WEF24: Pragmatic actions to help in carbon neutrality

• Technology investment and corporate partnerships can play a crucial role in driving significant emission reduction, Hans Kobler of Energy Impact Partners tells TRENDS.
• He stresses the need for concrete action, emphasizing the importance of pragmatic strategies and sustained investment to overcome the challenges of climate finance.

Qatar minister urges Gaza ceasefire to end Red Sea insecurity

• Many companies have chosen to divert their vessels to avoid the Red Sea
• US and UK strikes on Houthi targets have failed to halt the rebel attacks

Roadmap out for environmental education, sustainable development at WEEC2024

QEWC 2023 net profit US$426m

• The earnings per share amounted to US$0.38 (QR 1.41) as of December 31, 2023.
• QEWC reported revenue of $799 million in 2023 compared to $747 million in 2022.

Saboteurs hit Iran pipelines disrupting gas supply: state media

• State media reported that the sabotage had disrupted gas supplies in at least three provinces -- North Khorasan in the northeast, Lorestan in the west and Zanjan in the northwest
• No group claimed responsibility for the attacks and Iran did not immediately apportion blame, although Iran has generally blamed Israel for similar acts of sabotage in the past

Iran fires first ship-based long-range ballistic missiles

• The Iranian military exercises come at a time of regional tensions since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.
• Iran does not recognize Israel and has long fought a shadow war of killings and sabotage against it.

IMF, World Bank say Gaza and Red Sea attacks risk to world economy

• The Israel-Hamas war raging since October has already hit the Middle East and North Africa region's economy, the IMF chief said.
• She said that if there are other "consequences in terms of where the fighting goes, it could be more problematic for the world as a whole".

Several nations eager to join Charter of Cooperation, says OPEC Secretary-General

• The names of these countries will be announced after the completion of the ongoing consultations, the OPEC chief said.
• He said the Charter helps facilitate dialogue and exchange views regarding conditions in the global oil and energy markets.

UN COP29 host Azerbaijan sees a big boom in gas production

• Patrick Galey, of Global Witness, said that Azerbaijan is ramping up its gas production when the world urgently "needs to kick its fossil fuel habit"
• According to Eurostat, Europe, to replace Russian gas, turned to Azerbaijan, whose share of imports grew from 2 percent in 2021 to 4 percent in 2023

Pakistan must move from ‘anarchy and polarization’ after election: army chief

• The military looms large over Pakistan's political landscape, with generals having run the country for nearly half its history since partition from India in 1947
• Politicians and political parties rise and fall with the backing of the military, which this year was believed to be backing the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif