Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Jan. 2, 2021
Daily briefing on novel coronavirus pandemic worldwide, Turkey, other developments
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
The country’s case count now stands at 2.2 million with recoveries totaling 2.11 million, according to Health Ministry data.
The death toll from the virus reached 21,093 with 212 additional fatalities.
Winners were announced of Anadolu Agency’s Photos of the Year contest.
Turkey is in discussions with Germany for joint production of a coronavirus vaccine, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish security forces neutralized at least three YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, said Turkey’s National Defense Ministry.
A Turkish physical therapy and rehabilitation specialist developed a urine kit to detect the novel coronavirus in 15 seconds.
COVID-19 updates worldwide
The global tally for infections surpassed 83.9 million, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University.
Tunisia and the Palestinian territory of Gaza announced more coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours as efforts continued to contain the disease.
Israel reported 5,804 infections amid ongoing efforts to provide a COVID-19 vaccine for its citizens.
France reported 19,348 new cases, bringing total infections to 2.6 million.
Former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa has contracted the virus, local media reported.
Other global developments
Portugal officially assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of European Union on Jan. 1, with a motto of “a fair, green and digital recovery.”
Amid the visit of the French prime minister and armed forces minister to French soldiers in Chad, the country’s policy in the West African region received strong criticism in an analysis published in a French online news outlet.
At least 16 Palestinians were injured as Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse a protest in the occupied West Bank, according to witnesses.
The editor of a local radio station was killed by unknown assailants in Afghanistan on the first day of 2021 amid a string of targeted assassinations.
A mosque in Germany's southwestern Baden-Wurttemberg was attacked a second time in two weeks, according to an official.
The US Senate voted to override President Donald Trump's veto of a $740 billion defense spending bill.
Adobe Flash Player, a popular computer software that enabled users to stream videos and play online games, is officially dead on the first day of 2021.
TikTok removed the account of the Palestinian Quds News Network that shared posts about Israeli human rights violations and reactions to Arab-Israeli normalization.
