Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)US companies are exploringinvestment opportunitiesinSyria, with several projects and agreements under negotiation,Syrian Sovereign Fundofficials said Tuesday during talks with a visiting US economic delegation in Damascus.Mohammad Musattat, Director of Public Relations at the Syrian Sovereign Fund, said representatives of US companies had traveled to Damascus to assess the Syrian market and available investment opportunities amid the country’s economic opening and the lifting of sanctions.Musattat said US companies are looking to invest in the Syrian economy, adding th…

Deir Ezzor, Sept. 16 (SANA)More than40 companiesare selling food, beverages, clothing and household goods directly to consumers at a 14-day shopping festival inDeir Ezzor,which organizers described as the first of its kind in the province. The “Deir Ezzor Deserves It” festival, held at Clock Roundabout in Deir Ezzor city, drew a large turnout after opening Tuesday evening, with participating companies showcasing products ranging from canned goods and other food products to clothing andhousehold essentials. Mohammad al-Shalati, owner of Apple Design forMarketing and Festival Organization, tol…

Doha, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syrian healthofficials outlined priorities for moving the country’shealth systemfrom humanitarian response toward recovery and sustainable development during a specialized workshop inDoha, the Ministry of Health said Tuesday. Key areas included stronger governance and coordination, development of the health workforce and medical education, and greater use of the expertise of Syrian professionals abroad, according to a ministry statement published on Telegram. Participants also focused on building partnerships among health institutions, organizations and Syrian profession…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Forty couples married in a mass wedding inal-Tall cityon Tuesday under a community initiative aimed at helping young people start families and easing the financial burden of marriage amid rising housing andhousehold costs. Kamal Arnous, Chairman of the Board of the En’ash al-Faqir Association, told SANA that participants underwent preparatory courses before receiving support in the run-up to thewedding celebration. Arnous said the association had also hosted a luncheon on Tuesday attended by around 10,000 residents and visitors in al-Tall. He said he hoped the initia…

Hasakah/Raqqa, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria has stepped up preparations to reduce flood risks ahead of thewinter seasonas authorities increased water releases from theEuphrates Damto manage higher inflows through the river from the Turkish side. The Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate in Hasakah has coordinated with the province’sWater ResourcesDirectorate on precautionary measures to improve rainwater andfloodwaterdrainage and raise readiness in areas vulnerable to flooding. Director of the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate Abdul Halim Shehab said specialized teams inspected s…

Daraa, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheMinistry of Emergency and Disaster Managementhas launched a specializeddivingandwater rescuetraining course in Daraa to strengthen the capabilities of emergency teams and improve response to water-related accidents. The 10-day course, organized by the Diving and Water Rescue Directorate, involves 15 personnel from the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate in the southern region and is supervised by six instructors from Idlib and Daraa. The training includes practical exercises in diving, swimming, water rescue, search and recovery operations, and the use of s…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syrian Foreign and ExpatriatesMinister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibaniand U.S. Secretary of StateMarco Rubiodiscussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation between Syria and the United States during a phone call on  Tuesday. According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, al-Shaibani welcomed theU.S. decision to lift sanctionson Syria, stressing the need for continued coordination to complete the necessary executive and technical measures to ensure that the decision has a practical and tangible impact on the economic andbanking sectors. The two sides stre…

Damascus, Sept. 15 (SANA)Syria’s National Commission for Transitional Justiceheld talks with representatives of theBelgian development agency Enabelon strengthening cooperation in transitional justice, supporting recovery and promoting long-term stability in Syria.Commission Chairman Abdul Basit Abdul Latif met Patrick Gaudissart, Enabel’s regional director for the Middle East, and Mohammad Rawabdeh, the agency’s strategic adviser for the region, the commission said on its Telegram channel Tuesday. The talks focused on boosting institutional cooperation and drawing on international experience…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheForeign Ministryheld talks with a delegation from the Syrian Society inBritainon Tuesday on strengthening ties with Syrians abroad and drawing on expertise to support reconstruction and development inSyria. Nahla Othman, director of the ministry’s Expatriates and Refugees Department, met the delegation in Damascus to discuss ways to establish stronger links between Syrians at home and abroad. The two sides stressed the importance of creating effective communication channels to facilitate the exchange of expertise. They agreed to develop a mechanism for continued c…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Transport MinisterYarub Badrheld talks in Damascus with aWorld Bankmission on Tuesday on cooperation inSyria’s transport sector, focusing on plans to rehabilitate railways, upgrade infrastructure and explore public-private partnerships. The meeting reviewed plans and implementation mechanisms for rehabilitating and developing the railway sector, as well as the legal and operational frameworks needed to maximize the benefits of railway projects for Syrians. Badr said the ministry was working on a comprehensive strategy to revive the railway sector and restore its role…

