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 confirmed 11,749 new cases, including 1,291 asymptomatic patients. With the new additions, the tally of infections topped 2.3 million. A total of 186 people lost their lives to the virus, bringing the death toll to 22,450. As many as 9,894 recovered, taking that figure to more than 2.18 million.

SpaceX launched a Turkish communications satellite into orbit. The technology company’s Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in the US state of Florida, carrying the Turksat 5A satellite.

Four PKK terrorists were "neutralized" in northern Iraq in air operations after being detected by reconnaissance and surveillance instruments.

At least six suspects were arrested by security forces for alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind a 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

Thirteen people were arrested by security forces for alleged links to the PKK/KCK terror group.

Turkey finalized an agreement for 50 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and signed an agreement for up to 30 million additional doses, with 4.5 million doses being certain.

Eight YPG/PKK terrorists were neutralized by Turkish security forces in northern Syria while trying to infiltrate the Operation Euphrates Shield zone, south of Turkey’s border.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri held a one-on-one meeting in Istanbul to discuss issues related to politics, economy, trade and culture to enhance Turkey-Lebanon relations as well as cooperation in regional matters.  

COVID-19 updates worldwide

Indonesia reported 9,321 new cases, the highest since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 800,000 cases have been registered in the country, with more than 114,000 currently active.

Germany reported 1,188 more deaths from the virus, a new daily record in fatalities since the start of the pandemic. A total of 31,849 new infections were also registered.

Brazil surpassed 200,000 deaths, only 10 months after its first confirmed fatality.

It reported 1,524 people lost their lives from COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 200,498. The country also reported 87,843 new virus cases, with the overall count standing at 7.96 million. The total number of recoveries in the country reached 7.96 million.

Mexico reported 13,734 new coronavirus cases and 1,044 new fatalities. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the country has recorded 1.49 million cases, 131,000 deaths and 1.12 million recoveries.

Argentina registered 13,835 new infections, bringing the number to 1.69 million. The nationwide death toll rose to 44,122 as 146 patients died but 1.48 million patients have recovered.

Colombia confirmed 17,576 new cases and 344 fatalities, raising the total number of infections to 1.73 million, and the death toll to 45,067. About 1.58 million patients have recovered from the virus.

Peru registered 1,891 new cases and 58 fatalities, raising its overall count to 1.26 million, including 38,049 deaths. The number of recoveries grew to 964,354.

Chile reported 3,693 more infections, taking the number of cases to 629,176. The death toll reached 16,913, with 97 additions, and the total number of recoveries rose to 593,235.

Guatemala reported 872 more infections and 29 new fatalities, raising the = number of cases to 141,074, including 4,928 deaths. To date, 129,542 patients have recovered from the virus.

The UK has made it mandatory for all international passengers arriving in England to present a negative COVID-19 test taken up to 72 hours before departure.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the institution agreed to double the number of vaccines with biotechnological firms BioNTech/Pfizer.

Japan reported more than 7,000 infections, the highest number in a single day since the pandemic outbreak in December 2019. Total cases in Tokyo rose to 71,182 with the addition of 2,392 new patients. More than 267,000 coronavirus infections have been reported, including an excess of 3,600 deaths.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong received the first dose of a vaccine as the country started a nationwide vaccination campaign.

Britain’s medicine regulators approved the use of a Moderna vaccine in the UK. The company is US-based.

The US registered 4,085 new deaths and nearly 275,000 additional cases.

The UK recorded 1,325 COVID-19-related deaths, its highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic. The country also registered 68,053 cases, also its highest daily total since the start of the pandemic.

Italy reported 620 deaths and 17,533 new daily infections.

Palestine recorded 23 more COVID-19-related deaths and 822 new cases in territories under Israeli occupation and blockade. The number of cases reached 164,395, including 1,707 deaths and 145,601 recoveries.

Libya registered 10 new virus-related deaths, 487 cases and 925 recoveries. The number of cases rose to 104,002, including 1,568 deaths and 79,193 recoveries.

Qatar confirmed one additional death, 195 new infections and 139 recoveries, bringing its caseload to 145,466, including 246 deaths and 142,453 recoveries.

Spain reported 25,456 new coronavirus infections, the second-highest daily surge on record.  

Global developments

A Capitol Police officer died from injuries sustained when supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol building, raising the death toll to five.

Trump announced that he would not attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration later this month, breaking with a long-standing tradition that many see as a hallmark of the US's peaceful transfer of power.

About 10,600 people have been displaced following recent attacks in two villages in Niger's Tillaberi region, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).  

About 30,000 people in the Central African Republic fled to neighboring Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo to flee violence.

Three security personnel and two civilians were killed by separatists in Cameroon, in Babadjou in the country's North West region that has been marred by violence since 2016.

At least 14 people, including 12 farmers, a young suicide bomber and a Boko Haram terrorist were killed in the terror group’s attack in northern Cameroon.

Three people were killed and another injured in a plane crash 63 kilometers (39 miles) off Saint Petersburg, Russia as a result of a collision with another light-engine aircraft Cessna in Leningrad.