Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Dec. 27, 2021

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 has administered more than 128.66 million coronavirus vaccine doses since launching a mass immunization campaign in January, according to official figures.

More than 56.8 million people have received their first dose, while over 51.4 million are fully vaccinated, said the Health Ministry.

The ministry also reported 20,138 new cases, while 173 patients have died from the disease in the past 24 hours.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the 17th anniversary of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami which hit the Aceh region of Indonesia in 2004.

Turkish forces “neutralized” three YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria.

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Mediterranean Sea around 110 miles off Turkey's southwestern Mugla province

- COVID-19 updates worldwide

More than 8.96 billion COVID vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, according to Our World in Data, a tracking website affiliated with Oxford University.

Meanwhile, the global tally for infections surpassed 279.7 million, said US-based Johns Hopkins University.

Palestinian health authorities confirmed the first case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip.

Jordanian health authorities have confirmed 295 new cases of the omicron COVID variant.

- Other global developments

Burkina Faso has declared two days of mourning after suspected militants killed at least 41 members of a government-backed civilian militia in the country’s northern Loroum province.

Six out of 10 voters in the UK now believe that the country’s split from the European Union has either gone badly or worse than they expected.

Palestinian resistance factions launched a joint military drill in the Gaza Strip.

Bangladesh held the fourth phase of nationwide local government elections.

South Africa’s anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu died at the age of 90.

Three officers in Israel's intelligence service Mossad have committed suicide in one year.