Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – June 8, 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 has administered over 31 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it launched a mass vaccination campaign in mid-January. Around 17.85 million people have received their first doses, while over 13.2 million have been fully vaccinated. The country confirmed 5,647 new coronavirus cases, including 495 symptomatic patients, across the country in the last 24 hours.

Concerning Turkey’s fight against terrorism, security forces “neutralized” a terrorist in southeastern Turkey in the Sirnak-Mt. Judi region as part of Operation Eren-13.

Three more PKK terrorists, including one wanted by security forces, were “neutralized” as part of Operation Eren-1 in Turkey’s eastern Van province.

Separately, Turkey "neutralized" at least six YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria: two in an area falling under Operation Euphrates Shield and the other four in the Operation Peace Spring region. The terrorists were said to have opened harassing fire earlier.

Turkey rescued 131 asylum seekers in the Aegean Sea after they were illegally pushed back by Greek coastal authorities into Turkish territorial waters.

COVID-19 updates worldwide

Over 2.15 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given worldwide so far. Turkey ranks 10th on the list with over 30.87 million doses given.

India registered 100,636 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest daily spike in two months.

Pakistan reported nearly 1,500 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily figure since March, when the third wave of the virus hit the South Asian country.

Anyone above the age of 12 in Germany will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, as the government dropped its vaccination priority listing.

Other global developments

At least 51 people were killed and 100 others injured in a collision between two passenger trains in southern Pakistan.

Israel has vowed to do everything in its power to free Israelis held captive by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, on Sunday released an audio in Hebrew of an Israeli soldier held by the Palestinian group. In the audio, the soldier appeals to the Israeli government to work for his release.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law completing Russia's withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty (OST).

At least 17 people were killed and over 271,000 others affected by raging floods in Sri Lanka.

A senior officer of the Iraqi national intelligence service was assassinated in the capital Baghdad.

Germany called on Iran to accelerate its diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the six world powers – the US, Russia, China, UK, France and Germany.

A new EU law against online terrorist content entered into force. The act – officially called the Terrorist Content Online Regulation – ensures that hosting service providers take prompt steps if terrorist content is published or disseminated on their sites.

India has reported over 28,200 cases of the deadly fungal infection known as mucormycosis.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a controversial new drug to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, the first in nearly 20 years.