February 21 in History: NASCAR is founded, The Communist Manifesto published, and more!

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Sunday that former Bolivian leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivias-congress-approves-law-for-new-elections-without-morales-264143">Evo&nbsp;Morales</a>&nbsp;was the "victim&nbsp;of a&nbsp;coup d'etat."

The leftist president, nicknamed&nbsp;AMLO, celebrated his first year in office with a speech to throngs of supporters in Mexico City.

While detailing budget and tax policies, and the ongoing fight against corruption, Lopez Obrador touched on Mexico's foreign policy by recalling his government's decision to accept&nbsp;Morales&nbsp;as an asylum seeker.

"Evo was the&nbsp;victim&nbsp;of a&nbsp;coup d'etat! And from Mexico, we tell the world, 'Yes to democracy, no to militarism!'"&nbsp;AMLO&nbsp;said&nbsp;during&nbsp;the rally in the central Plaza del Zocalo.

The square was packed with people, and musical groups performed alongside&nbsp;AMLO's speech.

It also marked the first time that Lopez Obrador, who has been in office for a year, spoke directly about the circumstances that led to&nbsp;Morales's departure from Bolivia.

Morales&nbsp;resigned on November 10 amid swelling protests over what political opponents said was his rigging of October 20 elections.

He fled to Mexico the following day after losing the support of the military and police, claiming to be the&nbsp;victim&nbsp;of a&nbsp;coup.

While echoing&nbsp;Morales's claim Sunday,&nbsp;AMLO&nbsp;called the exiled leader "our brother, who represents with dignity the majority of indigenous people of Bolivia."

Morales&nbsp;has yet to meet publicly with Lopez Obrador. He was welcomed on arrival to Mexico by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

Lopez Obrador's one-year anniversary was marred by a shootout Saturday afternoon near the US border between suspected drug traffickers and police, leaving 20 dead.

Police reported earlier that 21 people had been killed but subsequently corrected the number.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivian-police-battle-with-morales-supporters-death-toll-jumps-262628">Shooting continued into early Sunday</a>, and authorities said that four of those killed were police, 14 were suspected criminals and another three bodies were unidentified.

The shootout comes after Lopez Obrador warned he would not allow the US to conduct cross-border armed operations against drug cartels in the country.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Sunday that former Bolivian leader Evo Morales was the "victim of a coup d'etat." The leftist president, nicknamed AMLO, celebrated his first year in office with a speech to throngs of supporters in Mexico City.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Sunday that former Bolivian leader Evo Morales was the "victim of a coup d'etat." The leftist president, nicknamed AMLO, celebrated his first year in office with a speech to throngs of supporters in Mexico City. While detailing budget and tax policies, and the ongoing fight against corruption, Lopez Obrador touched on Mexico's foreign policy by recalling his government's decision to accept Morales as an asylum seeker. "Evo was the victim of a coup d'etat! And from Mexico, we tell the world, 'Yes to democracy, no to militarism!'" AMLO said during the rally in the central Plaza del Zocalo. The square was packed with people, and musical groups performed alongside AMLO's speech. It also marked the first time that Lopez Obrador, who has been in office for a year, spoke directly about the circumstances that led to Morales's departure from Bolivia. Morales resigned on November 10 amid swelling protests over what political opponents said was his rigging of October 20 elections. He fled to Mexico the following day after losing the support of the military and police, claiming to be the victim of a coup. While echoing Morales's claim Sunday, AMLO called the exiled leader "our brother, who represents with dignity the majority of indigenous people of Bolivia." Morales has yet to meet publicly with Lopez Obrador. He was welcomed on arrival to Mexico by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. Lopez Obrador's one-year anniversary was marred by a shootout Saturday afternoon near the US border between suspected drug traffickers and police, leaving 20 dead. Police reported earlier that 21 people had been killed but subsequently corrected the number. Shooting continued into early Sunday, and authorities said that four of those killed were police, 14 were suspected criminals and another three bodies were unidentified. The shootout comes after Lopez Obrador warned he would not allow the US to conduct cross-border armed operations against drug cartels in the country.

Morales' victim of coup: Mexican president AMLO

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-justice-ministry-indicts-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-for-fraud-breach-of-trust-and-corruption-263741">Israel's Benjamin&nbsp;Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;on Thursday became the country's first prime minister to be indicted in office, on&nbsp;corruption&nbsp;charges, but defiantly condemned the "coup" against him and vowed to hold onto power.

The shock announcement compounded the political chaos gripping Israel, which has been without a government for months and faces the prospect of its third election in a year.

After&nbsp;months of suspense, Israel's longest-serving premier was charged by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit with&nbsp;bribery, fraud and breach of trust.&nbsp;

Netanyahu&nbsp;immediately hit back in an often vitriolic 15-minute speech, accusing the judiciary, police and others of plotting against him with "false" and "politically motivated" allegations.

"What is going on here is an attempt to stage a coup against the prime minister," he charged in a televised address.

"The object of the investigations was to oust the right from the government."

He vowed to stay on as interim premier despite potential court dates and intense political pressure.

"I will continue to lead this country, according to the letter of the law," he said.

Political rival Benny Gantz, who had been trying to form a coalition government, said it was a "very sad" day for Israel to indict a leader, but called on&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;to "step down from his position and focus on the charges against him".

"There is no coup in Israel, but rather those that have barricaded themselves in power," he said.

Watch: Israeli PM Netanyahu indicted for fraud, breach of trust, and bribery

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'Hard and sad day'

The 70-year-old premier, nicknamed "Mr Security" and "King Bibi", has been in power since 2009 and dominates Israel's political scene.

The&nbsp;indictment&nbsp;comes with crunch talks due on forming a government,&nbsp;after&nbsp;two inconclusive general elections left the country's political system deadlocked.&nbsp;

Netanyahu&nbsp;is not legally required to resign unless he is convicted and any subsequent appeals process is exhausted, but political pressure is likely to be intense.

He may now <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-president-asks-parliament-to-find-new-pm-and-avoid-elections-263705">ask the parliament</a>, or Knesset, to grant him immunity from prosecution.

The charges against&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;range from receiving gifts worth thousands of dollars to a deal to change regulatory frameworks in favour of a media group in exchange for positive coverage.

Mandelblit said it was a "hard and sad day" for Israel to indict a leader, but it showed no citizen was above the law.

"The citizens of Israel, all of us, and myself, look up to the elected officials, and first and foremost to the prime minister," Mandelblit said.

"Law enforcement is not a choice. It is not a matter of right or left. It's not a matter of politics."

On a day of high political drama, dozens of&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;supporters gathered outside his official residence, many holding pictures of the&nbsp;PM&nbsp;and slogans attacking Mandelblit.&nbsp;

"We are all&nbsp;Netanyahu," one sign read.

But on Twitter, many hailed the day's events, and "happy day" quickly became Israel's top trending phrase.

'Fight for political life'

A perennial fighter,&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;has outlived many political rivals. Hugh Lovatt, an Israel-Palestine analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said he wouldn't give up power easily.

"Now more than ever&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;will be fighting for his political and personal life," Lovatt said.

Of the three cases against&nbsp;Netanyahu, the third, known as Case 4,000, is seen as the most serious and carries&nbsp;bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges.

He is alleged to have negotiated with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;telecommunications giant Bezeq, to secure positive coverage on his Walla! news site in exchange for policies benefiting Bezeq.

Elovitch and his wife were also indicted.

Case 1,000 involves allegations&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;and his family received gifts including luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery from wealthy individuals, estimated to be worth more than 700,000 shekels ($200,000, 185,000 euros), in exchange for financial or personal favours.

Another, Case 2,000, concerns allegations&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;sought a deal with the owner of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper that would have seen it give him more favourable coverage.

Political turmoil

The next steps in the process remain unclear, with no trial date yet set.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israelis-celebrate-palestinians-rail-against-us-settlement-move-263167">The developments</a> were set to only deepen the political turmoil in Israel, which has been without a stable majority government for much of the year.

Neither Likud leader&nbsp;Netanyahu&nbsp;nor rival Gantz, head of the centrist Blue and White party, have been able to form a coalition government following deadlocked elections in April and September.

Netanyahu&nbsp;has remained interim prime minister.

The Knesset has 21 days remaining to find a candidate capable of commanding the support of the majority of the country's 120 MPs, and the&nbsp;indictment&nbsp;is likely to strengthen former army chief Gantz's&nbsp;claims.

Gantz has reportedly tried to woo Likud MPs to join him in a broad national unity government, but so far there have been no takers.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday became the country's first prime minister to be indicted in office, on corruption charges, but defiantly condemned the "coup" against him and vowed to hold onto power.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday became the country's first prime minister to be indicted in office, on corruption charges, but defiantly condemned the "coup" against him and vowed to hold onto power. The shock announcement compounded the political chaos gripping Israel, which has been without a government for months and faces the prospect of its third election in a year. After months of suspense, Israel's longest-serving premier was charged by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit with bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Netanyahu immediately hit back in an often vitriolic 15-minute speech, accusing the judiciary, police and others of plotting against him with "false" and "politically motivated" allegations. "What is going on here is an attempt to stage a coup against the prime minister," he charged in a televised address. "The object of the investigations was to oust the right from the government." He vowed to stay on as interim premier despite potential court dates and intense political pressure. "I will continue to lead this country, according to the letter of the law," he said. Political rival Benny Gantz, who had been trying to form a coalition government, said it was a "very sad" day for Israel to indict a leader, but called on Netanyahu to "step down from his position and focus on the charges against him". "There is no coup in Israel, but rather those that have barricaded themselves in power," he said. Watch: Israeli PM Netanyahu indicted for fraud, breach of trust, and bribery 'Hard and sad day' The 70-year-old premier, nicknamed "Mr Security" and "King Bibi", has been in power since 2009 and dominates Israel's political scene. The indictment comes with crunch talks due on forming a government, after two inconclusive general elections left the country's political system deadlocked. Netanyahu is not legally required to resign unless he is convicted and any subsequent appeals process is exhausted, but political pressure is likely to be intense. He may now ask the parliament, or Knesset, to grant him immunity from prosecution. The charges against Netanyahu range from receiving gifts worth thousands of dollars to a deal to change regulatory frameworks in favour of a media group in exchange for positive coverage. Mandelblit said it was a "hard and sad day" for Israel to indict a leader, but it showed no citizen was above the law. "The citizens of Israel, all of us, and myself, look up to the elected officials, and first and foremost to the prime minister," Mandelblit said. "Law enforcement is not a choice. It is not a matter of right or left. It's not a matter of politics." On a day of high political drama, dozens of Netanyahu supporters gathered outside his official residence, many holding pictures of the PM and slogans attacking Mandelblit. "We are all Netanyahu," one sign read. But on Twitter, many hailed the day's events, and "happy day" quickly became Israel's top trending phrase. 'Fight for political life' A perennial fighter, Netanyahu has outlived many political rivals. Hugh Lovatt, an Israel-Palestine analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said he wouldn't give up power easily. "Now more than ever Netanyahu will be fighting for his political and personal life," Lovatt said. Of the three cases against Netanyahu, the third, known as Case 4,000, is seen as the most serious and carries bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges. He is alleged to have negotiated with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Israeli telecommunications giant Bezeq, to secure positive coverage on his Walla! news site in exchange for policies benefiting Bezeq. Elovitch and his wife were also indicted. Case 1,000 involves allegations Netanyahu and his family received gifts including luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery from wealthy individuals, estimated to be worth more than 700,000 shekels ($200,000, 185,000 euros), in exchange for financial or personal favours. Another, Case 2,000, concerns allegations Netanyahu sought a deal with the owner of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper that would have seen it give him more favourable coverage. Political turmoil The next steps in the process remain unclear, with no trial date yet set. The developments were set to only deepen the political turmoil in Israel, which has been without a stable majority government for much of the year. Neither Likud leader Netanyahu nor rival Gantz, head of the centrist Blue and White party, have been able to form a coalition government following deadlocked elections in April and September. Netanyahu has remained interim prime minister. The Knesset has 21 days remaining to find a candidate capable of commanding the support of the majority of the country's 120 MPs, and the indictment is likely to strengthen former army chief Gantz's claims. Gantz has reportedly tried to woo Likud MPs to join him in a broad national unity government, but so far there have been no takers.

