Steve Lutes: US-Syria commercial and economic ties deepen
President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives at Dubai World Trade Centre for Arab Media Summit
Artists bring hope and beauty to Syrian Art Week in Damascus
Haneen Choir brings Safita’s musical voice to Syrian Art Week
Syrian Visual Arts Exhibition: ‘The Impact of Art 2026’
From tools of destruction to art Damascene craftsmen grant war relics new life
Draykish: A scenic natural masterpiece amid the mountains and valleys of Tartous
Al-Farnlaq F…
Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)President Ahmad al-Sharaadiscussed withEnergy MinisterMohammadal-Bashirthe current state of Syria’s energy sector, fuel supplies, and ways to develop the country’s energy system and improve its efficiency.MHD
Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Speaker of theSyrian People’s AssemblyAbdul Hamid al-Awak received aFrench Senatedelegation headed by Olivier Cigolotti, with members of the Assembly’s Bureau attending the meeting.
The People’s Assembly said on its Telegram channel Wednesday that the talks focused on the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and ways to develop cooperation betweenSyriaandFrance.
The French delegation included Étienne Blanc, Nicole Duranton, and Michel Grall. The French Chargé d’Affair…
Singapore, Sept. 16 (SANA)Only fourvesselscrossed theStrait of Hormuzon Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier and far below the 130 to 140 ships that typically used the waterway each day before the war, preliminaryshipping datashowed Wednesday.
The four crossings were also well below the 10-day average of 18 vessels. Two ships entered the strait and two exited, with no very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers among them.
The actual number of crossings could be…
Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria seized 697 millionCaptagonpills, dismantled 90 international trafficking networks and shut down 17 production facilities in the 18 months following liberation, official figures showed, as authorities target the drug infrastructure left behind by the deposed regime.The figures cover operations from December 8, 2024, through June 26, 2026. Further seizures reported in July and September show that the counter-narcotics campaign has continued beyond that period.
1,550…
Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheUnited Kingdomheld theHouthi militiaresponsible for the escalation in Yemen, condemning continued attacks onSaudi Arabia, increased military operations inside Yemen, and threats tointernational navigationand regional stability.
During a UN Security Council session on Yemen on Tuesday, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Kate Foster said Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia the previous night injured 13 civilians, damaged homes and resident…
Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheU.S. House of Representativesvoted for a third time in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the war with Iran, in a move aimed at limitingPresident Donald Trump’s ability to continue military operations without congressional approval.
The vote, held late Tuesday, passed by 220 votes to 204, according to The Associated Press.
The resolution calls for ending unauthorizedU.S. military involvementin hostilities withIran. Previous measures of this kind did not r…
Samarkand, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syria opened its campaign at the 46th FIDEChess Olympiadin Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with 4-0 victories over Niger in the Open section and Guinea in the Women’s section on Wednesday.
Syrian Arab Chess Federation President Ali Abbas told SANA that the Syrian Men team defeatedNiger4-0, while the Women’s team recorded the same score against Guinea.
Syria’s Men team featured Mazen Fandi, Rudy Bakr, Talal al-Zaeem and Bashir Aiti. The Women’s team comprised Rola Mahmoud, Niba…
Beirut, Sept. 17 (SANA)Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes and Israeli forces conducted explosions and artillery fire across several areas ofsouthern Lebanonlate Wednesday, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.NNA said Israeli aircraft launched two waves of strikes shortly after 11 p.m. on Mansouri, south of the coastal city of Tyre.Israeli forcesconducted explosions in the same town that caused strong tremors in nearby villages.The agency reported another explosion in the Wadi Maz…
Riyadh, Sept. 17 (SANA)Saudi Crown Prince and Prime MinisterMohammed bin Salmanand French PresidentEmmanuel Macrondiscussed regional developments, security and freedom of maritime navigation during a phone call, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Thursday.
The two leaders reviewed regional developments and efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region and ensure the security and freedom ofmaritime navigation, SPA said. They discussed other issues of mutual interest.
