Key Storylines
- AFRICA: Spain is considering ending a deal allowing visa-free travel from Morocco to Spain’s enclaves in Ceuta and Melilla.
- AMERICAS: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concern over two Iranian vessels that are reportedly headed for Venezuela with weapons on-board.
- ASIA: The US Embassy in Phnom Penh said its defense attaché was refused full access to Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base.
- EUROPE: Russia is working to supply Iran with an advanced satellite system to track potential military targets across the Middle East and further.
- MIDDLE EAST: The outgoing Mossad chief seemed to hint at Israel being behind recent attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear program and a military scientist.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Hong Kong censors will vet movies for so-called national security breaches.
Top Story
- Global: G7 Summit to begin with focus on COVID-19 pandemic.
- The first in-person G7 Summit since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year is set to begin today.
- Leaders of G7 countries are expected to commit to sharing at least 1 billion coronavirus shots with struggling countries across the globe during the summit.
- Additionally, US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met for the first time, with PM Johnson saying the alliance between the US and the UK was an “indestructible relationship”.
- The two leaders also signed a new version of the 80-year-old “Atlantic Charter” to update the alliance for today’s leading issues amid what they said was a growing divide between battered democracies and their autocratic rivals.
- Reporting: NYT, AP, BBC, WaPo, DPA
Africa
- Region: France will scale-down its counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region. (BBC)
- Egypt: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged $500-million for reconstruction work in the Gaza Strip. (AFP)
- Ethiopia: The electoral board said voting for the upcoming election will be delayed in the Harar, Somali, and conflict-torn Tigray regions. (Reuters)
- Morocco: Spain is considering ending a deal that allows visa-free travel from the country to Spain’s enclaves in Ceuta and Melilla. (Reuters)
- South Africa: Health authorities said the country has officially entered its third COVID-19 wave. (AFP)
Americas
- Region: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concern over two Iranian vessels that are reportedly headed for Venezuela with weapons on-board. (AFP)
- Region: Emma Coronel Aispuro, the wife of drug lord El Chapo, pleaded guilty in the US to assisting his multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise. (WaPo)
- Brazil: The Supreme Court gave the greenlight to the Copa America soccer tournament being held in the country despite its alarming COVID-19 numbers. (AP)
- Chile: Santiago announced a new lockdown amid rising COVID-19 cases despite nearly 60% of the country being fully vaccinated. (BBC)
- Peru: Authorities completed counting the votes of the recent presidential election but declared no winner due to the need to scrutinize a small number of ballots amid unproven claims of possible vote tampering. (AP)
Asia
- Cambodia: The US Embassy in Phnom Penh said its defense attaché was refused full access to the Ream Naval Base. (Reuters)
- China: Container shipping ports in the country’s south are facing congestion issues as authorities set up disinfection measures amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
- Japan: Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Tokyo’s ties with Taiwan are nongovernmental and practical and based on its recognition of China as the sole legitimate government. (AP)
- Philippines: The World Health Organization declared the country as polio-free once again. (AFP)
- South Korea: President Moon Jae-in will travel to the United Kingdom to participate in the G7 Summit. (Reuters)
Europe
- Region: The EURO 2020 international soccer tournament is set to kick off today in Rome, with members of the public being allowed to attend if they are able to provide documentation of being vaccinated against COVID-19. (AP)
- Region: Investigators said the people accused of being involved in the 2014 shooting down of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine moved the BUK missile battery back to Russia. (AFP)
- Russia: Moscow is working to supply Iran with an advanced satellite system to track potential military targets across the Middle East and further. (WaPo)
- Spain: The junior partner in the country’s ruling coalition, the radical left-wing Podemos party, will reportedly announce Ione Belarra as its new leader. (AFP)
- United Kingdom: The country’s economy grew at its fastest rate since July 2020. (AP)
Middle East
- Region: The outgoing Mossad chief seemed to hint at Israel being behind recent attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear program and a military scientist. (AP)
- Iran: The US dropped sanctions on three former government officials and two companies. (Reuters)
- Lebanon: Roads across many towns in the country were packed with long lines of cars amid major shortages of fuel and medical supplies. (DPA)
Tech & Communications
- Media: Hong Kong censors will vet movies for so-called national security breaches. (AFP)
- Tech Regulation: Prosecutors subpoenaed Apple for metadata of House Intelligence Committee members during the Trump administration. (NYT)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 11JUN21)
- Confirmed cases: 174,893,444
- Deaths: 3,774,138
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: Guinea (as of 11JUN21)
- Confirmed cases: 16
- Deaths: 12
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 11JUN21)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (12JUN21)
- Global: Negotiators are reportedly expected to resume discussions on reviving the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal in Vienna, Austria.
- Global: The British government will hold the 47th G7 Summit in Cornwall, with the leaders of the G7 countries, including President Joe Biden, set to meet in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic first started. (to 13JUN)
- Global: South Korean President Moon Jae-in will embark on a European tour, attending the G7 Summit as an invited guest and visiting Austria, and Spain post-summit. (to 17JUN)
- Global: World Day Against Child Labor – 2002
- Europe: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is expected to visit Brussels, Belgium. (to 14JUN)
- Europe: The European Parliament’s Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party will hold its annual congress.
- Algeria: Legislative elections will be held.
- China: Hong Kong authorities will release activist Agnes Chow from prison.
- Denmark: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will visit.
- Israel: Anti-Benjamin Netanyahu protests could be held in Jerusalem.
- Kenya: India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will visit. (to 14JUN)
- Nigeria: Protests against the government’s ban on Twitter could be held.
- Philippines: Independence Day – 1898
- Russia: Russia Day – 1990
- Tajikistan: Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will visit.
- United States: NY4HK will hold a rally in New York City to mark the second anniversary of a police clash with Hong Kong protesters.
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