buildings.

Thousands of people spent a second night outdoors in cars or tents in near-freezing conditions.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

ERCIS, Turkey (AP) — Oguz Isler was trapped for eight hours beneath the rubble of his home after a powerful earthquake that hit eastern Turkey. The 9-year-old was finally rescued, but on Tuesday he was waiting at the foot of the same pile of debris for news of his parents and of other relatives who remain buried inside.

Thousands of people spent a second night outdoors in cars or tents in near-freezing conditions, afraid to return to their homes following the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that has been followed by hundreds of aftershocks.

The quake on Sunday knocked down more than 100 buildings in two cities and mud-brick homes in nearby villages, trapping dozens in mounds of concrete, twisted steel and construction debris and killing at least 366 people. Some 1,300 people were injured.

Searchers on Tuesday picked through the ruins in the cities of Ercis and Van in hopes of finding more survivors. Dogan news agency said rescuers had pulled five people out of the rubble alive in the early hours of Tuesday, although many more bodies were discovered.

In the hardest-hit city of Ercis, where some 80 buildings tumbled down, Isler waited calmly in front of what was left of the five-story apartment block that used to be his aunt's home. The city of 75,000, close to the Iranian border, lies in one of Turkey's most earthquake-prone zones.

Turkish rescue workers in bright orange jumpsuits and Azeri military rescuers in camouflage uniforms searched through the debris, using excavators, picks and shovels to look for Isler's mother and father and other relatives still inside.

Dogs sniffed for possible survivors in gaps that opened up as their work progressed.

"They should send more people," Isler said as he and other family members watched the rescuers.

Mehmet Ali Hekimoglu, a medic, said the dogs indicated that there were three or four people inside the building, but it was not known if they were alive.

The boy, his sister and a cousin were trapped in the building's third-floor stairway as they tried to escape when the quake hit. A steel door fell over him.

"I fell on the ground face down. When I tried to move my head, it hit the door," he said. "I tried to get out and was able to open a gap with my fists in the wall but could not move my body further. The wall crumbled quickly when I hit it."

"We started shouting: 'Help! We're here,'" he said. "They found us a few hours later, they took me out about 8 1/2 hours later. ... I was OK but felt very bad, lonely. ... I still have a headache, but the doctor said I was fine."

Isler's 16-year-old sister, Ela, and 12-year-old cousin, Irem were also saved.

"They took me out last because I was in good shape and the door was protecting me. I was hearing stones falling on it," said Isler.

Source:

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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7.2 quake causes damage, casualties in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 struck eastern Turkey Sunday, collapsing some buildings and causing a number of deaths, officials said. At least 50 people were injured.

The temblor struck eastern Van province at 1:41 p.m. (1041 GMT; 6:41 a.m. EDT), the U.S. Geological Survey said. It caused widespread panic throughout the province as well as neighboring cities.

People try to save people trapped under debris in Tabanli
village near the city of Van after a powerful earthquake
struck eastern Turkey Sunday Oct. 23, 2011, collapsing some
buildings and causing a number of deaths, an official said.
( AP Photo/ Abdurrahman Antakyali, Aatolia) TURKEY OUT

"The quake was strongly felt in Van and neighboring towns, and caused damage and deaths based on initial assessments," the prime minister's office said.

The earthquake toppled some buildings in downtown Van as well as the neighboring town of Ercis, officials said. Several strong aftershocks also were reported.

"There are so many dead. Several buildings have collapsed. There is too much destruction," Zulfikar Arapoglu, the mayor of Ercis, told NTV television. "We need urgent aid. We need medics."

NTV also said Van's airport was damaged and planes were being diverted to neighboring cities.

Terrified residents spilled into the streets in panic as rescue workers and residents using their bare hands and shovels struggled to evacuate people believed to be trapped under collapsed buildings, television footage showed.

In Van, at least two buildings collapsed, Bekir Kaya, the mayor of Van town, told NTV. One of them was a seven-story building, according to Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency.

At least 50 people were treated for injuries in the courtyard of the state hospital in Van, said the state-run Anatolia news agency.

"The telephone system is jammed due to panic, and we can't assess the entire damage immediately," Kaya said.

Several Cabinet ministers headed to the area as authorities mobilized rescue teams across the country.

The USGS originally gave the magnitude as 7.3 but later corrected it to 7.2. It said the quake had a depth of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles), which is relatively shallow and could potentially cause more damage.

