2024-01-13

UKRAINE WAR
Ukraine suffered a large Russian missile attack in the early hours of Saturday, while its air defences were able to down a far lower proportion of them than usual. According to Ukraine's air force, Russia launched 37 missiles and three drones. Eight missiles were downed, it said in a statement on social media. The air force's spokesperson said earlier this week that Ukraine was now suffering from a deficit of air defence missiles. It was not immediately clear whether this or any other factor was the reason for the low hit rate.Police in the northern region of Chernihiv posted a picture of a large crater made by a downed missile. "As a result of being hit by the debris of an enemy missile, several private homes and non-residential buildings were damaged, one building was practically destroyed," the police wrote. No people were hurt but a dog was killed, police said.
Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters.

ENVIROMENTAL UPDATES
The Informal Meeting of Environment Ministers will take place on 15 and 16 January 2024 in Brussels. Discussions will focus on three main topics that are key for the Belgian’s EU Council Presidency : adaptation and resilience, circular economy and just transition. In one session, ministers are set to "exchange views and share insights into how the Green Deal should further be strengthened during the next legislative cycle in order to advance the EU’s climate policy in the most cost-effective manner. Ministers will also discuss enabling conditions facilitating the discussion on the EU climate target for 2040."

Find the detailed agenda here. Press conference on 16 January, 12:45h.

WORLD
The United States continued its assault on Houthi militants in Yemen, carrying out a strike on a Houthi radar site early Saturday local time, U.S. Central Command said. The latest strike caused no injuries or damage, a Houthi official told Al Jazeera on Saturday, vowing a “firm, strong and effective response.” In Gaza, Israeli strikes killed dozens more people as an internet blackout continued into a second day Saturday, according to monitoring group NetBlocks. Sunday will mark 100 days of war between Israel and Hamas. Analysts said the assault played into the hands of a battle-tested militant group whose standing in the region has been enhanced. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Friday that the United States is “not interested in a war with Yemen,” and that the strikes hit “valid, legitimate military targets.”

MEMES