Latest on coronavirus outbreak

Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – September 30, 2020

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

Gözde Bayar  | 30.09.2020 - Update : 30.09.2020
Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – September 30, 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

Turkey reported 1,427 more coronavirus cases and 1,452 recoveries.

The tally of infections rose to 317,272, including 278,504 recoveries, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

Turkey on Tuesday announced its new economic program for 2021-2023 based on the themes of “new stabilization, new normal and the new economy,” aiming to build a sustainable growth model.

Turkey's foreign minister on Tuesday discussed the latest developments on the Azerbaijan-Armenia row and the Eastern Mediterranean with his German counterpart.

As part of Turkey’s anti-terrorism efforts, security forces "neutralized" at least one more terrorist in the country's southeast.

Turkey convinced three more PKK terrorists to surrender to security forces, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

Azerbaijan-Armenia row

Border clashes broke out early Sunday when Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions. The death toll from the Armenian attacks on Azerbaijani civilian settlements since Sunday rose to 12.

Armenia has started relocating its S-300 missile systems from the capital Yerevan to border areas along occupied Azerbaijani territory, according to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry.

Turkey is not a party to Azerbaijan’s conflict with Armenia and is only providing moral support to Baku, Azerbaijan’s president said Tuesday.

“Rumors being spread by Armenia that Turkey is involved in the conflict are provocative,” President Ilham Aliyev told a Russian news channel.

Armenia's attack on Azerbaijani civilian settlements is a "blatant" violation of international law, and the international community should condemn Armenia, said Turkey’s ruling party spokesman.

The Upper Karabakh dispute can only be resolved with the withdrawal of Armenia from Azerbaijani territories, said Turkey’s foreign minister.

Germany called for an immediate cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia and Serbia’s president said Armenia and Azerbaijan have no alternative but peace.

Russia is closely following developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region to determine future steps it would take, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Kabul expressed its concern over the continuing clashes and regretted the human and material losses as a result.

COVID-19 updates worldwide

The World Health Organization on Tuesday commented officially for the first time on the death toll from the novel coronavirus exceeding one million worldwide, with more than 33 million cases confirmed globally.

India's death toll crossed the 96,000 mark early Tuesday as the country recorded 70,589 new COVID-19 cases and 776 more deaths in the last 24 hours.

The spread of the virus in Russia has dramatically accelerated over the past five days. The daily infection number reached its highest since June, hitting 8,232 on Tuesday, well above the figure recorded on Sept. 1 of 4,729.

The UK reported 7,143 new cases, the highest daily spike since the outbreak began in the country.

Spanish authorities reached an agreement to confine the country’s capital and other cities as the Health Ministry reported around 10,000 new infections and 213 more deaths nationwide.

At least 207 more coronavirus-related fatalities have raised the death toll in Iran to 25,986.

Greece reported 416 new cases, the country’s second highest single-day rise since May.

Eurasian and Central Asian countries including Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan reported new cases, related deaths and recoveries.

Health authorities in Tunisia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait confirmed additional fatalities.

The global vaccine alliance GAVI said Tuesday that it should be able to provide a vaccine against COVID-19 for $3.

Other global developments

Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah has been named as the successor to Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, who died Tuesday at the age 91.

NATO’s secretary-general called on Russia to withdraw its forces from Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The local government in Hong Kong on Tuesday handed over the region's central military dock to China’s People's Liberation Army. The development was termed “historic” by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Chinese daily Global Times reported.

Canada and the UK imposed sanctions on officials in Belarus due to human rights violations. The sanctions include a ban on travel and a freeze on assets of eight officials.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden released his tax returns -- a move expected to pressure US President Donald Trump to do the same before their much anticipated first debate later Tuesday.

Three people died while 1,200 residents were evacuated in northern California as wildfires continue to blaze in the western US state and its neighbors to the north.

The Greek Cypriot coast guard “summarily pushed back, abandoned, expelled or returned more than 200 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers,” US-based Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

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.