Protest outside Azerbaijani Embassy in London features Iranian flags and hijab placards
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy...
Turkish construction giants Kalyon Insaat and Cengiz Insaat will take part in the modernisation and expansion of Damascus International Airport, a project also involving Qatari firm UCC, U.S.-based Assets Investments, the Syrian Finance Ministry, and the Syrian Civil Aviation General Authority.
The four-phase programme aims to increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity to 31 million within a decade, with a total investment of approximately $4 billion.
The project includes rehabilitation of existing terminals, construction of new facilities, and enhancements to the airport’s international operations.
Upon completion of Terminals 1 and 2, the airport is expected to handle six million passengers by the end of 2026, with Terminal 3 raising the capacity to 13 million.
Once all phases are completed, total passenger capacity will reach 31 million. The initiative is projected to create more than 90,000 direct and indirect jobs and strengthen the region’s trade, tourism, and logistics sectors.
Murathan Kalyoncu, chair of Kalyon Insaat, said the firm is now moving forward with international projects after completing significant works in Turkey.
“This project will make a substantial contribution to Syria’s economy, regional development, and stability,” he added. Kalyoncu highlighted the firm’s previous success with the IGA Istanbul Airport, which was completed in record time, and said the company is ready to apply that expertise to Syria.
Asim Cengiz, deputy chair of Cengiz Insaat, described the project as a key step in bringing Syria’s aviation infrastructure up to international standards.
“We will deliver a safe, modern, and high-capacity airport — this investment will revive regional trade and transport networks while supporting the normalisation of life in Syria and its long-term development goals,” he said.
Cengiz added, “Our aim is to create a resilient, modern, and sustainable aviation infrastructure capable of meeting Syria’s future needs.”
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
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