Israel's Netanyahu defies 'coup against him' amid corruption charges

Malian President&nbsp;Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday rejected as speculation talk of a military coup after recent jihadist attacks left dozens of soldiers dead.

Keita said lessons would be learned after 38 soldiers were killed in two attacks last week near the border with Burkina Faso, a death toll that observers say is probably an underestimate.

"No military coup will prevail in Mali, let it be said," the president said in remarks recorded Saturday and released on Sunday. "And I don't think this is on the agenda at all and cannot worry us," he added.

"We are at war," the president said after the attacks last Monday and Tuesday in the towns of Boulkessy and Mondoro, which evoked memories of a 2012 army coup in the former French colony.

"What happened at Boulkessy could unfortunately happen again," Keita said.

The assailants used heavily armed vehicles in the raids on the two military camps, during which the government said troops killed 15 jihadists.

The jihadists made off with a large quantity of arms, ammunition and equipment -- local media said about 20 vehicles were captured, including some mounted with machine guns.

Sources said Malian special forces and foreign allies, including French warplanes and helicopters, helped to quash the attacks.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday rejected as speculation talk of a military coup after recent jihadist attacks left dozens of soldiers dead. Keita said lessons would be learned after 38 soldiers were killed in two attacks last week near the border with Burkina Faso, a death toll that observers say is probably an underestimate.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday rejected as speculation talk of a military coup after recent jihadist attacks left dozens of soldiers dead. Keita said lessons would be learned after 38 soldiers were killed in two attacks last week near the border with Burkina Faso, a death toll that observers say is probably an underestimate. "No military coup will prevail in Mali, let it be said," the president said in remarks recorded Saturday and released on Sunday. "And I don't think this is on the agenda at all and cannot worry us," he added. "We are at war," the president said after the attacks last Monday and Tuesday in the towns of Boulkessy and Mondoro, which evoked memories of a 2012 army coup in the former French colony. "What happened at Boulkessy could unfortunately happen again," Keita said. The assailants used heavily armed vehicles in the raids on the two military camps, during which the government said troops killed 15 jihadists. The jihadists made off with a large quantity of arms, ammunition and equipment -- local media said about 20 vehicles were captured, including some mounted with machine guns. Sources said Malian special forces and foreign allies, including French warplanes and helicopters, helped to quash the attacks.

Mali president dismisses coup speculation

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday security forces had foiled an opposition coup attempt that included plans to assassinate him and other top political figures and install a jailed former military officer as president.

Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro claims his govt foiled opposition's coup plot

Sudan's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudans-military-rulers-say-several-coup-attempts-thwarted-226983">ruling military council</a> Thursday for the first time admitted it dispersed a Khartoum sit-in, which left dozens dead, as US and African diplomats stepped up efforts for a solution to the country's political crisis.

Protesters had staged the weeks-long sit-in outside army headquarters in Khartoum, first calling for the ouster of veteran leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-charges-ousted-leader-omar-al-bashir-with-corruption-state-media-226978">Omar al-Bashir</a> then for the military council that took his place to hand power to a civilian administration.

But on June 3, days after talks between protest leaders and the military collapsed, armed men in military fatigues broke up the camp in an operation that doctors said left 120 people dead. The health ministry has put the death toll for that day at 61 nationwide.

The military council had "decided to disperse the sit-in", said spokesman Shamseddine Kabbashi.

"We ordered the commanders to come up with a plan to disperse this sit-in. They made a plan and implemented it ... but we regret that some mistakes happened."

Later at the end of the conference Kabbashi said that the plan was to clear a nearby area called Colombia, usually inhabited by drug peddlers, but then "we regret what happened".

He said the findings of an investigation into the incident would be released on Saturday.

Video: Deadly Violence in Sudan

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Kabbashi also claimed "more than one coup attempt had been planned" against the military council but were prevented in recent days, with "two groups of officers" taken into custody.

Kabbashi's comments came after protesters, who had staged a nationwide civil disobedience movement to demand civilian rule, agreed Tuesday to end the campaign and resume talks with the generals.

Traffic jams have returned to downtown Khartoum and some shops in the capital's famous gold market began to reopen Thursday as more residents and office employees ventured out.

Fewer troops and members of the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, accused by protesters and rights groups of leading the crackdown, were on the streets in downtown Khartoum, according to an AFP correspondent who toured parts of the capital.

But they were deployed in force in the northern district of Bahari, a bastion of protests against the military council and Bashir, who on Thursday was charged with corruption.&nbsp;

"Today is my first day to work after the campaign ended but I'm not in the mood to work," said Suheir Hassan, an employee at a government office.

"On my way I passed by the sit-in area and remembered that all those voices who used to chant revolutionary slogans have now disappeared."

US efforts for solution

Following Ethiopian mediation efforts, Washington's newly appointed special envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth, and the assistant secretary of state for Africa, Tibor Nagy, met military council chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday.

Burhan told the envoys that Sudan and its people had a positive view of US efforts to reach a political settlement, according to a statement released by the military council.

Washington said Booth had been named to help craft a "peaceful solution" to the crisis that has rocked the northeast African country.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella protest movement said its leaders had briefed the two US officials on Wednesday on the need for a transparent investigation into the June 3 killings.

They also called for the withdrawal of "militias" from the streets in Khartoum and other towns, the lifting of an internet blockade and the establishment of a civilian administration, it said in a statement.

The African Union, which suspended Sudan following the crackdown, said global efforts were being made to resolve the crisis.

The AU's special envoy to Sudan, Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt, said an international team of diplomats was working to resolve the crisis and that separate discussions with the two sides were "moving forward".

Video: Human rights violation in Sudan

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Demand for guarantees

The US diplomats were also expected to meet with top envoys from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in Khartoum.&nbsp;

Experts say the three key regional powers back the generals.

Days after Bashir's overthrow in April, Saudi Arabia and the UAE offered a $3-billion aid package to Khartoum, including a $500-million cash injection into the central bank to help support the Sudanese pound, which has plunged against the dollar.

The country's worsening economic crisis was one initial trigger for protests against Bashir's three-decade rule.

On Thursday, prosecutors charged him with corruption and "possessing foreign funds, acquiring suspect and illegal wealth" and putting in place a state of emergency, state media reported.

Last month, Sudan's public prosecutor ordered the questioning of Bashir, who is being held in Khartoum's Kober prison, over money-laundering and "financing terrorism".

Talks between the protest leaders and generals collapsed in mid-May over the question of who should lead a new governing body -- a civilian or a soldier.

Relations worsened following the crackdown, with protest leaders now insisting any agreement reached with the military rulers must be backed by "regional and international" guarantees.

Sudan's ruling military council Thursday for the first time admitted it dispersed a Khartoum sit-in, which left dozens dead, as US and African diplomats stepped up efforts for a solution to the country's political crisis.