Turkey's Kandilli observatory gave the quake a preliminary magnitude of 6.6, but put its depth at 5 kilometers (3 miles). Several aftershocks as strong as magnitude 5.5 followed, the observatory said.

The quake's epicenter was in the village of Tabanli in eastern Van province, bordering Iran. But it was felt in several provinces across the area.

Earthquakes are frequent in Turkey, which is crossed by fault lines.

In 1999, about 18,000 people were killed by two powerful earthquakes that struck northwestern Turkey. Authorities had blamed shoddy construction for many of the deaths.

Source:

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Saudi heir's death brings conservative to fore

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's ruling monarchy moved into a critical period of realignment Saturday after the death of the heir to the throne opened the way for a new crown prince: most likely a tough-talking interior minister who has led crackdowns on Islamic militants but also has shown favor to ultraconservative traditions such as keeping the ban on women voting.

Saudis watch a TV broadcast on the death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. Prince Sultan died abroad Saturday after an illness, state TV said. Sultan, who was the kingdom's deputy prime minister and the minister of defense and aviation, has had a string of health issues. He underwent surgery in New York in February 2009 for an undisclosed illness and spent nearly a year abroad recuperating in the United States and at a palace in Agadir, Morocco. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

A state funeral is planned for Tuesday in Riyadh for crown prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, who died in New York at the age of 80 after an unspecified illness, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

Now, Saudi rulers are expected to move quickly to name the new king-in-waiting — which royal protocol suggests will be Sultan's half brother, Prince Nayef.

Moving Nayef to the top of the succession ladder would not likely pose any risks to Saudi Arabia's pro-Western policies and, in particular, its close alliance with Washington. But Nayef cuts a much more mercurial figure than Saudi's current leader, the ailing King Abdullah, who has nudged ahead with reforms such as promising women voting rights in 2015 despite rumblings from the country's powerful religious establishment.

Nayef, 78, has earned U.S. praise for unleashing the internal security forces against suspected Islamic extremist cells in Saudi Arabia, which was home to 15 of 19 of the Sept. 11 hijackers. Yet he brought blistering rebukes in the West for a 2002 interview that quoted him as saying that "Zionists" — a reference to Jews — benefited from the 9-11 attacks because it turned world opinion against Islam and Arabs.

Nayef also has expressed displeasure at some of Abdullah's moves for more openness, saying in 2009 that he saw no need for women to vote or participate in politics. It's a view shared by many Saudi clerics, who follow a strict brand of Islam known as Wahhabism. Their support gives the Saudi monarchy the legitimacy to rule over a nation holding Islam's holiest sites.

"Nayef is more religious, and is closer to the Saudi groups who are very critical of the king's decisions regarding women and other steps he's taken to balance out the rigid religious practices in society," said Ali Fakhro, a political analyst and commentator in Bahrain.

But it remains doubtful that Nayef — if ever made king — would outright annul Abdullah's reforms, which include the establishment of a coed university where both genders can mix. More likely, Nayef would put any further changes on hold, said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a political affairs professor at Emirates University.

"It's not good news for Saudis or for the region," he said. "(Nayef) is the security guy. He is the mukhabarat (secret police) guy. He is the internal affairs guy."

Although it's not certain that Nayef will be selected to succeed Sultan, the signs point clearly in that direction.

After Sultan fell ill two years ago, Nayef was named second deputy prime minister, traditionally the post right behind the crown prince. For the first time, however, the mechanism of picking the next No. 2 in the royal succession is not entirely clear.

Traditionally, the king names his successor. But this time it is possible that Abdullah will put the decision to the Allegiance Council, a 33-member body composed of his brothers and cousins. Abdullah created the council as part of his reforms and gave it a mandate to choose the heir.

Abdullah formed the council in order to modernize the process and give a wider voice. When it was created, it was decided that the council would choose the heir for the first time when Sultan rose to the throne, and his crown prince would need to be named. But it was not specified whether it would be used if Sultan died before the king.

The choice of whether to convene the council now will likely be made by the 87-year-old Abdullah, who is currently recovering from his third operation to treat back problems in less than a year.

"It is with deep sorrow and grief that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah mourns the loss of his brother and Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Sultan," the palace said in a statement announcing Sultan's death.

The announcement did not elaborate on his illness. According to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from January 2010, Sultan had been receiving treatment for colon cancer since 2009.

