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.

The two men held for attempting to hijack an Atlas Jet plane heading from Northern Cyprus to Istanbul on Saturday, 18 August, are being questioned.

The RSF has denounced the "precautionary" detention of Journalist Yetisgen, who used the expression "northern Kurdistan" in an article in his local newspaper in Gaziantep.

The Turkish Parliament today voted in the first round of the presidential elections which had been postponed after the boycott in April. Ruling AKP's candidate Gül failed to secure a two-thirds majority and expected to win in the third round.

Chief of General Staff Yasar Büyükanit has vowed to stay silent on the presidential elections, the first ballot of which is due this afternoon. Prof. Mithat Sancar has intepreted this silence as a deliberate change in tactics.

Villagers attempting to return to their villages after 12 years have been told to leave their village, again for "security reasons". They have lost their harvests.

On the anniversary of the 1999 earthquake in the Marmara Sea region, it is clear that Istanbul is not prepared for a future earthquake, predicted to take place within the next thirty years.

After 22 years, columnist Emin Cölasan has been dismissed from the Hürriyet newspaper. Journalist associations have protested against the dismissal. Altayli: “They have wanted to fire him for four years.”

Abdullah Gül has formally applied to the parliament presidency for his candidacy. In a press statement he said that he would obey the principle of neutrality and protect the basic elements of the constitution: I will keep the promises I made.

CHP vice chairperson Özyürek has stated that the CHP will not enter parliament for the presidential elections. Should Gül become president, they would not join receptions at the residence or trips abroad. The AKP is trying to take revenge.

A survey of people in the streets of Karaköy and Tophane, in central Istanbul, showed that there were mixed feelings about Güls candidacy. Those that welcomed it did not fear for the laicism of Turkey. Others spoke longingly of military intervention.

Despite the CHPs strong reaction towards Güls announcement of his renewed candidacy, academics Tosun and Baskaya have interpreted recent developments as a kind of compromise between AKP and the state, the army and the bureaucratic guardian elite.

The General Staff has filed a criminal complaint against journalist Umur Talu of the Sabah newspaper for undermining relations between ranks and destroying trust in the superiors. Talu had written on demands of common soldiers.