ANKARA

Efforts in Turkey to develop an indigenous vaccine against the novel coronavirus have reached the human trials stage, the country's top health official said Saturday.

Speaking to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said three other vaccine efforts in Turkey would also reach this point in the next seven to 10 days.

Turkey reported 1,502 new novel coronavirus patients and 1,211 recoveries over the past 24 hours, the country's Health Ministry said on Saturday.

The country's overall case count now stands at 323,014, with recoveries totaling 283,868, according to Health Ministry data.

Some 103,219 more coronavirus tests were conducted over the past 24 hours, bringing the overall tally to over 10.71 million.

The death toll from the virus reached 8,384, with 59 more fatalities.

The figures also showed that 6.4% of patients suffer from pneumonia.

Across the world, COVID-19 has claimed more than a million lives in 188 countries and regions since last December.

The US, India, and Brazil are currently the worst-hit countries.

Over 34.68 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries surpassing 24 million, according to figures compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University./ aa

BELGRADE, Serbia

Burying his home destroyed by war in the 1990s, a Bosnian man left a note: "Built by love, destroyed by hate."

Serif Velic from the northwestern city of Prijedor was a metal worker in Germany, where he saved enough money to build a house in his village of Kevljani.

Muslims in Prijedor had suffered massacres and other war crimes in 1992, forced out of their homeland by the thousands because their dwellings were either confiscated or destroyed.

Velic's house is one of those that were razed to the ground.

After returning to his village with his family after the war, Velic decided to give his former home a proper burial when he saw it in ruins.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Velic said he had quit his job in Germany with the eruption of the Bosnian War, joining the army as a volunteer at a time when Serbs began to exile Bosnian civilians in the region.

Velic was then captured and taken to the concentration camps.

"I was also subjected to severe torture in the concentration camp. A few months later, I got out of the camp thanks to the prisoner exchange. Then, I took refuge with my family in Sweden," he recounted.

Returning to Kevljani in 2001 for the first time after the war, he found his home left in ashes and debris.

"When we returned to the village, we found a ruin where our house used to be. Everything was lost in the grass. That day, I decided to save money and lay my house to the ground just like a human corpse,"

"First, we transferred the ruins to a field. Then we brought a bulldozer and dug a four-and-a-half-meter deep hole. We buried everything there. We dumped nine trucks of soil on it," said Velic.

Velic said the house was very important to him and seeing its remains made him feel like he lost a child.

"Every penny I invested in it was halal, but those evil people destroyed it without paying attention."

A tombstone that reads, "Built in 1974 and demolished in 1992. Built by love, destroyed by hate," was erected on the site of the buried house./aa

KABUL, Afghanistan

Afghanistan reopened schools at all levels on Saturday after health authorities claimed the country surmounted the first wave of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Education Ministry spokeswoman Nooria Nuzhat announced that all public school students from grades 1 to 10 would again start going to their schools, where hygiene measures will be ensured to avoid contracting COVID-19.

Last month, the government only allowed private schools, as well as the 11th and 12th grades in public schools, to re-open.

Defending the move, Nuzhat said the extended closure was due to a lack of facilities and the large numbers of students in these schools amid fears of the virus.

Hundreds of thousands of students went to their schools for the first time on Saturday since winter holidays in December 2019, which were supposed to end in March 2020. However, the schools were kept closed following a government move in March until Oct. 3.

According to official statistics, there are currently roughly 16,500 public schools across the country, of which 6,211 are primary schools and 3,856 are secondary schools. These serve over 5 million primary-level and nearly 3 million secondary-level students.t

The latest figures by the Health Ministry suggest that only seven new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed from 59 samples tested in the past 24 hours, raising the total confirmed cases in Afghanistan to 39,297.

At least ten million Afghans have been infected with the coronavirus, a survey by the ministry said last month./aa

KABUL, Afghanistan

At least 15 people have been killed and more than 30 injured in an ongoing militant attack in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, an official confirmed on Saturday.

Militants detonated a car packed with explosives near an administrative compound in Shinwari district at around 12:30 p.m. (0800GMT), according to Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor’s spokesman.

Security forces and the attackers have been engaged in a gunfight for the past few hours, he added.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in a district that has been marred by a pro-Daesh/ISIS insurgency.

The attack comes as peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban continue in Qatar’s capital Doha.

Dozens of people have been killed and injured as violence has flared up across Afghanistan since the landmark intra-Afghan talks began last month./aa

CHANDIGARH, India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated “the longest highway tunnel in the world” built in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh that borders China.

Strategically important, the tunnel named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is located in Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 meters (10,000 Feet) from the mean sea level (MSL).

Modi travelled to Himachal Pradesh to inaugurate the tunnel.

