MORNING NEWS BRIEF [September 17, 2021]

HOT NEWS

1. France called the U.S.’s move to sign a multi-billion-dollar trilateral security pact with the UK and Australia, including nuclear submarine supply, a betrayal. Source: The Wall Street Journal
2. Saudi Arabia, UAE, the UK and the U.S., in a joint statement, expressed their concerns about the deteriorating economy in Yemen and urged the government to take measures. Source: Arab News
3. The findings from official data in Israel showed that the third dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could reduce the risk of infection by more than 10 times for the elderly. Source: RT

WORLD

1. France and Germany met in Paris to discuss the international security crisis and the EU issues, following the upcoming elections to determine Merkel’s successor after 16 years. Source: The National
2. Russia’s ruling United Russia party, which supports Putin, received a majority in the parliament despite the crackdown on critics and losing one fifth of its support.Ukraine and the U.S. will begin their joint military drills, after Belarus and Russia held a large-scale exercise, which fueled concerns from the neighboring countries. Source: Reuters
3. Dutch Foreign Minister turned in her resignation after the parliament condemned the action of the government for mismanaging the Afghanistan evacuation crisis. Source: France 24

REGIONS

1. The IMF Chief rejected the independent investigation which found that she had pressured the staff to alter the WB’s report to please China during her time at the WB. Source: CNA
2. China has filed an application to join the free trade agreement of CPTPP through a letter to New Zealand’s Trade Minister with an aim to bolster its clout in trade. Source: CNA
3. Taiwan proposed extra defense spending of almost USD 9 billion over the next five years, as it recognised the urgent need to upgrade their weapons in the face of China’s threat. Source: Reuters

CAMBODIA

1. The MLMUPC and Australian Embassy have  signed a Subsidiary Arrangement to formalize cooperation on improving the construction safety within the Kingdom. Source: AKP
2. The World Bank vowed to further promote sustainable agricultural development in Cambodia, expecting to improve household economy, food security and beyond. Source: Khmer Times
3. The MFA.IC confirmed that Cambodia and Turkey held a business forum aiming to enhance and promote cooperation among businesses from both countries. Source: Khmer Times