Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – November 23, 2020

By Erdogan Cagatay Zontur

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

With more than 6,000 new coronavirus cases recorded in the past 24 hours, the number of Turkey's confirmed infections rose to 446,822. The country’s death toll rose to 12,358 as 139 more people succumbed to the disease.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey has deported nearly 9,000 foreign terrorists so far and the country is the only member of NATO fighting the Daesh/ISIS terror group in Syria.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, blasted the killing of at least 39 Afghan civilians by Australian forces.

Turkey neutralized six PKK terrorists in cross-border anti-terrorism operations in northern Syria and northern Iraq.

Fatma Nasuh, an eight-year-old Syrian girl who lost her leg, is hoping to get treatment in Turkey and be able to walk again.

- Global outbreak

Italy reported an 18% fall in new daily cases and deaths related to the novel coronavirus, confirming that the contagion curve is stabilizing.

David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's special envoy for COVID-19, criticized Europe's response to the novel coronavirus, warning it could trigger a third wave next year.

Iran confirmed 475 more coronavirus-related fatalities, raising the nationwide death toll to 44,802.

At least 59 people in Pakistan lost their lives to COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, the highest number of daily virus-related deaths in four months.

India’s coronavirus count neared 9.1 million Sunday after 45,209 new cases were registered in the past day, official figures show.

- Other developments

With a rapid surge in the number of COVID-19 patients, Turkey has recently implemented a series of measures to stem the spread of the virus, including a nationwide smoking ban in public spaces.

The Syrian regime has tortured 98 people in the last two years, violating the 2018 Daraa agreement.

Residents of Aghdam, which was occupied by Armenia for 27 years, said it was turned into a ruined city.