Situation Reports

Police in Wuhan arrested seven people and gave administrative penalties to four companies amid a crackdown on trafficking in nationally controlled fentanyl precursors, China's official outlet Xinhua reported on March 19.

The FBI seized two websites affiliated with Iran-linked hacktivists known as Handala, TechCrunch reported on March 19.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby ordered the military to retaliate against any Sudanese armed groups after a drone strike killed at least 16 civilians near the Sudan-Chad frontier, Sudan Tribune reported on March 18.

Malaysia's trade minister said the U.S.-Malaysia Agreement on Reciprocal Trade is "no longer applicable" following the U.S. Supreme Court's Feb. 20 ruling striking down the International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariff mechanism central to the deal, Nikkei Asia reported on March 18.

Thailand's House of Representatives voted to confirm incumbent Anutin Charnvirakul of the center-right Bhumjaithai Party as prime minister, with over 290 of around 500 lawmakers backing his candidacy following the Feb. 8 general election, the Bangkok Post reported on March 19.

Mexico's Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard posted on X that he met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on March 18 for the first in-person meeting about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review.

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on March 19-20 for a summit dominated by the fallout from the Iran conflict, particularly emergency options to curb surging energy prices, Politico reported on March 19, citing draft EU documents.

Oil-loading operations in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, resumed after being temporarily halted following staff evacuations due to Iranian attacks targeting the Saudi-ExxonMobil Samref refinery on the Red Sea, Reuters reported on March 19.

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo agreed to take "concrete steps" to support the advancement of their December 2025 peace agreement, the U.S. State Department announced on March 18.

An Iranian lawmaker said the parliament was considering placing transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on March 19.