Situation Reports

The U.S. Treasury issued sanctions on Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi, for his connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s Quds Force.

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Alice Mak of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions called Oct. 23 for an investigation into whether pro-democracy lawmakers’ tactic of filibustering violates the new national security law.

The United Nations said that a “permanent cease-fire in all areas of Libya” had been signed between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA).

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is allegedly preparing to declare a state of emergency after consulting with the country's monarch, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, The Straits Times reported Oct. 23, citing unconfirmed leaks. 

The U.S. embassy in Ankara said it has temporarily suspended all American citizen and visa services at diplomatic missions in Turkey due to credible reports of terrorist attacks and kidnappings targeting U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul and potentially other parts of the country, Reuters reported Oct. 23. 

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned forces aligned with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front to leave the town of Guerguerat in the disputed Western Sahara region between Morocco and Algeria, North Africa Post reported Oct. 21.

The U.S. State Department approved its eighth round of arms sales to Taiwan since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in 2016, Focus Taiwan reported Oct. 22.

Turkey’s central bank moved to hold its benchmark interest rate steady at 10.25 percent, Bloomberg reported Oct. 22. 

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha formally ended the emergency decree imposed last week in response to ongoing protests that had limited gatherings and allowed media restrictions, The Pattaya News reported Oct. 22.

The U.S. State Department has designated six additional Chinese media outlets as foreign missions, including Yicai Global, Jiefang Daily, Xinmin Evening News, Social Sciences in China Press, Beijing Review and Economic Daily, The Hill reported Oct. 22.