South Asia
After receiving $1.5 million worth of medicinal equipment from Japan through UNICEF, Sri Lankan Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the medicine shortage would be solved by the end of August. He reassured that the crisis is relenting and said the government would handle the situation just as it did the COVID-19 pandemic. [Colombo Page]
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina highlighted the importance of bringing in foreign currency through exports instead of relying entirely on remittances from ex-pats. She said the government is prioritising increasing domestic production capacities to facilitate access to global markets, with a focus on exploiting the country’s “fertile lands,” modernising its preservation processes, and setting up food processing industries.. [BSS News]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned Tajik authorities for arresting four independent journalists who were critical of the government. RSF said the reporters were arrested under the “spurious charges of links with extremist organisations,” describing it as an attempt to “intimidate” the media. “The Tajik authorities must stop using spurious accusations to silence reporters critical of the government, and must release those they have detained,” it added. [Reporters Without Borders]
The Artsakh Defence Ministry on Thursday accused Azerbaijani forces of violating the ceasefire and opening fire at Armenian military positions along the border. The ministry notified the Russian peacekeeping contingent about the incident. No casualties were reported. [Armen Press]
East and Southeast Asia
Thailand has denied reports that it intends to deport a group of Uyghur Muslims to China, after dozens of Uygurs were detained in Bangkok on Wednesday, prompting concern among human rights groups. The country’s chief security adviser, Panitan Wattanayagorn, said that the move was made for safety reasons but refused to confirm whether they will be repatriated to China. [South China Morning Post]
The Malaysian parliament’s Lower House passed the long-anticipated anti-party hopping Bill on Thursday, which will penalise defection among party members in the politically unstable country. It is expected to take effect from the first week of September. “This Bill is not a 100 per cent solution to all our problems, but a first step,” parliamentarian Dr Wan Junaidi said. [Channel News Asia]
Europe
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola vowed the that European Union would “walk side-by-side” in Ukraine’s membership bid for the bloc. While warning that the process may not be easy before the Ukrainian government, she reassured that the bloc would help Ukraine “on every step of the way.” [Politico]
The United Kingdom government reported that 100,000 Ukrainians have been granted refuge by the public under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. British Refugees Minister Lord Harrington expressed his gratitude to the citizens for “opening their doors” and “offering safety” to Ukrainians. [UK Government]
Following a meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides in Nicosia on Thursday, Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias asserted that “achieving a just and viable solution” to the Cyprus issue is the “highest priority” for Athens. He also declared his support for the proposals on the Confidence Building Measures, despite the Turkish Cypriot side’s “expected, though regrettable, rejection.” “We reject and condemn any proposal of a ‘two-state solution,’ which is being presented by Turkish officials and representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community,” Dendias affirmed. [Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
Latin America and the Caribbean
On Thursday, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada announced that his government has withdrawn its approval for United States Ambassador to Nicaragua Hugo Rodríguez over his “interfering and disrespectful” remarks against the nation. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that every diplomat had the duty to abide by the principle of “national sovereignty” and contribute to harmony amongst Nicaraguans. [Telesur]
Mexican authorities on Thursday rescued nearly 100 migrants, including two Indians, onboard a truck in Veracruz. The migrants “broke through the roof of the trailer because they were suffocating and since there was a gas station nearby, the employees there helped them escape,” according to Jose Dominguez, the director of civil protection in nearby Oluta. The rest of the identified migrants hailed from Guatemala, Honduras, Nepal, El Salvador, and Ecuador. [Reuters]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Lebanese officials on Wednesday confirmed Ukraine’s claim that a Syrian ship carrying stolen Ukrainian grains docked at the Tripoli port. Kyiv said that the ship was carrying grains “stolen by Russia from Ukrainian depots.” Lebanese authorities said they were investigating the matter. [Naharnet]
Israel, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom on Wednesday condemned United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) member Miloon Kothari’s remarks that the Jewish lobby and NGOs control the media as antisemitic. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said that Kothari’s remarks “echo the darkest days of antisemitism.” [Associated Press]
North America
In a meeting with Pope Francis at the Citadelle of Quebec on Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed the importance of the Roman Catholic Church’s continued meaningful engagement with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in advancing healing and reconciliation. The pair also emphasised on the need for the Church to take concrete action to return Indigenous artefacts, provide access to residential schools’ documents, address the Doctrine of Discovery, and ensure justice for survivors, including for the Johannes Rivoire case. [Prime Minister of Canada]
According to a readout released following a meeting between United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Brazilian counterpart Paulo Sergio, the two leaders discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral defence ties through American and Brazilian military exercises, including in the South Atlantic. Austin reiterated Washington’s commitment to “deepen regional cooperation” and commended Brasilia’s “longstanding efforts in international peacekeeping.” [US Department of Defense]
Oceania
The Australian government on Thursday declared Monkeypox a “communicable disease incident of national significance,” after recording 44 confirmed cases. The move comes days after World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the virus a “public health emergency of international concern.” Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, said the National Incident Centre has been “activated to provide enhanced national coordination to assist states to effectively manage the outbreaks within their jurisdictions.” [The Statesman]
At least a dozen schools across New Zealand received bomb threats on Thursday, prompting many to evacuate. Four threats were also reported on Wednesday. Some of the threats are believed to be hoaxes, which schools speculate could have been carried out by an overseas “cyberbot”. The New Zealand police said that it takes “threats of this nature extremely seriously and is making inquiries to determine the source of the calls.” [The Guardian]
Sub-Saharan Africa
On Thursday, Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed accused the BBC and the Daily Trust newspaper of indulging in a “naked glorification of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria” and threatened punitive action against them, warning that “they will not get away with this.” He added that “the media is the oxygen that the terrorists and bandits need to breathe,” while accusing the two news agencies of portraying terrorists as “Nollywood stars.” His statements come against the backdrop of the documentary ‘The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara’ released by BBC Africa on Monday. [Leadership]
Mali’s military junta has claimed that a “prompt, courageous, and dynamic reaction” by its armed forces killed 48 terrorists and destroyed three “terrorist logistical bases” containing deadly weapons and ammunition. This military strike followed the death of at least 15 Malian soldiers and three civilians in three separate terrorist attacks in Sokolo, Kalumba, and Mopti on Wednesday. The junta has vowed to continue its “antiterrorist fight,” accusing attackers of “pulling media stunts to hide the considerable losses they have been suffering for several months.” [CNN]