Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – Nov. 7, 2020

By Seda Sevencan

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 registered 2,436 more novel coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data.

The overall tally stands at 389,256, the ministry said.

A total of 1,914 additional patients recovered, raising the tally to 334,293, while the death toll rose by 83 to 10,722.

Turkey “neutralized” at least 120 terrorists in countrywide operations in October, according to the Interior Ministry.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said France censoring a cartoon of its Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer is an example of "hypocrisy" and "double standard."

-Azerbaijan-Armenia row

To date, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced more than 200 villages, as well as several settlements and cities of Azerbaijan, have been liberated from Armenian occupation.

Azerbaijan's army destroyed mortar firing points of the Armenian army, according to Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry.

In a statement, the ministry said mortar firing points in the occupied village of Goyark in the Tartar city were destroyed by "the precise strike of our units."

A senior Azerbaijani official shared footage of an 18th century mosque desecrated under Armenian occupation.

Armenian forces continued targeting civilian settlements and units of the Azerbaijani army in various directions of the front with mortars, howitzers and small arms, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said.

Starting from early morning, Armenian Armed Forces have attacked Tartar, as well as Gazyan and Husanli villages of the region, a ministry statement said.

The Tapgaragoyunlu village in Goranboy region was also shelled by Armenian forces, said the statement.

- COVID-19 updates worldwide

Britain reported 355 more fatalities and 23,287 new daily coronavirus cases Friday, according to data published by health authorities.

The government began a mass testing pilot scheme in Liverpool.

France on Friday recorded its highest number of coronavirus infections with 60,486 cases recorded in a single day, the country's Health Ministry said.

Cases and fatalities were at an all-time high as the first week of a lockdown comes to close.

Spain’s Health Ministry reported 347 more deaths from COVID-19 and another 22,516 new infections Friday, as Spanish nursing homes reported new outbreaks.

Italy on Friday registered 37,809 cases in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day rise since the beginning of the pandemic, according to health authorities.

It also registered 446 COVID-19-related deaths, reaching 40,638, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

India’s coronavirus cases topped the 8.4 million mark Friday after the country found 47,638 new infections in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.

The country recorded 670 virus-linked deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 124,985.

Japan’s prime minister on Friday called for caution amid “signs of coronavirus spread,” a day after daily infections there topped 1,000 for the first time since late August.

COVID-19 cases and virus-related deaths in Russia have reached their highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic.

On Friday, authorities reported 20,582 new cases, the highest daily number since the first infection was detected Jan. 31.

- Other global developments

Maher Al-Akhras, a Palestinian prisoner, ended his hunger strike Friday after 103 days.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society confirmed his decision in an official statement saying Israeli authorities will release him Nov. 26.

On the back of anticipated US presidential election news, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index hit a nearly three-decade high.

“Whoever is elected [in the US], Turkey will approach the new American administration in the same way it approaches any other country,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said of the 2020 presidential election in the US as the vote count continues.

In what may be one of the last bricks in building a presidential electoral victory, Democratic candidate Joe Biden took a slim lead in Georgia over President Donald Trump, even as vote tallies nationwide face numerous legal challenges.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden pulled ahead of US President Donald Trump in the state of Pennsylvania, bolstered by mail-in ballots.

The US state of Georgia will hold a vote recount because of the incredibly narrow margin separating the candidates, its secretary of state announced.