Russia's defence ministry has displayed a pair of drones that it said were captured following attacks on two Russian military bases in Syria.

Defiant up until the end of his five-year trial, Ratko Mladic desperately tried to postpone the verdict but it’s unlikely to further post-war reconciliation in Bosnia, writes Daria Sito-Sucic    

The opposition leader’s 25-day walk from Ankara to Istanbul had much support, but is unlikely to bring change, writes Sinan Ülgen.                  

We blew it up. And our main reason for blowing it up was that Turkey is largely Muslim, writes Victoria White

Strongman rulers have recognised the influence their diaspora have, leaving Western nations to deal with a population with split loyalties, writes Leonid Bershidsky

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has backed the Netherlands in its diplomatic fight with Turkey as Nato's chief called for alliance members to respect each other and the European Union urged Turkey to calm down.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Turkish special forces captured a group of rebel commandos who tried to seize or kill President Tayyip Erdogan during a failed coup, and a government minister said plotters would “never see God’s sun as long as they breathe”.

Turkey sought to assure its citizens and the outside world that there would be no return to the deep repression of the past, even as President Tayyip Erdogan imposed the first nationwide state of emergency since the 1980s.

4/5

Given that the Syrian army and its allies (Kurds, Hezbollah, Iran) are about to encircle the ISIS terrorists in Aleppo and cut off their supply routes to Turkey, the Turks have begun shelling Kurds in Syria (from Turkey) who have been successfully fighting ISIS. 

Get a taste of some of the interesting and quirky happenings in Europe from our Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill.

During the past year, right-wing populist politicians have been on the march, in France, the US and even in Germany, where chancellor Angela Merkel’s generous response to the migration crisis has left her exposed, politically, as never before.

Ireland supports giving Turkish citizens visa-free entry to the EU and €3bn funding in exchange for Turkey preventing refugees and migrants crossing into the EU, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said at a summit of EU leaders.

Had the Ottoman empire survived World War I and come to dominate western powers we would be living in a very different, far less tolerant world, suggests Andrew Melsom.

We have managed to overlook this huge centenary of Irish sacrifice on the world stage, writes Victoria White

Two decades after the massacre at Srebrenica, Gwynne Dyer reports on how Serbia and its people, with some exceptions, refuse to accept it was an act of genocide

Centuries of rule by outsiders have left a disconnect between citizens and the state — and in the struggle between modernism and myth, the latter triumphed, writes Adam LeBor

Ireland has the highest rate of granting citizenship to foreign nationals of any country in the EU.

Daniel Teegan (Irish Examiner, Letters 25/6/15) distorts the reality of Israel, saying it is a continuation of Western colonialism in the Middle East.

Former Turkish president Suleyman Demirel, one of the dominant figures in the country’s politics for the past half century, has died at 90.

German authorities have conducted raids across the country, seizing explosives and arresting four people accused of founding a right-wing extremist group to attack mosques and housing for asylum seekers.

When I was a teenager, most of my musical tastes were different from those of my parents, but there was one act we all loved. That was Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy.

The record of Irishmen who fought at Gallipoli in 1915 has been remembered with respect by nationalists and republicans.

Tourist Information Office birdwatching guides to the Republic of Cyprus and Turkish-Occupied Northern Cyprus (Kibris) are second to none, full of information and beautiful photographs. Each of the two Cypruses want to attract birders, says Damien Enright.

President Michael D Higgins yesterday joined Britain’s Prince Charles and Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan at commemorations to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War battle on the Gallipoli peninsula.

Johnny Turk, he was ready, he primed himself well. 

Westerners seeking to enter Syria to join Islamic State are slipping through the border at Turkish airports due to unmanageable pressure on immigration forces, a leading expert on western jihadis has said.

Stephen Sandford Irish Academic Press, €24.95 

Genius or lunatic? It’s an oft-asked question round these parts. No reason why it can’t be both, of course.

FA Cup Fifth Round: Crystal Palace 1 Liverpool 2: The FA Cup may have lost some of its allure for some fans and managers in the modern game, but do not count Brendan Rodgers among them.

His head bowed and hands clasped in front of him, Pope Francis stood today for two minutes of silent prayer facing east inside one of Istanbul’s most important mosques, as he shifted gears toward more religious affairs on the second leg of his three-day visit to mainly Muslim Turkey.

Turkey will let US and coalition forces use its bases for attacks against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and Iraq, American defence sources have said.

Islamic State fighters are poised to capture a strategic Syrian border town, Turkey’s president has warned, even as Kurdish forces battled to expel the extremists from their footholds on the outskirts.

Gone Girl *****

Vlad Tepes III must find a way to protect his people and his family from the threat of a Turkish invasion.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is no doubt Danny Welbeck will continue to go from strength to strength after the striker’s hat-trick in the Champions League win over Galatasaray, which was stopped during the first half when Turkish fans threw flares onto the pitch.

Arsenal 4 Galatasaray 1

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his government will not reveal details of a covert operation that ensured the release of 49 people held hostage by the Islamic State group.