Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - April 21, 2021

By Burak Dag

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 reported over 61,000 new coronavirus cases, according to Health Ministry data.

A total of 61,028 cases, including 2,895 symptomatic patients, were confirmed across the country, the data showed.

Turkey's overall case tally is over 4.38 million, while the nationwide death toll reached 36,613 with 346 more fatalities over the past day.

The rise in COVID-19 cases in Turkey is slowing down, said the nation’s health minister.

Turkey aims to vaccinate all tourism professionals before the end of May, said the country's deputy minister of culture and tourism.

Turkey replaced the country’s trade minister and appointed two ministers to newly established ministries early Wednesday, the Official Gazette announced.

Turkey’s former ambassador to Serbia has been appointed as the Foreign Ministry's new spokesperson.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party will propose the establishment of a parliamentary friendship group with Egypt, said a senior party lawmaker.

Turkey summoned Sweden's envoy to strongly condemn recent meetings between Swedish high-level officials and terrorists, according to diplomatic sources.

- COVID-19 updates worldwide

The global tally for coronavirus infections has surpassed 142 million, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University.

In an encouraging milestone, Spain's Health Ministry said Tuesday that more people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 than those having tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.

France has launched an experimental digital health pass this week, becoming the first European country to allow air travel for those who have a negative coronavirus test or those who have recovered.

The European Union will send 651,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Western Balkan countries, the bloc said in a statement.

The Yemeni government began a coronavirus vaccination campaign Tuesday for the first time.

Palestine has received a second shipment from the UN-led COVAX initiative containing 72,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, said the country's Health Ministry.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was vaccinated in front of cameras to set an example for senior citizens.

-Other global developments

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to meet in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region for peace talks to ease tensions between the two countries.

Russia temporarily restricted flights over parts of Crimea and the Black Sea, according to a notice to airmen.

Egypt and Libya signed memorandums of understanding in the Libyan capital during an official visit by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli.

Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has chosen party Chairman Armin Laschet as its candidate to succeed Merkel as German chancellor this September, said media reports.

On the frontlines of Chad’s battle against rebels, President Idriss Deby Itno, 68, has died, just one day after his re-election for a sixth term, the army announced.

The French government bears significant responsibility for enabling a foreseeable genocide in Rwanda in 1994, a new Rwandan government report said.

The “horrible” situation at the southern border of the US could “destroy” the country, former President Donald Trump said in a pre-recorded interview aired Monday night.