Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing - Dec. 23, 2021

ISTANBUL (AA) - Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments in Turkey, around the world, and the coronavirus pandemic.

- World

The UK on Wednesday reported a record 100,000 coronavirus cases for the first time since the pandemic began.

Germany is requiring arrivals from several countries to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test due to the rapid growth of the omicron coronavirus variant.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett decided Wednesday that a fourth dose of a coronavirus vaccine will be administered to people over the age of 60 and health care workers, according to Israeli media.

The UN confirmed that it demanded security for its staff and offices in Afghanistan in return for money.

Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said since the second half of August, the UN has requested various security assurances and assistance from de facto authorities in Afghanistan.

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said Wednesday that it will reduce food assistance to war-torn Yemen as of January due to a shortage of funds.

Libya’s High National Elections Commission on Wednesday proposed postponing the Dec. 24 presidential elections for one month.

Iran unveiled plans Wednesday to host the next round of the Astana meeting on the Syrian crisis.

All sides need to understand that sooner or later, the US will leave Syria because its presence there poses more problems than advantages, Russia’s foreign minister said Wednesday.

Germany’s foreign minister voiced concern Wednesday over Russia’s reported military moves but also underlined that dialogue is necessary to defuse recent tensions.

China and Germany are “defenders of multilateralism” who need to work together for the “shared future of mankind,” the president of China said in a phone call Tuesday with Germany’s new chancellor.

North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev submitted his resignation to parliament on Wednesday.

- Developments in Turkey

Turkey's domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine Turkovac has been approved for emergency use, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Wednesday.

Turkey has administered more than 126.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since it launched an immunization drive this January, according to official figures released Wednesday.

More than 56.7 million people have received a first jab, while over 51.2 million are fully vaccinated, the Health Ministry said.

Measures being taken by the government to shore up the Turkish lira will benefit each and every one of Turkey’s 84 million people, the country’s president said Wednesday.

Turkey's main priorities are ensuring stability in exchange rates and prices as well as to bolster predictability, the country's industry and technology minister said Wednesday.

A Lebanese-based US diplomat that works at the US Consulate in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, who was arrested in Turkey on suspicion of selling a Syrian national a fake passport for $10,000 has been remanded into custody, Turkish police said Wednesday.