Situation Reports

The Pentagon has announced a plan to send additional troops and military equipment, primarily missile and air defense systems to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, AP reported Sept. 20.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against Iran's Central Bank on Sept. 20. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Washington had now removed the last source of funds for Tehran after President Donald Trump vowed to issue new sanctions against Iran earlier this week.

South Africa-based Sanlam, one of the largest African insurance companies, is reportedly close to reaching a partnership with an Ethiopian firm to establish a presence in the country, according to a company official who spoke with The Africa Report in an interview published Sept. 20.

The Japanese government has agreed to enter bilateral consultations with South Korea under the umbrella of the World Trade Organization after Seoul formally filed a complaint regarding Tokyo's trade restrictions, The Japan Times reported Sept. 20.

The Indian government has cut its effective corporate tax rate from 35 percent to roughly 25 percent in an attempt to boost economic growth, The Times of India reported Sept. 20.

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati has formally cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established relations with mainland China, the South China Morning Post reported Sept. 20.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will host the country's political parties on Sept. 22 to discuss the formation of a new government, The Times of Israel reported Sept. 20.

British Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, have agreed to continue talks on the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the bloc, according to a Sept. 20 press release from the European Commission.

Iran and Russia will drop the financial messaging service SWIFT for bilateral payment transfers and use their domestic systems to protect themselves from third-party sanctions, the Financial Tribune reported Sept. 17.

Tunisia's electoral commission has confirmed a presidential runoff vote between independent outsider Kais Saied and detained media magnate Nabil Karoui after both candidates secured the most votes in the first round, Al Jazeera reported Sept. 17.