In his first speech to parliament after his oath-taking ceremony, Gül has promised to stay faithful to the constitution and embrace all sections of society.

In a website message for the 30 August Day of Victory, Büyükanit has warned of an increase in attacks on the Republic. He has reminded soldiers of their duty to protect the Republic.

After the two previous ballots did not afford him the necessary majority, Abdullah Gül has been elected president in the third round. He will take over from Sezer at 7.30 pm this evening.

After Abdullah Gül fell short of winning enough votes in the second ballot of the presidential elections on Friday, he will have to wait for the third round on Tuesday, where he is likely to win.

As many trade unions are preparing to strike, the mainstream media is painting them as the villains out to destroy the economy. Labour representatives have argued the contrary.

After a complaint made by Adan Oktar, the website WordPress.com has been blocked to access. This is not the first time that a whole site has been closed down because of the content of one item.

Following pressure by Turkey and Israel, the US-based Anti-Defamation League has retracted its recognition of the "Armenian genocide" and has instead called on Turkish-Armenian cooperation to resolve the controversy.

Parties of the left have reacted to announcements that the AKP has completed a draft of a new, "civil" constitution: All strata of society need to be considered and consulted. Otherwise, this will not be a democratic constitution.

The Diyarbakir governor's office has objected to the naming of a park after deceased human rights activist and publisher Ayse Nur Zarakolu. A court has decreed that she spread "separatist propaganda".

The recent murder of transsexual Ece in Bursa has again highlighted the plight of transvestites and transsexuals in Turkey. Deprived of education and work, they are forced into prostitution.

After Prime Minister Erdogan said on television that those who could not accept Abdullah Gül as president should give up Turkish citizenship and leave the country, the CHP, the EU and newspaper columnists have reacted.

Following the recent controversy in France, where a Turkish child was raped by a child abuser released from prison, lawyer Akco evaluates Turkish legal provisions and finds them unsatisfactory.

Turkey has been one of the countries worst affected by the current financial crisis in the USA. Economists Ercan and Tören predict the success of capitalists and a weakening of labour movements.

Trade union Egitim-Sen has pointed to the dismissal of two lecturers as the culmination of rights violations at Mugla University. Other lecturers involved in democratic movements have also been punished.

A lawyer and a politician who spoke to Roj TV, the Kurdish satellite television which is not allowed in Turkey, have been acquitted for criticising military operations in the Tunceli area as not solving the problem.

Assistant Professor Caliskan points out that the AKP and the army are not so different in essence. He does not predict a big crisis, but rather a rapprochement. As the AKP moves to the political centre, the left will either disappear or have to redefine itself.

In a press briefing following his controversial comments on Kurds, Alevis and Armenians in Anatolia, historian Yusuf Halacoglu has refused to heed calls for his resignation. He argues that his comments were misunderstood.

Following the comments journalist Metehan Demir made in an interview in the "Radikal" newspaper, the General Staff has published a press release on its website denouncing his claims as "lies". Demir stands behind his analysis.

On 18 August, Yusuf Halacoglu, president of the Turkish History Foundation (TTK) had made controversial comments on the ethnic make-up of Turkey at a symposium in Kayseri. Associations have called for his resignation.

Prime Minister Erdogan has suggested that those unable to accept Abdullah Gül as president if he gets elected "should go". CHP chairperson Baykal has said relations with Cankaya will be kept to a minimum.