Sultan was the kingdom's defense minister in 1990 when U.S. forces deployed in Saudi Arabia to defend it against Iraqi forces that had overrun Kuwait. His son, Prince Khaled, served as the top Arab commander in the 1991 operation Desert Storm, in which U.S.-led troops drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait.

As defense minister, Sultan closed multibillion-dollar deals to establish the modern Saudi armed forces, including land, air, naval and air defense forces. On more than one occasion, the deals implicated several of his sons in corruption scandals — charges they have denied.

Sultan is survived by 32 children from multiple wives. They include Bandar, the former ambassador to the United States who now heads the National Security Council, and Khaled, Sultan's assistant in the Defense Ministry.

"The crown prince was a strong leader and a good friend to the United States over many years as well as a tireless champion for his country. He will be missed," said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a visit to Tajikistan. "Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is strong and enduring and we will look forward to working with the leadership for many years to come."

Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, said Sultan served his country with "great dignity and dedication."

Saudi Arabia has been ruled since 1953 by the sons of its founder, King Abdul-Aziz, who had more than 40 sons by multiple wives. Sultan was part of the aging second generation of Abdul-Aziz's sons, including Nayef, the full brother of the late King Fahd, who died in 2005.

While Nayef has taken only minor roles in foreign affairs, he has been outspoken in one of Saudi Arabia's chief regional concerns: ambitions by rival Iran to expand its influence in the Middle East.

Earlier this year, he blamed the Shiite power for encouraging protests among Saudi Arabia's minority Shiites.

Nayef also was involved in the kingdom's decision in March to send military forces into neighboring Bahrain to help crush pro-reform demonstrations led by tiny island nation's majority Shiites against its Sunni rulers — which Gulf Arab leaders accuse of having ties to Iran.

With Yemen, he has called for Saudi Arabia to take a harder line with embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was treated in Saudi Arabia after surviving a blast in June and later returned to Yemen.

In August, Nayef accepted undisclosed libel damages from Britain's newspaper The Independent over an article which accused him of ordering police chiefs to shoot and kill unarmed demonstrators in Saudi Arabia.

Nayef has chaired Cabinet meetings in place of Abdullah and Sultan. He also draws considerable prestige from being among the sons of Abdul-Aziz's most prominent wife, known as the Sudeiri Seven. Abdullah's predecessor Fahd also was among the seven.

"Nayef's closer links to the Wahhabi establishment may see a reversal of some recent reforms, especially regarding women," said Christopher Davidson, a lecturer at Britain's Durham University and an expert on Gulf affairs. "But more likely business as usual, I think, with no further major reforms."

Source:

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Saudi Crown Prince Sultan dies, focus on Prince Nayef

(Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan has died, the royal court said on Saturday, and Interior Minister and reputed conservative Prince Nayef was expected to become the new heir to the throne in the world's biggest oil exporter.

Sultan, whose age was officially given as 80 and who died in New York of colon cancer early on Saturday Saudi time, had been a central figure in Saudi decision-making since becoming defense minister in 1962 and was made crown prince in 2005.

Saudi analysts predicted an orderly transition at a time when much of the Middle East is in turmoil after mass uprisings against autocratic leaders by citizens demanding democracy.

Saudi King Abdullah reacted to the "Arab Spring" by ordering spending of $130 billion on social benefits, housing and jobs, but he and his new crown prince face challenges from al Qaeda militants, a restless Shi'ite minority and civil conflict in neighboring Yemen.

Saudi Arabia is also locked in a confrontation with Shi'ite Muslim power Iran, accused by the United States of plotting to kill the kingdom's ambassador to Washington.

Earlier this month, the Saudi Interior Ministry accused an unnamed foreign power, widely assumed to mean Iran, of instigating protests by the Saudi Shi'ite minority in which 14 people, including 11 security officers, were injured.

Sultan's health had declined in recent years and he spent long periods outside the kingdom for medical treatment. A 2009 U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks described him as "for all intents and purposes incapacitated."

King Abdullah is now likely to summon the untested Allegiance Council of the ruling al-Saud family, set up in 2006 to make the succession process more transparent, to approve his preferred heir. In the past, the succession was decided in secret by the king and a coterie of powerful princes.

Most analysts believe the new crown prince will be Nayef, who was appointed second deputy prime minister in 2009, a position usually given to the man who is third-in-line to rule.

