#Gravitas Thailand is set to abandon one of its biggest infrastructure projects.  A fresh government review concluded that a $30 billion proposed landbridge project aimed at bypassing the Malacca Strait is no longer financially viable and could cause serious environmental damage. 

Thailand Plans to Scrap Land Bridge Project Bypassing Malacca Strait  | GRAVITAS 

Equinix plans two data centers in Cape Town, raising concerns over their environmental impact. A formal objection demands detailed disclosure on water, power, and environmental factors before approval. The centers are expected to use up to 160 megawatts of power, prompting opposition from local communities and organizations.


Equinix Faces Challenge to Cape Town Data Centres Over Environmental Concerns

Three attack drones of Houthi rebels were shot down by the American forces near the commercial ships in the Red Sea on Friday (Feb 23), hours after the United States warned of an environmental disaster from the cargo ship, which was hit by Houthi rebels. 
 
The US military said that they downed three attack drones and even destroyed seven anti-ship cruise missiles, which were positioned on land. 
 
For months, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting shipping and their attacks&nbsp;remain&nbsp;persistent despite American and British armies making&nbsp;repeated strikes with the aim of degrading the ability of rebels to threaten an important global trade route. 
 
Early on Friday (Feb 23), US forces "shot down three Huthi one-way attack (drones) near several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. There was no damage to any ships," said the Central Command (CENTCOM), on&nbsp;social media. 
 
In a statement, issued after hours, CENTCOM claimed that US forces destroyed "seven Iranian-backed Huthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/red-sea-crisis-houthis-use-unmanned-underwater-vessels-for-first-time-us-says-691537">Red Sea crisis: Houthis use unmanned underwater vessels for first time, says US</a>

It added that those strikes, which were carried out between 12:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Sanaa time, were launched in self-defence. 
 
"CENTCOM forces identified these missiles in Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region," said US forces in a statement.

<h2 lang="en-US">US warns of environmental disaster</h2>

US Central Command on Friday (Feb 23) said that a cargo ship, which was abandoned in the Gulf of Aden after the Houthi rebels attacked it, was taken on water and left a huge oil slick which has increased the risk of an environmental disaster. 
 
Rubymar, which is a Lebanese-operated, Belize-flagged and British-registered cargo ship was carrying combustible fertiliser and had suffered damages in the missile strike by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. 
 
The crew members of the vessel had evacuated to Djibouti after a missile hit the ship and water entered the engine room as well as in its stern to sag, stated its operator, the Blue Fleet Group.

Watch:&nbsp;US military says Iran continues to supply arms to Houthis | Red Sea attacks can escalate

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-military-says-iran-continues-to-supply-arms-to-houthis-red-sea-attacks-can-escalate-693317/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

CENTCOM stated that the ship is anchored but it has left an 18-mile oil slick. 
 
"The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster," CENTCOM said in a post on X. 
 
The ship's operator confirmed that it is likely to get towed to Djibouti this week.

(With inputs from agencies)

Three attack drones of Houthi rebels were shot down by the American forces near the commercial ships in the Red Sea on Friday (Feb 23), hours after the United States warned of an environmental disaster from the cargo ship, which was hit by Houthi rebels.

Three attack drones of Houthi rebels were shot down by the American forces near the commercial ships in the Red Sea on Friday (Feb 23), hours after the United States warned of an environmental disaster from the cargo ship, which was hit by Houthi rebels. The US military said that they downed three attack drones and even destroyed seven anti-ship cruise missiles, which were positioned on land. For months, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting shipping and their attacks remain persistent despite American and British armies making repeated strikes with the aim of degrading the ability of rebels to threaten an important global trade route. Early on Friday (Feb 23), US forces "shot down three Huthi one-way attack (drones) near several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. There was no damage to any ships," said the Central Command (CENTCOM), on social media. In a statement, issued after hours, CENTCOM claimed that US forces destroyed "seven Iranian-backed Huthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea." Also Read: Red Sea crisis: Houthis use unmanned underwater vessels for first time, says US It added that those strikes, which were carried out between 12:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Sanaa time, were launched in self-defence. "CENTCOM forces identified these missiles in Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region," said US forces in a statement. US warns of environmental disaster US Central Command on Friday (Feb 23) said that a cargo ship, which was abandoned in the Gulf of Aden after the Houthi rebels attacked it, was taken on water and left a huge oil slick which has increased the risk of an environmental disaster. Rubymar, which is a Lebanese-operated, Belize-flagged and British-registered cargo ship was carrying combustible fertiliser and had suffered damages in the missile strike by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The crew members of the vessel had evacuated to Djibouti after a missile hit the ship and water entered the engine room as well as in its stern to sag, stated its operator, the Blue Fleet Group. Watch: US military says Iran continues to supply arms to Houthis | Red Sea attacks can escalate CENTCOM stated that the ship is anchored but it has left an 18-mile oil slick. "The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster," CENTCOM said in a post on X. The ship's operator confirmed that it is likely to get towed to Djibouti this week. (With inputs from agencies)

