Turkey

The blast ripped through the celebration in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep on Saturday. The Turkish deputy prime minister says the attack appears to have been the work of a suicide bomber.

Since a failed coup attempt just over a month ago, Turkey's government has launched a sweeping purge that has impacted tens of thousands over a wide cross section of Turkish society.

Attacks in two cities in eastern Turkey targeted police stations; a third targeted soldiers. At least 10 people were killed, and the AP reports some 226 people were injured.

Rear Adm. Mustafa Zeki Ugurlu, who had just finished a NATO job in Norfolk, Va., is among the "pro coup fugitives" being pursued by Turkey following last month's failed coup attempt.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he wants a "clean slate," NPR's Peter Kenyon reports. The two leaders met in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a shakeup of the country's armed forces and dismissed nearly 1,400 more military personnel, in the wake of a failed coup attempt earlier this month.

The Turkish government has shut down at least 45 newspapers and 16 television stations, and issued arrest warrants for dozens of journalists.

Both countries have strong militaries wary of conservative Muslim politicians. But as a wealthier, more middle-class country, Turkey rose up when elements of the military tried to take over.

Turkey has detained more than 10,000 people in the wake of a failed coup attempt. Amnesty International reports that new evidence of torture may be just a snapshot of the abuses happening now.