Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Oct. 24, 2021

Daily briefing on novel coronavirus pandemic worldwide, Turkey, other developments

2021-10-24 05:48:32
Ankara

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

Developments in Turkey, coronavirus pandemic and other news

Turkey has administered more than 115.16 million coronavirus vaccine doses since it launched an immunization drive in January, according to official figures.

More than 55.14 million people have been given a first vaccine dose and over 48.04 million are fully vaccinated, said the Health Ministry.

The Turkish president said he instructed the foreign minister to declare 10 ambassadors persona non grata for statement on the ongoing case of businessman Osman Kavala.

Turkey will surely achieve its goal to become one of the world's top 10 economies, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The national defense minister said he had a "positive" meeting with his Greek counterpart in Brussels on the sidelines of a gathering of NATO colleagues.

The first meeting of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Joint Media Platform was held under the co-chairmanship of Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun and Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev.

Turkey condemned Israel for its Higher Planning Council's plan to approve the construction of 3,100 new housing units in various Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank next week.

Istanbul will hold events celebrating the vitality of Jewish-European culture and particularly the millennia-long presence of Jewry in Turkish metropolis. A Jewish Heritage tour will be among events marking Oct. 24, the European Day of Jewish Culture.

Cooperation between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is a long-desired policy, said TRNC president.

Coronavirus pandemic, other developments across the world

Facebook has long been aware of the harms of its applications and services, according to new internal documents sent to multiple news outlets. Documents leaked by a whistle-blower revealed that the social media company does not try to prevent or rectify issues.

A soldier attacked Zeinalabidin Hurrem, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander who was recently appointed the governor of East Azerbaijan province of Iran, during his inauguration.

Libyan authorities discovered a new mass grave in the southwestern city of Tarhuna, a former stronghold for warlord Khalifa Haftar.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Saudi Arabia for a three-day visit to the kingdom.

Pakistan denied it struck a deal to allow the US to use its airspace for military and intelligence operations in neighboring Afghanistan.

Eric Zemmour, a far-right journalist and pundit turned politician, has shaken up France's presidential race before it started – and without even officially declaring his candidacy. Recent opinion polls put him ahead of far-right rival Marine Le Pen, sparking speculation that Zemmour may be facing off with President Emmanuel Macron in the April 2022 election.

US President Joe Biden and Macron discussed efforts "to enhance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific," the White House said in the wake of a bilateral row.

Digital World Acquisition Corp, the special-purpose acquisition company that will take former US President Donald Trump's planned social media platform public, saw its stock price soar more than 800% in just two days of trading.

Kyrgyzstan's president said his country will purchase unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from Turkey and Russia.

Hundreds of inmates escaped as gunmen attacked a jail in Nigeria's Oyo State, said authorities.

Britain's consumer price index is expected to rise sharply in the next six months as a result of soaring international energy and goods prices, according to Fitch Ratings.

At least two people were killed and several injured after an explosion occurred at a popular restaurant on the outskirts of Uganda's capital, Kampala, officials said.

Just one year after the World Health Organization declared the landlocked East African country of Uganda polio-free, the crippling and sometimes deadly disease has returned to haunt the country, along with other African nations.

As India celebrates its festival season with gatherings and events taking place nationwide, health experts have called for stepped-up precautions and vigilance to hold off a new wave of COVID-19 infections.