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A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record $3.2mn for a giant bluefin tuna Monday at an annual prestigious new year auction in Tokyo's main fish market, smashing the previous all-time high.Dave Gershman at the Pew Charitable Trusts' international fisheries team used news of the auction to highlight that stocks of Pacific bluefin tuna were improving after being "near collapse".Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura's sushi restaurant chain paid the top price for the 243kg fish that was caught off Japan's northern coast."I'd thought we would be able to buy a little cheaper, but the price soared before you knew it," Kimura said after the pre-dawn auction at Tokyo's main fish market."I was surprised at the price...I hope that by eating auspicious tuna, as many people as possible will feel energised," he told reporters.The 510.3mn yen price at the new year's auction was the highest since comparable data started being collected in 1999.The previous high was 333.6mn yen for a 278kg bluefin in 2019, after the fish market moved from its traditional Tsukiji area in central Tokyo to a more modern facility.The top bidder last year paid 207mn yen for a 276kg bluefin.Shortly after this year's auction, the tuna was butchered and turned into sushi, selling for around 500 yen ($3) per roll."I feel like I've begun the year in a good way after eating something so auspicious as the year starts," 19-year-old Minami Sugiyama from a table in one of Kimura's restaurants in Tsukiji.Fellow customer Kiyoshi Nishimura agreed. "Even without dipping it in soy sauce, there's sweetness. And the richness, the texture... it just makes you feel happy," the 40-year-old Shinto priest said.During the Covid-19 pandemic the new year tunas commanded only a fraction of their usual top prices as restaurants scaled back operations.Gershman said in an emailed statement that a 2017 recovery plan "is working, and if decision makers take further action in 2026, the future for Pacific bluefin will be bright"."This year, fisheries managers from Japan, the US, Korea, and other countries from across the Pacific who target bluefin should agree on a long-term, sustainable management plan that would lock in a healthy population and ensure that the species never again faces the overfishing of the past," he added. 

Al Jazeera Media Institute (AJMI) concluded a new training programme titled 'Little Entrepreneur' for 14 boys and girls. The participants experienced the process of establishing their own projects from the idea to launching phase in a journey aimed at instilling in them initiative and innovation spirit. They were introduced to the world of entrepreneurship through stories, games, and interactive discussions, while learning key concepts such as: entrepreneur, product, customer, and service. The children moved on to selecting project ideas that match their interests and satisfy customer needs. The programme ended with presenting the projects at a business exhibition. Among the standout projects was 'Key Craft,' which produces 3D keychains featuring personalised names or logos. Course instructor Dr Rania El Jammal noted that the experience goes beyond theoretical introduction to entrepreneurship to offer children the chance to live it in practice. The closing exhibition featured Snoonu CEO Hamad al-Hajri, who toured projects and reviewed participants’ work models, expressing his admiration for the quality of their efforts. AJMI will offer several training courses for youth in December, including another round of 'Entrepreneurship for Youth' course.

QNB's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team organised a creative programme for children titled ‘QNB Junior Entrepreneur’ in line with its initiatives to prepare a generation of new leaders capable of achieving a knowledge-based economy in implementation of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.It also reflects the bank’s CSR strategy aimed at promoting financial literacy within its Education and Youth pillar.The two-week initiative includes a packed program of activities, allowing young participants to unleash their entrepreneurship skills in a fun and stimulating environment, helping them turn their ideas into reality.Participants presented their project ideas in the form of simplified projects and products, along with a suggested marketing plan. On the conclusion of the activity, the bank’s CSR team awarded a ‘QNB Junior Entrepreneur’ certificate to all participants in recognition of their valuable contribution.The initiative supported younger generations to acquire skills of productivity, recycling, entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity and become positive change agents in our communities.QNB Group is one of the leading financial institutions in the Middle East and Africa and one of the most valuable banking brands in the region.It operates in some 28 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, providing tailored banking products and services, supported by a workforce of over 31,000 professionals leading banking excellence worldwide.

C.V.Rappai, prominent Indian entrepreneur and a long-time resident, has condemned the Israeli aggression on Qatar, terming it “totally unacceptable”.Qatar has been working very hard as a mediator to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Gaza.“I have been in Qatar for the last 45 years. Qatar is very peaceful and among the most peaceful countries in the world. The aggression on Qatar is totally unacceptable. I hope countries around the world will protest the flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and a blatant breach of international laws and norms,” Rappai said.