News in Brief 2023-12-02)

Ukraine says Russia attacked with
25 drones, missiles overnight
KYIV, Ukraine, Dec 1: Ukraine said Friday that Russian forces had launched more than two dozen Iranian-designed attack drones and two missiles on the south and east of the country, in Moscow's latest aerial barrage. Officials in Kyiv say Russian forces have been stockpiling drones and missiles for systematic attacks on Ukraine's struggling energy grid over winter months. "In total, the enemy used two X-59 missiles and 25 Shahed-136/131 attack drones," the air force said, claiming to have downed 18 of the drones and one missile over southern regions. Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure last winter left millions in the cold and dark for extended periods. Kyiv has bolstered its air defence systems since with Western arms, but conceded that it needs more weapons to protect vulnerable regions. — AFP
Iran delegates quit COP28 over
Israel presence
TEHRAN, Dec 1: Iranian delegates walked out of UN climate talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday in protest over the presence of Israeli representatives, state media reported. The Iranian side considered Israel's presence at COP28 "as contrary to the goals and guidelines of the conference and, in protest, it left the conference venue", said Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian, who headed the Iranian delegation, quoted by the official news agency IRNA. The move came only hours after a seven-day truce between Israel and Hamas expired and hostilities between the two resumed in Gaza, following the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. IRNA had said late Thursday that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi would not take part in the talks and Mehrabian would instead attend the summit. — AFP