HOT NEWS
- The UK and Turkey will sign a free trade agreement that follows the terms of the existing trade deal as Britain is expected to leave the EU on December 31, 2020. Source: The Straits Times
- Bangladesh said they are preparing to send the second batch of Rohingya refugees around 1,000 people to the remote island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal. Source: CNA
- Japan is prohibiting all arrivals of non-resident foreign nationals starting from Monday until January 31 as a precaution against a new coronavirus variant founded in Britain. Source: SCMP
WORLD
- Trump signed the COVID-19 financial relief package worth USD2.3 trillion that is aimed to provide unemployment benefits for millions of jobless Americans. Source: Reuters
- The UK is expected to ease its lockdowns in February as the COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca will allow as many as 15 million vulnerable people to be vaccinated. Source: SCMP
- EU states have started their mass COVID-19 vaccination with pensioners and medical workers as the first group, and 12.5 million doses will be available by the end of 2020. Source: CNA
REGIONS
- China has sent a senior official to Kathmandu region in Nepal in order to assess the political situation in that country, following the dissolution of Nepal’s parliament last week. Source: The Economic Times
- Singapore’s government accepted the recommendations made by the Committee for COVID-19 Vaccination to start the vaccination on medical workers and elderly first. Source: CNA
- ROK will extend their deadline of social distancing rule and continue to ban gatherings of more than four people until January 3rd out of concerns for COVID-19 spike. Source: CNA
CAMBODIA
- The Ministry of Tourism held a meeting with technical working groups to prepare for the implementation of a Roadmap 2020-2025 to restore the tourism sector after COVID-19. Source: AKP
- The Minister of Justice ordered the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to take legal action against Sam Raingsy after he was seen insulting the King on Facebook. Source: Khmer Times
- The MoH has allowed all businesses that were closed because of the 28th November incident to re-open but they must strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures. Source: Khmer Times