By Sena Guler
ANKARA (AA) – 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 continued to report another record high single-day spike with 42,308 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.
The cases included 1,471 symptomatic patients, and the number of infections reached 3.4 million. The nationwide death toll hit 31,892 with 179 additional fatalities.
As many as 24,419 more patients won the battle against the disease, raising the number of recoveries to more than 3 million.
Amid a rising number of cases and deaths, the country re-enforced weekend curfews starting Friday in accordance with the risk situation of provinces.
The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were administered in Ankara.
People who had appointments for COVID-19 shots at Ankara City Hospital were asked their preference between the Pfizer-BioNTech and China’s CoronaVac jabs.
Meanwhile, Turkey condemned a deadly terror attack in northern Mali that killed four UN peacekeepers.
Turkey's ruling party spokesman also condemned a Greek Cypriot administration stamp commemorating the 65th anniversary of the EOKA terror group.
– COVID-19 updates worldwide
With the virus infecting more people in Africa, the case tally across the continent topped 4.2 million, according to an update by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least 113,142 people have died from the virus in Africa and 3.7 million have recovered, according to the African Union health body.
Amid a fourth wave, Iran identified 11,660 new infections and 117 deaths, taking the tally to 1.9 million cases and near 63,000 fatalities since the outbreak there in February 2020.
India's 11 states and union territories have been reporting very high rises in daily cases and mortality rates in the last two weeks, which is a matter of “serious concern,” according to authorities.
The country registered more than 81,000 new infections, taking the case tally to 12,303,131 and 496 additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 163,396.
– Other global developments
At least 51 people were killed, including 49 passengers, and dozens of others sustained injuries in a train accident in eastern Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Central News Agency said the death toll included the driver of the train that derailed after hitting a construction crane truck as it entered the Qingshui Tunnel in Hualien county.
A local headquarters of Podemos, the far-left political party in Spain’s ruling coalition, was bombed and vandalized in Cartagena.
The office was closed so no one was injured, but the explosion started a fire that caused significant damage to the building’s exterior.
Meanwhile, in Niger, Mohamed Bazoum officially took office as president in the country’s first-ever democratic changeover two days after the government foiled a coup attempt.
The US said it agreed to participate in indirect nuclear talks starting next week with Iran in a potential major breakthrough that could end a months-long impasse.
Iran, however, said it agreed to participate in a meeting in Austria’s capital next week on the nuclear deal, but denied any meeting with the US.
A police officer died after a suspect rammed a vehicle into him and another officer at the US Capitol.