In a televised speech, the Indian premier said the tunnel will give a new strength to India’s border infrastructure.

“The Atal tunnel will give new strength to India's border infrastructure. It is an example of world-class border connectivity,” Modi said.

He said that the tunnel will also be a “lifeline” to the nearby Ladakh region.

India and China are facing heightened faceoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a de facto border near the Himalayan region of Ladakh in disputed Jammu and Kashmir.

An official hand-out said earlier that the Atal Tunnel is the “longest highway tunnel in the World.”

“The 9.02 Km [5.6-mile] long tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year [….] the tunnel reduces the road distance by 46 Kms [28.5 miles] between Manali and Leh and the time by about 4 to 5 hours,” the release said.

It added that it has been designed to handle traffic density of 3,000 cars and 1,500 trucks per day./aa

KUWAIT CITY

With Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sworn in as the new emir of Kuwait, questions surfaced over the upcoming royal family's member to become the crown prince.

The new emir succeeded on Wednesday Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who died at age of 91 while receiving treatment in the US.

The Kuwaiti constitution gives the new 83-year-old emir a one-year period to choose his crown prince, according to Article 4 of the constitution.

If the emir does not name a new crown prince as stipulated in the article, he recommends three personalities from the royal family and propose them to the National Assembly to choose one.

Mashael Al-Sabah

Sheikh Mashael Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 80, the half-brother of the new emir, is the most potential figure to become the new crown prince.

He has been the deputy chief of the National Guard with the rank of minister for 17 years - he is currently heading the National Guard due to the health conditions of the National Guard head, Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, who is also the head of the Al-Sabah family.

He is characterized by his strict personality, and is considered the most potential figure for the position, although he has been far from the political circles in the country.

Mashael Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah used to accompany the late emir during all his medical trips, including his recent trip to the US.

He is the seventh son of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1921 to 1951, and the half-brother of Sheikh Jaber, who ruled Kuwait for 28 years.

Mohammad Al-Sabah

The second potential figure is Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, 64, a candidate for the Al-Sawalem branch, who used to rotate with the Al-Ahmad branch over ruling Kuwait since its independence in 1962, before the late emir broke the customary habit by appointing Sheikh Nawaf from the Al-Ahmad branch as crown prince.

Mohammad Al-Sabah is the fourth son of Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the 12th emir of Kuwait, who ruled the country from 1965 to 1977.

He held the positions including deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, before he resigned from the two positions in 2011.

He is also an academic and holds doctorate degree in mathematics and is known for good reputation and fighting corruption. The Al-Sawalem family branch hopes to return to the Kuwaiti ruling house through him, but his chance is less than that of Sheikh Mashael.

Nasser Al-Sabah

Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 72, is the son of the late emir. He comes third after the first two figures, as he held the position of the first deputy prime minister and minister of defense in the last government of Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah.

He also enjoys wide popular acceptance, as he is the first fighter of corruption in Kuwait, and he blew his biggest case in what is known as the Army Fund, the case which overthrew former Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah and former Interior Minister Khaled Jarrah Al-Sabah.

But Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah's health conditions may make his chance for the position relatively lower, as he suffers from a lung tumor that was successfully removed by surgery in Germany two years ago.

He also received Legion of Merit from US President Donald Trump on behalf of his ailing father last month, a move that was seen by observers as an indication of his chances of assuming the position.

Trump awarded the Legion of Merit with the rank of commander in chief to the former emir for his mediating role in resolving conflicts and overcoming divisions in the Middle East.

The former candidates are the luckiest, according to the current speculation, but this does not totally eliminate chances for other figures including former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Muhammad Al-Sabah, who moved away from the political center nine years ago after his resignation from his post due to growing opposition against him.

Nasser Al-Muhammad, 79, is the second son of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and nephew of the current emir.

Also, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah, has great influence in sports and ambitious to reach power. He is not absent from the scene, but his chance is lower under current circumstance.

Al-Fahd, 57, held many political and sports positions inside and outside the country, including deputy prime minister for economic affairs, minister of state for housing affairs and minister of state for development affairs.

He has also held the positions of minister of information, minister of energy, president of the Football Association, and president of the International Olympic Committee, while he is currently the president of the Olympic Council of Asia and president of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). /aa

ANKARA

The elderly population in the world is expected to double in 2050, according to a UN report, the World Population Prospect.

The UN General Assembly on Dec. 14, 1990 declared Oct. 1 as the International Day of Older Persons.

The number of people aged 60 and over, which was 1 billion in 2019, is expected to rise by 34% reaching 1.4 billion by 2030.

The UN also named 2020-2030 as the "Decade of Healthy Aging", and aims to bring together experts, civil society, government and healthcare professionals to discuss the strategic objectives of the Aging and Health Global Strategy and Action plan, to overcome possible challenges to achieve its goals.