Sudan's ruling military council Thursday for the first time admitted it dispersed a Khartoum sit-in, which left dozens dead, as US and African diplomats stepped up efforts for a solution to the country's political crisis. Protesters had staged the weeks-long sit-in outside army headquarters in Khartoum, first calling for the ouster of veteran leader Omar al-Bashir then for the military council that took his place to hand power to a civilian administration. But on June 3, days after talks between protest leaders and the military collapsed, armed men in military fatigues broke up the camp in an operation that doctors said left 120 people dead. The health ministry has put the death toll for that day at 61 nationwide. The military council had "decided to disperse the sit-in", said spokesman Shamseddine Kabbashi. "We ordered the commanders to come up with a plan to disperse this sit-in. They made a plan and implemented it ... but we regret that some mistakes happened." Later at the end of the conference Kabbashi said that the plan was to clear a nearby area called Colombia, usually inhabited by drug peddlers, but then "we regret what happened". He said the findings of an investigation into the incident would be released on Saturday. Video: Deadly Violence in Sudan × Kabbashi also claimed "more than one coup attempt had been planned" against the military council but were prevented in recent days, with "two groups of officers" taken into custody. Kabbashi's comments came after protesters, who had staged a nationwide civil disobedience movement to demand civilian rule, agreed Tuesday to end the campaign and resume talks with the generals. Traffic jams have returned to downtown Khartoum and some shops in the capital's famous gold market began to reopen Thursday as more residents and office employees ventured out. Fewer troops and members of the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, accused by protesters and rights groups of leading the crackdown, were on the streets in downtown Khartoum, according to an AFP correspondent who toured parts of the capital. But they were deployed in force in the northern district of Bahari, a bastion of protests against the military council and Bashir, who on Thursday was charged with corruption. "Today is my first day to work after the campaign ended but I'm not in the mood to work," said Suheir Hassan, an employee at a government office. "On my way I passed by the sit-in area and remembered that all those voices who used to chant revolutionary slogans have now disappeared." US efforts for solution Following Ethiopian mediation efforts, Washington's newly appointed special envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth, and the assistant secretary of state for Africa, Tibor Nagy, met military council chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday. Burhan told the envoys that Sudan and its people had a positive view of US efforts to reach a political settlement, according to a statement released by the military council. Washington said Booth had been named to help craft a "peaceful solution" to the crisis that has rocked the northeast African country. The Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella protest movement said its leaders had briefed the two US officials on Wednesday on the need for a transparent investigation into the June 3 killings. They also called for the withdrawal of "militias" from the streets in Khartoum and other towns, the lifting of an internet blockade and the establishment of a civilian administration, it said in a statement. The African Union, which suspended Sudan following the crackdown, said global efforts were being made to resolve the crisis. The AU's special envoy to Sudan, Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt, said an international team of diplomats was working to resolve the crisis and that separate discussions with the two sides were "moving forward". Video: Human rights violation in Sudan × Demand for guarantees The US diplomats were also expected to meet with top envoys from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in Khartoum. Experts say the three key regional powers back the generals. Days after Bashir's overthrow in April, Saudi Arabia and the UAE offered a $3-billion aid package to Khartoum, including a $500-million cash injection into the central bank to help support the Sudanese pound, which has plunged against the dollar. The country's worsening economic crisis was one initial trigger for protests against Bashir's three-decade rule. On Thursday, prosecutors charged him with corruption and "possessing foreign funds, acquiring suspect and illegal wealth" and putting in place a state of emergency, state media reported. Last month, Sudan's public prosecutor ordered the questioning of Bashir, who is being held in Khartoum's Kober prison, over money-laundering and "financing terrorism". Talks between the protest leaders and generals collapsed in mid-May over the question of who should lead a new governing body -- a civilian or a soldier. Relations worsened following the crackdown, with protest leaders now insisting any agreement reached with the military rulers must be backed by "regional and international" guarantees.

Sudan military admits dispersing sit-in, says 'mistakes happened'

Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido said on Tuesday that<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelas-guaido-claims-support-of-soldiers-from-a-caracas-base-214760"> troops had joined his campaign to oust President </a>Nicolas Maduro as the government vowed to put down what it said was an attempted coup.

"We are currently facing and deactivating a small group of treacherous military personnel who took positions in the Altamira distributor road (in Caracas) to promote a coup d'etat," Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said on Twitter.

"We call on the people to remain on maximum alert to -- with our glorious National Bolivarian Armed Forces -- defeat the attempted coup and preserve peace," he said.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-venezuela-relations-in-deep-freeze-214189/amp">US-Venezuela relations in deep freeze</a>

In a video recorded at a Caracas military air base posted on social media, the US-backed Guaido said troops had heeded months of urging to join his campaign to oust Maduro.

"Today brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men supporting the constitution have answered our call," he said.

'Definitive phase'

He appeared alongside high-profile opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez who had been put under home arrest by Maduro's regime but who announced he had been "freed" by soldiers supporting Guaido.

Lopez posted a picture on Twitter with men in uniform, and said it was taken at the Carlota military base.

"Venezuela: the definitive phase to end the usurpation, Operation Liberty, has begun," read the message.

Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez asserted on Twitter that the situation in military barracks and bases in the country was "normal".

Tensions in Venezuela have been ratcheted up to a critical level this year, after Guaido, who is head of the opposition-ruled congress, announced January 23 that he was the acting president under the constitution. He said Maduro had been fraudulently re-elected last year.

The United States and major Latin American powers including Brazil, Peru and Chile swiftly backed Guaido, followed later on by the European Union.&nbsp;

But Maduro, who since taking over from his late mentor Hugo Chavez in 2013 has presided over a catastrophic economic implosion, has been able to count on support from Russia and China, Venezuela's two biggest creditors.

Although US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said "all options" are on the table regarding Venezuela -- including, implicitly, military action -- there has been no noticeable US military mobilization.

Instead, Washington has upped the economic pressure, through sanctions aimed at Maduro's regime and by cutting sales of Venezuelan oil -- the South American country's main revenue earner.

It also warned against any attempt to arrest Guaido, who has been left free to roam Venezuela and hold rallies.

Maduro and his government have repeatedly accused the United States of trying to foment a coup, and blame the economic devastation in the country on the tightening US sanctions.

In Madrid, the government warned against a "bloodbath."

Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido said on Tuesday that troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro as the government vowed to put down what it said was an attempted coup.

Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido said on Tuesday that troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro as the government vowed to put down what it said was an attempted coup. "We are currently facing and deactivating a small group of treacherous military personnel who took positions in the Altamira distributor road (in Caracas) to promote a coup d'etat," Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said on Twitter. "We call on the people to remain on maximum alert to -- with our glorious National Bolivarian Armed Forces -- defeat the attempted coup and preserve peace," he said. Also read: US-Venezuela relations in deep freeze In a video recorded at a Caracas military air base posted on social media, the US-backed Guaido said troops had heeded months of urging to join his campaign to oust Maduro. "Today brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men supporting the constitution have answered our call," he said. 'Definitive phase' He appeared alongside high-profile opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez who had been put under home arrest by Maduro's regime but who announced he had been "freed" by soldiers supporting Guaido. Lopez posted a picture on Twitter with men in uniform, and said it was taken at the Carlota military base. "Venezuela: the definitive phase to end the usurpation, Operation Liberty, has begun," read the message. Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez asserted on Twitter that the situation in military barracks and bases in the country was "normal". Tensions in Venezuela have been ratcheted up to a critical level this year, after Guaido, who is head of the opposition-ruled congress, announced January 23 that he was the acting president under the constitution. He said Maduro had been fraudulently re-elected last year. The United States and major Latin American powers including Brazil, Peru and Chile swiftly backed Guaido, followed later on by the European Union. But Maduro, who since taking over from his late mentor Hugo Chavez in 2013 has presided over a catastrophic economic implosion, has been able to count on support from Russia and China, Venezuela's two biggest creditors. Although US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said "all options" are on the table regarding Venezuela -- including, implicitly, military action -- there has been no noticeable US military mobilization. Instead, Washington has upped the economic pressure, through sanctions aimed at Maduro's regime and by cutting sales of Venezuelan oil -- the South American country's main revenue earner. It also warned against any attempt to arrest Guaido, who has been left free to roam Venezuela and hold rallies. Maduro and his government have repeatedly accused the United States of trying to foment a coup, and blame the economic devastation in the country on the tightening US sanctions. In Madrid, the government warned against a "bloodbath."

Venezuela says 'attempted coup' underway

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said.

Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said.

Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies.

Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP.

"We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added.

The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty.&nbsp;

They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement.

Turkish officials defend the crackdown by pointing to what it describes as the Gulen group's "virus"-like infiltration of key institutions, including the police.

Members of the movement are accused of cheating on entry exams to gain access to important public bodies.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Sunday that authorities "were planning a big operation" against the movement.

"Devils wouldn't even conduct the tricks that they did," Soylu said, adding that Turkey would "finish them off in this country".

There have been regular raids across Turkey in recent weeks against alleged members of the movement, despite criticism from human rights defenders and Ankara's Western allies over the scale of the crackdown.

Tens of thousands of people have been taken into custody over suspected links to Gulen since 2016 while over 100,000 -- including teachers, police officers, and judges -- have been sacked or suspended from the public sector.

Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said last month that 31,088 people have been convicted or jailed over suspected Gulen links.

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said.

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said. Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said. Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies. Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP. "We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added. The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty. They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement. Turkish officials defend the crackdown by pointing to what it describes as the Gulen group's "virus"-like infiltration of key institutions, including the police. Members of the movement are accused of cheating on entry exams to gain access to important public bodies. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Sunday that authorities "were planning a big operation" against the movement. "Devils wouldn't even conduct the tricks that they did," Soylu said, adding that Turkey would "finish them off in this country". There have been regular raids across Turkey in recent weeks against alleged members of the movement, despite criticism from human rights defenders and Ankara's Western allies over the scale of the crackdown. Tens of thousands of people have been taken into custody over suspected links to Gulen since 2016 while over 100,000 -- including teachers, police officers, and judges -- have been sacked or suspended from the public sector. Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said last month that 31,088 people have been convicted or jailed over suspected Gulen links.

Turkey detains more than 700 over alleged links to coup bid

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday accused Washington of ordering a coup against his government and called for a "total revision" of ties with the US.

The latest claims by Caracas of a US coup plot came the day before a mass street protest announced by the opposition, and one day after a mutiny by some soldiers.

Maduro was specifically reacting to comments by US Vice President Mike Pence, who posted a video on Twitter branding Maduro "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hola-im-mike-pence-us-vp-delivers-message-of-support-to-venezuelans-192101">a dictator with no legitimate claim to power</a>."

Referring to Wednesday's planned opposition rally, Pence added: "As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you."

Maduro responded during a radio and TV broadcast that "what the government of the United States did through Vice President Mike Pence, was to give orders to carry out a coup from the fascist state... which is unparalleled in the history of relations between the United States and Venezuela in 200 years."

He ordered Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to begin "a total revision of relations" with Washington, which has already sanctioned top Venezuelan regime figures.

'Reconsider the plan' 
With Maduro's government ominously predicting there would be violence against opposition protesters, US Senator Marco Rubio warned Venezuela's intelligence service to "reconsider the plan they have for tomorrow before it's too late."

"You are about to cross a line &amp; trigger a response that believe me you are not prepared to face," the Florida Republican said on Twitter.

Rubio urged prayers for "the thousands of Venezuelans who will face danger &amp; difficulty in the hours ahead. May God give them strength. And may he change the hearts of military leaders so that they protect not repress their fellow countrymen."

The Venezuelan government's rhetoric intensified the day after a group of soldiers rose up against Maduro at a command post in the north of Caracas. They published a video on social media calling for the public to come out and support them.

But they surrendered after police and military units surrounded the post, and the 27 soldiers were arrested.

Their voices were heard, though, according to the non-governmental Social Conflict Observatory, which said on Tuesday that anti-Maduro protests were recorded in at least 30 different locations around the capital.

