By Ahmet Gencturk
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 has administered some 27.3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since launching a mass vaccination campaign on Jan. 14, according to the latest official figures announced by the health ministry.
More than 15.62 million people have received their first doses, while an excess of 11.67 million have been fully vaccinated.
The Health Ministry also confirmed 9,271 new infections, less than 10,000 new daily cases for the first time since March 1.
As much as 9,271 additional patients won the battle against the virus, taking the number of recoveries near 4.99 million.
Meanwhile, the nationwide death toll stands at 45,636, with 207 new fatalities reported.
Aiming to give a new impetus to its vaccination drive, Turkey finalized a deal to buy 60 million more doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, with an option for an additional 30 million.
“This second supply agreement brings the total number of doses to be supplied to Turkey up to 120 million, all of which will be delivered in 2021,” according to a statement by BioNTech.
Continuing its war on terror, Turkey neutralized two more YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria.
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated that the number of terrorists neutralized in northern Iraq in the scope of ongoing Pence-Simsek and Pence-Yildiim operations rose to 121. Also, three more PKK terrorists surrendered to Turkish security forces, taking the number of PKK terrorists who have laid down arms since the beginning of 2021 to 71.
Security forces arrested 37 more people for suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, and 18 Daesh/ISIS terror suspects.
The parliament's Human Rights Committee formed a sub-committee to investigate Israel's human rights violations in Palestine.
Turkey-based The Journalists Solidarity Initiative for Palestine launched an online petition demanding an end to Israeli attacks on Palestinian counterparts.
Turkish businessman Vakkas Orhan, who was arrested in 2011 after traveling to Syria for business purposes and was released after serving 10 years.
Turkey’s Directorate of Communications opened an exhibition in New York in memory of Turkish diplomats slain by Armenian terrorist groups between 1973 and 1984.
Turkish Coast Guard rescued 73 irregular migrants after they were pushed back by Greek authorities in the Aegean Sea.
– Coronavirus developments worldwide
More than 1.56 billion vaccine shots have been given worldwide, figures by the Our World in Data showed.
China is the most vaccinated country with over 449.5 million jabs, according to the website data. It is followed by the US with more than 277.29 million.
EU institutions reached a political agreement on digital COVID certificates. The document, proposed in March by the European Commission, is meant to facilitate travel within the bloc by waiving quarantine or test requirements for those who hold the pass.
The EU also signed a new contract with BioNTech and Pfizer to buy up to 1.8 billion more vaccines. Accordingly, the bloc agreed to purchase 900 million vaccines from 2021 to 2023, with an option to buy another 900 million from the pharmaceutical companies.
UK’s Public Health England said that two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are 85-90% effective against the symptomatic disease.
India’s COVID-19 graph showed a declining trend as it recorded less than 300,000 daily infections for a fourth straight day.
-Israeli aggression against Palestinians
Israel agreed to a cease-fire with Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza, Israeli media and Hamas officials confirmed late Thursday.
A "mutual and simultaneous" cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas reached with Egypt mediation took effect at 2 a.m. Friday (2300GMT Thursday).
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called for the deployment of an international protection force in Palestine to protect innocents from Israeli violence.
-Other world developments
US President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law that targets Asian hate crimes, which have spiked dramatically across the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Canada ruled that Iran in 2020 deliberately shot down Flight 752, killing all 176 passengers and crew, and ruled it an act of terrorism.
Ethiopia announced delaying the much-anticipated 6th parliamentary elections by two weeks due to logistical and workforce constraints. The National Electoral Board said the elections will take place June 21 instead of June 5.
A roadside bomb killed nine people from a family in Afghanistan's restive southern Helmand province.
A UN report revealed that the YPG, the Syrian branch of PKK terror group in Syria, continued to recruit and exploit children in the conflict-hit country.
