Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Oct. 28, 2021

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments in Turkey, around the world, and on the coronavirus pandemic.

- Developments in Turkey, coronavirus pandemic, and other news

Turkey has administered over 115.86 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it launched an immunization drive in January, according to official figures released Wednesday.

The Health Ministry recorded 26,896 new cases, 210 fatalities and 30,542 recoveries over the past day.

Turkey is prepared to boost defense and security cooperation with Chad as the African nation faces terrorists and other armed groups, the Turkish president said Wednesday.

"Turkey is ready to develop cooperation with Chad, which is simultaneously fighting terrorist organizations and armed opposition groups, in the military, defense and security fields," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a joint press conference following a meeting with Chad's visiting transitional President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Erdogan said they discussed the bilateral relations of the two nations as well as regional issues, adding Turkey will support Chad in its transitional period.

Meanwhile, the top defense officials of Turkey and the US held a phone call Wednesday, according to Turkish authorities.

Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin discussed bilateral and regional defense and security issues, said the Turkish National Defense Ministry.

The conversation also focused on steps towards establishing a positive agenda before a planned meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden.

The US and Turkey have held another round of talks aimed at resolving the dispute over Ankara's removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.

Spokesman Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth said top Pentagon officials Andrew Winternitz and Melissa Benkert led a US delegation to Ankara on Oct. 27 "for dispute resolution discussions to address remaining issues resulting from Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program, which was finalized on Sept. 23."

They were joined by a delegation from Turkey's defense ministry, the Pentagon said.

Istanbul Airport won the Best Airport Award for its leadership position among the continent’s hubs, the European airport trade association announced Wednesday.
Handing out the award in the “over 40 million passengers” category, the judges described Istanbul Airport as “a state-of-the-art airport supporting efficient operations and offering top quality service to the passengers and airport stakeholders,” Airports Council International (ACI) Europe said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Bill Gates is visiting Turkey's picturesque beaches in Fethiye on the Aegean coast.
The founder of Microsoft came to the town of Fethiye on the luxury yacht “Lana,” a 107-meter-long and 16-meter-wide Cayman Islands-flagged vessel.

The yacht offers a gym, a jacuzzi, a beach club, a swimming pool and water sports equipment as well as stabilizers to minimize the effect of movement.

- Coronavirus pandemic, other developments across the world

Escalating a row between the EU and Warsaw, the European Court of Justice on Wednesday ordered a fine on Poland of €1 million ($1.2 million) a day for ignoring a ruling on the country’s judicial reforms.

The court said in a press release that the decision was "necessary in order to avoid serious and irreparable harm to the legal order of the European Union and to the values on which that Union is founded, in particular that of the rule of law."

This July, the court ruled that Poland should suspend the disciplinary chamber of its Supreme Court, as it failed to guarantee impartiality.

On Sept. 7, the European Commission requested "financial penalties" for Poland for failing to comply with the July ruling.

Meanwhile, Algeria on Wednesday threatened to revoke the accreditation of French news agency AFP from operating in the country over what it said was a "heinous hostile campaign."

In a statement, the Algerian Information Ministry said AFP "continues its hostile prejudice against Algeria and strips away from the lowest basics of credibility and objectivity."

The statement also accused AFP of "lies and misinformation" aiming to distort Algeria's image with its recent coverage, as well as of serving agendas and lobbies hateful towards the North African country.

France warned Wednesday that it will disrupt trade with Britain and increase customs checks starting Nov. 2 if London withholds the granting of licenses to more French fishermen, French news outlet France24 reported.

In the wake of Brexit, disputes between the UK and France over the waters around the Channel Islands have been ongoing.

Wednesday’s strong-arming by France follows the rejection by its neighbor to the north of dozens of licenses for French fishermen to fish in the plentiful waters 6 to 12 nautical miles off England’s coast as well as those closer to the island of Jersey.

Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak delivered his third budget Wednesday, billed as his first post-COVID budget.

The background to the budget is a cost-of-living crisis being sharply felt by many Brits but also more upbeat forecasts about the state of the British economy.

In sports news, Barcelona sacked head coach Ronald Koeman on Wednesday following their 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano, the La Liga club said.

“FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as first team coach. The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano,” said the club in a statement.