The Organization of American States, which has declared Maduro's new term illegitimate, plans to hold an extraordinary session on Thursday to discuss "recent events in Venezuela."

"Yankee go home! We won't let them interfere in the affairs of the homeland," Maduro's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said in televised remarks, while Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez accused Pence of having ordered "terrorists" to carry out acts of violence during Wednesday's protest.

'It was awful' 
Demonstrators are set to mobilize behind the National Assembly's new president Juan Guaido, who has branded Maduro a "usurper" and wants to establish a transitional government leading to elections.

Maduro's administration stripped the Assembly of its power but Guaido has risen to the challenge of taking him on. The movement has gained traction since Maduro was sworn in for a second term as president on January 10 after he won controversial elections.

Unrest triggered by Monday's troop uprising lasted in some places until Tuesday morning.

"Maduro out! That's what the people were shouting. It was awful," 60-year-old Dinora de Longa told AFP.

"The police were shooting and there was tear gas everywhere. I had to put my grandchildren in the bathroom. This won't solve anything."

One protest, in which people pelted cars with stones, took place on the motorway linking Caracas to the neighboring port of La Guaira, where the capital's airport is located.

The opposition accuses Maduro of running an authoritarian regime and acting unconstitutionally.

Counter demonstration 
Wednesday's protest date of January 23 is significant because it marks 61 years since the fall of Marcos Perez Jimenez's dictatorship.

The regime has responded by announcing its own demonstration in support of Maduro.

It will be the first major street movement since 125 people were killed during civil unrest between April and July 2017.

Venezuela is suffering the worst economic crisis in its modern history. Food and medicine have been in short supply, while spiraling inflation -- predicted to reach a mind-boggling 10 million percent this year -- has crippled the currency.

The crisis was sparked by a fall in global oil prices in 2014, a commodity Venezuela is almost entirely reliant upon. Its crude production has dropped to barely a third of the level of a decade ago.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday accused Washington of ordering a coup against his government and called for a "total revision" of ties with the US.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday accused Washington of ordering a coup against his government and called for a "total revision" of ties with the US. The latest claims by Caracas of a US coup plot came the day before a mass street protest announced by the opposition, and one day after a mutiny by some soldiers. Maduro was specifically reacting to comments by US Vice President Mike Pence, who posted a video on Twitter branding Maduro "a dictator with no legitimate claim to power." Referring to Wednesday's planned opposition rally, Pence added: "As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you." Maduro responded during a radio and TV broadcast that "what the government of the United States did through Vice President Mike Pence, was to give orders to carry out a coup from the fascist state... which is unparalleled in the history of relations between the United States and Venezuela in 200 years." He ordered Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to begin "a total revision of relations" with Washington, which has already sanctioned top Venezuelan regime figures. 'Reconsider the plan' With Maduro's government ominously predicting there would be violence against opposition protesters, US Senator Marco Rubio warned Venezuela's intelligence service to "reconsider the plan they have for tomorrow before it's too late." "You are about to cross a line & trigger a response that believe me you are not prepared to face," the Florida Republican said on Twitter. Rubio urged prayers for "the thousands of Venezuelans who will face danger & difficulty in the hours ahead. May God give them strength. And may he change the hearts of military leaders so that they protect not repress their fellow countrymen." The Venezuelan government's rhetoric intensified the day after a group of soldiers rose up against Maduro at a command post in the north of Caracas. They published a video on social media calling for the public to come out and support them. But they surrendered after police and military units surrounded the post, and the 27 soldiers were arrested. Their voices were heard, though, according to the non-governmental Social Conflict Observatory, which said on Tuesday that anti-Maduro protests were recorded in at least 30 different locations around the capital. The Organization of American States, which has declared Maduro's new term illegitimate, plans to hold an extraordinary session on Thursday to discuss "recent events in Venezuela." "Yankee go home! We won't let them interfere in the affairs of the homeland," Maduro's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said in televised remarks, while Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez accused Pence of having ordered "terrorists" to carry out acts of violence during Wednesday's protest. 'It was awful' Demonstrators are set to mobilize behind the National Assembly's new president Juan Guaido, who has branded Maduro a "usurper" and wants to establish a transitional government leading to elections. Maduro's administration stripped the Assembly of its power but Guaido has risen to the challenge of taking him on. The movement has gained traction since Maduro was sworn in for a second term as president on January 10 after he won controversial elections. Unrest triggered by Monday's troop uprising lasted in some places until Tuesday morning. "Maduro out! That's what the people were shouting. It was awful," 60-year-old Dinora de Longa told AFP. "The police were shooting and there was tear gas everywhere. I had to put my grandchildren in the bathroom. This won't solve anything." One protest, in which people pelted cars with stones, took place on the motorway linking Caracas to the neighboring port of La Guaira, where the capital's airport is located. The opposition accuses Maduro of running an authoritarian regime and acting unconstitutionally. Counter demonstration Wednesday's protest date of January 23 is significant because it marks 61 years since the fall of Marcos Perez Jimenez's dictatorship. The regime has responded by announcing its own demonstration in support of Maduro. It will be the first major street movement since 125 people were killed during civil unrest between April and July 2017. Venezuela is suffering the worst economic crisis in its modern history. Food and medicine have been in short supply, while spiraling inflation -- predicted to reach a mind-boggling 10 million percent this year -- has crippled the currency. The crisis was sparked by a fall in global oil prices in 2014, a commodity Venezuela is almost entirely reliant upon. Its crude production has dropped to barely a third of the level of a decade ago.

Venezuela accuses US of ordering coup, calls for 'total revision' of ties

Yemen&#39;s&nbsp;Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters.

The premier called on the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels to intervene, hours after fierce clashes erupted between military units loyal to the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and security forces loyal to the southern separatists.

At least six people, including four from pro-government forces, were killed and dozens wounded in the clashes that spread to most of Aden, security sources said.

&quot;A coup is ongoing here in Aden against legitimacy and the country`s unity,&quot; Dagher said in the statement.

Security sources told AFP that pro-separatist units, trained and backed by the United Arab Emirates, had taken over the government headquarters in Aden after clashes with pro-government forces.

Dagher said that events in Aden were headed towards &quot;total military confrontation&quot; and urged members of the coalition, in particular the UAE, to take action.

The premier called on the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels to intervene, hours after fierce clashes erupted between military units loyal to the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and security forces loyal to the southern separatists

Yemen's Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher on Sunday accused southern separatists of attempting a coup in the interim capital of Aden after they took over the government headquarters. The premier called on the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels to intervene, hours after fierce clashes erupted between military units loyal to the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and security forces loyal to the southern separatists. At least six people, including four from pro-government forces, were killed and dozens wounded in the clashes that spread to most of Aden, security sources said. "A coup is ongoing here in Aden against legitimacy and the country`s unity," Dagher said in the statement. Security sources told AFP that pro-separatist units, trained and backed by the United Arab Emirates, had taken over the government headquarters in Aden after clashes with pro-government forces. Dagher said that events in Aden were headed towards "total military confrontation" and urged members of the coalition, in particular the UAE, to take action.

Yemen PM accuses separatists of coup after HQ takeover

Saudi-led coalition urges talks between belligerents in Yemen&#39;s Aden

At least 10 people were killed and about 100 others were wounded as southern Yemeni separatists fought government troops in Aden

Saudi-led coalition urges talks between belligerents in Yemen's Aden

Zimbabwe has a new leader. Robert Mugabe is out. His former ally turned rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is in. What now?

After ecstatic celebrations to mark Mugabe&rsquo;s resignation thoughts have begun to turn to what comes next. Mugabe may have exited the political scene, but it remains dominated by the same political party &ndash; Zanu-PF &ndash; that sustained his rule.

Moreover, the country&rsquo;s president-elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is hardly a breath of fresh air. Having held a series of cabinet positions under Mugabe, and served as First Vice President between December 2014 and his sacking in November 2017, he looks more like a force for continuity than change.

As a result, talk in Harare quickly turned to what kind of leader Mnangagwa will be, and the system of government that would best serve ordinary Zimbabweans.

The fork in the road

My conversations with people on the streets of the capital, Harare, about the political system the country needs suggests that two distinct camps are emerging: Those who want elections to be held as soon as possible, and those who say the polls should be postponed and a transitional government established.

Both of these options have genuine &ldquo;pros&rdquo; but also strong &ldquo;cons&rdquo;. As is so often the case, there is no perfect answer that solves all problems.

It is understandable that many Zimbabweans want a period of calm and orderly government after the twists and turns of recent weeks, and believe that it would be better to form an inclusive government that would feature representatives of all of the main political parties &ndash; a kind of power sharing in all but name.

Even though I have consistently argued in favour of the value of democracy and elections in Africa, I have to admit that the &ldquo;transitioners&rdquo; have some viable arguments.

The most obvious is that a period of stability and the more consensual government might facilitate much-needed reform of the economy and also the wider political and legal system. After all, rival parties are unlikely to come to an agreement on these issues if they are immediately thrust into an election campaign.

The &ldquo;transitioners&rdquo; also have a point when it comes to democracy. Few people in Zimbabwe believe that it&rsquo;s possible for elections to be free and fair if they are held between July and August next year, as currently scheduled. Given this, and the current divisions within the opposition, a rush to elections is likely to result in a convincing victory for Zanu-PF under problematic circumstances.

A transitional arrangement would allow for much needed electoral reforms to be put in place, creating the potential for a better quality process and a more consensual outcome later on.

Testing the Crocodile

But there is also another camp that wants to see Mnangagwa, popularly known as The Crocodile, to face an election as soon as possible.

Just like their counterparts in the &ldquo;transitioner&rdquo; camp, &ldquo;electioneers&rdquo;, have some strong arguments. Whatever one wants to call Mnangagwa&rsquo;s rise to power &ndash; from a coup to an internal party squabble &ndash; it is clear that it has not been a high-quality democratic transition. And while it is clear that the overthrow of Mugabe was hugely popular, we don&rsquo;t know if the same applies to a Mnangagwa presidency. An election would settle that question.

It would also give the new government a popular mandate to undertake economic reforms, whoever wins power. This could be important to the success of the reform project, because things are likely to get worse before they get better, and the country&rsquo;s economic medicine may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow.

Holding elections would also do one thing that postponing them will not; it will test the commitment of the new government to democratic norms and values from the get-go. One of the main reasons that Zimbabwean elections have been poor quality is that Zanu-PF and the military have intervened to make sure this was the case. As another friend put it, &ldquo;If they are really committed to doing the right thing, they can do it right away and the elections will not be too bad&rdquo;.

