MORNING NEWS BRIEF [JANUARY 19, 2021]

HOT NEWS

1. China will impose sanctions on U.S. executive officials, members of Congress and NGOs who are responsible for taking negative actions regarding Hong Kong related issues. Source: Xinhua Net
2. Trump’s plan to lift the COVID-19 travel ban on non-U.S. citizens from Europe and Brazil was shut down by President-elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on Wednesday. Source: Global News
3. Juan Guaido, Venezuela’s opposition leader, said he has been invited to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, and represents Venezuela’s legitimate interim government. Source: Sputnik

WORLD

1. Iran started a so-called war game by test-fired ballistic missile in the Gulf of Oman, claiming to evaluate mobility and offensive power of the brigade, corps and offensive unit of AGF. Source: Sputnik 
2. Italian Premier won a crucial vote in the Parliament’s lower house after he lost his coalition majority to the former Premier’s party, and attempted to save the government. Source: Associated Press 
3. The WHO Chief urged all countries and vaccine manufacturers to fairly distribute coronavirus vaccines, citing that the world is on the brink of catastrophic moral failure. Source: Reuters

REGIONS

1. ROK’s President urged the United States President-elect Joe Bident to prioritize the nuclear dialogue with DPRK, suggesting that  President Moon will act as a mediator. Source: The Straits Times 
2. Duterte said Filipinos are safe to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shots, defying reports of deaths among elderly people in Norway who took the shots. Source: The Straits Times
3. Malaysian PM has announced an economic-financial package dubbed as PERMAI, worth USD3.7 billion, to strengthen the current measures in coping with COVID-19. Source: CNA

CAMBODIA

1. The bilateral trade partnership between Cambodia and ROK totaled USD884 million with a year-on-year decrease of 14 percent as of December 2020. Source: AKP
2. PM Hun Sen has asked Indian government to donate COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia, aiming to expand the quantity and the availability of the vaccines. Source: Khmer Times
3. The MFAIC launched Economic Diplomacy Strategy 2021-2023, which aims to enhance the efficiency of economic diplomacy, promote national interests, and reduce dependency. Source: AKP