The call fo…
Strasbourg, Sept. 17 (SANA)TheEuropean Commissionhas proposed makingCanadatheEuropean Union’s first associate member, prompting U.S. President DonaldTrumpto threaten tariffs or trade restrictions if he considers the move hostile.
AddressingCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carneyduring her annual State of the European Union speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, European Commission PresidentUrsula von der Leyensaid the EU urgently needed to rethink its partnerships.
“I would like to w…
Daraa, Sept. 17 (SANA)ThreeInternal Security Forcespersonnel were martyred and others wounded during an operation to arrest a wanted individual in al-Sanamayn city inDaraacountryside, southern Syria, the Internal Security Forces said.
An outlawed armed group led by the wanted individual opened fire on a security patrol and clashed with members of the patrol as they carried out the operation, according to a statement.
Security forces remain deployed across al-Sanamayn and are pursuing members o…
Madrid, Sept. 17 (SANA)Atletico MadridbeatOsasuna4-0 on Wednesday to move into third place inLa Ligaafter six rounds.
Jonathan Davidopened the scoring in the 24th minute. The Canadian forward, who joined Atletico from Juventus this summer, gave the hosts the advantage before fellow newcomer Lee Kang-in doubled the lead in the 54th.
Robin Le Normandmade it 3-0 in the 63rd minute before Alex Baena completed the scoring in the 82nd.
The win lifted Atletico to 13 points, leaving them third in the…
Geneva, Sept. 17 (SANA)TheWorld Health Organizationsaid Wednesday it was seeing encouraging signs of progress in containing anEbolaoutbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but warned the outbreak was “far from over.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said transmission was declining in the hardest-hit areas of Ituri province.
“We are now beginning to see encouraging signs that we are making progress,” Tedros said in a statement posted on X.
He cautioned that the virus could …
Washington, Sept. 17 (SANA)U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsaid he hoped the war with Iran was nearing an end as he prepared to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of theU.N. General Assemblyin New York next week.
The meeting, expected Tuesday, will bring together leaders or foreign ministers fromGulf Cooperation Councilcountries to discuss developments in the conflict and possible next steps, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the plans.
The talks are expected to focus onU.S. proposalsfor …
Kyiv, Sept. 17 (SANA)Thirteen people were injured inRussian airstrikeson the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the Black Sea port city of Odesa early Thursday, Ukrainian officials said.
Ten people were injured inKyiv, where the strikes damaged residential buildings, apartments and warehouses, Reuters reported, citing Ukrainian officials.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said debris from the strikes fell near a gas station.
In theOdesa region,three people, including a child, were injured when a Russian st…
Idlib, Sept. 17 (SANA)Thefourth Idlib Book Fairhas attracted more than 14,000 visitors and recorded sales of over 10,000 books since its opening last Saturday through Tuesday evening, according to the fair’s administration.
The event has drawn readers, students and cultural enthusiasts fromIdlib and other Syrian provinces, with active participation at publishers’ stands and strong engagement with accompanying cultural activities.
Fair Director Khaled al-Youssef told SANA that attendance andboo…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syria and theUnited Statesare entering a new phase of partnership as political, security and economic contacts expand between the two countries, a senior Syrian Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday.
Saad Baroud, director of the American Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, told Syria’s Al-Ikhbariya TV that a recent call between Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had addressed political,…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)TheIMAR 2026 international reconstructionexhibition concluded in Damascus on Wednesday after generating 3,200 contracts worth more than $1.756 billion during the four-day event, organizer Effect Plus said.
The company said in a statement received by SANA that 412 memorandums of understanding were signed by local, Arab and international companies and institutions during thesecond edition of the exhibition.
The agreements covered construction, infrastructure, industry an…
Beirut, Sept. 17 (SANA)Lebanese Prime MinisterNawaf Salamsaid Wednesday his government was working to strengthen relations with Syria based on mutual respect, shared interests and non-interference in each country’s internal affairs.
