MORNING NEWS BRIEF [May 24, 2021]

HOT NEWS

1. Britain’s state-of-art aircraft carrier has sailed in the Indo-Pacific region for a 7-month world tour to showcase Britain’s defense capability and deter China’s asserting influence. Source: NHK World
2. Iran confirmed the expiry of a monitoring deal with IAEA, stating that the access of the UN nuclear watchdog to images from inside some Irian nuclear sites would be ceased. Source: CNA
3. The  UK government’s public health agency reported that two doses of Pfizer-AstraZeneca vaccines will provide sufficient protection against the COVID-19 variant found in India. Source: RT

WORLD

1. The UNSC urged Israel and Palestine to fully adhere to the ceasefire and called for immediate need of humanitarian assistance to the civilians in Gaza. Source: Al Jazeera
2. The U.S. imposed restrictions on economic and security assistance provided to Ethiopia over the fighting in Tigray and placed visa restrictions on Ethiopian and Eritrean officials. Source: Deutsche Welle
3. Civilians in northern Ethiopia got burns from the consistent use of incendiary chemical white phosphorus that international law banned from using against human targets. Source: The Irish Independent

REGIONS

1. Blinken stressed Washington’s commitment to maintain diplomacy with North Korea to take pragmatic steps toward the denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula. Source: KBS World Radio
2. Vietnam held a general election with at least ten million people going to the poll to vote for the 500-seat national assembly amid the rapid COVID-19 spread. Source: SCMP
3. The PM of Malaysia said calls for stricter curbs for MCO like those previously imposed last year would guarantee people’s safety but risk the collapse of the economy. Source: CNA

CAMBODIA

1. Cambodia will attend ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to discuss the global health crisis, strengthening of mutual ties, strategic partnership cooperation and beyond. Source: AKP
2. The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State will pay a visit to Cambodia as a part of a multinational tour to discuss bilateral relations and address some regional issues within ASEAN. Source: The Phnom Penh Post
3. Phnom Penh City Hall will reimpose the curfew if the locals and foreigners fail to obey the health precautions or the administrative measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. Source: Khmer Times