Turkey

Wisam, who arrived in Istanbul about a year ago after fleeing Syria, went missing on July 23 and was found two days later in the city's Yenikapi district.

He previously had been threatened, kidnapped and raped, according to Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (KAOS GL), a Turkey-based rights group. CNN is not using the victim's last name out of concern for his family's safety.

Visa-free access to the EU is seen as a reward for Turkey's role in halting an influx of migrants into Europe.

But the move has been delayed because of a row over anti-terror legislation following Turkey's failed coup.

"It's up to Turkey whether there can be visa-travel or not," Mr Gabriel said.

He said Turkey was drastically distancing itself from Europe by "moving towards reintroducing the death penalty" which was a "flagrant contravention of the EU's charter of fundamental rights".

Amid a state of emergency, 45 newspapers, 16 television stations and three news agencies have been closed, state-run news agency Anadolu said Wednesday.

Anadolu said nearly 1,700 soldiers -- including 87 generals -- have been fired.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week said actions were being taken to remove the "threat" raised during the attempt. Officials have fired or suspended tens of thousands as the government intensifies its vast purge.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was speaking after Turkey's labour minister suggested the US was behind the coup.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to extradite US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Mr Erdogan has accused him of being behind the plot, which Mr Gulen denies.

Mr Gulen told reporters from his home in Pennsylvania that he had been away from Turkey for more than 15 years and "I don't even know who my followers [in the country] are".

It ordered the arrest of RSF representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci.

RSF said it was "an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey".

The arrests come despite the EU pressuring Ankara to stop prosecuting academics and journalists.

The three had reportedly participated in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish newspaper.

Turkish media say they each acted as chief editor for a day.

'Dark day'

This is as a result of the civil war in Syria and possible terrorist attack on Turkish soil.

He points out that Turkey shares a common border with Syria and since the start of the uprising in 2011, 2,500,000 Syrians have crossed the border to seek safety in his country.

On the other hand he says terrorist attacks can take place in any country including England and France. “As far as I know, terrorism is a global problem”, he says.

While making the announcement, Istanbul-based Vanuatu Honourary Consul Mehmet Atar says in Turkey, they regard ni-Vanuatu students as part of “our family, our brothers and sisters”.

Honourary Consul Atar visited one of the students, Maureen Paul from Tangoa on Santo, in Ankara before last weekend.

A hilarious image has been doing the rounds on the internet, showing the large bird sitting on the plane, with what looks to be an arm around its back.

According to a Reddit thread, it is thought the turkey was taken on onboard the flight as an "emotional support animal".

Turkey's military, meanwhile, said more of its jets patrolling the border with Syria were placed in a radar lock by Russian planes and surface-to-air missile systems.

In Syria, Russian warplanes reportedly continued pounding targets in the country, where the Kremlin has come to the aid of beleaguered ally President Bashar Assad.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone Wednesday. The government said Merkel praised the "enormous Turkish efforts" to take care of nearly 2 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. It added that the two leaders agreed to increase cooperation on resolving the refugee crisis, with an emphasis on combatting traffickers.