Speaking during a parliamentary questioning session in Beirut, Salam saidLebanonand Syria were cooperating on a range of bilateral issues, including arrangements concerning Syrian nationals serving prison sentences in Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Ag…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)Tunisian writerImad Ali Qidahas won the 2026Khaled Khalifa Novel Awardfor his novel “Al-Munsarimoun,” the award’s organizers announced.
Qida won the second edition of the annual award, which is open to Arab writers submitting their first previously unpublished novel. He will receive a $1,000 prize, and the winning novel will be published by an established publishing house.
An award ceremony is scheduled for September 30 in Latakia, coinciding with the anniversary of th…
Washington, Sept. 17 (SANA)Applehas introduced newchild-safetyandparental-controlfeatures across its latest operating system updates, giving parents more detailed tools to manage the content children see, who they communicate with and how long they use apps.
Apple said in a Sept. 14 post on its Newsroom website that the features are available with iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27, after being previewed in June.
Among the new tools is Ask to Browse, which allows parents to require approval before…
Ottawa, Sept. 17 (SANA)Canadahas formally applied to join the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a 10-nation rapid-response military partnership, asOttawaseeks closer defense cooperation with European countries, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office said.
“Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada has formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force and welcomed the UK’s support for Canada’s participation in this important initiative,” his office said in a statement.
Canada, al…
New York,Sept. 17 (SANA)TheUnited Nationswarned inNew Yorkof reprisals against individuals and organizations cooperating with it onhuman rightsissues, documenting cases in 32 countries and calling for stronger protection and accountability.A report issued by UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterreson Wednesday documented cases involving human rights defenders, victims of rights violations, journalists, lawyers and trade unionists who faced reprisals for cooperating, or seeking to cooperate, with the…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syriais showcasing a large-scale installation inspired by the ancient funerary towers ofPalmyraat the 61stVenice Biennale, marking a renewed Syrian presence at one of the world’s leading contemporary art events.
The Syrian national pavilion features Palmyra Tower Tomb, a project by Syrian artist Sara Shamma that combines painting, architecture, sound, light and scent. The full-scale installation draws on Palmyra’s funerary architecture while using contemporary portraits…
Occupied Jerusalem, Sept. 17 (SANA)The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said Thursday that 92 identified Palestinian prisoners have been killed in Israeli occupation prisons since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip, including 53 detainees from Gaza.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA cited the group as saying the deaths occurred amid a systematic crimes and violations against prisoners, including torture, starvation, medical negligence, sexual assaults, abuse and humiliation, as well as the denial…
Paris, Sept. 17 (SANA)Lebanese PresidentJoseph Aounand French PresidentEmmanuel Macrondiscussed Thursday efforts to haltIsraeli attackson Lebanon and developments insouthern Lebanon, the Lebanese presidency said.
The talks at the Élysée Palace in Paris also covered political and economic issues and came ahead of a preparatory meeting for a conference to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces under the Aqaba Initiative launched by Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
The presidenc…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syria’s General Authority for Supply and Procurement has issued a tender to sell 200,000 tons of second- and third-grade durum wheat considered surplus to the country’s milling needs.The wheat is owned by theSyrian Grain Establishment. Bids are due by Oct. 20, with successful buyers required to collect contracted quantities within 60 days, according to the tender notice.The sale comes after the Syrian Grain Establishment said in August that wheat received from the 2026 h…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syriaand theUnited NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) discussed in Damascus on Thursday ways to strengthen cooperation in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.
Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Yousef Sharaf met with Ghada Derzi, head of the UNESCO section at the Syrian National Commission forEducation,Scienceand Culture, along with the accompanying technical team, to review areas of joint cooperatio…
Damascus, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syria will introduce subsidized diesel at 115 Syrian pounds ($0.94) per liter for heating, agriculture and eligible consumers, while a second grade will be sold at 150 pounds ($1.23) per liter for some productive and service sectors, Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir said Thursday.
Standard-specification diesel will remain at 175 Syrian pounds ($1.43) per liter, below its actual cost of 206 pounds ($1.69) per liter, al-Bashir told a press conference in Damascus alongsi…
Hasakah, Sept. 17 (SANA)On the balconies of Rabab Issa’s home, vegetables hang beneath the late-summer sun. Weeks of drying are nearly over. Soon, they will be packed away for winter.
