Situation Reports

Myanmar's Arakan Army, an ethnic armed organization in the country's western state of Rakhine, claimed to have captured Ann township, a strategic victory edging the group closer to control over the entire state, Nikkei Asia reported Dec. 23.

Vietnam will begin enforcing Decree 147 on Dec. 25, which requires social media users to verify their identities and compels tech companies to store user data onshore and share it with authorities on demand, AFP reported Dec. 23.

Federal chairperson of the center-right Democratic Alliance Helen Zille said that DA Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube would now formulate the norms, standards and guidelines that will determine the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Act's clauses 4 and 5 following South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement Dec. 20 that the law would be implemented in full, Independent Online reported Dec. 22.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso rejected proposals by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a six-month grace period following their formal departure from the regional bloc slated for Jan. 29 and stressed that their exit would take effect immediately, Bloomberg reported Dec. 22.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Dec. 22, in a visit that had not been announced in advance, the Financial Times reported the same day.

The United States State Department authorized the sale of $5 billion worth of military equipment to Egypt, including $4.69 billion in equipment for M1A1 tanks, $630 million Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and $30 million in precision-guided munitions, Times of Israel reported Dec. 21.

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced on Dec. 23 the initiation of a Sec. 301 probe into China's policies and practices in targeting the semiconductor industry for dominance, the Office of the United States Trade Representative declared.

Mozambique Constitutional Council, the country's top court, ruled on Dec. 23 that presidential candidate Daniel Chapo of the ruling Frelimo party won the disputed Oct. 9 presidential election, officially confirming his victory over opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane, Reuters reported Dec. 23.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf said the United States would scrap its $10 million bounty on Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Syria's de facto transitional leader and the head of Turkey-backed Syrian militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, after a meeting between the two, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 20.

The leader of Canada's left-wing New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, said in a letter addressed to the Canadian people that his caucus plans to present a formal motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after Parliament returns from the winter break on Jan. 27, 2025, Reuters reported on Dec. 20.