GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JUNE 3

HURRIYET

--LEAVES FOUR LETTERS BEHIND

Turkish businessman Abidin Cevher Ozden, who was known as Banker Kastelli, shot himself fatally in his office. Kastelli, 75, was depressed recently, said his lawyer Tufan Atli. "He had attempted to kill himself 3-4 months ago. A rich man's fall causes depression," Atli said.

Kastelli was the one who started the "banker rush" in 1980s. He collected 100 billion TL, a very significant amount those days. Like many other bankers, also he went bankrupt in 1982 because their certificates were cancelled. He ran away to Switzerland and then headed to Tunisia. He was caught there, brought to Turkey and was put behind bars. Later he was released.

--HE ASKS ASYLUM FOR EUTHANASIA

Tugrul Cankurt, 50, a teacher who was paralyzed after a traffic accident four years ago has asked for the right of asylum from the Netherlands where euthanasia is legal.

His wife said, "I am the witness of his pains and what he has been going through for four years. My brain says 'yes' to euthanasia but my heart says 'no' for the death of my love."

MILLIYET

--400 PERCENT FROM FIELD TO DINNER TABLE

Prices of a number of foodstuff rise by about 400 percent till it reaches to dinner tables from producers. For instance, cost of cucumber is only 0.20 new Turkish lira (YTL) in villages while its price rises to 1.02 YTL in markets. That makes a 408 percent difference.

--BANKER KASTELLI EXISTS NO MORE

Abidin Cevher Ozden, known as Banker Kastelli, one of the symbolic names of 1980s, has committed suicide at his office in Istanbul. He suffered a financial deadlock lately.

--TWO SOLDIERS DIE DURING TRANSPORT

A minibus carrying soldiers has plunged into the shoulder of road near Baskale town of the eastern province of Van, killing a major and a senior sergeant. Four security officials and driver of the minibus were injured in the accident.

SABAH

--TURKISH GOVERNMENT FAVORS RATIFYING KYOTO PROTOCOL, CICEK

Spokesman of Turkish government, Cemil Cicek, said that Turkish government adopted in principle the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol was discussed in Monday's meeting of Turkish Council of Ministers. "We will send the Kyoto Protocol to the Turkish parliament for ratification," Cicek said. The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the international Framework Convention on Climate Change with the objective of reducing greenhouse gases that cause climate change. As of June 2008, 182 parties have ratified the protocol.

--TURKS SPEND MOST TIME READING NEWSPAPERS

--A report prepared by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said that Turks spend the most time reading newspapers in the world. Turks allocate 74 minutes to newspapers on a daily basis. There are 11,926 newspapers published in the world. The newspapers are read by around 1.7 billion people on a daily basis.

VATAN

--HOW WILL POLITICAL SCENE LOOK WHEN RULING AKP GETS CLOSED?

A poll conducted by a strategic research center showed how the Turkish political scene would look if the Justice and Development Party (AKP) gets closed. 48.8 percent of respondents said that they would vote for a party led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan if the ruling AKP gets closed. The poll was conducted in 26 Turkish provinces.

--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FEES RISE

Public transportation fees rose in Istanbul by 4-10 percent. The Municipality of Istanbul has also recently increased the price of natural gas for residences and businesses.

CUMHURIYET

--BANKER KASTELLI COMMITS SUICIDE

Abidin Cevher Ozden, known as Banker Kastelli, the symbolic name of the serious banker crisis in 1980s, has committed suicide at his bureau in Istanbul. Ozden who collected 2.5 billion USD from people till 1982, suffered both financial and emotional difficulties lately. He left a suicide note reading that no one was responsible for his death.

--TICK NIGHTMARE

Fifteen people have died of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Turkey since the beginning of the year. More than 300 people were hospitalized after being beaten by ticks. CCHF is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by tick bite, with a high mortality rate.

RADIKAL

--RECENT POLL: RULING AKP FALLS BELOW 40 P.C.

A poll conducted on May 24th and 25th for Credit Suisse showed that ruling AKP continued to lose votes. Results of the poll said votes of undecided electorate were around 29.3 percent, AKP 28.1 percent, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) 13.7 percent, Nationalist Movement party (MHP) 12.1 percent.

When floating votes are prorated, AKP would get 39.7 percent, CHP 19.4 percent and MHP 17.1 percent.

--"PORTUGAL AND TURKEY WILL QUALIFY"

Turkish national football team continue preparations for Euro 2008 in Geneva. Striker Colin Kazim was hopeful like his teammates. "Turkey and Portugal will qualify from our group," he said.

Separately, Yildiray Basturk, who was taken out of the squad by coach Fatih Terim, spoke to Kicker, a German sports magazine. "I will no longer go to national team as long as Fatih Terim is the coach," he said.

YENI SAFAK

--MAY SAME HAPPEN ALSO TO OTHER BARBER

Turkish barber Ersin Taze, who was in jail in Saudi Arabia on charges of "insulting Prophet Mohammad", was released.

Another Turkish barber, Sabri Bogday, was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia on charges of "swearing at the God". His trial at the court of appeals has still been continuing.

--I.D. FOR 12 MILLION CARS

Turkish Finance Ministry is set to implement "vehicle identity system" to prevent fuel smuggling.

The system will be integrated to 12 million vehicles so that the ministry will be able to monitor and record which vehicle bought gas from which station. All vehicles in Turkey will be included in the system in two years.