South Asia
The Taliban condemned Wednesday’s bomb blast in a mosque in Kabul that killed 21 dead and injured 33 others. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid vowed that the orchestrators of the attacks would be “brought to justice” and “punished.” [Khaama News Press Agency]
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar defended India’s decision to maintain ties with Myanmar, saying, as “immediate neighbours,” it is necessary to take into account the need for cross-border cooperation against organised crime and migration. He stated that the Western powers’ departure from Afghanistan showed that “people far away have a tendency to walk away.” [ANI]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey on Thursday signed an agreement to simplify customs transit procedures. According to officials, the deal would facilitate seamless exchange of information on cargo and vehicles moving across their borders, promote “more effective” cooperation between customs administrations, and ensure the “smooth delivery” of international cargo in the Caucasus. [Agenda.ge]
According to footage circulating on social media, houses and forests in Lachin were set on fire by several Armenians following a deal between Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan allowing Baku to retake control of Lachin from Armenia. Russian peacekeepers and Armenian civilians will leave Lachin as part of the deal. Azerbaijan claims Lachin as part of its territory and has accused Armenia of occupying the region since 1992. [Anadolu Agency]
East and Southeast Asia
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday refuted claims of practising debt trap diplomacy in Africa. During his regular press conference, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the idea of the Chinese debt trap was “a lie made up by the US and some other Western countries” in order to “create a narrative trap,” sow “discord” in Beijing’s relations with “developing countries,” impede bilateral cooperation, and disrupt “the growth of developing countries.” [FMPRC]
Former Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Najib Razak said on Thursday that his right to a fair trial is “at risk” after the country’s top court denied a request by his newly appointed lead counsel for a three to four-month postponement to help prepare for the case. In a 2020 verdict, Najib was found guilty of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and laundering about $10 million from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The former PM’s legal team has appealed against his 12-year jail sentence. [Reuters]
Europe
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that if elected as Prime Minister, she would ensure the application of the Northern Ireland Bill in its entirety. European Union members have said the bill would violate the post-Brexit agreement between the United Kingdom and the bloc. Truss is expected to defeat her opponent Rishi Sunak by a wide margin in the upcoming election to become the prime minister and the leader of the Conservative Party. [Reuters]
British rail workers have announced a strike over the deteriorating value of their wages due to inflation, which has reached a 40-year-high of above 10%. Several thousand workers are expected to participate in the strike. Similar protests on Thursday and Saturday disrupted train services. [Al Jazeera]
On Thursday, European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, stated that no agreement could be reached during the “crisis meeting” between Serbia and Kosovo, but both sides agreed to continue talks in early September “to move towards normalisation faster.” “The parties will be fully responsible if tension escalates,” he added. [Albanian Daily News]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Addressing an event organised by the Catholic University of Chile on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Latin American countries to “share the truth” of the Russian invasion and join global sanctions against the Kremlin. He called on Latin American leaders to suspend trade, tourism, and any other commercial activity with Moscow, and stated that Russia “does not want Ukraine to get closer” to its Latin American and African partners. [Merco Press]
On Thursday, at the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) heads of state summit in Nassau, leaders called for a unified regional response to climate change. Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero urged partner nations to “spare no effort in fighting climate change” and “put an end to the irrationality of production patterns and capitalist consumption.” The bloc will now present its common stance at the upcoming COP27 conference in Egypt. [Prensa Latina]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Israeli military chief Aviv Kohavi said on Thursday that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) carried out a strike on a “third country” earlier this month during the latest escalation in Gaza. While Kohavi did not name the country, Arab media reported that a strike in Yemen’s capital Sana’a on August 7 killed dozens of Houthi fighters along with several Iranian and Lebanese military officials. The strike is also believed to have hit a weapons factory and an alleged ballistic missile shipment to the Houthis. [Times of Israel]
The Ethiopian government condemned World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ remarks that the conflict in Tigray is the worst humanitarian crisis. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s spokesperson Billene Seyoum said Tedros’ comments were “unethical” and “unbecoming of such a high-profile position.” [Associated Press]
Wildfires across Algeria have killed 37 and injured over 200 people. Although rescue efforts are ongoing, people affected have accused the government of not doing enough to contain the fires, which started on Wednesday and spread to 14 provinces. This is the second time in two years that the country has witnessed deadly wildfires. Last year, blazes killed 90 people and destroyed over four million hectares of forests. At the time, the government blamed arsonists for sparking the fires. [Al Jazeera]
North America
After the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized classified documents during a raid of former United States (US) President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida last week, Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart ordered the Department of Justice to release the affidavit supporting the search warrant with redactions. However, prosecutors have argued that unsealing the documents would hamper the “roadmap” of the ongoing investigation against Trump. [Associated Press]
On Thursday, Pope Francis announced that there are “no grounds” to conduct an investigation regarding sexual misconduct against Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her between 2008 and 2010 in Quebec City in a class action suit. The woman’s lawyer, Justin Wee, revealed that she is “determined” to pursue the case in civil court. [CTV News]
Oceania
Continued rainfall in Nelson, New Zealand has forced 1,200 residents to be evacuated. Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese said the situation is “quite devastating” and that it would take “years of recovery.” She added that some residents “will not be able to go back to their homes.” [Stuff]
On Thursday, Australia’s Green Party leader, Adam Bandt, put in a written request to the Speaker of the House of Representatives asking to initiate a censure motion against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. In the request, Bandt said that Morrison’s decision to hold secret portfolios implied that he could have indulged in contempt of parliament. “You can’t question a minister on matters in their portfolio if you don’t know who the minister is. Scott Morrison has potentially misled parliament and I want him held accountable,” Bandt said. [SMH]
Sub-Saharan Africa
On Thursday, a United States delegation led by Senator Chris Coons met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, President-elect William Ruto, and opposition leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi to discuss a peaceful transition of power following the recently concluded presidential elections in Kenya, where Ruto was declared victorious. President Kenyatta assured Coons that he will ensure a smooth transition and that Kenya will “set an example in the continent and the world.” This comes a day after Odinga denounced the results as “null and void” and threatened legal action.[Nation]
On Thursday, the Dubai-based Emirates airlines announced a suspension of all Nigeria-bound flights from September 1, citing the country’s failure to repatriate $85 million that it owes to the airline. In a statement, Emirates noted that there had been “no progress” to release the blocked funds, adding that the decision was taken to limit further losses. [Africanews]