Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – Feb. 8, 2021

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 reported 6,670 additional coronavirus cases, including 623 symptomatic patients, according to the Health Ministry.

The country's case tally surpassed 2.5 million, while the death toll reached 26,797, with 112 fatalities in the past 24 hours.

As many as 8,201 additional patients won the battle against the virus, bringing the number of recoveries to more than 2.4 million.

Turkey's Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities is offering private scholarships to the children of Azerbaijanis martyred in clashes with Armenia, according to a Turkish official.

Authorities in Turkey's southeast are trying to unravel the secret behind a mysterious monolith, or metal slab, that recently appeared in Gobeklitepe, home to the world’s oldest temple site in Sanliurfa province.

The block is carved with words in Gokturk, the Old Turkic script, which means, "Look at the sky if you want to see the moon."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry extended solidarity to India after a Himalayan glacier broke off in the country's north, leading to a massive flood.

- COVID-19 updates worldwide

Following the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, more countries start vaccination campaigns with Bangladesh and Afghanistan the latest additions.

Bangladesh began a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched immunization from Dhaka on Jan. 27.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan received 500,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine from India, health officials said.

The India-made vaccine, locally known as Covishield, is the first to reach Afghanistan. It is being produced by the Serum Institute for mid- and low-income countries.

Meanwhile, Iran unveiled its second homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, based on a recombinant protein that can be injected or inhaled, authorities said.

The COV-Pars vaccine, developed by the country's oldest scientific research center, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, is expected to undergo human trials beginning Monday.

- Other developments

Tens of thousands of demonstrators, mostly young people, staged nationwide rallies against a military coup in Myanmar amid tight security and roadblocks.

Myanmar’s former ruling party also urged the UN and international community not to recognize the State Administrative Council formed following the coup.

In Tanzania, at least 15 people died and more than 50 others were hospitalized in the south due to an unidentified infection that caused many to experience nausea and vomit blood, health officials said.

Felista Kisandu, the chief medical officer in the remote Chunya district of Mbeya, said a team of medical experts has been deployed to clinically assess patients and investigate the cause of the outbreak.

About 150 people went missing after part of a Himalayan glacier broke in northern India, leading to a massive flood, according to officials.

A portion of the Nanda Devi glacier, India’s second-highest mountain, broke off in the Tapovan area of Uttarakhand state, damaging the Rishiganga hydropower project.

In his first network news interview since taking office last month, US President Joe Biden said his administration would not ease sanctions to get Iran back to the negotiating table after his predecessor, Donald Trump, pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear accord and reintroduced sanctions related to Tehran’s nuclear program.

Pointing out possible sanctions against Russia following his visit there, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell said Moscow does not want to “seize the opportunity” to have a constructive dialogue with the bloc, from which they “have to draw the consequences.”

In his first interview after being elected to lead an interim government, Libya's new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh described Turkey as a "friend and ally," saying his government will work to achieve peace in war-torn Libya.