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The global natural gas market is set to remain tight well beyond this year, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and damage to regional infrastructure continue to disrupt supply, according to the International Energy Agency.In a report published Friday, the IEA said the war has delayed a long-anticipated glut in liquefied natural gas, even as new capacity comes online. The impact of that expansion — driven largely by the US — is being pushed back “by at least two years.”The outlook aligns with a warning from Vitol Group earlier last week, which said global supply could be impacted through 2028. The energy trader cited last month’s damage to LNG facilities in Qatar and delays to new projects across the Middle East.Now in its second month, the conflict shows no signs of easing, effectively choking off around a fifth of global oil and LNG supply. Qatar has said Iranian strikes last month damaged about 17% of its liquefaction capacity, with repairs potentially taking as long as five years.The combined impact of near-term supply losses and slower capacity growth could result in a cumulative shortfall of around 120bn cubic meters of LNG between 2026 and 2030, the IEA said. This estimate includes delays to Qatar’s North Field East expansion project.For now, demand has softened in key importing markets in response to higher prices, milder weather, and policy efforts to curb consumption. Several Asian countries are turning to fuel switching and demand-side measures to limit gas use amid the supply crunch.“Demand response will be key to balancing the global gas market,” the IEA said. 

Qatar has taken part in celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with senior officials highlighting education as a moral and strategic priority for the region. Qatar’s delegation was led by Her Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah bint Rashid AlKhater, accompanied by His Excellency Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi, the ministry’s undersecretary and other senior officials. The event was attended by education ministers from across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), as well as representatives of leading regional and international organisations. On the sidelines of the celebrations, HE AlKhater toured an accompanying exhibition and witnessed the signing of several strategic agreements and partnerships between the Arab Bureau of Education and prominent international and research institutions. These included Unesco, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). A high-level dialogue session on the future of education in the Gulf States was also held. Speaking during the session, HE AlKhater described the Arab Bureau of Education as a centre of expertise that has successfully combined long-standing experience with forward-looking vision. She praised its role in supporting educational reform and strengthening a shared Gulf vision for the future. She said Qatar views education as an ethical commitment focused on developing responsible individuals who are confident in their identity and equipped with initiative and leadership skills. Highlighting national efforts in education and higher education, the minister pointed to the launch of an updated national curriculum in 2025, designed to align with global developments while preserving national values. She also stressed Qatar’s commitment to ensuring equal educational opportunities for people with disabilities. On digital transformation, HE AlKhater said Qatar has embraced artificial intelligence technologies and is working to produce Gulf-based educational knowledge capable of inspiring innovation beyond the region. The golden jubilee celebrations underscored the growing emphasis among Gulf states on regional cooperation, global partnerships and digital innovation as key drivers of future education systems. 

The International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that global demand for oil and gas may continue to rise until 2050, marking a departing from its previous forecasts that had predicted a faster shift toward clean fuels.The Agency, headquartered in France, said in its World Energy Outlook 2025 report that oil demand could reach 113 million barrels per day by mid-century, an increase of 1 3% compared to 2024 levels. It added that global energy demand is expected to rise by 15% by 2035 under the current policies scenario, which assumes the continuation of existing government measures without factoring in more ambitious climate goals.The report also pointed to a significant potential increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, with around 300 billion cubic meters of additional export capacity to be added by 2030. This would expand the market from 560 billion cubic meters in 2024 to more than one trillion cubic meters by 2050, driven by growing demand in sectors such as artificial intelligence and data centers.The IEA further projected that investments in data centers could reach USD 580 billion in 2025, surpassing global annual spending on oil, which currently stands at around USD 540 billion.