Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - July 29, 2020

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 in Turkey

Turkey's coronavirus-related fatalities dropped to 15 for the first time in a month, the country's health minister said on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 5,645.

Turkey confirmed 1,092 more recoveries from the novel coronavirus, raising the tally to 211,561.

According to Health Ministry data, a total of 963 people contracted COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 227,982.

Other developments in Turkey

The Turkish president on Tuesday reopened the country's historic Sumela Monastery in the Black Sea province of Trabzon via video link.

Located in the Macka district, the monastery is a site of historical and cultural significance. It was included in UNESCO's temporary list of World Heritage sites in 2000.

Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the restoration of Sumela Monastery and its reopening to visit, as well as expressed his gratitude to Erdogan for his support and interest in the restoration of the monastery.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry late Tuesday slammed a decision by the UN Security Council (UNSC) that extended the mandate of a peacekeeping force on Cyprus Island.

The ministry said extending the mandate for six months, unanimously adopting Resolution 2537 (2020) without the consent of Turkish Cypriots is against the rules and principles of the UN.

Turkish officials are ready to sit at the negotiating table with their Greek counterparts and discuss all regional issues which have led to an escalation between the two neighbors, Turkey's Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Turkey's Communications Directorate shared a video on social media Tuesday which showed Jewish, Greek, Armenian and Assyrian communities living together with Muslim Turks in Istanbul.

Turkey's investment demand, despite the pandemic, followed a stronger course this January-June compared to the same period last year, the Turkish industry and technology minister said, adding that the country hit the highest number of incentive certificates with 859 in June.

The Turkish Red Crescent announced it is set to send aid to over 4 million needy people around the world during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. Here is a feature story you may be interested to read.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed allegations by some of the Lebanese politicians that claimed Ankara supported protests in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Turkey repatriated 84 nationals who were stranded in Mozambique for months after air traffic was halted to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 83 asylum seekers who were pushed into Turkish territorial waters off the Aegean coast by Greek coastal authorities, according to security sources.

Any energy project that proceeds in the eastern Mediterranean without Turkey's participation is "doomed to fail," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar warned Tuesday.

"Turkey, as a country with the longest continental coastline in the eastern Mediterranean has sovereign rights in its maritime areas," Akar said during a virtual conference hosted by the Washington-based Turkish Heritage Organization.

Turkey and Uzbekistan will increase their bilateral trade volume up to $5 billion, the top Turkish diplomat said on Tuesday after meeting Uzbekistan's deputy foreign minister.

Coronavirus outbreak across world

Since originating in China last December, COVID-19 has claimed more than 659,000 lives in 188 countries and regions.

Over 16.6 million cases have been reported worldwide, while more than 9.7 million patients have recovered, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

On Monday, the US drugmaker Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech announced the start of the late-stage clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Latin America continues leading the World in COVID-19 cases. US President Donald Trump said Monday that he is watching "closely" the rising numbers of coronavirus cases in Latin America.

Meanwhile, European countries started to tighten measures against COVID-19 as the number of infections rise.

The British premier Boris Johnson warned "the signs of a second wave" of the coronavirus are appearing in some European countries.

The novel coronavirus is neither seasonal, nor does it occur in waves, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.

You may also be interested to read an exclusive interview with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya.

Despite Spain's Health Ministry reporting another surge in COVID-19 cases, with 1,828 new infections confirmed on Tuesday, the country's health minister denied a second wave.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called the UK's recent decision to enforce quarantines on all Spanish arrivals "disproportionate."

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that he had suffered an asymptomatic form of the novel coronavirus "out of bed".

Global developments

Australia's bushfires killed or displaced nearly 3 billion animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs during the period, called "Black Summer", according to a report.

A former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty on Tuesday on seven charges in a multi-million dollar corruption trial, official media reported.

Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced early Wednesday that it gave up its three-month self-rule in southern provinces.

Pakistan condemned restrictions imposed by Indian authorities on traditional prayers of Eid-al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, in New Delhi-administered Kashmir.

The move to re-open the Hagia Sophia as mosque is "historically and factually justified," a Movement for an Informed Society Malaysia, or WADAH, said Tuesday.

A study prepared by Khatib revealed that Israeli authorities have turned 15 mosques into Jewish synagogues.

The Israeli army opened fire on "suspicious activity" near the border line in the direction of the Kfarkela village in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA) late Tuesday.

A Swedish activist is cycling 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) to raise funds for Palestinian children.

Benjamin Ladraa, on the eighth day of her journey, told Anadolu Agency that the campaign aimed at raising funds for 3,000 children in Palestine who have lost their limbs due to Israel's attacks.

Iraqi Camp Victory Army Base at Baghdad International Airport, which houses US forces, was targeted by rockets late Tuesday, according to local media. -