September, Issa says, isal-mounehmonth.
Al-mouneh is the traditional Levantine practice of preserving seasonal produce for the months ahead.Across Hasakah, families are preserving the season while it lasts: drying okra and mulukhiyeh, pickling vegetables, making jams and cheeses and preparing staples such as makd…
Brussels, Sept. 17 (SANA)The European Commission said Thursday that its proposal to strengthen partnership between the European Union and Canada is not directed against the United States.
European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said in response to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump: “Our proposal to strengthen our partnership with Canada is not directed against anyone,” according to Agence France-Presse.
Trump threatened Wednesday to impose “very severe” tariffs or halt trade with the E…
Washington, Sept. 17 (SANA)Researchers at Children’s HospitalLos Angeleshave developed a non-invasive imaging approach that may help identify molecular subtypes of medulloblastoma in children before surgery, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).
The technique can be performed alongside a standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and adds about five minutes to the examination, according toMedical Xpress.
The researchers analyzed MRS data from 95 children with medulloblastoma to iden…
Cairo, Sept. 17 (SANA)Egypt and Algeriastressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and coordination amongArab countriesto address shared challenges and safeguard regional security and stability, during a phone call between their foreign ministers on Thursday.
Egyptian ForeignMinister Badr Abdelattyand his Algerian counterpartAhmed Attafexchanged views on regional and international developments and their implications for Arab national security, according to a statement published by Egyp…
La Paz, Sept. 17 (SANA)BoliviaandParaguayhave completed the demarcation of their shared border, ending an 88-year process that followed a peace treaty signed after theChaco War, AFP reported Thursday.
Bolivia’s Foreign Ministry said the two countries completed the work after three days of meetings in La Paz, concluding a process carried out by technical commissions from both sides.
“The completion of the border demarcation strengthens a bilateral relationship based on trust and cooperation bet…
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 th…
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 …
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 Tuesd…
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 li…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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 pra…
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 …
Cairo, Sept. 16 (SANA)Egypt called for afull Israeli withdrawalfromLebanese territoryand the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 during talks on Wednesday between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
During a phone call, Abdelatty reaffirmedEgypt’ssupport for Lebanon’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and rejected Israeli attacks and violations of Lebanese sovereignty, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
He also reiterat…
Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)Meta has introduced tools that allow AI agents to set up and manageWhatsApp Businessservices and troubleshoot technical problems using natural-language instructions.
The WhatsApp Business Tools MCP allows developers to describe a task while an AI agent carries out technical steps that previously required navigating Meta Business Manager, development tools and API documentation, TechCrunch reported Wednesday.
AI agents can create business accounts, add and verify phon…
Occupied Jerusalem, Sept. 16 (SANA)The Palestinian death toll inGazasince October 2023 has risen to 73,795, with 174,869 people injured, thePalestinian Health Ministrysaid Wednesday.
The ministry said hospitals in Gaza had recorded six deaths and 71 injuries over the past 24 hours.
Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 1,381 Palestinians have been killed and 4,757 injured, according to the ministry.
It said more victims remained under rubble and on roads, with ambulance and civil defens…
London, Sept. 16 (SANA)Oil prices fell on Wednesday after an unexpected build in U.S. crude inventories outweighed concerns over Saudi supply following the suspension of loadings at the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
Brent crude futures fell 93 cents, or 0.86%, to $107.82 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude declined 97 cents, or 0.92%, to $104.86,Reutersreported.
U.S.crude inventories rose by 7.1 million barrels in the week ended Sept. 11, according toAmerican Petroleum Institute dataci…
Kyiv, Sept. 16 (SANA)A Russian drone struck a passenger minibus near the front line in southern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring at least seven, Ukrainian officials said.
Oleksandr Hanzha, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said the drone hit the vehicle in the Nikopol district, killing five people at the scene. Seven others were receiving medical treatment.
Nikopol lies on the western bank of the Dnipro River, opposite the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has …