GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 23

HURRIYET

--MOR VE OTESI GOES TO EUROVISION FINALS

The second semi-finals of the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest took place in Serbia's capital city of Belgrade on Thursday night. Turkey's Mor ve Otesi rock group succeeded in going to the finals with its hit song 'Deli'. The audience of 11,000 people gave a standing ovation to Mor ve Otesi after the group's performance.

--TURKS LOSE $1 BLN IN INTERNET GAMBLING IN 6 MONTHS

Turks have lost at least $1 billion in internet gambling. According to a senior telecommunications officer, this amount was lost in a period of only six months.

MILLIYET

--FIVE REASONS FOR THE TENSION

Five important reasons that lay behind the tension which escalated upon the statement of the Presidents Commission of the Supreme Court of Appeals criticizing certain political circles for attempting to influence and control the judiciary branch and the government's harsh reaction to the statement. These reasons are:

1. Deputy Prime Minister & State Minister Cemil Cicek's failure to convene the Higher Board of Judges and Prosecutors during his term in office as the justice minister.

2. Some allegations that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) envisaged to change structure of all judicial organs in its draft constitution.

3. The ruling AKP's decision to amend the constitution to lift the ban on headscarf in universities.

4. The closure case filed by the chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals against the ruling AKP.

5. Presentation of the draft judicial reform to the EU by Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin without listening to the views of judicial organs.

--"CRAZY" IN FINAL

Turkish music band "Mor ve Otesi" has qualified to the final round of the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest in the Serbian capital city of Belgrade with its song "Deli"(Crazy). The band was ranked 9th among ten other finalists in the semi-final.

The 2008 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Belgrade on May 24.

--TURKISH STUDENT WINS INTERNATIONAL POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION

A Turkish student has won an international poster design competition with her poster regarding whale hunting. Aycin Turan, a communication design student from Turkey's Izmir Economic University (IEU), won the "Good 50x70," an international poster design competition, with her poster titled "Beauty: Not As Innocent As it Seems".

SABAH

--2ND ROUND PEACE SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK

World press put news reports about Turkey's acting as arbitrator for peace between Israel and Syria in their headlines. The second round talks will take place between Israel and Syria next week.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said the basic principle in the talks was "land for peace and peace for land." "The Israeli-Syrian leg of the Middle Eastern peace process officially resumed after 13 years and the talks will continue under Turkey's supervision," Babacan said.

--MOR VE OTESI QUALIFIES FOR THE FINAL

Turkish music band "Mor ve Otesi" qualified for the final round of the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade with its song "Deli" (Crazy).

The band will appear on the stage in 12th position in the final of Eurovision Song Contest.

VATAN

--THREE WEEKS REQUIRED FOR PM ERDOGAN'S EYE TO HEAL

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ophthalmologist Kazim Devranoglu said that it would take at least three weeks for Erdogan's eye to heal. "Erdogan's eye has entered a period of healing," said Devranoglu.

--SAUDI JUSTICE!

Saudi Arabian authorities have put another Turkish barber, 25-year-old Ersin Taze of Iskenderun, in jail for swearing at Prophet Muhammad. A barber from Hatay, Sabri Bogday was recently sentenced to death for swearing at Allah (God) in Saudi Arabia.

CUMHURIYET

--BIG SUPPORT TO STATEMENT

The Council of State, political parties and jurists have extended full support to the statement of the Presidents Commission of the Supreme Court of Appeals criticizing attempts to influence and control the judiciary branch. The Council of State expressed its concerns in a statement about recent arguments over democratic legitimacy of the judiciary.

--PETA'S PROTEST

The international animal right’s group, PETA, has staged a demonstration in front of the Turkish Embassy in Berlin, Germany, to protest the killing of stray dogs and cats in Turkey. Demonstrators carried photographs of slain animals.

--PKK AMBUSH

Two Turkish troops were killed in clashes with the PKK terrorists in Beytussebap town of the southeastern city of Sirnak.

RADIKAL

--AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT FISCHER HOLDS TALKS IN ISTANBUL

After completing his talks in Ankara, Austrian President Heinz Fischer held talks in Istanbul. Fischer visited Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Bartholomew and attended the Turkish-Austrian Business Council meeting in the city. Fischer had a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting between Fischer and Erdogan lasted for five minutes.

--TURKISH DOCTOR GETS ENVIRONMENT AWARD

A Turkish biologist received an environment award from Britain. Cagan Sekercioglu, a tropical biologist, ecologist, ornithologist and nature photographer, has been awarded the "Whitley Gold Award" -- defined as the "environment Nobel" of Britain -- for his studies on the preservation of a lake in the east of Turkey, ecological restoration of the wetlands around the lake and improvement of nature in the region.

YENI SAFAK

--LUCKY TURK

A Turkish student who was run over by a Hummer in Canada was awarded $1 million in the Supreme Court. In a decision released Wednesday, Judge Victoria Gray said Moe Samieian -- owner of Moe's Classic Rugs and Home Accessories -- was responsible for the accident that left 30-year-old Murat Dikey with severe brain trauma and other injuries.

Dikey, who had come to help a friend move a piano from Samieian's West Vancouver home June 16, 2004, was standing beside the driveway when he was struck by the Hummer SUV and thrown 15 meters.

--TURKEY RANKS AT 59TH PLACE IN WORLD INFLATION LIST

Turkish State Minister Mehmet Simsek announced that Turkey was ranked the 59th in the world inflation list. "We are the 59th in the world despite our inflation figure, which is said to be fairly high at the beginning of this year," Simsek said at a financial administration meeting in Ankara.