Sri Lanka’s Cabinet released a note earlier this week detailing plans for a joint solar power project with India. Both nations have agreed to build a 135 MW plant in the port district of Trincomalee. The total cost of the two-stage project is expected to be around $138.1 million. Colombo’s approval comes pursuant to its desire to generate 70% of its energy needs through renewable energy by 2030.
Responding to the concern raised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation over terrorism originating from Afghanistan, the Taliban assured that Afghan soil would not be used against other countries. The regime’s spokesperson reassured that the group had ensured security across Afghanistan and that no terror organisation would be allowed to threaten security.
Turkey’s parliament ratified Finland’s bid to join NATO on Thursday, making it the final military alliance member to welcome the country into the grouping. As a result, Finland has just a few formalities to complete before it joins NATO and becomes the alliance’s 31st member.
Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak failed in his final bid to be pardoned for corruption charges related to the embezzlement of the 1MDB state fund after the country’s highest court upheld its decision on Friday. Najib will now continue to serve his 12-year jail sentence, which he received in August.
Aligning with the US’ technology trade controls against China, Japan said Friday that it plans to restrict the exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. While Tokyo did not specify that the move was targeted against Beijing, it stated that equipment makers must seek export permission for all regions.
The Pentagon said on Thursday that six US troops in Syria suffered “traumatic” brain injuries during two separate attacks by Iran-backed militias. Defense Department spokesperson Patrick Ryder said four soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries at a base in Hasaka in an attack on 23 March. Two others had similar experiences during an attack the following day. An American contractor and a soldier were killed in one of the attacks.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Thursday that the US had illegally allowed its courts to freeze the assets of some Iranian companies. The court ordered Washington to pay compensation to these companies. However, the ICJ also said it has no jurisdiction over the $1.75 billion in frozen assets of Iran’s central bank or Bank Markazi. Tehran filed a complaint against Washington at the court in 2016 for allegedly violating the 1955 US-Iran friendship treaty by sanctioning Iranian firms.
Following the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gerhkovich on espionage charges in Russia on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken advised all American citizens travelling or residing in Russia to leave immediately. Blinken strongly condemned Russia’s repression of journalists and civil society.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced on Thursday that Foreign Minister (FM) Sergey Lavrov would chair a “high-level open debate” on the issue of ‘effective multilateralism’ through the protection of the principles of the UN Charter at the UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York in April. Zakharova added that this would be a key event during Russia’s April Presidency of the UNSC. Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba condemned the move, called it a “ bad joke,” and said that the world could not be a safe place with Russia as its head.