Situation Reports

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the informal Organization of Turkic States summit in Turkestan, Kazakhstan, where he proposed new cooperation on artificial intelligence centers, cybersecurity, digital signatures, space, cultural heritage and Turkic terminology, while rejecting claims that the OTS was a military alliance, KazTAG reported on May 15.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a deal on carbon pricing that sets out a schedule for Alberta to increase its headline carbon price from C$95 ($69) per metric ton to C$140 by 2040.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire by 45 days during the third round of direct Israel-Lebanon talks on May 14-15 in Washington, D.C., Reuters reported on May 15.

The pro-Kremlin Matryoshka bot network has published hundreds of fake videos targeting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of the June 7 parliamentary election, including narratives claiming that Pashinyan is preparing Armenia for war with Russia, Meduza reported on May 14.

Tanzania's registrar of political parties has threatened to suspend or fine the main opposition party, Chadema, over alleged "incitement" and anti-government remarks, The Citizen reported on May 15.

Polish government officials said Warsaw has received U.S. assurances that Washington does not plan to systematically cut its presence in Poland in response to reports revealing the sudden cancellation of a planned rotational deployment of roughly 4,000 U.S.-based troops, Politico reported on May 15.

The Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, launched a drone strike on the Ethiopian locality of Kurmuk on April 29, killing at least eight civilians, including one humanitarian worker from the International Organization for Migration, Addis Standard reported on May 14 based on testimonies from local residents.

During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United Arab Emirates, both sides agreed on a framework for a strategic defense partnership, Reuters reported on May 15.

India's state-run fuel retailers raised petrol and diesel prices by 3 rupees ($0.03) per liter, a little over a 3% increase, Bloomberg reported on May 15.

Iraq's new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was sworn in on May 14 with a partial cabinet after parliament approved 14 ministers but failed to reach consensus on nine remaining portfolios, including the key Interior and Defense ministries, Reuters reported the same day.