The suspension of two unlawful hotel constructions in Cappadocia region created controversy regarding the lack of local administration control on construction licenses. Local organizations and residents are wondering how the hotel constructions went unnoticed while ordinary residents received prison sentences for simple renovation abuses.

The campaign initiated by METU academicians to protest a university president declaration holding students responsible for the Göktürk 2 launch ceremony on December 18.

Erol Kaya, head of the parliament commission appointed to investigate the radiation leakage in an old lead factory in Izmir, said they detected some low levels of radiation which would not cause a public threat.

Şırnak province police swooped on several flats yesterday, detaining 19 individuals only 4 days before the first anniversary of Roboski Massacre, which Peace and Democracy Party deputy Hasip Kaplan reminded.

Istanbul's Greeks celebrated Christmas with their traditional "kalanda" activity where Zoğrafyon Greek High School student chanted Christmas carols on Istiklal Avenue.

An Istanbul court ruled prison sentences to 6 police officers and suspended their professional licenses for assaulting a driver after a minor traffic accident.

A Tunceli province prosecutor rejected a lawsuit demanding the removal of approximately 11,000 land mines on the outskirts of Sarıtaş village.

On Saturday evening, an Ankara court released 8 university students who were detained after Friday police raids to investigate last week's protests at METU.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality rejected a proposal concerning the billboard advertisement of a new movie on Turkish prisons, making no explanations.

PM Erdogan filed a lawsuit against BirGün newspaper for defamation charges, asking for 100,000 Turkish liras as non-pecuniary damages when the newspaper published his front page photo with a black tape on his mouth on November 26.

Anti-terror police teams raided several apartments this morning, detaining students who protested PM Erdogan during Göktürk 2 satellite ceremony at METU on Tuesday evening.

Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin admitted that police brutality denigrated the state authority when it caused deaths and said: "Though security officers should not hesitate to exercise force to intervene protests."