South Asia
The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Air Chief, Marshal VR Chaudhari, said on Thursday that “critical deficiencies” in the IAF, such as “shortagse of fighter squadrons and force multipliers” must be “addressed on priority to retain [India’s] combat edge.” [Hindustan Times]
Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, will hold another mass rally on Saturday calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, over her government’s handling of rising living costs, power cuts, fuel price hikes. [South China Morning Post]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov during a phone call that Armenia has withdrawn from an upcoming trilateral meeting in Moscow. Yerevan’s decision was prompted by Azerbaijani protesters blocking the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh. [Daily Sabah]
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday concluded his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders agreed to improve security ties, including through joint military training programmes. They also discussed the Ukraine crisis, stressing the need to settle the conflict through “peaceful means.” [Saudi Press Agency]
East and Southeast Asia
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo met in Indonesia on Thursday to finalise a deal that clearly demarcates the boundaries of their respective exclusive economic zones. [VN Express]
In a mass trial on Thursday, a Cambodian court issued jail sentences to 36 opposition figures, including exiled leader Sam Rainsy. The case presented yet another example of political suppression under Prime Minister Hun Sen. [Borneo Bulletin]
Japan on Thursday adopted a plan to expand its use of nuclear energy, including by extending the lifespan of nuclear reactors and replacing the old reactors with new ones. The move is a major shift in a country that once planned to phase out the use of atomic power after the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in 2011. [Japan Today]
Europe
On Thursday, an employee from Germany’s external intelligence agency was arrested on treason charges for allegedly providing classified information to Russia. Prosecutors said the man passed the information to a Russian intelligence agency. [Associated Press]
Spain’s lower house on Thursday passed a controversial transgender rights bill allowing anyone 16 years of age and above to change their gender on their identification card. Critics say the law could be abused by some men who could self-identify as women to compete in women’s sports and encroach on women’s spaces, threatening women’s rights. The vote has to be approved by the Senate to become law. [France 24]
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asserted that talks between the United States (US) and Ukraine showed that neither “seeks peace.” “They are simply determined to continue fighting,” she noted, further accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of being “rude” and publicly speaking about Russia in a “boorish manner.” [TASS]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Panama reported 12 new cases of mpox on Thursday, bringing its total caseload to 78. Of these, 13 are active, eight are in home isolation, and five are receiving treatment at healthcare facilities. [teleSUR]
Incoming Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who takes the reins at the start of next year, said public services in the country face a “very real threat of collapse” due to chronic mismanagement under outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. He noted that his administration will have a “herculean task” in rebuilding the health, education, and environmental sectors. [The Guardian]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry announced on Thursday that security forces had busted four Mossad spy rings across Iran and arrested all operatives. The ministry noted that Israel has supported anti-regime protesters through the networks, which planned to launch a “hybrid terrorist operation” soon. [Islamic Republic News Agency]
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday condemned the Taliban’s decision to deny Afghan girls the right to university education, saying it “will deny women their right to social justice, employment opportunities, and education.” The OIC called on the Taliban to reverse the decision, which it said goes “against Islamic law.” [Saudi Press Agency]
North America
On Thursday, United States (US) National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed that North Korea has “delivered infantry rockets and missiles into Russia” to be used by Russian paramilitary company Wagner Group. However, Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, denied all reports as “gossip and speculation.” The North Korean Foreign Ministry, too, rejected the US claims, calling them “most absurd.” [Reuters, TASS]
In a joint statement released on Thursday, the G7 finance ministers announced that they have mobilised $32 billion dollars in budget and economic support for Ukraine for next year, including $19 billion from the European Union (EU). This gives Kyiv “certainty and enable[s] the government to continue the delivery of basic services, carry out the most critical repairs, and stabilise the economy,” they said. [Department of Finance Canada]
Oceania
New Zealand Governor-General Cindy Kiro exchanged congratulations with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Kiro said that ties with China are one of the country’s most important bilateral relationships. [Xinhua News Agency]
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a new $121.6 million funding package for housing assistance in its New South Wales province, which will help residents who were displaced or rendered homeless from recent floods. It includes grants of up to $13,356 to support home repairs and up to 16 weeks of rental support payments. [ABC News Australia]
Sub-Saharan Africa
A coalition of armed groups from northern Mali called the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development on Thursday withdrew from negotiations with the military junta after refusing to continue peace talks in Algeria. They said they would only resume dialogue in a neutral third country. The rebels first signed an agreement with the then-civilian government back in 2015 called the Algiers Accord, under which they agreed to a plan to decentralise the country, integrate former rebels into the armed forces, and strengthen the economy of the northern region. However, the rise of local affiliates of Al-Qaeda and ISIS has complicated efforts at decentralisation and disarmament. [Al Jazeera]
The director of the Nigerian military’s Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Musa Danmadami, announced on Thursday that troops from the Operation Delta Safe mission have ‘discovered and destroyed’ 57 illegal oil refineries over the last three weeks, arresting 21 individuals. Eight tankers, 63 vehicles, two speed boats, one tug boat, 14 motorcycles, 11 pumping machines, and three outboard engines were also seized. [The Guardian Nigeria]