Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – June 20, 2021

By Zehra Nur Duz

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 has lowered its coronavirus vaccination eligibility age to 30, the health minister announced.

More than 41.02 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered since the country launched a mass vaccination campaign in January, according to the Health Ministry.

An excess of 26.67 million people have received their first doses, while over 14.34 million have been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the ministry also confirmed 5,480 new infections in the last 24 hours, including 494 symptomatic patients.

Turkey's overall case count is now more than 5.36 million, while the nationwide death toll stands at 49,122 with 51 new fatalities.

As many as 4,195 additional patients won the battle against the virus, raising the number of recoveries past 5.22 million.

A Turkish Airlines cargo plane carrying 5 million more doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine landed in Ankara, according to the Health Ministry.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with top diplomats and heads of international organizations during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in southern Turkey.

Turkey’s presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin met Bjoern Seibert, head of the Cabinet of the European Commission president.

Turkey has huge investment and earning potential in the tourism sector, according to the country’s president.

A magnitude-3.9 earthquake struck Istanbul, according to the nation’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

Burak Elmas was elected Galatasaray new president.

During the past 11 days, Turkish sea cleaning teams have collected 4,202 cubic meters (148,392 cubic feet) of mucilage from the Marmara Sea, said the nation’s environment and urbanization minister.

– COVID-19 updates worldwide

More than 2.58 billion coronavirus vaccine doses have been given worldwide, according to figures compiled by Our World in Data, a tracking website.

Brazil reached the grim milestone of half a million deaths from COVID-19, the second-highest in the world after the US.

The UK has recorded more than 10,000 daily cases for the third day in a row, with a top scientist warning that the country is in the grips of a third wave.

– Other global developments

Iran's ultra-conservative judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raeisi, was declared the winner of the presidential election, which saw the lowest turnout in the nation’s history.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Raeisi for winning the election.

Turkey’s defense minister discussed bilateral security and regional issues with his US counterpart via telephone.

Officials from Balkan countries discussed steps to improve relations with the EU and each other at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated that his country will not allow the US to carry out counter-terrorism operations following Washington’s scheduled troop pullout from neighboring Afghanistan, according to state-run media.

An Iraqi court ordered the release of former President Saddam Hussein’s son-in-law after 18 years in prison, according to the Justice Ministry.

A police officer died and 11 people were injured when a helicopter that was carrying ballot boxes crashed in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province.

An Ebola outbreak in Guinea that began in February has been declared over, according to the World Health Organization.

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