Latest on coronavirus outbreak

Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – Aug. 31, 2021

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

31.08.2021 - Update : 01.09.2021
Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – Aug. 31, 2021

ANKARA 

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

Developments in Turkey, coronavirus pandemic and other news

Turkey has administered more than 93.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since launching a mass immunization campaign in January, according to official figures Monday.

Over 47.92 million people have gotten their first vaccine dose, while more than 36.76 million are fully vaccinated, the Health Ministry said.

The ministry also reported 19,557 new coronavirus cases, while as many as 245 more people have died of the disease in the past 24 hours.

Turkey has been included in the EU Digital COVID Certificate system, according to an online statement Monday by Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

The Turkish Armed Forces expelled 21,000 of its staff over ties to the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, the country's president said Monday.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Army War College in the capital Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that after the coup attempt, Turkey had carried out a comprehensive reform of the Turkish Armed Forces, including its educational institutions.

Turkey is taking all measures to prevent an oil slick from Syria from spreading to the Karpas coast of Northern Cyprus, the Turkish vice president said Monday.

"We are taking the necessary measures by mobilizing every means available that we have without giving any chance to the spill to turn into an environmental disaster," Fuat Oktay told Anadolu Agency.

Turkey on Monday celebrated the 99th anniversary of Victory Day, which commemorates the resounding defeat of Greek forces at the hands of the Turks in the Battle of Dumlupinar in 1922.

Turkey’s Nihat Turkmenoglu and Bahattin Hekimoglu won a silver and bronze medal in archery at the 2020 Paralympic Games on Monday.

Sevilay Ozturk took the bronze in the women's backstroke final at the 2020 Paralympic Games on Monday, winning Turkey's first medal in Paralympic swimming.

Worldwide developments related to COVID-19

With the continent lagging far behind in vaccination efforts, COVID-19 claimed at least 663 more lives across Africa over the past day, according to the latest figures by the Africa CDC on Monday.

The fatalities pushed the continent’s death toll to 194,823, while the number of infections swelled by 20,796 to reach 7,741,917, the data shows.

Since Aug. 12, the number of people infected with COVID-19 among those accredited to the 2020 Paralympic Games has risen to 241, organizers said Monday.

Developments across World

The US announced Monday the completion of its efforts to withdraw all of its forces from Afghanistan, bringing to an end the longest war in American history.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, confirmed the conclusion of the withdrawal and military efforts to evacuate Americans and at-risk Afghans from the war-torn country. The final planes departed Afghanistan shortly before midnight local time and have cleared Afghan airspace.

The US has transferred its diplomatic presence from Kabul, Afghanistan to Doha, Qatar, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Monday.

“As of today, we suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul and transferred our operations to Doha, Qatar, which will soon be formally notified to Congress,” he said at a press conference in Washington.

The UN Security Council voted Monday to urge the "rapid and secure" reopening of the airport serving Afghanistan's capital Kabul after US forces complete their withdrawal from the war-torn country.

At least eight civilians, including five children, were wounded in the Afrin area of northern Syria on Monday in a rocket attack by the YPG/PKK terror group.

The UN's special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict urged the parties Monday to hold additional rounds of high-level talks following a meeting between Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.


Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.