Middle East & North Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A state-run oil giant in the United Arab Emirates said Monday it has moved up its target for achieving net zero emissions in its operations to 2045, as the country prepares to host U.N. climate talks later this year.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, known as ADNOC, said it is also committed to acheiving zero methane emissions by 2030. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term.

27 July 2023; MEMO: Saudi Arabia opened its first mangrove nursery on Wednesday, which is targeting to plant 50 million trees by 2030 in the fight against desertification, Anadolu Agency reports.

John Pagano, Chief Executive of Red Sea Global, the developer behind the project, said they aim to grow the trees in partnership with the National Centre for Vegetation Cover, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

27 July 2023; MEMO: Israel's UN ambassador said, on Thursday, that Palestinians "have no right to return" to their homes, Anadolu Agency reports.

"Let me be clear, there is no right of return. You all know this," Gilad Erdan told a UN Security Council meeting.

"The demand of millions of descendants of refugees returning to obliterate the Jewish people's right to self-determination and this will never happen."

28 July 2023; MEMO: In response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial judicial overhaul, the Director-General of Israel's Education Ministry, Asaf Zalal, has resigned from his position. In a statement, Zalal cited the deep divide within society, which prevents him from fulfilling his responsibilities as required.

28 July 2023; MEMO: Former Mossad director Tamir Pardo has slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of dismantling the army and the Mossad and "splitting the nation into two".

In an interview with Kan radio, Pardo said Netanyahu's government includes "horrible racist parties" including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit.

28 July 2023; MEMO: Israel warned, on Friday, that the burning of the Torah in Sweden could harm relations between the two countries, Anadolu Agency reports.

Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, spoke with his Swedish counterpart, Tobias Billstrom, and explained to him that Israel takes seriously the use of threats to burn holy books in Sweden, according to a statement by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

28 July 2023; MEMO: Expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, China has called for an end to "the cycle of violence" in Palestine, state media reported, Anadolu Agency reports.

28 July 2023; MEMO: Qatar will provide Ukraine with $100 million in humanitarian aid to support health, education and demining, Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, said on Friday after talks with the Gulf State's Prime Minister, Reuters reports.

Qatar had earlier, on Friday, announced that Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who also serves as Foreign Minister, was visiting Ukraine.

29 July 2023; MEMO: Israel's Kan channel reported on Friday night that Bahrain had postponed the visit of the Israeli Foreign Minister to the country.

According to the Israeli channel, commentators believe Bahrain postponed Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's visit, scheduled for next week, because Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday.

30 July 2023; MEMO: Israelis marched Saturday in Tel Aviv for the 30th consecutive week, marking the first time since the initial passage of judicial overhaul legislation by the Netanyahu government, reports Anadolu Agency.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis participated in demonstrations at dozens of points across the country, including Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem, Haifa, Birussebi, Herzliya and Rehovot.