South Asia
India fined Google $162 million over Android’s anti-competitive practices, which it said misuses its dominance in the market to incentivise the use of other Google applications like YouTube and Chrome. A similar case was also filed in Europe, wherein the bloc fined Google $5 billion for mandating manufacturers to pre-install its apps. [Al Jazeera]
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered officials from the Ministry of Energy to reduce reliance on imported fuel for power supply and instead increase cheaper domestic production. He emphasised the importance of curbing load-shedding to benefit consumers and ensure the supply of electricity through the winter. [Associated Press of Pakistan]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday praised Azerbaijan for taking “sincere” and constructive” steps during its negotiations with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. During a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Jabrayil, Erdoğan said Baku’s “ultimate goal is lasting peace, prosperity and stability” in the region. “Our [Turkey’s] sole purpose is to build a prosperous future for our region, and to maintain Azerbaijan-Armenia and Turkey-Armenia normalisation processes in a way whereby they support one another,” he noted. [Turkish Presidency]
During a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said he is “completely against the presence of foreign representatives in the region, either on the territory of Armenia or Azerbaijan,” a possible reference to Azerbaijan reportedly hosting Israeli troops near the Iranian border. He also urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to end the conflict, saying that Iran “will not accept the changes of historical borders in the region at all, that is our red line.” [Armen Press]
East and Southeast Asia
Russia called on the Philippines to honour a $215 million deal to buy 16 Russian military helicopters, after the Duterte administration scrapped the deal due to fears of possible sanctions by the United States. Russian Ambassador Marat Pavlov told the media that Moscow is “ready to fulfil” its obligations “as a reliable partner” and expects that Manila will do the same. “This is a very important issue of our bilateral relations,” he underscored. [Al Jazeera]
The Japanese yen on Thursday fell below the “key psychological level” of 150 to the United States dollar for the first time since 1990. Japan’s vice finance minister for international affairs, Masato Kanda, said that authorities are “always ready to take necessary action as excessive volatility has become increasingly unacceptable.” [Reuters]
Europe
Spain and France entered into an agreement to construct an underwater gas pipeline connecting Barcelona to Marseille. The deal will allow surplus liquified natural gas from Spain and Portugal to be transported to France and other parts of the continent and reduce reliance on Russia for natural gas. [Euronews]
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced sanctions against Iranian individuals and businesses over the supply of kamikaze drones to Russia. He said that the decision to provide the drones evidenced Iran’s “destabilising role in global security” and worsens the suffering of Ukrainians. [UK Government]
During a renewable conference in Athens on Thursday, Greek Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas unveiled a proposal to build “a power interconnection to link Greece with Austria and further with southern Germany.” According to Skrekas, the cable would pass through Albania and other Balkan countries and have an initial capacity of three gigawatts that could be increased to nine gigawatts. [Greek City Times]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Three of the four major parties in the Venezuelan opposition alliance, Unitary Platform, are reportedly considering replacing Juan Guaidó, who is recognised by dozens of Western countries as the legitimate president of the country, as the head of their movement. The country’s ten main opposition parties are set to hold elections on the matter in June 2023 ahead of the presidential election in 2024. The Guaidó administration has failed to unseat incumbent President Nicolás Maduro. [Financial Times]
Ecuador’s foreign ministry noted that ties with the United States are "consolidated at all levels" following a meeting between President Guillermo Lasso, Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Holguín, and Deputy Foreign Minister Luis Vayas with five American senators—Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Ben Sasse (R-NE). [teleSUR]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
At least 170 people, including women and children, have been killed in tribal clashes in Sudan’s Blue Nile province over the last two days. The government deployed security forces to the region to end the violence. The southern province has witnessed violent ethnic clashes over the previous few months. In July, fighting between rival tribes killed 149 people. [Associated Press]
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday told Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that Israel is “deeply concerned about the military ties between Iran and Russia” amid reports that Russia is using Iranian drones to attack Ukrainian cities. “Israel stands with the Ukrainian people,” Lapid stressed. However, the PM did not comment on Ukraine’s request for Israeli weapons. [Times of Israel]
North America
United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with French Foreign Secretary General Anne-Marie Descôtes on Thursday to discuss “ongoing joint efforts to support Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked and unjustified war.” The pair also talked about promoting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the security situation in Haiti and Ethiopia, and the Iranian government’s ongoing “violent crackdown against peaceful protesters.” [US Department of State]
During a meeting in Quebec on Thursday, Canadian Minister of Defence Anita Anand thanked Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah for Doha’s support for Canadian Armed Forces deployed to Qatar—under Operation IMPACT to fight Daesh and under Operation Foundation to tackle international counter-terrorism efforts in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southwest Asia. The two leaders also looked forward to advancing potential defence cooperation, including commercial cooperation, under the Canada-Qatar Defence Cooperation Arrangement signed last year. [National Defence]
Oceania
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Friday that the country will set aside $29 million to fund police deployments to the Solomon Islands. “Our assistance will help our regional partners become more economically resilient...and provide their own security so they have less need to call on others,” Wong said. In a reference to the growing Chinese influence over the island nation, she remarked that “Without these investments, others will continue to fill the vacuum.” [The Straits Times]
Japan and Australia are expected to sign the new Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation on Saturday, which analysts claim will deepen special strategic partnership, expand security cooperation, and also strengthen collaboration with the other Quad partners—the United States and India. [South China Morning Post]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Chadian President and junta leader Gen. Mahamat Idriss Déby declared a state of emergency amid heavy flooding that has impacted at least one million people across 18 of the country’s 23 provinces. Deby said the floods have “swallowed up more than 465,000 hectares of fields and 19,000 heads of livestock.” [Al Jazeera]
Citizens took to the streets of Guinean capital Conakry on Thursday to protest against the military junta, which has been in power since Lt. Col. Mamady Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Condé in September 2021. The protest was organised by the banned National Front for the Defence of the Constitution, which claimed that 20 people were injured during the demonstrations, some from gunshot wounds. A number of arrests were also made, although official confirmation of the numbers has not been provided yet. Citizens are demanding a return to civilian rule, but the junta has said it will only relinquish power in 2025. [AFP]