Learning from the past

&ldquo;Electioneers&rdquo; are also motivated by scepticism that an inclusive transitional government would get much done. Both Zimbabwe and Kenya have had power-sharing governments in the recent past, and while they both introduced new constitutions they also saw high levels of corruption and limited security sector reform. They also both led to elections that were denounced by opposition parties as being unfree and unfair.

It&rsquo;s fair to ask: why would it be different this time?

The question is particularly pertinent given the current composition of parliament. Because Morgan Tsvangirai&rsquo;s Movement for Democratic Change boycotted a series of by-elections on the basis that they would not be free and fair, it has lost many of the seats it won in 2013. As a result, any transitional arrangement that deferred elections and &ldquo;froze&rdquo; the current parliament for the next three years would have a big legislative advantage to Zanu-PF.

It is also important to keep in mind that economics cannot be divorced from politics: Zimbabwe&rsquo;s current economic difficulties stem precisely from an unaccountable political framework that ignored the interests of the people. Given that recent events have emboldened the military and given them an even stronger voice within government, this is a pressing concern.

Deferring electoral reforms in order to focus on economic recovery may, therefore, prove to be a self-defeating strategy.

Next steps

Ultimately, the form of government that evolves in Zimbabwe will not be a product of popular dialogue. One of the distinctive features of this process is that for the most part it has been conducted behind closed doors by a small elite.

Don&rsquo;t be fooled by the pictures of tens of thousands of people marching on Saturday &ndash; all sides have invoked popular support, but none have actually encouraged ordinary people to say what they want, or given them a seat at the table. This is a worrying sign if strengthening democracy is the long-term goal.

Recent public statements by the main parties at the time of going to press suggests that they are not converging on an interim administration, and so the &ldquo;electioneers&rdquo; may get their wish. That could still change because talks are ongoing and both sides would gain something from a delay. But if it doesn&rsquo;t the people will be able to have their say on how they want their country to be run.

Of course, voting will not actually equate to &ldquo;having a say&rdquo; unless the country&rsquo;s new leader follows through on his promise to build a &ldquo;new democracy&rdquo;, and the ruling party can kick the habit of a lifetime. Watch this space.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-mnangagwa-usher-in-a-new-democracy-the-view-from-zimbabwe-88023" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

After the fall of autocratic ruler Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe faces a difficult choice between the stability of a transnational government or a potentially divisive election contest.

Zimbabwe has a new leader. Robert Mugabe is out. His former ally turned rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is in. What now? After ecstatic celebrations to mark Mugabe’s resignation thoughts have begun to turn to what comes next. Mugabe may have exited the political scene, but it remains dominated by the same political party – Zanu-PF – that sustained his rule. Moreover, the country’s president-elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is hardly a breath of fresh air. Having held a series of cabinet positions under Mugabe, and served as First Vice President between December 2014 and his sacking in November 2017, he looks more like a force for continuity than change. As a result, talk in Harare quickly turned to what kind of leader Mnangagwa will be, and the system of government that would best serve ordinary Zimbabweans. The fork in the road My conversations with people on the streets of the capital, Harare, about the political system the country needs suggests that two distinct camps are emerging: Those who want elections to be held as soon as possible, and those who say the polls should be postponed and a transitional government established. Both of these options have genuine “pros” but also strong “cons”. As is so often the case, there is no perfect answer that solves all problems. It is understandable that many Zimbabweans want a period of calm and orderly government after the twists and turns of recent weeks, and believe that it would be better to form an inclusive government that would feature representatives of all of the main political parties – a kind of power sharing in all but name. Even though I have consistently argued in favour of the value of democracy and elections in Africa, I have to admit that the “transitioners” have some viable arguments. The most obvious is that a period of stability and the more consensual government might facilitate much-needed reform of the economy and also the wider political and legal system. After all, rival parties are unlikely to come to an agreement on these issues if they are immediately thrust into an election campaign. The “transitioners” also have a point when it comes to democracy. Few people in Zimbabwe believe that it’s possible for elections to be free and fair if they are held between July and August next year, as currently scheduled. Given this, and the current divisions within the opposition, a rush to elections is likely to result in a convincing victory for Zanu-PF under problematic circumstances. A transitional arrangement would allow for much needed electoral reforms to be put in place, creating the potential for a better quality process and a more consensual outcome later on. Testing the Crocodile But there is also another camp that wants to see Mnangagwa, popularly known as The Crocodile, to face an election as soon as possible. Just like their counterparts in the “transitioner” camp, “electioneers”, have some strong arguments. Whatever one wants to call Mnangagwa’s rise to power – from a coup to an internal party squabble – it is clear that it has not been a high-quality democratic transition. And while it is clear that the overthrow of Mugabe was hugely popular, we don’t know if the same applies to a Mnangagwa presidency. An election would settle that question. It would also give the new government a popular mandate to undertake economic reforms, whoever wins power. This could be important to the success of the reform project, because things are likely to get worse before they get better, and the country’s economic medicine may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow. Holding elections would also do one thing that postponing them will not; it will test the commitment of the new government to democratic norms and values from the get-go. One of the main reasons that Zimbabwean elections have been poor quality is that Zanu-PF and the military have intervened to make sure this was the case. As another friend put it, “If they are really committed to doing the right thing, they can do it right away and the elections will not be too bad”. Learning from the past “Electioneers” are also motivated by scepticism that an inclusive transitional government would get much done. Both Zimbabwe and Kenya have had power-sharing governments in the recent past, and while they both introduced new constitutions they also saw high levels of corruption and limited security sector reform. They also both led to elections that were denounced by opposition parties as being unfree and unfair. It’s fair to ask: why would it be different this time? The question is particularly pertinent given the current composition of parliament. Because Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change boycotted a series of by-elections on the basis that they would not be free and fair, it has lost many of the seats it won in 2013. As a result, any transitional arrangement that deferred elections and “froze” the current parliament for the next three years would have a big legislative advantage to Zanu-PF. It is also important to keep in mind that economics cannot be divorced from politics: Zimbabwe’s current economic difficulties stem precisely from an unaccountable political framework that ignored the interests of the people. Given that recent events have emboldened the military and given them an even stronger voice within government, this is a pressing concern. Deferring electoral reforms in order to focus on economic recovery may, therefore, prove to be a self-defeating strategy. Next steps Ultimately, the form of government that evolves in Zimbabwe will not be a product of popular dialogue. One of the distinctive features of this process is that for the most part it has been conducted behind closed doors by a small elite. Don’t be fooled by the pictures of tens of thousands of people marching on Saturday – all sides have invoked popular support, but none have actually encouraged ordinary people to say what they want, or given them a seat at the table. This is a worrying sign if strengthening democracy is the long-term goal. Recent public statements by the main parties at the time of going to press suggests that they are not converging on an interim administration, and so the “electioneers” may get their wish. That could still change because talks are ongoing and both sides would gain something from a delay. But if it doesn’t the people will be able to have their say on how they want their country to be run. Of course, voting will not actually equate to “having a say” unless the country’s new leader follows through on his promise to build a “new democracy”, and the ruling party can kick the habit of a lifetime. Watch this space. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

Opinion: Will Mnangagwa usher democracy in Zimbabwe?

Turkey dismissed nearly 8,000 security personnel from duty on Thursday, state media reported, as crackdowns on those suspected of links to the failed July coup continued.
State media reports said a total of 7,669 police were removed along with 323 personnel in the gendarmerie, responsible for domestic security. 
 
Ankara has accused US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and his Hizmet (service) movement for plotting and organising the failed coup, which left 240 dead excluding 24 coup plotters. 
 
He is also accused of running a &quot;parallel state&quot; and his followers of infiltrating state institutions. 
 
Gulen strongly denies all accusations. 
 
The latest purge was not just limited to the security forces. 
 
According to the official gazette, about 520 people were removed from the religious affairs directorate. 
 
On Thursday, 543 prosecutors and judges were dismissed, bringing the total of those removed from the judiciary to 3,390, NTV channel reported. 
 
The gazette has decreed that any judge or prosecutor who voluntarily retired could apply to return within the next two months. 
 
A total of 4,451 military personnel has been dismissed since July including 151 generals and admirals. 
 
Nearly 80,000 civil servants have been suspended, he said, while around 5,000 have been dismissed. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

A total of 4,451 military personnel have been dismissed since July including 151 generals and admirals

Turkey dismissed nearly 8,000 security personnel from duty on Thursday, state media reported, as crackdowns on those suspected of links to the failed July coup continued. State media reports said a total of 7,669 police were removed along with 323 personnel in the gendarmerie, responsible for domestic security. Ankara has accused US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and his Hizmet (service) movement for plotting and organising the failed coup, which left 240 dead excluding 24 coup plotters. He is also accused of running a "parallel state" and his followers of infiltrating state institutions. Gulen strongly denies all accusations. The latest purge was not just limited to the security forces. According to the official gazette, about 520 people were removed from the religious affairs directorate. On Thursday, 543 prosecutors and judges were dismissed, bringing the total of those removed from the judiciary to 3,390, NTV channel reported. The gazette has decreed that any judge or prosecutor who voluntarily retired could apply to return within the next two months. A total of 4,451 military personnel has been dismissed since July including 151 generals and admirals. Nearly 80,000 civil servants have been suspended, he said, while around 5,000 have been dismissed. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Action against alleged Turkey coup plotters continues, 8,000 security personnel removed

Suspended Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff told senators in emotional testimony at her trial Monday that voting for her impeachment would amount to a &quot;coup d&#39;etat.&quot; 
 
Declaring her innocence and recalling how she was tortured under Brazil&#39;s military dictatorship in the 1970s, Rousseff warned that Latin America&#39;s biggest country was on the verge of losing its democracy. 
 
&quot;Vote against impeachment, vote for democracy.... Do not accept a coup,&quot; the 68-year-old leftist leader said as she defended herself before senators who are widely expected to remove her from office by Wednesday. 
 
About 2,000 supporters rallied in her support near the Senate building in the capital Brasilia, waving flags -- a fraction of the crowds her Workers&#39; Party has drawn in the past. 
 
Protesters also massed in Rio de Janeiro and in Sao Paulo, where they lit fires and riot police fired tear gas to disperse them. 
 
Brazil&#39;s first woman president is accused of having taken illegal state loans to patch budget holes in 2014, to mask the country&#39;s problems as it slid into its deepest recession in decades. 
 
Momentum to push her out of office is also fueled by deep anger at months of political paralysis and a vast corruption scandal centered on state oil giant Petrobras. 
 
All indications point to the Senate impeaching Rousseff when voting starts Tuesday, ending 13 years of rule by the leftist Workers&#39; Party. 
 
Her last-minute defense started around 9:30 am (1230 GMT), with scores of senators scheduled to question her. She was still talking and gesturing 12 hours later as the session wore on into the night. 
 
- &#39;Look in the eye&#39; - 
During questioning that followed Rousseff&#39;s 45-minute opening speech, pro-impeachment Senator Simone Tebet said that as president, Rousseff had criminally mismanaged Brazil&#39;s accounts by taking the unauthorized loans. 
 
&quot;An unreal Brazil was sold. The unreal numbers led to a loss of confidence among Brazilians and we are facing the worst financial crisis in the history of the country,&quot; Tebet said. 
 
But Rousseff, arguing that the loans were a commonly used fiscal stopgap, said she&#39;d been accused &quot;unjustly and arbitrarily.&quot; 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve come to look your excellencies in the eye to say that I did not commit a crime,&quot; she said in a calm, firm voice from the Senate chamber podium in the capital Brasilia. 
 
There appeared to be little Rousseff could say however to save her presidency. 
 
Voting was expected Tuesday, possibly extending into Wednesday. Pro-impeachment senators say they will easily reach the needed two-thirds majority -- 54 of 81 senators -- to remove her from office. 
 
In that case, Rousseff&#39;s former vice president turned political enemy, Michel Temer, will be confirmed as president until elections in 2018. 
 
Temer, from the center-right PMDB party, has already been acting president since May, using his brief period in power to steer the government rightward. 
 
Rousseff has barely double digit approval ratings. But Temer is hardly more popular, according to opinion polls. 
 
While her presidency has been mired in the Petrobras embezzlement and bribery scandal, Rousseff has never been charged with trying to enrich herself -- unlike many of her prominent accusers and close allies. 
 
Keeping to his residence while the Senate drama unfolded, Temer greeted members of the Brazilian Olympic team and said he was following proceedings &quot;with complete calm,&quot; Globo news site reported. 
 
- Voice breaking - 
Although Rousseff spoke mostly in a measured tone, her voice cracked and she appeared close to tears while recalling her suffering as a young leftist guerrilla and in battling cancer. 
 
&quot;Twice I have seen the face of death close up: when I was tortured for days on end, subjected to abuses that make us doubt humanity and the meaning of life itself, and when a serious and extremely painful illness could have cut short my life,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;Today I only fear for the death of democracy for which many of us here in this chamber fought.&quot; 
 
The Workers&#39; Party under Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is credited with raising millions of Brazilians out of poverty. 
 
Lula burst into applause in the chamber and chanted: &quot;Dilma, warrior of the Brazilian people!&quot; 
 
Brasilia police said they were preparing for about 10,000 demonstrators Monday and up to 30,000 during the impeachment vote session. 
 
&quot;I am fighting to defend democracy and the dignity of the people,&quot; said retired teacher Marlene Bastos, 65, who was among the demonstrators. 
 
&quot;This has been a persecution against the Workers&#39; Party, Dilma and the Brazilian people.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Saying that her impeachment would mean a coup, Rousseff warned that the country was on the verge of losing its democracy

Suspended Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff told senators in emotional testimony at her trial Monday that voting for her impeachment would amount to a "coup d'etat." Declaring her innocence and recalling how she was tortured under Brazil's military dictatorship in the 1970s, Rousseff warned that Latin America's biggest country was on the verge of losing its democracy. "Vote against impeachment, vote for democracy.... Do not accept a coup," the 68-year-old leftist leader said as she defended herself before senators who are widely expected to remove her from office by Wednesday. About 2,000 supporters rallied in her support near the Senate building in the capital Brasilia, waving flags -- a fraction of the crowds her Workers' Party has drawn in the past. Protesters also massed in Rio de Janeiro and in Sao Paulo, where they lit fires and riot police fired tear gas to disperse them. Brazil's first woman president is accused of having taken illegal state loans to patch budget holes in 2014, to mask the country's problems as it slid into its deepest recession in decades. Momentum to push her out of office is also fueled by deep anger at months of political paralysis and a vast corruption scandal centered on state oil giant Petrobras. All indications point to the Senate impeaching Rousseff when voting starts Tuesday, ending 13 years of rule by the leftist Workers' Party. Her last-minute defense started around 9:30 am (1230 GMT), with scores of senators scheduled to question her. She was still talking and gesturing 12 hours later as the session wore on into the night. - 'Look in the eye' - During questioning that followed Rousseff's 45-minute opening speech, pro-impeachment Senator Simone Tebet said that as president, Rousseff had criminally mismanaged Brazil's accounts by taking the unauthorized loans. "An unreal Brazil was sold. The unreal numbers led to a loss of confidence among Brazilians and we are facing the worst financial crisis in the history of the country," Tebet said. But Rousseff, arguing that the loans were a commonly used fiscal stopgap, said she'd been accused "unjustly and arbitrarily." "I've come to look your excellencies in the eye to say that I did not commit a crime," she said in a calm, firm voice from the Senate chamber podium in the capital Brasilia. There appeared to be little Rousseff could say however to save her presidency. Voting was expected Tuesday, possibly extending into Wednesday. Pro-impeachment senators say they will easily reach the needed two-thirds majority -- 54 of 81 senators -- to remove her from office. In that case, Rousseff's former vice president turned political enemy, Michel Temer, will be confirmed as president until elections in 2018. Temer, from the center-right PMDB party, has already been acting president since May, using his brief period in power to steer the government rightward. Rousseff has barely double digit approval ratings. But Temer is hardly more popular, according to opinion polls. While her presidency has been mired in the Petrobras embezzlement and bribery scandal, Rousseff has never been charged with trying to enrich herself -- unlike many of her prominent accusers and close allies. Keeping to his residence while the Senate drama unfolded, Temer greeted members of the Brazilian Olympic team and said he was following proceedings "with complete calm," Globo news site reported. - Voice breaking - Although Rousseff spoke mostly in a measured tone, her voice cracked and she appeared close to tears while recalling her suffering as a young leftist guerrilla and in battling cancer. "Twice I have seen the face of death close up: when I was tortured for days on end, subjected to abuses that make us doubt humanity and the meaning of life itself, and when a serious and extremely painful illness could have cut short my life," she said. "Today I only fear for the death of democracy for which many of us here in this chamber fought." The Workers' Party under Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is credited with raising millions of Brazilians out of poverty. Lula burst into applause in the chamber and chanted: "Dilma, warrior of the Brazilian people!" Brasilia police said they were preparing for about 10,000 demonstrators Monday and up to 30,000 during the impeachment vote session. "I am fighting to defend democracy and the dignity of the people," said retired teacher Marlene Bastos, 65, who was among the demonstrators. "This has been a persecution against the Workers' Party, Dilma and the Brazilian people." (AFP)

Brazil's Rousseff urges vote against 'coup'

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to rally in the German city of Cologne on Sunday, as tensions over Turkey&#39;s failed coup put authorities on edge. 
 
Since the attempted military power grab on July 15, Erdogan&#39;s government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly linked to the putsch that has seen the detention of almost 19,000 people, sparking international concern. 
 
Erdogan on Saturday signalled plans to tighten his grip through constitutional changes which would bring the Turkish spy agency and the military chief of staff directly under his control. 
 
The political strife in Turkey has also found expression in Germany, which is home to the biggest Turkish diaspora. Up to 30,000 people are expected to answer a call to take to the streets from around 1300 GMT issued by a pro-Erdogan group: The Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD), police said. 
 
The North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, is home to about one third of Germany&#39;s three-million strong Turkish community. At the same time, several smaller counter-demonstrations are to take place, including one billed &quot;Stop Erdogan&quot;, and another called by far-right activists, raising fears the demonstrators could clash. 
 
Security services in Germany sought to head-off any potential violence between the different camps, with some 2,700 officers, including several Turkish speakers, deployed to keep the peace. 
 
Cologne&#39;s police chief Juergen Mathies warned: &quot;One thing I want to make clear is that we will intervene against any kind of violence quickly, decisively and forcefully.&quot; 
 
Amid fears that the crowd could be further riled by live screenings of speeches made from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany&#39;s constitutional court banned an application for such broadcasts. 
 
Nevertheless, Turkey&#39;s sports minister will attend, said Mathies, adding that he had been able to stop the foreign minister from participating. 
 
The tension comes at a time when relations between Germany and Turkey are already strained over the German parliament&#39;s recent decision to brand as genocide the World War I-era Armenian massacre by Ottoman forces.&nbsp;German politicians, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, have issued strongly worded statements against Erdogan&#39;s crackdown following the putsch. 
 
The hardline response &quot;flouts the rule of law&quot;, Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert has said, also blasting &quot;revolting scenes of caprice and revenge&quot; in the wake of the failed coup. 
 
At the same time, Ankara is demanding that Germany extradite suspects linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding the power snatch. 
 
The 75-year-old has strongly denied any involvement. Erdogan enjoys a large support base among the diaspora in Germany, home to some 1.5 million people with Turkish nationality who can vote in Turkish elections. 
 
His AKP party garnered 60 per cent in the country in last November&#39;s election, a bigger share of the vote than in Turkey. Germany&#39;s integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz underlined Erdogan&#39;s influence, saying he was concerned that &quot;the relationships of people living here with Turkey are being massively exploited politically.&quot; 
 
In the days following the botched coup, pro-Erdogan activists have stormed locations in Germany popular with Gulen&#39;s followers. Critics of the Turkish president have also complained of abuse and threats against them on social media. 
 
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday warned in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: &quot;It is not right to bring Turkey&#39;s domestic political tensions here... and intimidate people who have other political convictions.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Since the botched coup, German authorities worry that activists from both camps will clash in the streets. Millions of Turks live in Germany

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to rally in the German city of Cologne on Sunday, as tensions over Turkey's failed coup put authorities on edge. Since the attempted military power grab on July 15, Erdogan's government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly linked to the putsch that has seen the detention of almost 19,000 people, sparking international concern. Erdogan on Saturday signalled plans to tighten his grip through constitutional changes which would bring the Turkish spy agency and the military chief of staff directly under his control. The political strife in Turkey has also found expression in Germany, which is home to the biggest Turkish diaspora. Up to 30,000 people are expected to answer a call to take to the streets from around 1300 GMT issued by a pro-Erdogan group: The Union of European-Turkish Democrats (UETD), police said. The North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, is home to about one third of Germany's three-million strong Turkish community. At the same time, several smaller counter-demonstrations are to take place, including one billed "Stop Erdogan", and another called by far-right activists, raising fears the demonstrators could clash. Security services in Germany sought to head-off any potential violence between the different camps, with some 2,700 officers, including several Turkish speakers, deployed to keep the peace. Cologne's police chief Juergen Mathies warned: "One thing I want to make clear is that we will intervene against any kind of violence quickly, decisively and forcefully." Amid fears that the crowd could be further riled by live screenings of speeches made from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany's constitutional court banned an application for such broadcasts. Nevertheless, Turkey's sports minister will attend, said Mathies, adding that he had been able to stop the foreign minister from participating. The tension comes at a time when relations between Germany and Turkey are already strained over the German parliament's recent decision to brand as genocide the World War I-era Armenian massacre by Ottoman forces. German politicians, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, have issued strongly worded statements against Erdogan's crackdown following the putsch. The hardline response "flouts the rule of law", Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert has said, also blasting "revolting scenes of caprice and revenge" in the wake of the failed coup. At the same time, Ankara is demanding that Germany extradite suspects linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accuses of masterminding the power snatch. The 75-year-old has strongly denied any involvement. Erdogan enjoys a large support base among the diaspora in Germany, home to some 1.5 million people with Turkish nationality who can vote in Turkish elections. His AKP party garnered 60 per cent in the country in last November's election, a bigger share of the vote than in Turkey. Germany's integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz underlined Erdogan's influence, saying he was concerned that "the relationships of people living here with Turkey are being massively exploited politically." In the days following the botched coup, pro-Erdogan activists have stormed locations in Germany popular with Gulen's followers. Critics of the Turkish president have also complained of abuse and threats against them on social media. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday warned in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: "It is not right to bring Turkey's domestic political tensions here... and intimidate people who have other political convictions." (AFP)

Tension ahead of pro-Erdogan rally in Germany

Recently, Turkey witnessed a failed coup attempt while the President of the country Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a holiday. The President appealed to the citizens to defend the country against the coup. And indeed, they did so, with the masses taking over the streets and fighting the coup perpetrators. 
 
The President of Turkey, instead of accepting this as a spontaneous show of solidarity, as a symbol of strong belief among the Turks in democracy, and making efforts to bolster that belief further, did a massive crackdown and arrested a large number of people. President Erdogan has often been called an elected dictator due to his past actions. About 2,000, including teenagers, have been prosecuted for insulting the President and journalists have also been put on trial since he assumed office in 2014. 
 
After the coup attempt and the subsequent actions of Erdogan, even the US secretary of state, John Kerry, raised the question of Turkey&rsquo;s NATO membership, suggesting that anti-democratic behaviour could imperil the country&rsquo;s place in the alliance. 
 
Several times questions have been raised regarding Turkey&rsquo;s membership to NATO. Whether it should be part of NATO or not? 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/rohit-jpeg-20160725033343.jpg" /> 
 
 
Strategic Location&nbsp;and Challenges 
 
Turkey is strategically very well placed. It is just north of Iraq and Syria, east of Europe, west of Georgia and Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, thus making it strategically very important. 
 
Because of its location and the alliance with NATO it has tremendously benefitted. When in 2003 Iraq was bombed out and almost no refining could be done in the war-ravaged country, 40,000 oil tankers were going into Turkey for refining. The oil pipeline was being put in place and it was protected by Halliburton to deliver that oil to Turkey. The income was tremendous for Turkey. Since then the Islamic State has taken over many of the oil assets in Syria and Iraq and Turkey has played a key role in selling their oil. 
 
For NATO too Turkey is at a strategic location, enabling &nbsp;the alliance to use the country&rsquo;s bases that are close enough to Russia and also to the rest of Iraq and Syria. Historically, Turkey played an important role during the Cold War. Even then questions are being raised regarding its NATO membership and there are plausible reasons to do so. 
 
Kurdish Dilemma 
 
The tensions between Turkey and the US have increased substantially as a result of differences over the degree of US support for the Syrian Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed affiliate, the People&rsquo;s Protection Units (YPG), that are fighting against the ISIS and the Syrian Government. However, YPG is a Turkey-based group fighting for Kurdish autonomy and the Turkish government opposes this movement of the Kurds strongly. 
 
Thus, when Turkey and the US came to an agreement in July 2014 that allowed the US and NATO air forces to use the Incirlik Air Base, the relationship between US and Turkey improved. However, Turkey interpreted this agreement as a licence to attack PKK bases in northern Iraq as well as within Turkey. For Ankara, this is a fight more against the Kurds rather than the fall of ISIS and restoring peace in Syria. Clearly, US and Turkey are not on the same page. 
 
Turkey has played a role in helping the Northern Iraqi Kurds by becoming the centre point of exchange of money for oil that the Kurds sell to Iraq. This is one way to scuttle the close ties that the Iraqi Kurds and the Turkish Kurds could develop to carve a new country out of Turkey. 
 
Turkey-Russia Ballet 
 
Over the years, the relationship between Russia and Turkey improved dramatically. By 2015, Russia was Turkey&rsquo;s third-largest trading partner, fourth-largest source of foreign investment, and main supplier of natural gas, and Russian tourists had become a common sight in Turkish resort towns. There were chartered planes that flew from Russia to Turkish resorts. However, tensions between the two nations mounted when Turkey downed one Russian aircraft and Russia responded by imposing sanctions on Turkey. However, in June this year, there have been talks about normalisation of ties between Turkey and Russia as well. Russia has also lifted some of the sanctions that it slapped on Turkey. The Turks will play with NATO using the card of getting closer to the Russians and then pose a threat to NATO itself. The very fact that Russians have played an active role in Syria has already created unease for NATO. 
 
Turkey and European Union 
 
In March, Turkey and European Union entered into an ambitious deal where Turkey would take almost 2.8 million Syrian refugees within its borders with some financial assistance from the European Union and in return EU would lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens. 
 
EU has allocated &euro;3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to be re-imbursed by the end of 2018. So far, of the overall &euro;3 billion, &euro;740 million has been allocated, for both humanitarian and non-humanitarian assistance. This has caused tensions between the two parties. Also, EU is critical of Turkey&rsquo;s inability or will to control human-smuggling groups that are enabling refugees from Syria to reach European shores. 
 
With the recent crackdown in Turkey after the failed coup, the refugees may feel unsafe in Turkey and move towards European countries, further adding to the migrant crisis in Europe. 
 
Is Turkey Drifting? 
 
Turkey has come a long way from being a liberal society in the Nineties. But it is not leaders like Erdogan who can be blamed for this conservative approach alone. Through the early 2000s when I spoke with the Turks many would say that their society was becoming very liberal and that is when they began to take the turn towards an orthodox society. Egypt for them was an example when it went from being a liberal State in the Seventies to a highly conservative society in the Nineties. 
 
As these countries move towards conservatism, it is the women who get really impacted. Men curb their freedoms and the religious Right begins to take over, pushing women inside homes. In Egypt such a transition was still possible but Turkey may be looking at a fight as they continue to turn towards conservatism. The biggest impact would, however, come if NATO turns its back on a partner who no longer has the same values of a progressive nation. NATO&rsquo;s core principles have been to create nations of equal participation of women at all levels, ranging from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, peace and security. It expects its members to stand up and fight against sexual violence and ensure accountability to end impunity for incidents of sexual violence in conflict zones. But the direction that Turkey is taking may not fit in with the values of NATO that the Americans lead. It will get more and more difficult for NATO to justify Turkey&rsquo;s existence in this marriage of sorts. 
&nbsp;