"The problem is (the Allegiance Council) is a secret organization that consists of members of the royal family and Saudi society has no say," said Madawi al-Rashid, author of A History of Saudi Arabia and critic of the ruling family. "Some sections of Saudi Arabia are worried. Nayef is known for security solutions. His rhetoric always invokes the sword."

Nayef has been interior minister since 1975 and has managed the kingdom's day-to-day affairs during the absences of both the king and crown prince.

He has gained a reputation as being more conservative than either King Abdullah or Sultan, with close ties to the country's powerful Wahhabi clergy. But as king he might follow a more moderate line in keeping with the al-Saud tradition of governing by consensus, analysts say.

"The succession will be orderly," said Asaad al-Shamlan, a political science professor in Riyadh. "The point of reference will be the ruling of the Allegiance Council. It seems to me most likely Nayef will be chosen. If he becomes crown prince, I don't expect much immediate change."

"Things are in order, thanks to the wise leadership represented in King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz," Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, a brother of both Abdullah and Sultan and member of the Allegiance Council, told reporters.

ALLEGIANCE COUNCIL

When the Allegiance Council convenes, the 34 branches of the ruling family born to the kingdom's founder King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud will each have a vote to confirm the king's nominee for crown prince or appoint their own candidate.

Saudi television broke its normal schedule early on Saturday to broadcast Koranic verses and footage of pilgrims circling the Kaaba in Mecca, Islam's holiest site, before announcing the crown prince's death.

"With deep sorrow and sadness the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz mourns the death of his brother and his Crown Prince Sultan... who died at dawn this morning Saturday outside the kingdom following an illness," said a Saudi royal court statement carried on official media.

The Saudi stock market was unaffected by the news, and the TASI all-share index closed nearly half a percent up. Shops, schools and universities were open as normal in Riyadh.

Funeral services for Sultan, who died on Friday New York time, will be held on Tuesday in Riyadh. An official at the Saudi embassy in Washington confirmed that Prince Sultan had died in New York but declined to give further details.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her condolences over the death, saying U.S.-Saudi ties are strong.

"The Crown Prince was a strong leader and a good friend to the United States over many years, as well as a tireless champion for his country," Clinton said during a visit to Tajikistan, in the first official U.S. comment on his death.

"Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is strong and enduring and we will look forward to working with the (Saudi) leadership for many years to come," she told a news conference.

Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey and Oman sent messages of condolence.

King Abdullah, who is in his late 80s, underwent back surgery earlier this month but has been pictured since then in apparently good health.

"The stability of Saudi Arabia is more important than ever," said Turad al-Amri, a political analyst in Saudi Arabia. "All the countries around it are crumbling. The balance of power is changing in the Middle East."

Abdullah has gained a reputation as a cautious reformer since becoming de facto regent of the conservative Islamic country in 1995 and as king since 2005.

He was absent for three months in late 2010 and early 2011 following treatment for a herniated disc that caused blood to accumulate around his spine.

Unlike European monarchies, the line of succession does not move from father to eldest son, but down a line of brothers born to the kingdom's founder Ibn Saud, who died in 1953.

Sultan's death also means King Abdullah will have to select new defense and aviation ministers, key posts in a country that spends billions of dollars on weapons procurement.

Prince Khaled bin Sultan, the son of the late crown prince, has been deputy defense minister since 2001 and is one candidate to replace his father as minister.

"There traditionally has been a way of balancing the power relationships within the family that are important," said Robert Jordan, U.S. ambassador to Riyadh from 2001-03. "So I don't think we should automatically assume that Khaled bin Sultan will become the defense minister, although he has much experience and his father was in place for many years."

Source: Reuters

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Anonymous Attacks Turkish Websites Again

Hacker group Anonymous said late Wednesday that its Antisec movement hacked and defaced Turkish government websites, in protest against new Internet filtering rules that come into force in the country in August.

The group said it released data from about 100 websites in Turkey, and put up its logo and message on some 74 websites, criticizing what it described as greater control over the Internet in Turkey, including blocks on thousands of websites and blogs.

The hacks released are part of a "Turkish Takedown Thursday" action planned by the group. Its Antisec program, started in June with the now disbanded hacker group LulzSec, targets governments, law enforcement, and corporations.