US shoots three Houthi drones, hours after warning of environmental disaster from cargo ship hit by rebels

Israel’s Environmental Protection Ministry said that it was delaying the implementation of a proposed oil transport deal with the United Arab Emirates, freezing a project that has angered environmentalists.

Israel postpones execution of UAE oil pipeline deal over environmental concerns

A black box from a ship loaded with chemical and plastic that is sinking off Sri Lanka has been located, officials said Sunday, as investigators probe what caused the vessel to catch fire.

The Voyage Data Recorder, also known as a maritime "black box", enables investigators to review procedures and instructions ahead of an accident.

Sri Lankan authorities said they hope it will provide details of the ship's movements and its communications with the harbour in the capital Colombo, where it had been due to dock.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-oil-spill-but-container-ship-mv-x-press-pearl-partially-sunk-says-icg-389305">No oil spill, but Container Ship MV X-Press Pearl partially sunk, says ICG</a>

"The navy facilitated technicians to remove the VDR from the bridge which is still above the waterline," navy spokesman Indika de Silva told AFP.

The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl has been slowly sinking into the Indian Ocean since Wednesday after a fire that raged for nearly two weeks within sight of the coast.

The ship, carrying 25 tonnes of nitric acid and a huge amount of plastic raw materials, was heading to Colombo from Gujarat, India.

Sri Lankan officials have said an acid leak since May 11 may have sparked the blaze. Ports in Qatar and India had refused to offload the leaking nitric acid, they added.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-braces-for-oil-spill-from-sunken-ship-here-is-what-we-know-389485">Sri Lanka braces for oil spill from sunken ship: Here is what we know</a>

Police on the island nation launched a criminal investigation, interviewing the vessel's skipper and chief engineer, both Russians, and its chief officer, an Indian, and seizing their passports.

Authorities are bracing for a possible oil spill after the stern submerged. There has been no sign of any leaks so far, they added.

Tonnes of microplastic granules from the ship swamped an 80-kilometre (50-mile) stretch of beach declared off-limits for residents. Fishing in the area was also banned.

Sri Lankan environmentalists on Friday sued the government and the ship's operators for allegedly failing to prevent what they called the "worst marine disaster" in the country's history.

A black box from a ship loaded with chemical and plastic that is sinking off Sri Lanka has been located, officials said Sunday, as investigators probe what caused the vessel to catch fire.

A black box from a ship loaded with chemical and plastic that is sinking off Sri Lanka has been located, officials said Sunday, as investigators probe what caused the vessel to catch fire. The Voyage Data Recorder, also known as a maritime "black box", enables investigators to review procedures and instructions ahead of an accident. Sri Lankan authorities said they hope it will provide details of the ship's movements and its communications with the harbour in the capital Colombo, where it had been due to dock. Also Read | No oil spill, but Container Ship MV X-Press Pearl partially sunk, says ICG "The navy facilitated technicians to remove the VDR from the bridge which is still above the waterline," navy spokesman Indika de Silva told AFP. The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl has been slowly sinking into the Indian Ocean since Wednesday after a fire that raged for nearly two weeks within sight of the coast. The ship, carrying 25 tonnes of nitric acid and a huge amount of plastic raw materials, was heading to Colombo from Gujarat, India. Sri Lankan officials have said an acid leak since May 11 may have sparked the blaze. Ports in Qatar and India had refused to offload the leaking nitric acid, they added. Also Read | Sri Lanka braces for oil spill from sunken ship: Here is what we know Police on the island nation launched a criminal investigation, interviewing the vessel's skipper and chief engineer, both Russians, and its chief officer, an Indian, and seizing their passports. Authorities are bracing for a possible oil spill after the stern submerged. There has been no sign of any leaks so far, they added. Tonnes of microplastic granules from the ship swamped an 80-kilometre (50-mile) stretch of beach declared off-limits for residents. Fishing in the area was also banned. Sri Lankan environmentalists on Friday sued the government and the ship's operators for allegedly failing to prevent what they called the "worst marine disaster" in the country's history.

