Situation Reports

Mohammad Baqher Qalibaf, the former mayor of Tehran, has been elected for a one-year term as the parliamentary speaker in the Iranian Majles, Reuters reported May 28. 

China's legislature has approved a measure to formulate the controversial national security laws that would levy penalties for secessionism, subversive activity, terrorism and foreign meddling in Hong Kong, Xinhua reported May 28.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the United States was ending its remaining sanctions waiver for Iran’s nuclear program that has allowed European, Russian and Chinese firms to work with Tehran on certain civilian projects, according to a May 27 release.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certified before Congress that Hong Kong no longer enjoys the “high degree of autonomy” it once had from mainland China, and thus no longer warrants special treatment under U.S. law, Reuters reported May 27.

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) published an inflation target of 22 percent for the fiscal year between March 21, 2020, and March 20, 2021, Radio Farda reported May 27. 

The European Commission has proposed creating a 750 billion euro ($824 billion) aid package for EU members affected by the COVID-19 crisis, according to a May 27 release.

Domestic flights have resumed in India after being blocked for two months in order to contain the spread of COVID-19, The Guardian reported May 25.

The Afghan government said it would release 900 more Taliban prisoners as a token of goodwill and requested that the militant group extend a rare cease-fire, Al Jazeera reported May 26. 

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong to rally against the Chinese government's plans to impose a new national security law that would allow mainland agencies to operate more freely within the city, CNN reported May 24.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced May 22 at the opening of the National People's Congress that China will not set a GDP growth target for 2020 due to uncertainties around COVID-19's impacts on the global economy and trade, CNN reported.