Damascus, Sept. 15 (SANA)Public Works and Housing MinisterMustafa Abdul Razzaq discussed cooperation and investment opportunities with aU.S. business delegationon Tuesday, with talks focusing on housing finance, real estate development,constructionandSyria’s reconstruction needs. During an expanded session in Damascus, Abdul Razzaq outlined the ministry’s plans for regional and local planning, engineering and surveying consultancy, construction, housing and real estate development, the ministry said on its Telegram channel. He stressed the need for investment partnerships that can help imple…

Abu Dhabi, Sept. 15 (SANA)President Ahmad al-Sharaamet on Tuesday with UAE President SheikhMohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyanin Abu Dhabi to discuss bilateral relations and ways to expand economic and development cooperation betweenSyriaand theUnited Arab Emirates. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassanal-Shaibaniand UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders discussed ways to strengthen relations between the two countries, particularly in the economic and development sectors, and broaden opportunities for cooperation and p…

Deir Ezzor, Sept. 15 (SANA)More than 30 schools acrossDeir Ezzorgovernorate are set to be rehabilitated during the first semester of the academic year as part of efforts to restore damagededucation facilitiesand accommodate rising numbers of students returning to the area. Deir Ezzor Education Director Ali al-Saleh told SANA on Monday that rehabilitation projects targeting schools across the governorate are being prepared as student numbers increase with the return of displaced families from rural areas, northern Syria, Türkiye and European countries. Al-Saleh said the need for school rehabi…

Vienna, Sept. 15 (SANA)International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) Director GeneralRafael Mariano Grossisaid Monday that “historic” progress had been achieved in Syria regarding safeguards issues, saying the development followedSyria’s cooperation and transparency, alongside the efforts of the agency. In a statement delivered before the 70th regular session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Grossi said that a year earlier he had informed the conference about his meeting in Damascus with President Ahmad al-Sharaa, after which developments began regarding a safeguards issue that had remain…

Washington, Sept. 15 (SANA)Oil pricessettled about 1% higher on Monday as fresh attacks on energy infrastructure inSaudi Arabiaand incidents involving vessels in the Middle East raised concerns over potential disruptions to global supplies. Brent and U.S. crude futures initially surged nearly 5% before easing from session highs after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was seeking a deal with Washington. Brent crude futures rose $1.07, or 1%, to settle at $105.68 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained $1.34, or 1.3%, to close at $101.39 a barrel, according …

Damascus, Sept. 15 (SANA)Syrian officials pitchedinvestment opportunitiesinenergy,telecommunicationsand industry to a visitingU.S. business delegation in Damascus, outlining plans to expand private-sector participation, modernize digital infrastructure and streamline investment approvals.Officials from the ministries of Economy and Industry, Communications and Information Technology, and Energy held three roundtable meetings with the delegation on Monday, part of a series of talks aimed at opening new channels for U.S.-Syrian economic cooperation. Economy and Industry MinisterNidal al-Shaarsa…

Paris, Sept. 15 (SANA)Paris Saint-Germaindefender Achraf Hakimi has suffered a right thigh injury and will undergo treatment over the next two days, the French champions said on Monday. The Moroccan international sustained a minor muscle strain during PSG’sLigue 1match against Brest on Sunday, the club said in a statement, adding that a further update on his condition would be provided after the treatment period. Hakimi’s availability is now uncertain ahead of PSG’s league trip to Marseille on Sunday in the fifth round of the French Ligue 1 season.

Damascus, Sept. 15 (SANA)Syriahas launched a workshop to assess gaps in its multi-sectoral national early warning system as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and reduce risks. The workshop, organized by theMinistry of Emergency and Disaster ManagementinDamascus, brought together representatives from several ministries and international organizations involved in disaster risk reduction. The two-day event aims to review the current state of early warning systems in Syria, evaluate progress in implementing the “Early Warnings for All” initiative, contribute to the development …

Damascus, Sept. 15 (SANA)President of the Federation ofSyrian Chambers of CommerceAlaa al-Ali discussed with a delegation from the Syrian Arab Association in theUnited Kingdom, headed by Ghanem Tayara, ways to enhance cooperation and develop partnerships betweenSyriaand the United Kingdom. The meeting, held Monday at the Federation’s headquarters in Damascus, focused on investment, innovation and the transfer of knowledge and expertise from Syrian professionals abroad to support development efforts. The delegation praised the Federation’s focus on capacity building, institutional development…

Singapore, Sept. 15 (SANA)Shipping traffic through theStrait of Hormuzdeclined further amid escalating tensions in theMiddle East, according to preliminary data from shipping data provider Kpler. Reutersreported Tuesday that Kpler data showed four vessels transited the strait on Monday, compared with 10 vessels the previous day. The data indicated that two dry bulk carriers exited the waterway, including one loaded vessel and one empty vessel, while two oil tankers entered the strait, both sailing without cargo. Kpler said the figures may not include some vessels that crossed the strait aft…