Turks took to the streets in May to protest against the new filtering scheme, which plans to introduce four levels of filtering - family, children, domestic, or standard - for Internet users by August 22. While protestors describe the rules as mandatory, the government has said they are optional filters for the protection of families.

Anonymous last month launched DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks on some Turkish government websites in protest against the proposed filtering rules. Among the sites that were attacked were that of the Internet regulator, Telekomünikasyon İletişim Başkanlıgı. This site was not affected on Wednesday.

Turkey responded last month by arresting 32 persons said to be involved in the attacks on the government sites.

Earlier this week, police arrested 15 people in Italy for their alleged involvement in Anonymous attacks, according to reports.

Source: AnonOps

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Operation Turkey: Anonymous fights Internet censorship with DDoS success

Today, Thursday, the international Internet hactivist collective known as Anonymous launched a successful DDoS attack against the Turkish government, taking down several official government websites, including http://tib.gov.tr/ and www.­sgk.­gov.­tr.

Anonymous is protesting Internet censorship in Turkey. The Turkish government plans to implement a filter on Internet browsing on Aug. 22 under the pretense of protecting the youth from "harmful elements on the web." Critics argue that the filter will lead to wide-spread censorship.

The current Anonymous cyber attacks against the Turkish government consist of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks using a coordinated network of Low Orbit Ion Canons (LOICs). Such attacks are an orchestrated attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended user.

The following is an excerpt from a video statement released Monday by those claiming to represent the nebulous collective known as Anonymous:

To the citizens of Turkey.

We are Anonymous.

Over the last few years, we have witnessed the censorship taken by the Turkish government, such as blocking YouTube, Rapidshare, Fileserve and thousands of other websites. Most recently, the government banned access to Google services.

These acts of censorship are inexcusable. The internet is a platform for freedom, a place where anyone and everyone can come together, discuss topics, and share information, without the fear of government interference.

We, Anonymous, will not stand by and let this go unnoticed. We will fight with the Turkish people against their government's rain of censorship.

Citizens of Turkey, Anonymous now fights with you.

Turkish Government,

Expect us.

While the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) of Turkey claims the proposed system of Internet filters is harmless, and will simply offer users more options, Anonymous and other concerned observers fear a much more draconian effect.

Last May tens of thousands Turkish citizens protested in Istanbul against the proposed Internet censorship. Anonymous and other critics worry the filtering system would make it possible to keep records of people's Internet activity and may be used as a means to prevent or halt possible political protest or dissidence.

Source: AnonOps

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Shila Sharmin scandal Sex before marriage was bad: Shila

A Turkish actress has been naked her body for the first time with a German boy. The appearance of Turkish-German actress Sila Sahin’s attractive, naked body in the May issue of Playboy magazine shows how young women with immigrant backgrounds can rid themselves of religious and cultural constraints, without needing to cite statistics or elaborate arguments provided by integration expertsIt’s usually no longer a big deal when a celebrity or starlet takes off her clothes for the men’s magazine. The unrelenting overexposure to sexually explicit images in the media, advertisements and the Internet has made public nudity so socially acceptable that we barely take notice.

But the 25-year-old Sahin, who plays “Ayala” in the RTL German soap opera “Good Times, Bad Times” managed to link her public exposure to the debate over a central socio-political issue: that young Muslim—in this case, Turkish — women are not allowed to make the same kind of decisions over their own lives and bodies that the daughters of the sexually revealing majority have been able to make for some time.

“For me, these pictures are an act of liberation from the cultural constraints of my childhood,” says Sahin. “I have tried to please everybody for too long. With these images I want to show young Turkish women that it is OK to live the way they are; that it is not cheap to show skin; that you should pursue your goals instead of bowing down to others.”

It may very well be that the first appearance of a Turkish woman on the cover of the German Playboy is most of all a welcome opportunity for the glossy magazine, which could use the immigration debate to boost its somewhat out-of-date image.

And the still relatively unknown Sahin was admittedly presented with a PR opportunity to stick out of the daily host of nudes by fashioning herself as a brave trailblazer for emancipation.

Still, her interview in the magazine opens a window into the patronizing situations young Muslim girls and women have to deal with on a daily basis.

Growing up “with a father who is an actor and a very conservative mother, I am not speaking for everyone, but in my case, things were black or white. Sex before marriage was bad, you have to pray every Friday and so on.” For a long time she “thought I have to do what the man says.”

