Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing

Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic and other news in Turkey and around the world.

Coronavirus, other developments in Turkey

Turkey reported 1,600 new coronavirus cases, bringing overall infections to more than 278,000, according to the country's health minister.

More than 250,000 patients recovered from the virus whereas the death toll rose to 6,620 as 56 more people died from the virus.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a hospital, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey recently achieved great success in production, trade, technology and the defense industry.

As tension escalated in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are preparing to hold a five-day annual drill.

In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus’ annexation to Greece, Ankara intervened as a guarantor power. In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was founded.

For decades, there were talks to resolve the dispute but have all ended in failure. The latest effort held with participation from guarantor countries – Turkey, Greece and the UK – ended in 2017 in Switzerland.

In the political arena, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz's remarks that the EU “not allow itself to be blackmailed or threatened” by Turkey or Erdogan.

"These ugly politics based on xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia is the sickly mindset of our age,” said Cavusoglu.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense said 320 terrorists were neutralized amid ongoing Operation Claw-Tiger operations in northern Iraq, adding land operations were backed by aerial support.

Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle operations were launched in June to ensure the safety of Turks and borders by neutralizing the threat of the PKK and other terror groups that often use northern Iraq to plan cross-border attacks.

Turkish authorities use the term “neutralize” to imply that terrorists in question surrendered, were killed or captured.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

Coronavirus outbreak

The virus has claimed more than 876,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since originating in Wuhan, China in December.

The US, Brazil, India and Russia are currently the worst-hit countries.

More than 26.7 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 18.3 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

South Africa reported more than 2,000 COVID-19 cases and the number of fatalities rose to 14,678 with 115 deaths.

Brazil is going through difficult days because of the pandemic as hundreds of patients fall victim to the virus; Saturday it marked the deaths of 758 patients, bringing fatalities to more than 120,000; Mexico also reported 673 additional deaths and the death toll there rose to 63,819.

Other developments

Saturday marked a deadly day for Bangladesh as 20 people died and 17 were injured following mosque blasts.

Anonymous officials told Anadolu Agency that Morocco is hosting consultations between Libya's warring parties in an effort to put an end to the decade-long conflict.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The Government of National Accord was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed because of warlord Khalifa Haftar’s military offensive.

The UN recognizes the government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj as the country's legitimate authority as Tripoli has battled Haftar's militias since April 2019 in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

Haftar is accused by army officials of violating an ongoing truce as the military blamed militias loyal to Haftar of firing 10 grad missiles in violation of cease-fire agreements.