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Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Jan. 4, 2022

Daily briefing on novel coronavirus pandemic worldwide, Turkiye, other developments

Dilan Pamuk  | 04.01.2022 - Update : 04.01.2022
Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Jan. 4, 2022

ANKARA

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

Coronavirus and other developments in Turkiye

Turkiye has administered more than 132.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it launched an immunization drive in January 2021, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The ministry also confirmed 44,869 new COVID-19 infections, 160 deaths and 27,492 recoveries over the past day.

Turkiye's homegrown COVID-19 vaccine Turkovac provides protection against the omicron variant of the coronavirus, according to a senior Turkish medical expert.

Other developments worldwide

Amid rising cases of COVID-19, another city in China imposed a lockdown and suspended classes and public transport.

Amid a massive surge in daily COVID-19 cases in many cities, India began vaccination of 15-18-year-olds.

As officials fret over a fifth virus wave, Pakistan reported more than 700 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily figure in over two months.

The Saudi-led coalition accused Houthi rebels of hijacking a cargo vessel off the coast of Hudaydah in western Yemen.

Iraqi security forces thwarted two drone attacks on Baghdad International Airport, said an Iraqi security official.

Despite a partial ban on their use, hundreds of animals were killed by fireworks during the 2022 New Year celebrations in Italy, according to an animal rights group.

Japan’s capital Tokyo saw its biggest surge in COVID-19 cases in the past three months, health data showed.

An Arab member of the Knesset, or Israel’s parliament, has warned of “catastrophic” consequences for the Middle East region in case of any Israeli military action against Iran.

Denmark began culling 36,000 turkeys at a farm where the birds have been infected with the highly contagious Avian influenza H5N1, also known as bird flu, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration announced.

After a week of record-breaking heat, firefighters in northern Spain are struggling to extinguish a wave of forest fires that emerged over the first weekend of the year.

Belgium’s research station in Antarctica has been paralyzed by a COVID-19 outbreak as two-thirds of its personnel have been infected with the coronavirus, according to Belgian media.

Over 4,400 migrants died while trying to reach Spain in 2021, making it the deadliest year on record, according to a report.

New COVID-19 cases rose by 52% over the holiday season in Belgium, according to the latest data published by the country’s health institute.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council vowed to ensure that a nuclear conflict does not erupt and pledged to work to prevent the further spread of the cataclysmic weapons.

A wide swathe of the US East Coast was slammed by a major winter storm in the morning that brought significant snowfall to much of the Mid-Atlantic region, including the nation’s capital.

Nearly 40% of Yemen’s population is facing "inadequate food" problems, a UN body announced.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus booster shots for children between the ages of 12 and 15 as the country grapples with soaring virus cases.

The second fire in two days broke out at South Africa's National Assembly building in Cape Town, authorities confirmed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed a range of issues over the phone, including tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

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