Situation Reports

Nigerian troops from Operation Safe Haven on April 11 arrested two suspected Islamic State West African Province operatives in Plateau state under ISWAP directives to establish terrorist cells in Plateau and Bauchi states, Punch News reported on April 13.

Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Vietnam to meet with the Vietnamese Communist Party's General Secretary To Lam and President Luong Cuong, who greeted Xi at the airport, the first such high-level airport welcome given by Vietnam since 1991, Reuters reported on April 14.

Ecuador's National Electoral Council released results indicating that President Daniel Noboa won reelection with 55.8% of the vote in the country's April 13 presidential runoff election, defeating opposition candidate Luisa Gonzalez, who received 44% of the vote.

Gabonese junta leader Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema won the first round of the country's presidential election on April 12 with 90.35% of the vote, according to provisional results, Radio France Internationale reported on April 13.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the United States and Saudi Arabia were on a "pathway" toward a nuclear energy cooperation agreement to develop a Saudi civilian nuclear program, and he opened the door to allowing Saudi uranium enrichment, Reuters reported on April 13.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff spoke for around 45 minutes following indirect talks between Iran and the United States in Oman on April 12, Axios reported on April 13.

In a rule issued late on April 11, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection exempted 20 product categories from new 125% tariffs on China, including smartphones, modems, routers, flash drives, displays, semiconductors and other consumer electronics, although the goods are still subject to the 20% tariff on China over fentanyl trade.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc will provide Ukraine with roughly 5 billion euros ($5.7 billion) to help Kyiv acquire two-thirds of the two million artillery rounds it requested in March, Bloomberg reported on April 14.

Argentina eased capital controls on April 14 after the International Monetary Fund confirmed a new $20 billion loan to the country on April 11, Clarin reported on April 14.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for four-and-a-half hours during a visit to St. Petersburg, during which the two discussed the Russia-Ukraine war, Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti reported on April 11.