| The Latest: Flights resume to Istanbul international airport Posted: 16 Jul 2016 04:36 PM PDT  ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on the attempted military coup in Turkey (all times local):
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| Obama urges rule of law in Turkey, U.S. warns of damage to relations Posted: 16 Jul 2016 04:23 PM PDT By Jeff Mason and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States urged Turkey on Saturday to exercise restraint after a failed military coup sparked a government crackdown, and warned its NATO ally that public suggestions of a U.S. role in the plot were "utterly false" and harmful to relations. President Barack Obama urged parties on all sides of the crisis to avoid destabilizing Turkey and follow the rule of law after the coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan. The coup attempt complicated U.S.-led efforts to combat Islamic State. |
| US-Turkish tensions rise after failed coup attempt Posted: 16 Jul 2016 04:14 PM PDT  LUXEMBOURG (AP) — U.S.-Turkish tensions escalated Saturday after a quashed coup in Turkey, as the country's leader bluntly demanded the extradition of a U.S.-based cleric he accused of orchestrating the violence. Another senior official directly blamed the United States.
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| Questions now swirl about Turkey, key Western ally Posted: 16 Jul 2016 03:27 PM PDT  Turkey's pivotal roles as an ally in the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State group and a guarantor of refugee agreements are likely to remain intact for now after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emerged triumphant followingr a failed coup attempt.
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| Police arrest three in Nice as Islamic State claims truck attack Posted: 16 Jul 2016 01:41 PM PDT  By Richard Lough and Johnny Cotton NICE, France (Reuters) - Islamic State claimed responsibility on Saturday for the truck attack that killed at least 84 people celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice and police arrested three more people there in connection with the seafront carnage. "The person who carried out the operation in Nice, France, to run down people was one of the soldiers of Islamic State," the Amaq news agency affiliated with the militant Islamist group said on its Telegram account. "He carried out the operation in response to calls to target nationals of states that are part of the coalition fighting Islamic State." French authorities have yet to produce any evidence that the 31 year-old Tunisian killer, shot dead by police in the attack, had turned to radical Islam.
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| Two cheers for Erdogan: Europe hopes and fears after coup bid Posted: 16 Jul 2016 01:11 PM PDT  By Robin Emmott and Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European leaders greeted the defeat of Turkey's coup on Saturday with relief as it averts chaos and keeps alive a deal that has helped to stem the migration crisis threatening the continent. "Erdogan will be judged on his response," one EU official involved in the plan said, citing arrests of judges as an early sign that justified "deep concern that this will lead to a new trampling on rights of freedom of expression and demonstration". Senior members of the European Parliament, where anger at the prickly Turkish leader's treatment of elected opponents could stymie the EU deal to reward Turkey for stopping refugees, were pessimistic about the outlook for Turkish democracy.
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| Obama warns Turkey to 'act within the rule of law' Posted: 16 Jul 2016 10:43 AM PDT  President Barack Obama called on Turkey to respect the rule of law Saturday, a warning to the country's government as it rounded up alleged coup plotters. Obama also urged Turkish leaders to "avoid actions that would lead to further violence or instability," the White House said. Although the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repelled the coup, the situation remains fraught and tensions between Washington and Ankara are growing.
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| Five reasons why France is a prime target for jihadists Posted: 16 Jul 2016 10:22 AM PDT  In 18 months France has been the target of three major terrorist attacks claimed by jihadists in which more than 230 people have died. From sub-Saharan Africa to the Middle East, France is in the front line of the fight against radical Islamist groups. It is the second biggest contributor to US-led airstrikes against IS in Iraq and Syria.
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| Does the US really need a vice president? Posted: 16 Jul 2016 10:00 AM PDT  One went off to sea, the other became vice president of the United States. Vice presidents have become more visible, and have much better access to the Oval Office. As Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton battle for the White House in November, and choose running mates -- Trump has selected Indiana Governor Mike Pence -- the debate on the role, and usefulness, of an American vice president is raging again.
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| Trump's VP choice compares mogul to US icon Reagan Posted: 16 Jul 2016 09:48 AM PDT  In his first interview as Donald Trump's running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence late Friday compared the Republican presidential hopeful to conservative icon Ronald Reagan. Pence, interviewed on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" show, emphasized that the real estate mogul and reality TV star was "the people's choice". The Republican Party "had a competitive primary with him, enormous number of talented men and women," Pence said.
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| Reacting to coup bid, Trump expresses support for Turks Posted: 16 Jul 2016 09:43 AM PDT  Donald Trump appeared to express support for the Turkish government on Saturday, saying "it looks like they're resolving the difficulty," even as he blamed much of the unrest in the Middle East on Hillary Clinton. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee's brief comments on Turkey were made in passing during a speech formally introducing Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate. "As far as Turkey is concerned, so many friends in Turkey, great people, amazing people," he said.