Turkey?s recent moves at stifling democracy draw NATO?s ire

Recently, Turkey witnessed a failed coup attempt while the President of the country Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a holiday. The President appealed to the citizens to defend the country against the coup. And indeed, they did so, with the masses taking over the streets and fighting the coup perpetrators. The President of Turkey, instead of accepting this as a spontaneous show of solidarity, as a symbol of strong belief among the Turks in democracy, and making efforts to bolster that belief further, did a massive crackdown and arrested a large number of people. President Erdogan has often been called an elected dictator due to his past actions. About 2,000, including teenagers, have been prosecuted for insulting the President and journalists have also been put on trial since he assumed office in 2014. After the coup attempt and the subsequent actions of Erdogan, even the US secretary of state, John Kerry, raised the question of Turkey’s NATO membership, suggesting that anti-democratic behaviour could imperil the country’s place in the alliance. Several times questions have been raised regarding Turkey’s membership to NATO. Whether it should be part of NATO or not? Strategic Location and Challenges Turkey is strategically very well placed. It is just north of Iraq and Syria, east of Europe, west of Georgia and Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, thus making it strategically very important. Because of its location and the alliance with NATO it has tremendously benefitted. When in 2003 Iraq was bombed out and almost no refining could be done in the war-ravaged country, 40,000 oil tankers were going into Turkey for refining. The oil pipeline was being put in place and it was protected by Halliburton to deliver that oil to Turkey. The income was tremendous for Turkey. Since then the Islamic State has taken over many of the oil assets in Syria and Iraq and Turkey has played a key role in selling their oil. For NATO too Turkey is at a strategic location, enabling the alliance to use the country’s bases that are close enough to Russia and also to the rest of Iraq and Syria. Historically, Turkey played an important role during the Cold War. Even then questions are being raised regarding its NATO membership and there are plausible reasons to do so. Kurdish Dilemma The tensions between Turkey and the US have increased substantially as a result of differences over the degree of US support for the Syrian Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed affiliate, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), that are fighting against the ISIS and the Syrian Government. However, YPG is a Turkey-based group fighting for Kurdish autonomy and the Turkish government opposes this movement of the Kurds strongly. Thus, when Turkey and the US came to an agreement in July 2014 that allowed the US and NATO air forces to use the Incirlik Air Base, the relationship between US and Turkey improved. However, Turkey interpreted this agreement as a licence to attack PKK bases in northern Iraq as well as within Turkey. For Ankara, this is a fight more against the Kurds rather than the fall of ISIS and restoring peace in Syria. Clearly, US and Turkey are not on the same page. Turkey has played a role in helping the Northern Iraqi Kurds by becoming the centre point of exchange of money for oil that the Kurds sell to Iraq. This is one way to scuttle the close ties that the Iraqi Kurds and the Turkish Kurds could develop to carve a new country out of Turkey. Turkey-Russia Ballet Over the years, the relationship between Russia and Turkey improved dramatically. By 2015, Russia was Turkey’s third-largest trading partner, fourth-largest source of foreign investment, and main supplier of natural gas, and Russian tourists had become a common sight in Turkish resort towns. There were chartered planes that flew from Russia to Turkish resorts. However, tensions between the two nations mounted when Turkey downed one Russian aircraft and Russia responded by imposing sanctions on Turkey. However, in June this year, there have been talks about normalisation of ties between Turkey and Russia as well. Russia has also lifted some of the sanctions that it slapped on Turkey. The Turks will play with NATO using the card of getting closer to the Russians and then pose a threat to NATO itself. The very fact that Russians have played an active role in Syria has already created unease for NATO. Turkey and European Union In March, Turkey and European Union entered into an ambitious deal where Turkey would take almost 2.8 million Syrian refugees within its borders with some financial assistance from the European Union and in return EU would lift visa restrictions for Turkish citizens. EU has allocated €3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to be re-imbursed by the end of 2018. So far, of the overall €3 billion, €740 million has been allocated, for both humanitarian and non-humanitarian assistance. This has caused tensions between the two parties. Also, EU is critical of Turkey’s inability or will to control human-smuggling groups that are enabling refugees from Syria to reach European shores. With the recent crackdown in Turkey after the failed coup, the refugees may feel unsafe in Turkey and move towards European countries, further adding to the migrant crisis in Europe. Is Turkey Drifting? Turkey has come a long way from being a liberal society in the Nineties. But it is not leaders like Erdogan who can be blamed for this conservative approach alone. Through the early 2000s when I spoke with the Turks many would say that their society was becoming very liberal and that is when they began to take the turn towards an orthodox society. Egypt for them was an example when it went from being a liberal State in the Seventies to a highly conservative society in the Nineties. As these countries move towards conservatism, it is the women who get really impacted. Men curb their freedoms and the religious Right begins to take over, pushing women inside homes. In Egypt such a transition was still possible but Turkey may be looking at a fight as they continue to turn towards conservatism. The biggest impact would, however, come if NATO turns its back on a partner who no longer has the same values of a progressive nation. NATO’s core principles have been to create nations of equal participation of women at all levels, ranging from conflict prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, peace and security. It expects its members to stand up and fight against sexual violence and ensure accountability to end impunity for incidents of sexual violence in conflict zones. But the direction that Turkey is taking may not fit in with the values of NATO that the Americans lead. It will get more and more difficult for NATO to justify Turkey’s existence in this marriage of sorts.

Turkish coffee an acquired taste

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today that the risk of another coup had not disappeared, but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. 
 
One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup, in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. 
 
&quot;The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious,&quot; Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey&#39;s institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. 
 
(Reuters)

Yildirim urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today that the risk of another coup had not disappeared, but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup, in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. "The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious," Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey's institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. (Reuters)

Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim says risk of second coup attempt not over

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. 
 
&quot;In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision,&quot; he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. 
 
&quot;We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it,&quot; he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. 
 
In the aftermath of Friday&#39;s foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. 
 
Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. 
 
Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. 
 
Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. 
 
Gulen condemned the military uprising &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. 
 
Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend Erol Olcak and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. 
 
 
(AFP)

'Our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision,' he said, reacting to crowds calling for capital punishment

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty after the failed attempt to overthrow his government. "In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say. I think our government will speak with the opposition and come to a decision," he said, reacting to crowds in Istanbul calling for capital punishment. "We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it," he told supporters after attending funerals for the putsch victims. In the aftermath of Friday's foiled coup, there have been frequent calls from thousands of Erdogan supporters for capital punishment to make a return. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 under reforms aimed at obtaining European Union membership. Reinstatement would create further issues between the EU and Ankara in the already stalled membership talks. Erdogan repeated calls for the United States to extradite Fethullah Gulen, blaming the coup on the US-based Islamic preacher and his followers, which he describes as a terrorist organisation. Gulen condemned the military uprising "in the strongest terms" in a rare interview with reporters in Pennsylvania and rejected charges of being the coup mastermind, suggesting Erdogan may have staged it himself. Erdogan earlier broken down in tears at the funeral of his long-time friend Erol Olcak and his 16-year-old son who were shot dead on Friday on the Bosphorus bridge. (AFP)

After failed coup, Erdogan says Turkey will consider reinstating death penalty

As 90 people were reported killed and more than 1150 injured in Turkey during the attempted overnight coup by the military, the United Nations today said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is following closely and with concern the fast-moving developments in Turkey and has appealed for calm, non-violence and restraint. 
 
In a statement issued in New York, the UN spokesman said, &quot;At this moment of uncertainty in the country, the Secretary-General appeals for calm, non-violence and restraint. 
 
Preservation of fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and assembly, remain of vital importance.&quot;The Secretary-General underscores that military interference in the affairs of any state is unacceptable.&nbsp;It will be crucial to quickly and peacefully affirm civilian rule and constitutional order in accordance with principles of democracy,&quot; the spokesman added. 
 
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said, &quot;Just spoke to Turkish FM. I call for calm, restraint &amp; full respect for Turkey`s democratic institutions and constitution.&quot; 
 
United States has called on all parties in Turkey to support President Erdogan&#39;s government against a coup attempt. 
 
Avoid bloodshed: India, US&nbsp; 
 
Speaking jointly after talks in Moscow, US secretary of state John Kerry and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said they hoped that stability would prevail in Turkey and bloodshed would be avoided. 
 
Meanwhile, India has called upon all sides to support democracy and mandate of the ballot, and avoid bloodshed. 
 
Turkey has a history of coups with governments ousted on three occasions in the last decades by full military coups. 
 
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the &quot;situation in the country is largely under control&quot;. He said a national curfew was announced, and other security forces had been called in to &quot;do what is necessary&quot;. He said 1563 soldiers detained in the coup attempt. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appealed for calm, non-violence and restraint. Military interference is unacceptable he said

As 90 people were reported killed and more than 1150 injured in Turkey during the attempted overnight coup by the military, the United Nations today said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is following closely and with concern the fast-moving developments in Turkey and has appealed for calm, non-violence and restraint. In a statement issued in New York, the UN spokesman said, "At this moment of uncertainty in the country, the Secretary-General appeals for calm, non-violence and restraint. Preservation of fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and assembly, remain of vital importance."The Secretary-General underscores that military interference in the affairs of any state is unacceptable. It will be crucial to quickly and peacefully affirm civilian rule and constitutional order in accordance with principles of democracy," the spokesman added. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said, "Just spoke to Turkish FM. I call for calm, restraint & full respect for Turkey`s democratic institutions and constitution." United States has called on all parties in Turkey to support President Erdogan's government against a coup attempt. Avoid bloodshed: India, US Speaking jointly after talks in Moscow, US secretary of state John Kerry and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said they hoped that stability would prevail in Turkey and bloodshed would be avoided. Meanwhile, India has called upon all sides to support democracy and mandate of the ballot, and avoid bloodshed. Turkey has a history of coups with governments ousted on three occasions in the last decades by full military coups. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the "situation in the country is largely under control". He said a national curfew was announced, and other security forces had been called in to "do what is necessary". He said 1563 soldiers detained in the coup attempt. (ANI)

International community reacts to attempted coup in Turkey, calls for calm

Brazil&#39;s suspended president Dilma Rousseff could still wriggle out of a looming impeachment vote, her ally and predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today. 
 
Lula, Brazil&#39;s most prominent leftist leader, told Radio Jornal that Rousseff&#39;s case is not hopeless, despite months of mounting pressure on her to be removed from office. 
 
Previous votes in the lower and upper houses easily passed the simple majorities needed to send her to trial for allegedly breaking budgetary laws - a case she claims is a coup d&#39;etat. 
 
However, when the Senate votes again in a final session on August 25-27, it must reach a two-thirds majority and the result is expected to be far closer. 
 
&quot;To defeat the impeachment is easier than before,&quot; said Lula, who was president from 2003-2010 and founded the Workers&#39; Party, which has been in power for 13 years. 
 
Lula said Rousseff, 68, needs to secure support from a handful of extra senators to swing the vote. &quot;Dilma depends on only six votes,&quot; he told the radio station from northeastern Pernambuco state. 
 
The Senate must vote by 54 votes out of 81 for the impeachment to pass. In that case, Rousseff foe Michel Temer, who is currently serving as interim president, would stay as president until the next scheduled elections in 2018. 
 
If the vote fails, Rousseff would return to office. However, she is seen as badly weakened, with rock bottom popularity in a country that blames her for a deep recession, massive corruption and months of political instability. 
 
Temer and Rousseff are both invited to the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which start in Rio on August 5. 
 
(AFP)

The Senate must pass 54 votes out of 81 for Dilma Rousseff's impeachment to pass. If the vote fails, she could return to office

Brazil's suspended president Dilma Rousseff could still wriggle out of a looming impeachment vote, her ally and predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today. Lula, Brazil's most prominent leftist leader, told Radio Jornal that Rousseff's case is not hopeless, despite months of mounting pressure on her to be removed from office. Previous votes in the lower and upper houses easily passed the simple majorities needed to send her to trial for allegedly breaking budgetary laws - a case she claims is a coup d'etat. However, when the Senate votes again in a final session on August 25-27, it must reach a two-thirds majority and the result is expected to be far closer. "To defeat the impeachment is easier than before," said Lula, who was president from 2003-2010 and founded the Workers' Party, which has been in power for 13 years. Lula said Rousseff, 68, needs to secure support from a handful of extra senators to swing the vote. "Dilma depends on only six votes," he told the radio station from northeastern Pernambuco state. The Senate must vote by 54 votes out of 81 for the impeachment to pass. In that case, Rousseff foe Michel Temer, who is currently serving as interim president, would stay as president until the next scheduled elections in 2018. If the vote fails, Rousseff would return to office. However, she is seen as badly weakened, with rock bottom popularity in a country that blames her for a deep recession, massive corruption and months of political instability. Temer and Rousseff are both invited to the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which start in Rio on August 5. (AFP)

Brazil's suspended president tries to slip impeachment

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