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Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – Oct. 18, 2020

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

Seda Sevencan  | 18.10.2020 - Update : 18.10.2020
Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – Oct. 18, 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 registered 1,723 new coronavirus patients in the past 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data.

The country’s overall tally now stands at 345,678, the ministry reported.

A total of 1,401 additional patients recovered in the past day, raising the count to 302,499, while the death toll increased by 71 to reach 9,224.

The Turkish president announced the discovery of an additional 85 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Black Sea, following a historic find this summer.

"Total amount of natural gas reserves in the TUNA-1 well in Sakarya Gas Field reached 405 billion cubic meters," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after inspections by the drill ship, Fatih.

Three PKK terrorists, including a wanted member, were neutralized in southeast Turkey, the Interior Ministry said.

Turkish forces neutralized six YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said.

-Azerbaijan-Armenia row

Armenian army launches missile attack on Ganja and Mingachevir in Azerbaijan.

Thirteen civilians were killed as more than 40 others were injured in Armenia's missile attack on Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, Ganja.

The attack destroyed a multi-story resident building.

Armenia continues to commit “war crimes” in Azerbaijan, killing civilians, including children, Turkey's top diplomat said.

"Silence in face of savagery means complicity in murder. Those who do not claim their share of humanity will be held accountable for their crimes," Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter.

History will never forgive those who remain silent about Armenia’s brutality and war crimes against Azerbaijani civilians, Turkey’s defense minister said.

Turkey slammed Greece for standing with the occupying country, Armenia, in the current conflict in the region with Azerbajijan.

The Turkic Council denounced Armenia’s recent missile attack on Ganja.

Mainstream US media disregarded the Armenian strike on Azerbaijani civilians.

Prominent outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and CNN failed to carry the attack either in their main pages or world sections.

Azerbaijan shot down an Armenian fighter jet, the country's Defense Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said the Su-25 aircraft was attempting to launch air strikes on Azerbaijani positions in the Jabrayil region.

Azerbaijan liberated Fuzuli and seven surrounding villages from Armenian occupation, the country's leader said.

"Azerbaijan’s glorious Army has liberated the villages of Gochehmedli, Chimen, Chuvarli, Pirehmedli, Musabeyli, Ishigli, and Dedeli of the Fuzuli district and the city of Fuzuli," President Ilham Aliyev said on Twitter.

A new temporary humanitarian cease-fire reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia entered into force midnight local time (2000 GMT) Sunday.

- COVID-19 updates worldwide

Across the world, COVID-19 has claimed more than 1.1 million lives in 189 countries and regions since last December.

The US, India, and Brazil are currently the worst-hit countries.

More than 39.44 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 27.1 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

With 10,925 new cases, Italy reported the highest daily spike since the start of outbreak in the country, according to the Health Ministry.

Germany’s president went into quarantine after one of his bodyguards tested positive for COVID-19.

India’s coronavirus count crossed the 7.4 million mark after it registered 62,212 new cases, according to official statistics.

It has given a go-ahead for clinical trials of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.

A total of 79 patients, including infants and children, were brought to Turkey for treatment upon the request of Iraqi authorities.

Africa's coronavirus cases to date now total more than 1.62 million, according to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) figures.

- Other global developments

Hailed for her successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand’s prime minister led her party to a historic second term.

Jacinda Ardern’s ruling center-left Labor Party won 64 seats, winning nearly 50% of total votes, the first time since 1996 that any party has won a clear majority to form a government on its own.

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