MORNING NEWS BRIEF [May 31, 2021]

HOT NEWS

1. A report by Danmarks Radio revealed that Denmark has been using its intelligence service in helping the U.S. to spy on European politicians. Source: BBC
2. The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States held an emergency meeting to suspend Mali’s membership in the bloc, following a military coup. Source: Reuters
3. American experts and officials called on China to provide more transparency and speed inquiries over the new investigation attempt to find the origin of COVID-19 disease. Source: The Globe and Mail

WORLD

1. Egypt and Israel convened a meeting to discuss solidifying a tentative truce between Israel and Hamas as Cairo urged all parties to renew a serious and constructive negotiation. Source: The Hill
2. Israel’s right-wing party is seeking to form a coalition with the centrist party in an effort to end PM Netanyahu’s time as the country’s longest serving prime minister. Source: BBC
3. The Daily Telegraph reported that the UK’s vaccine passport plan may have to be dropped as the officials working on review found restrictions regarding legal requiremen. Source: The Globe and Mail

REGIONS

1. The Philippines’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement to diplomatically protest against illegal Chinese maritime assets and fishing vessels in Thitu island. Source: Al Jazeera
2. North Korea slammed the decision by the U.S. to end the deal that imposed a restriction on the development of ballistic missiles with South Korea. Source: Reuters
3. Vietnam announced the discovery of a new coronavirus variant, which is a hybrid of India’s and UK’s strains, suggesting that it could spread more easily than other strains. Source: Shanghai Daily

CAMBODIA

1. Cambodia and Singapore pledged to bolster cooperation as both sides committed to share experience on a range of areas, including garbage and waste water management. Source: AKP
2. ADB reported that Cambodia’s economy will increase 4.0 percent this year and 5.5 percent in 2022, underlining a robust recovery of its major trade partners. Source: Khmer Times
3. The NEC will integrate IT in the 2021 pilot election to assess the effectiveness of the IT system in an effort to modernise the electoral process within the NEC’s electoral reform. Source: Khmer Times