Situation Reports

Senegal's National Assembly overwhelmingly elected former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko as speaker of parliament with 132 of 133 votes cast after reinstating him as a member of parliament, days after his dismissal from government, Bloomberg reported on May 26.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed a draft framework agreement on U.S.-Armenian cooperation over the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity and signed a memorandum on critical minerals and rare earths during Rubio's one-hour visit to Yerevan, Armenpress reported May 26.

In a joint statement, Pakistan and China announced efforts to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen strategic coordination by promoting the "high-quality development" of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 2.0, Reuters reported on May 26.

China's foreign ministry spokesperson on May 25 said China's export restrictions on dual-use items like critical minerals to Japan were intended to stop Japan's "remilitarization" and nuclear ambitions.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on May 26 expanded ground operations in southern Lebanon beyond the Israeli-occupied Yellow Line, Haaretz reported.

Turkish police entered the Ankara headquarters of the opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, on May 24 to remove CHP officials -- including ousted CHP party leader Ozgur Ozel -- and supporters who had barricaded themselves inside to prevent reinstated CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu from entering the building, AP reported the same day.

Top diplomats from the Quad -- a security grouping of the United States, Japan, India and Australia -- met in New Delhi, India, where they agreed to help the Pacific island nation of Fiji expand and modernize one of its ports, marking the group's first joint infrastructure project, AP reported on May 26.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced on May 21 that the province will hold a non-binding referendum in October asking residents whether Alberta should remain part of Canada, Reuters reported the same day.

Mexico and the European Union will sign a Modernised Global Agreement and Interim Trade Agreement on May 22 at the eighth EU-Mexico Summit in Mexico City, La Jornada reported.

The board of Russia's Gazprom approved two Kazakhstan-related arrangements tied to long-term processing of gas from Kazakhstan's Karachaganak field at Russia's Orenburg gas processing plant, Interfax reported May 22.