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QatarEnergy LNG is preparing for the startup of major new facilities as 2026 ushers in, according to its top official.Looking at the future, 2026 will be a "landmark" year as QatarEnergy LNG prepares for the startup of major new facilities, it's chief executive officer Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa al-Thani told the annual Town Hall events in Doha and Al Khor, bringing together employees from across its operations, projects, and support functions for an open dialogue with the management leadership team.The gathering highlighted a year of "exceptional" accomplishments and reaffirmed the company’s strategic direction as it prepares for a transformative phase in Qatar’s LNG (liquefied natural gas) industry.Sheikh Khalid stressed the importance of accelerating digital transformation, enhancing organisational agility, reinforcing reliability and asset integrity, and maintaining an unrelenting focus on safety as the company prepares for increased scale and complexity.The company will continue to invest in talent, safeguard critical expertise, and evolve its operating model to ensure readiness for the next phase of growth.Opening the events by welcoming employees and expressing deep appreciation for their dedication throughout 2025; he emphasised that the Town Hall is a valued annual tradition where achievements are recognised, priorities are aligned, and employees are thanked for their crucial role in shaping the company’s future.Describing the company's workforce as champions who consistently demonstrate resilience, professionalism, and a steadfast commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient operations; Sheikh Khalid honoured QatarEnergy LNG’s long service award recipients, acknowledging their loyalty, commitment, and enduring influence on the company’s culture and success.The corporate planning department presented a comprehensive review of the company’s 2025 performance, showcasing the achievements for each pillar in its direction statement and outlining key challenges ahead by emphasising key focus areas.The review demonstrated continued progress and commitment to QatarEnergy LNG’s vision as the world’s premier LNG company.Innovation and expansion were recurring topics, underscoring their importance in shaping QatarEnergy LNG’s operations and its competitive edge. 

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has urged the opening of all crossings into the devastated Gaza Strip to expand humanitarian operations, stressing the urgent need to scale up life-saving assistance.WFP stated that nearly one million people in Gaza have received food aid since the ceasefire came into effect but emphasized that current access is insufficient to meet the vast humanitarian needs on the ground.WFP spokesperson Abeer Atefa said in a statement: "Three and a half weeks after the ceasefire in Gaza, we have distributed food parcels to nearly one million people across the entire Strip." She stressed the importance of opening more crossings and expanding humanitarian access within the Strip."To scale up our operations to the required level and in line with our commitments, we need better access, including opening more border crossings and allowing the use of main roads within Gaza," she said, noting that the WFP aims to reach 1.6 million people."We still have only two border crossings operational," the WFP spokesperson added, calling for the opening of crossings to northern Gaza to stabilize markets and meet the population's needs.The World Food Programme (WFP) currently operates 44 food distribution centers in the sector, out of 145 it aims to operate. The Israeli occupation authorities have repeatedly cut off aid to Gaza during the aggression against the Strip since October 2023, which exacerbated humanitarian conditions that the United Nations previously described as catastrophic. Before the ceasefire, the international organization warned of famine in some areas of the besieged Strip.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated that Israeli occupying forces are carrying out destruction operations in the northern West Bank, forcing citizens to undergo forced displacement from their homes. In a statement issued Wednesday, UNRWA confirmed that the refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams have been evacuated, and their residents have been prevented from returning. The agency pointed out that settler violence and the expansion of settlements have led to the forcible displacement of Palestinians from their land, warning that these actions pave the way for annexation operations. UNRWA further added that Israeli laws targeting the agency have led to the closure of UN schools in the West Bank and the expulsion of international staff from their positions.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces have taken control of the town of Novonikolaivka, located in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, southeastern Ukraine, as part of the military operations that have been ongoing since February 2022. In a statement on the progress of the operations, the ministry said that Russian forces have improved their tactical positions on several combat fronts, noting that they have inflicted casualties on the Ukrainian side estimated at 1,370 soldiers during the recent clashes. The statement added that Russian air defenses also shot down three missiles and 340 Ukrainian drones, in addition to destroying two tanks. Since the outbreak of war, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged near-daily reports of repelling each other's attacks - claims that remain difficult to independently verify due to ongoing war.

Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) and FedEx Logistics, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, have officially opened a new regional logistics facility at Ras Bufontas Free Zone, marking a significant step in Qatar’s emergence as a leading hub for global trade and supply chain operations.The inauguration was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Faisal al-Thani, CEO, QFZ, and Patrick Moebel, President of FedEx Logistics, alongside senior executives from both parties. The opening of the centre comes within the framework of the existing partnership between QFZ and FedEx Logistics and based on the agreement signed between them in 2024.Operated by FedEx Logistics Qatar QFZ LLC, the 1,249sq m facility features integrated warehousing, storage, and office spaces. Plugged into the FedEx global network, it will serve as a key gateway for freight forwarding and scheduling, facilitating the movement of goods between major markets in Asia, Europe, and North America.Situated next to Hamad International Airport and close to Hamad Port, the facility offers seamless access to air transportation and freight, as well as access to knowledgeable guidance on customs brokerage processes.It will provide end-to-end supply chain solutions for industries, including retail, automotive, and technology.The facility supports Qatar’s rapidly expanding logistics sector valued at $10.14bn and projected to reach $13.49bn by 2030, with the country ranked seventh globally for logistics competence in the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index 2024.Sheikh Mohammed said: “We are proud to welcome FedEx Logistics to our thriving logistics ecosystem, home to four of the world’s top ten logistics providers.“The investment by FedEx underscores QFZ’s competitive advantages, world-class infrastructure, seamless logistics connectivity network, strategic geographical location close to the most prominent global markets, enhancing the ability of investing companies to reach large segments of consumers globally.“We are confident that this milestone will contribute to strengthening Qatar’s leadership as a global hub for innovation, logistics and international trade.”Moebel commented: “Establishing this facility in Qatar enables us to connect our Qatari and regional customers to major markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North America with greater speed and efficiency.“By integrating this location into the FedEx global network, we can deliver smarter, more reliable logistics solutions that help businesses grow and compete in today’s fast-moving global economy.”By boosting freight connectivity and enabling more efficient global supply chains, the FedEx Logistics facility will contribute to sustainable growth, private sector expansion, and enhanced global competitiveness.This aligns with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 and advances the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3), which identifies logistics as a key pillar of economic diversification.

A senior European Union official said Thursday that Israel's operations in Gaza constitute genocide, the first member of the bloc's commission to make that charge."The genocide in Gaza exposes Europe's failure to act and speak with one voice, even as protests spread across European cities and 14 UN Security Council members call for an immediate ceasefire," Teresa Ribera said at the opening ceremony of the academic year at the Sciences Po university in Paris.Israel's mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Ribera is the European Commission's Executive Vice President, second only in seniority to President Ursula von der Leyen. The Spanish socialist, whose portfolio includes climate and anti-trust issues, is not responsible for EU foreign policy.The comments were stronger than a statement she gave last month when she said the displacement and killing in Gaza looked "very much like" genocide.The European Commission has accused Israel of violating human rights in Gaza, but stopped short of accusing it of genocide.South Africa has brought a case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague accusing Israel of genocide.On Monday, the president of the world's largest academic association of genocide scholars announced that the association had passed a resolution affirming that the legal criteria have been met to determine that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.Israel's Foreign Ministry called that statement disgraceful.More than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's air and ground war in Gaza since then, according to Gaza health officials, who said most of those killed have been women and children.