Purists of female emancipation and cultural critics may sniff at the fact that Sila Sahin sees an act of liberation in posing naked for men who are not primarily interested in intellectual discourse. But the tastefully shot nude photos of the young Turkish woman remind us that the reviled commercialization of the female body that today seems just like an unavoidable part of every day life, played an important role in the history of female emancipation in the Western world.

With Sahin’s nude pictures framed as a contribution to the debate over emancipation of young Muslim women, the German Playboy builds on the historical tradition of the American original.

Its first edition, published in 1953 with a Marilyn Monroe centerfold, was undeniably the journalistic spearhead of a then still dormant sexual openness in a strictly puritan America.

Source: Time Magazine

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Twitter Launches Center To Crowdsource Translations; Indonesian, Russian And Turkish Versions Are Next

Twitter has steadily been rolling out its platform in new languages over the past few years, including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and most recently Korean. While these translations were accomplished with the help of volunteers, Twitter is officially launching a new “Translation Center” to efficiently crowdsource translations from international Twitter users.

According to Twitter, translators will be translating the product itself, not the Tweets. Translators will continue to work on improving the platform’s current languages, and will also help Twitter expand into new ones, including Indonesian, Russian and Turkish. And Twitter says that it plans to roll out a version in Portuguese later this year.

The new system is designed to improve the translation experience and create central hub for volunteers who are interested in helping Twitter out with adding and improving additional languages. New features include phrase tagging, special translator profiles, commenting on phrases and more. Within the new Center, any Twitter user can sign up, choose a language and begin translating immediately. Translators can choose to help translate Twitter.com, its mobile site, iPhone and Android apps, Twitter Help and the Twitter Business Center.

Building a centralized translation platform makes a lot of sense for Twitter. Additional translations are sure to bring in more international users to Twitter and boots its overall growth.

Source: Tech Crunch

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Turkey

Turkey Population: 71,892,808

Background

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community. Over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy; it began accession membership talks with the European Union in 2005.

