By Burak Bir
ANKARA (AA) – 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 on Monday registered over 15,000 COVID-19 infections and 22,203 recoveries in the last 24 hours.
The country’s case count now stands at 2.16 million with recoveries totaling 2.03 million, according to Health Ministry data.
The death toll from the virus reached 20,135 with 257 additional fatalities.
Turkey and the UK are set to sign a landmark free trade agreement Tuesday, Turkey's president announced after a Cabinet meeting.
Turkey is raising its minimum wage by 21.56% as of Jan. 1, the country's family, labor and social services minister announced.
At least four people were killed and five others wounded when a passenger minibus collided with an 18-wheeler truck in southeastern Turkey.
Turkish security forces have “neutralized” 20 YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria, the country's National Defense Ministry said Monday.
Turkey’s first lady called for taking steps against climate change to stop hunger, drought and migration for the better future of the world.
An open-world survival game developed by Turkey's Proximity Games is set to hit popular gaming platform Steam after the New Year.
– COVID-19 updates worldwide
As of Monday, the global tally for novel coronavirus infections had surpassed 81.2 million, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University.
UK health authorities reported 41,385 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic earlier this year.
Spain surpassed another tragic milestone as the Health Ministry’s official COVID-19 death toll surged beyond 50,000.
Canada marked a grim milestone as coronavirus deaths surpassed 15,000.
Israel returned to a nationwide lockdown late Sunday amid a surge in coronavirus infections, according to Israeli media.
Almost two million people in the US have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Argentines will be vaccinated with the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine beginning Tuesday
People in Belgium received the first COVID-19 vaccines developed by BioNTech/Pfizer after it was approved by the European Medicine Agency last week.
– Other global developments
Uganda's government has decided to suspend New Year Eve's celebrations including fireworks, prayers at church and large gatherings as a preventive measure against the coronavirus pandemic.
A Saudi court sentenced renowned female rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and eight months in prison, according to an opposition group.
YouTube removed a channel that belongs to a right-wing group in Sweden.
In a retaliatory move, Russia declared the Bulgarian military attaché in Moscow persona non grata.
Burkina Faso’s president was sworn in for a second five-year term in office.
Accusing the United Arab Emirates of running dozens of secret prisons in Yemen, a human rights group called on the Gulf country to close all such facilities.
Three French soldiers serving in Mali as part of Operation Barkhane were killed when their armored vehicle was struck by a home-made bomb.
The Democratic-held House of Representatives voted to increase COVID stimulus payments to most Americans to $2,000, though the measure's fate remains uncertain.