- Most older people live in Asia, Europe, North America

As of 2019, there are 703 million people aged 65 and over in the world. East and Southeast Asia has the largest elderly population with 261 million, followed by Europe and North America with 200 million.

Over the next 30 years, the number of older persons worldwide will more than double, and more than 1.5 billion people will be over 65 years old in 2050, according to the UN.

It is predicted that there will be a significant rise in the older population between 2019 and 2050 in all regions. The largest rise is expected in East and Southeast Asia with 312 million, growing from 261 million in 2019 to 573 million in 2050.

Studies show that South Korea, Singapore, China, Taiwan, the Maldives, and Thailand stand out among the countries with the highest proportion of the elderly aged 65 and over by 2050.

Around 80% of the global elderly population will be in underdeveloped countries by 2050, according to the estimates.

- People aged 60+ exceed children under 5 years old for 1st time in history

Research has shown that this year, the number of people aged 60 and over exceeded the number of children under 5 years old for the first time in history.

By 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over 60 will be slightly more than twice the number of children under 5 years old, and more than adolescents and young people aged 15-24.

In many countries, it is expected that the proportion of the elderly in the population will rise, with one in six people in 2030 and one in five in 2050 to be 60 or older.

The world has seen significant rises in life expectancy since 1950. Declining fertility and increasing longevity are the main drivers of population aging globally.

However, in general, young and working-age immigrants are temporarily slowing down the rapid growth rate of the elderly population in developed countries receiving high number of immigrants.

In addition, in terms of life expectancy, women who make up 54% of the world population aged 60 and over and 61% of the population aged 80 and over live longer than men.

- 'Pandemic era opportunity for societies to show their elders value they deserve'

Dr. Emine Ozmete, the director of Ankara University's center on aging studies, told Anadolu Agency that the pandemic period is an opportunity for societies to show their elders the value they deserve.

Ozmete pointed out that during the pandemic, the older people in Turkey protect themselves by staying at home and showing solidarity by complying with all measures. "Every individual and the elderly may need care regardless of their socio-economic level. For this reason, meeting the basic needs of the elderly and making them feel safe is the most important matter during such periods," she said.

Through the "Vefa Social Support Program" of the Turkish government, the needs of the older persons who live in their homes and stay in elderly care centers are met, she reminded.

''While many developed countries did not consider older people as priority, Turkey is shown as one of the most successful countries by the World Health Organization in terms of service provided to the elderly during the pandemic period. The elderly population is rising due to demographic transformation. Communities should be prepared to meet the needs of the elderly population," she added./aa

JAKARTA, Indonesia 

Indonesia's palm oil sector said on Friday that US sanctions on Malaysian palm oil firms had damaged the image of the palm oil industry.

"The sanctions put by the US Customs and Border Protection Office CBP against Malaysian FGV Holdings Berhad regarding forced labor allegations remain unclear. There should be a formal notice from the US government regarding this issue," the head of the Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs (GAPKI), Kanya Lakshmi Sidarta, told Anadolu Agency.

"Palm oil is the main export commodity for both Malaysia and Indonesia, so Indonesia will be affected by the sanctions as well. It can be US's attempt to disrupt the industry as it did not go well before," she added.

Noting that Indonesian palm oil companies were often unable to unload their goods at US ports for various reasons, Kanya said actors in the sector were more careful due to campaigns against the industry often focusing on its labor issues.

In fact, she said, allegations of child and forced labor had been proven to be unfounded.

GAPKI confirmed that the FGV was currently working on the matter to clarify the evidence and analyze the basis of the sanctions.

"We're concerned because there's the possibility of unilateral judgment from US institutions," said Kanya.

She noted that GAPKI has been questioning the credibility and authority of the Customs and Border Protection Office to carry out investigations into the palm oil industry, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia.

"The palm oil industry is relatively stable despite the COVID-19 pandemic, so it often becomes the target of slander," Kanya explained.

Meanwhile, the head of GAPKI's Foreign Affairs Division, Fadhil Hasan, stressed that even if some companies were guilty of forced labor, this could not be generalized onto the entire industry.

"As for now, we shouldn't jump to conclusions because we're still waiting for clarification from the FGV," he added.

Fadhil said Indonesian companies were still exporting palm oil to the US, so he hoped this case would not affect other palm oil companies.

The US issued a banning order against FGV on Wednesday, saying it found indicators of forced labor, including concerns about child abuse, along with other forms of misconduct including physical and sexual violence.

The ban applies to palm oil and its derivative products produced by the subsidiary of the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA).

Apart from Malaysia, FGV Holdings also has plantations in Central and West Kalimantan, Indonesia./aa