UAE appointed to Irena energy council



Representatives of 21 countries including the UAE will be part of the Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

The decision was made yesterday as Irena's first assembly came to an end in Abu Dhabi.

Germany, France, the US and Australia are among the developed nations represented in the council. Developing nations such as Senegal, Tonga, Eritrea and Mali and also members.

The council, said Dr Adnan Amin, Irena's director general, will play an important role in the organisation's decision making. Decisions at Irena are made at bi-annual assemblies; discussing issues among 160 diverse countries can be challenging.

The council will have the task of holding consultations and preparing documents to inform the discussions of the full assembly.

"By the time member states come to the assembly, the decisions are much more streamlined," said Dr Amin.

The UAE was confirmed this week as the permanent headquarters country for the green energy body.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

INFO

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The National's picks

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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

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Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
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Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
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Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

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Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.