Map data ©2009 Europa Technologies - Terms of Use

Geography
Strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country.
Location:	Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Geographic coordinates:	39 00 N, 35 00 E
Area:	total: 780,580 sq km land: 770,760 sq km water: 9,820 sq kmSize comparison: slightly larger than Texas
Land Boundaries:	total: 2,648 km border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline:	7,200 km
Maritime claims:	territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
Climate:	temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrain:	high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural resources:	coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Land use:	arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:	52,150 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:	severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Current Environment Issues:	water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
International Environment Agreements:	party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
People
Population:	71,892,808 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 24.4% (male 8,937,515/female 8,608,375) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 25,030,793/female 24,253,312) 65 years and over: 7% (male 2,307,236/female 2,755,576) (2008 est.)
Median age:	total: 29 years male: 28.8 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:	1.013% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:	16.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:	6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 36.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 40.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 73.14 years male: 70.67 years female: 75.73 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	less than 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	NA
Nationality:	noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish
Ethnic groups:	Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)
Religions:	Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages:	Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 95.3% female: 79.6% (2004 est.)
Government
Country name:	conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye
Government type:	republican parliamentary democracy
Capital:	name: Ankara geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:	81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Independence:	29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:	Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
Constitution:	7 November 1982; amended 17 May 1987; note - amendment passed by referendum concerning presidential elections on 21 October 2007
Legal system:	civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: President Abdullah GUL (since 28 August 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (since 14 March 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Cemil CICEK (since 29 August 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Hayati YAZICI (since 29 August 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Nazim EKREN (since 29 August 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected directly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament election results: on 28 August 2007 National Assembly elected Abdullah GUL president on the third ballot; National Assembly vote - 339 note: in October 2007 Turkish voters approved a referendum package of constitutional amendments including a provision for direct presidential elections
Legislative branch:	unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 22 July 2007 (next to be held on November 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 46.7%, CHP 20.8%, MHP 14.3%, independents 5.2%, and other 13.0%; seats by party - AKP 341, CHP 112, MHP 71, independents 26; note - seats by party as of 17 December 2007 - AKP 340, CHP 87, MHP 70, DTP 20, DSP 13, independents 6, other 12, vacant 2 (DTP entered parliament as independents; DSP entered parliament on CHP's party list); only parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats
Judicial branch:	Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court
Political parties and leaders:	Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Salih UZUN]; Democratic Left Party or DSP [Ahmet TURK]; Democratic Society Party or DTP [Nurettin DEMIRTAS]; Felicity Party or SP [Numan KURTULMUS] (sometimes translated as Contentment Party); Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI] (sometimes translated as Nationalist Action Party); People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP [Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party or DYP [Suleyman SOYLU] (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party); Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN] note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders:	Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD [Omer Cihad VARDAN]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Mustafa KUMLU]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Arzuhan Dogan YALCINDAG]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]
International organization participation:	ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir
Economy
Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that still accounts for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition in international markets with the end of the global quota system. However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with the implementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%, followed by roughly 5% annual growth from 2005-07. Inflation fell to 7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low - but climbed back to 8.5% in 2007. Despite the strong economic gains from 2002-07, which were largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high current account deficit and high external debt. Further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost foreign direct investment. The stock value of FDI currently stands at about $85 billion. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21 billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. In 2007, Turkish financial markets weathered significant domestic political turmoil, including turbulence sparked by controversy over the selection of former Foreign Minister Abdullah GUL as Turkey's 11th president and the possible closure of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Economic fundamentals are sound, marked by moderate economic growth and foreign direct investment. Nevertheless, the Turkish economy may be faced with more negative economic indicators in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown. In addition, Turkey's high current account deficit leaves the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$930.9 billion (2008 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$798.9 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	4.5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$12,900 (2008 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 8.5% industry: 28.6% services: 62.9% (2008 est.)
Labor force:	23.21 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 29.5% industry: 24.7% services: 45.8% (2005)
Unemployment rate:	7.9% plus underemployment of 4% (2008 est.)
Population below poverty line:	20% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 34.1% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:	43.6 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	10.2% (2008 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	21% of GDP (2008 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $164.6 billion expenditures: $176.3 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:	37.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Industries:	textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:	181.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:	141.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:	2.576 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:	863 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:	42,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:	676,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:	114,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:	714,100 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:	300 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:	893 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	36.6 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:	31 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:	35.83 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:	8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:	-$51.68 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:	$141.8 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:	apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment
Exports - partners:	Germany 11.2%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7%, France 5.6%, Russia 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2007)
Imports:	$204.8 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:	machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment
Imports - partners:	Russia 13.8%, Germany 10.3%, China 7.8%, Italy 5.9%, US 4.8%, France 4.6% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:	$82.82 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:	$294.3 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:	$124.8 billion (2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:	$13.97 billion (2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:	$286.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Currency (code):	Turkish lira (TRY); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January 2005
Exchange rates:	Turkish liras (TRY) per US dollar - 1.3179 (2008 est.), 1.319 (2007), 1.4286 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004) note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish lira (TRY) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish lira
Fiscal year:	calendar year
Communications
Telephones in use:	18.413 million (2007)
Cellular Phones in use:	61.976 million (2007)
Telephone system:	general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially with cellular telephones domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly international: country code - 90; international service is provided by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:	635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:	.tr
Internet hosts:	2.667 million (2008)
Internet users:	13.15 million (2006)
Transportation
Airports:	117 (2007)
Airports (paved runways):	total: 90 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Airports (unpaved runways):	total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 17 (2007)
Heliports:	18 (2007)
Pipelines:	gas 7,511 km; oil 3,636 km (2007)
Railways:	total: 8,697 km standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (1,920 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:	total: 426,951 km (includes 1,987 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:	1,200 km (2008)
Merchant marine:	total: 612 by type: bulk carrier 101, cargo 281, chemical tanker 70, combination ore/oil 1, container 35, liquefied gas 7, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 51, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 28, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 3, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 595 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 8, Belize 15, Cambodia 26, Comoros 8, Dominica 5, Georgia 14, Greece 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, Kiribati 1, Liberia 7, Malta 176, Marshall Islands 50, Moldova 3, Netherlands 1, Netherlands Antilles 10, Panama 94, Russia 80, Saint Kitts and Nevis 35, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 20, Sierra Leone 15, Slovakia 10, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:	Aliaga, Diliskelesi, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mercin Limani, Nemrut Limani
Military
A "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005 increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security, augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)
Military branches:	Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri, TKK), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:	20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 16-49: 20,213,205 females age 16-49: 19,432,688 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 16-49: 17,011,635 females age 16-49: 16,433,364 (2008 est.)

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