Corruption scandal in Turkey

U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, ordered his followers to conceal themselves after the December 2013 graft probes, according to a police report sent to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

German Justice Minister has penned a letter to Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ over Berlin's decision to ban Turkish ministers from holding events in two German cities ahead of the April 16 constitutional referendum that will decide whether the current parliamentary system should be shifted to an executive presidency.

A group of Turkish citizens were not allowed to enter Tanzania and were sent back to Turkey for security reasons on the day of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent visit to the country. 

The Turkish Embassy has requested an explanation for the refusal, with the Tanzanian Foreign Ministry citing security concerns, a Foreign Ministry official told the Hürriyet Daily News. 

The arrested Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab, who is being tried in the United States on money laundering and sanction-breaching charges, has told the court he has been using Prozac anti-depressant drugs. 

He did not cite the reason for the usage and did not state how long he had been using them for. 

Turkey's former Youth and Sports Minister Suat Kılıç is the individual who in 2013 threatened an official who later became the Education Ministry undersecretary, daily Yeni Şafak claimed on Jan. 2, adding that Kılıç cited links to Fethullah Gülen in his threat. 

A funeral was held at Istanbul police headquarters on Vatan Avenue in Fatih for five police officers who were killed in twin bombings in Istanbul late on Dec. 10.

Third-degree police chief Vefa Karakurdu, police chief Kadir Yıldırım and police officers Adem Oğuz, İlker Uylaş and Hasan Bilgin were laid to rest.

The chief adviser for Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was detained early on Dec. 6 as part of the ongoing investigation into the Gülen movement, which is accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt of July 15.

The government has withdrawn its highly controversial proposal which amounted to giving amnesty to the statutory rapists of minors after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan intervened to quash it. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ says the topic is closed and clearly wants the heated discussions it generated to end. 

Turkey and Pakistan must fight jointly against terror, especially under the umbrella of Islam, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in Islamabad on Nov. 17. 

Turkey has started negotiations with Great Britain on the signing of a free-trade agreement after Britain leaves the EU finally, announced Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci in a speech to parliament.