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| Obama consults top aides as Turkey unrest hits IS fight Posted: 16 Jul 2016 09:40 AM PDT  US President Barack Obama held talks with top national security advisers Saturday after a coup attempt in Turkey that froze some air strikes against the Islamic State (IS) group. The government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to have repelled the plot, but the situation remains fraught and tensions between Washington and Ankara appeared to be growing. The Turkish authorities have imposed a security lockdown and cut power to the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.
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| US suspends strikes against IS group from Turkey base: official Posted: 16 Jul 2016 09:36 AM PDT  The US military has suspended air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq from a base in southern Turkey, a US official said. Operations from the Incirlik air base were suspended because of the closure of the airspace used by the missions, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement. The Turkish authorities imposed a security lockdown at Incirlik on Saturday following an attempted coup d'etat by military officers overnight.
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| Turkey detains Second Army commander after coup attempt: Anadolu Posted: 16 Jul 2016 09:19 AM PDT ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish authorities on Saturday detained the commander of the Second Army in connection with the attempted military takeover overnight, Anadolu news agency reported. General Adem Huduti is the most senior officer to be apprehended so far following the attempted intervention that killed more than 160 people. The Second Army, based in Malatya, protects Turkey's borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by David Dolan) |
| Turkey quashes coup; Erdogan vows 'heavy price' for plotters Posted: 16 Jul 2016 06:56 AM PDT  Forces loyal to Turkey's president quashed a coup attempt in a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left at least 161 people dead and 1,440 wounded Saturday. The chaos came amid a period of political turmoil in Turkey — a NATO member and key Western ally in the fight against the Islamic State group — that critics blame on Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule. Staying in power by switching from being prime minister to president, Erdogan has shaken up the government, cracked down on dissidents, restricted the news media and renewed fighting with Kurdish rebels.
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| Turkey reopens border with Bulgaria, reassures on refugees: PM Posted: 16 Jul 2016 06:17 AM PDT Turkey has reopened border crossings with neighboring Bulgaria after closing them in the early hours of Saturday following an attempted coup, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said. There were no signs of an increase in refugee flows into Bulgaria, and Turkey's government has given assurances that the border will not be overwhelmed, Borisov told reporters after meeting with the Turkish ambassador. A fence to stop illegal crossings into the country from Turkey is already in place. |
| Turkey's army: one of the best-trained in the world Posted: 16 Jul 2016 06:04 AM PDT  A section of the Turkish military, the second-largest army in NATO after the United States', caught the world off guard on Friday by staging an attempted coup. The move stunned Turkey observers, who believed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party had brought the secular-minded army to heel. Acting army chief General Umit Dundar announced Saturday the putsch had been foiled.
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| AP PHOTOS: A selection of pictures from the past week Posted: 16 Jul 2016 02:36 AM PDT  Highlights from the weekly AP photo report, a gallery featuring a mix of front-page photography, the odd image you might have missed and lasting moments our editors think you should see.
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| IS claims Nice massacre Posted: 16 Jul 2016 02:29 AM PDT  Beirut (AFP) - The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the truck attack that killed 84 people in Nice on France's national holiday, a news service affiliated with the jihadists said Saturday.
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| Libyan forces battling Islamic State in Sirte suffer losses in push to advance Posted: 16 Jul 2016 12:56 AM PDT  Forces aligned with Libya's U.N.-backed government suffered losses from snipers and mines on Friday as they battled Islamic State to win control of a strategic conference centre in the coastal city of Sirte. Islamic State is clinging on in the centre of Sirte in the face of a two-month campaign by brigades mainly composed of fighters from the western city of Misrata. Losing Sirte would represent a major setback for Islamic State, which established its most important base outside Syria and Iraq in the Libyan city.
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| Turkish president says he's in control, coup faltering Posted: 15 Jul 2016 11:15 PM PDT  Turkey's president declared he was in control of the country early Saturday as government forces fought to squash a coup attempt during a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left dozens dead. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned coup supporters that "they will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey," according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office. Turkey's state-run news agency, Anadlou, says military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar is taking over the command of the operation against the coup plotters, CNN-Turk said.
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| Today in History Posted: 15 Jul 2016 09:01 PM PDT Today in History |
| World powers urge 'stability' in Turkey Posted: 15 Jul 2016 07:47 PM PDT  World leaders urged "respect for democratic institutions" in key NATO member and European neighbour Turkey as parts of the military launched a coup attempt late Friday against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that saw violence erupt in Istanbul. The United States, Russia, NATO and the European Union appealed for stability, with US President Barack Obama calling on all parties in Turkey to back the "democratically-elected" government.
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