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Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - January 19, 2021

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

Erdoğan Çağatay Zontur  | 19.01.2021 - Update : 19.01.2021
Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - January 19, 2021

ANKARA

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

The UN Human Rights Office is under fire for sharing the names of Chinese government opponents, including Uighur activists, Tibetans and Hong Kongers who took part in UN activities, for a long period.

Coronavirus and other developments in Turkey

Turkey reported over 5,800 new coronavirus cases Monday, down from 6,436 the previous day, according to Health Ministry data.

A total of 5,862 cases, including 749 symptomatic patients, were confirmed across the country, the data showed.

Turkey’s overall case tally is over 2.39 million, while the nationwide death toll reached 24,161 with 164 fatalities over the past day.

Turkey’s COVID-19 vaccination performance has surpassed many other countries that have been administering vaccinations for weeks.

Since Jan. 13, when the first vaccination was conducted, over 800,000 health personnel have been vaccinated against the virus in Turkey and vaccination efforts continue without a pause, especially for prioritized groups.

Amid a renewed commitment by Turkey and Germany to improve bilateral ties, Turkey's foreign minister said Monday that Turkish-EU relations are also in a more positive place now.

Spain’s prime minister said Monday that he wants to strengthen Turkey’s relationship not only with his country but with the European Union as a whole.

As search and rescue efforts continue, Turkish authorities on Monday found two more bodies from a Palau-flagged cargo ship which sank in the Black Sea, raising the number of bodies recovered to three, officials said.

Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist, was remembered Monday 14 years after he was assassinated.

A Turkish court on Monday handed down jail terms to 17 suspected members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) for orchestrating the 2016 defeated coup.

They were accused of attempting to take control of the intelligence department and prevent intelligence functions in Turkey on the night of the coup bid.

COVID-19 updates worldwide

A 46-year-old attendant at a public hospital in northern India died Monday shortly after being vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.

Russia on Monday reported 22,857 more coronavirus cases, raising its overall count to above 3.59 million.

Serbia on Tuesday will begin "mass" vaccination of its citizens against the novel coronavirus, according to the prime minister.

With 254 more fatalities Sunday, the COVID-19 death toll in South Africa crossed 37,000, while the number of total infections shot up to 1.4 million, according to official figures.

Other developments

A Russian court ruled Monday that opposition politician Alexey Navalny will be kept in custody until Feb. 15, less than 24 hours after his return to the country.

The jailed spokeswoman for a Zimbabwean opposition party was granted bail Monday after spending a week behind bars in the country’s notorious Chikurubi maximum security prison.

Fadzai Mahere, the spokeswoman for the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, was accused of falsehood in a case involving a claim of police brutality during a lockdown earlier this month in the capital Harare.

An international alliance of 36 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) representing 13 countries has petitioned the UN Human Rights Council, complaining against systematic Islamophobic actions in France.

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