Anadolu Agency’s Morning Briefing

ANKARA

Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic and other developments in Turkey and around the world.

Coronavirus and other developments in Turkey

Turkey on Saturday reported 15,118 infections and 253 new fatalities over the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data.

The new cases include 3,002 symptomatic patients, while the total number of infections exceeded 2.13 million. As many as 23,231 people recovered, bringing the tally to 1,994,034. The death toll climbed to 19,624.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that no specimens of the mutated novel coronavirus strain were found in Turkey in samples collected across the country.

Dr. Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, said the company will send Turkey an initial 550,000 doses of its COVID-19 shot by the end of the year or early 2021 at the latest.

Turkish Airlines announced that it will ask passengers arriving from aboard to submit negative PCR tests as of Dec. 30.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 2021 would be a "year of democratic and economic reforms" in the country.

Accompanied by Turkey's Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler and other military commanders, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar paid an official visit to Libya.

Akar met Libya's Chairman of the High Council of State Khalid al-Mishri, Defense Minister Salahuddin al-Namroush, and Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.

Responding to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) recently issued by Greece for a vast area in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey on Saturday urged Greece to act sensibly and responsibly.

COVID-19 updates worldwide

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Saturday that BioNTech and Pfizer have been delivered to all the EU countries that will begin vaccination on Sunday

Sweden and Spain on Saturday confirmed to have detected the first cases of a new strain of the deadly coronavirus.

In Russia, the total number of people who have been exposed to the novel coronavirus exceeded 3 million on Saturday.

Bangladesh on Saturday registered some 834 fresh coronavirus infections, a single-day lowest in the country since May 9.

Other developments

In Pakistan, at least four soldiers including two pilots of the Pakistani army were killed in a helicopter crash in the northern areas of the country on late Saturday.

Pakistan on Saturday rejected the Indian prime minister's claim of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir and termed it "preposterous and fallacious”.

Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes in the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Protesting farmers in India on Saturday agreed to hold talks with the government as thousands continue to camp on the borders around the capital New Delhi, demanding a rollback of three new farm laws passed earlier this year.

The Ethiopian Rights Commission (EHRC) said the death toll from Wednesday’s armed attack in Ethiopia’s western Benishangul-Gumuz region has risen to 207.