Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - February 16, 2021

ANKARA

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 more than 7,900 infections and an excess of 7,100 recoveries, according to Health Ministry data on Monday, with the country's case count now at 2.59 million and recoveries totaling 2.48 million.

The death toll from the virus, meanwhile has reached 27,562, with 91 additional fatalities.

Officials from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party blasted a "scandal" US statement following the killing of 13 Turkish nationals by the PKK terrorist organization in northern Iraq.​

Numerous foreign diplomats in Turkey conveyed their condolences for the 13 martyrs who were executed by the terror group in the Gara region.

After the incident, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Western countries of "double standards" and a "selective approach" on terrorism.

Speaking during a provincial congress of his ruling AK Party in Black Sea province Rize, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also rebuked the US over its statement, as well as its "lacking" support amid the massacre.

On Sunday, the US State Department issued a conditional condemnation over the killings, saying in part: "If reports of the death of Turkish civilians at the hands of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization, are confirmed, we condemn this action in the strongest possible terms."

Separately, Turkish intelligence agents brought back from Uzbekistan two fugitives with suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup of 2016.

Turkish forces also arrested 718 PKK terror suspects in operations across the country.

COVID-19 updates worldwide

In the UK, Virus infection rates fell in almost all localities, while Spain also saw contagion drop, particularly in nursing homes.

Health professionals in the US administered over 52 million COVID-19 vaccines as cases began to dip.

Also, Iraq confirmed the first case of the new strain of coronavirus in the country.

Other global developments

At a news conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the EU of breaking ties with Russia.

Two rockets landed near Erbil Airport in northern Iraq. One civilian contractor died, while five other contractors and a US service member were injured.

The European Commission said it would send a letter to all EU countries to advise them against closing borders to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Brussels also offered its condolences to the Turkish public after the PKK killed 13 Turkish citizens in northern Iraq.

Following a two-day security meeting, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed to step up security cooperation as suspected Ugandan rebels renewed violence in the latter's east.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed drone attacks on two airports in Saudi Arabia.

In Singapore, the economy contracted by 5.4% in 2020, slipping into the worst recession since independence in 1965, officials said.

The arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi in India triggered outrage, with opposition politicians, prominent voices, and rights activists calling the move an "attack on democracy."