Sri Lanka recovers black box from sinking ship

Pope Francis is a "convincing moral authority" in the fight against climate change, the US' special climate envoy&nbsp;John&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;told Vatican News Saturday after a meeting with the pontiff.&nbsp;

"The Holy Father is one of the most powerful voices on the planet, if not the most powerful,"&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;told the Vatican's information portal in an interview.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-backs-waivers-on-intellectual-property-rights-for-vaccines-384028">Pope Francis backs waivers on intellectual property rights for vaccines</a>

"But because he is above politics and outside of national conflicts, I think he can shake people up a little bit and bring them to the table of dialogue with a better sense of our common duty."

Kerry, who is on a European tour that will take him to Britain and Germany after Rome, met with the Argentine pope at the Vatican a day after a meeting with Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

"The Pope is one of the great voices of reason and a convincing moral authority on the issue of the climate crisis,"&nbsp;Kerry&nbsp;said, adding he believed the pontiff would be attending November's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stop-clashes-pope-francis-calls-for-end-to-violence-in-jerusalem-383901">'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem</a>

"We need everybody in this fight. All the leaders of the world need to come together and every country needs to do its part," he said.

The pope has called climate change "one of the principal challenges facing humanity" today. He has rebuked industrialised countries most responsible for the crisis while speaking up for the poor in developing countries who will feel its worst effects. &nbsp;

Last month, US President Joe Biden announced that the world's largest economy would cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 per cent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, doubling the country's previous commitments.

Kerry, a former senator who served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, has said the next six months will be critical in shoring up support to upgrade commitments in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The summit in Glasgow, he said in April, was "our last best hope to be able to coalesce the world in the right direction."

Pope Francis is a "convincing moral authority" in the fight against climate change, the US' special climate envoy John Kerry told Vatican News Saturday after a meeting with the pontiff.

Pope Francis is a "convincing moral authority" in the fight against climate change, the US' special climate envoy John Kerry told Vatican News Saturday after a meeting with the pontiff. "The Holy Father is one of the most powerful voices on the planet, if not the most powerful," Kerry told the Vatican's information portal in an interview. Also read | Pope Francis backs waivers on intellectual property rights for vaccines "But because he is above politics and outside of national conflicts, I think he can shake people up a little bit and bring them to the table of dialogue with a better sense of our common duty." Kerry, who is on a European tour that will take him to Britain and Germany after Rome, met with the Argentine pope at the Vatican a day after a meeting with Prime Minister Mario Draghi. "The Pope is one of the great voices of reason and a convincing moral authority on the issue of the climate crisis," Kerry said, adding he believed the pontiff would be attending November's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Also read | 'Stop Clashes': Pope Francis calls for end to violence in Jerusalem "We need everybody in this fight. All the leaders of the world need to come together and every country needs to do its part," he said. The pope has called climate change "one of the principal challenges facing humanity" today. He has rebuked industrialised countries most responsible for the crisis while speaking up for the poor in developing countries who will feel its worst effects. Last month, US President Joe Biden announced that the world's largest economy would cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 per cent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, doubling the country's previous commitments. Kerry, a former senator who served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, has said the next six months will be critical in shoring up support to upgrade commitments in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The summit in Glasgow, he said in April, was "our last best hope to be able to coalesce the world in the right direction."

US envoy Kerry calls pope 'powerful voice' on climate

Tens of thousands of people marched to New Zealand's Parliament and through the streets of Auckland on Friday, launching a second wave of worldwide protests demanding swift action on climate change.

Thousands join 2nd wave of climate protests in NZ

Climate change protesters continued their demonstration across London on Friday. The Extinction Rebellion group has set up camps at major points in the UK capital including Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and Westminster.

Activists keep up climate protests in London

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