Situation Reports

Former Sri Lankan Defense Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa has won the country's presidential election after securing 52 percent of the vote, Al Jazeera reported Nov. 18.

A wave of persistent and sophisticated attacks against Nigeria's Nembe Creek Trunkline pipeline has severely affected the operating firm's ability to transport and export oil, according to a company spokesman, Sweet Crude Exports reported Nov. 17.

Israeli Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz and former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman have reportedly reached a draft deal on religion and state as part of ongoing talks to form a coalition government, The Times of Israel reported Nov. 18.

Hong Kong police will no longer enforce an anti-mask law after the city's High Court ruled it unconstitutional, Yahoo News reported Nov. 18.

The United States and South Korea have postponed upcoming military exercises as a "good faith effort" to encourage a renewed push for negotiations with North Korea, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Reuters reported Nov. 17.

The United States requested in July that Japan quadruple its contributions to military cost-sharing to $8 billion by the time their bilateral Special Measures Agreement expires in March 2021, Foreign Policy reported Nov. 15, citing U.S. officials.

North Korea has assembled dozens of military aircraft including fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft at Wonsan-Kalma International Airport on the country's east coast in what appears to be preparations for an air force demonstration, satellite photos taken Nov. 11 and Nov. 13 by 38 North reveal, The Japan Times reported Nov. 15.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has called on Japan to smooth Taipei's admission to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, Kyodo News reported Nov. 14.

Lebanon's major political parties have named Mohammed Safadi, a minister with a number of portfolios over the last 15 years, as their candidate to replace Saad al-Hariri as prime minister, the Daily Star reported Nov. 15.

Italy is planning to go ahead with a plan in its draft 2020 budget that would introduce a 3 percent tax on large digital companies' internet transactions with Italian customers, Reuters reported Nov. 15.