US warship shoots down Yemeni drones
Washington, Nov 23: The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that an American warship which was on patrol in the Red Sea, shot down “multiple one-way attack drones launched from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen”. In a post on X early Wednesday morning, the CENTCOM said: “On the morning of November 23, the USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) shot down multiple one-way attack drones launched from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. “The drones were shot down while the US warship was on patrol in the Red Sea. The ship and crew sustained no damage or injury.” The development comes amid increased tensions in the Red Sea region since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7, with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claiming to have fired ballistic missiles and drones toward Israel. On Sunday, the Galaxy Leader cargo ship was hijacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea with about 25 crew members on board. (IANS)
Pakistan eyes BRICS membership
Islamabad, Nov 23: Pakistan has applied for BRICS membership and sought Russia’s support for the same, said the country’s envoy to Moscow, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, according to a media report. There has been no comment from the Foreign Office without whose approval Jamali would not have made this revelation, The News reported. According to media reports, Jamali was talking to the Russian news agency TASS during which he revealed that Pakistan has filed an application to join the BRICS and is counting on Russia’s assistance, The News reported. Jamali said Pakistan has already applied for membership of BRICS, which is set to expand next year with the admission of six new members. Jamali also said that Islamabad plans to join the group under Russia’s presidency next year. (IANS)
UN chief Guterres visits Antarctica
King George Island, Nov 23: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived on Thursday at the bottom of the world on the cusp of international climate talks at COP28. He has previously said the world must slash carbon emissions to prevent this delicate environment from melting. Warming air and ocean temperatures are causing Antarctic ice to melt. The frozen continent plays a significant role in regulating Earth’s climate because it reflects sunlight away and drives major ocean currents. For years, scientists and environmentalists have kept an eye on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as an important indicator of global warming. A study published in Nature Climate Change last month said warming has increased to the point that the ice sheet will now experience “unavoidable” melting regardless of how much the world reduces emissions of planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide. The study’s lead author, Kaitlin Naughten, estimated that melting ice in Antarctica’s most at-risk areas could raise global sea levels by about 1.8 metres over the next few centuries. Another study published in Science Advances, also last month, reported that nearly 50 Antarctic ice shelves have shrunk by at least 30 per cent since 1997 and 28 of those have lost more than half their ice in short period of time. (AP)