Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – November 13, 2020

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. 

Coronavirus and other developments in Turkey

Amid efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, Turkey registered 2,841 more coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data released Thursday.

The country's overall tally now stands at 404,894. A total of 2,181 more patients recovered over the past day, raising the tally to 346,794, while the death toll rose by 88 to 11,233.

Meanwhile, the manager of the clinic where tests on volunteers are being carried out said trials in Turkey of an indigenous novel coronavirus vaccine candidate are on track with no problems so far.

Also on Thursday, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called his Greek counterpart to enquire about his health after Nikos Dendias went into quarantine after coming into contact with someone who had contracted the coronavirus.

Turkey’s industry and technology minister said Thursday that investment demand in the country from January to September was 13% higher than the same period last year.

Following new developments in Turkey’s economy, experts say they are positive steps for giving the green light to foreign investors.

Upper Karabakh

Turkey warned Armenia on Thursday that it will "pay a price" if it violates the latest peace deal and cease-fire agreement with Azerbaijan for settling the Upper Karabakh conflict.

"They [Armenian forces] should either leave the territory voluntarily in abiding by the agreement or the heroic Azerbaijani army will take those lands back as it did so far. There is no other choice," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a news conference in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital.

Meanwhile, thousands again took to the streets in Armenia to protest against the government and more than 60 people were arrested Thursday in the capital following a peace deal that ended weeks of armed conflict in Upper Karabakh.

COVID-19 updates worldwide

While over 80% of US drugmaker Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has already been sold to the richest governments across the world, according to an analysis by a UK-based campaign group, countries continued Thursday to announce new figures for the virus’ toll.

Russia reported its highest daily death toll from COVID-19 with 439 more fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.

The total number of cases in the country has now passed 1.85 million, with 21,608 new infections, while related deaths have reached 32,032, according to government figures.

Italy reported around 38,000 more cases of the novel coronavirus in the past day as pressure mounted on the government from struggling hospitals asking for urgent aid to avoid collapsing.

Members of Spain's hospitality sector took to the streets Thursday as the Health Ministry confirmed 356 more COVID-19 deaths and 19,511 new infections.

Health officials in the UK reported more than 30,000 new cases in the past 24 hours in a record single-day rise since the start of the pandemic months ago.

Other developments

A minister in Somalia’s Jubaland region survived a bomb attack Thursday from an explosive that was lobbed through a window of his residence in Kismayo, south of the capital Mogadishu.

Speaking to local media, Jubaland Tourism and Environment Minister Aidid Suleyman confirmed that the blast killed three people, including two of his security personnel.

At least seven people were killed when a UN helicopter crashed in Egypt near the Israeli border Thursday, according to Israeli media.

Six American service members were killed along with two partner nation service members in the crash, according to the Pentagon.