Rally in Tel Aviv calls for return of deceased hostage Ran Gvili
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sg...
Türkiye will provide 2 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year to Syria under a new bilateral agreement aimed at jumpstarting Syria’s war-ravaged energy sector,Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced Thursday during a joint press conference in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart.
The deal marks a major step in the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus following the end of Syria’s 13-year civil war, which concluded this month with the ousting of longtime President Bashar al-Assad. Türkiye, a former backer of rebel forces during the conflict, is now positioning itself as a key partner in Syria’s reconstruction.
Bayraktar said the gas supplied from Türkiye will enable Syria to generate an additional 1,300 megawatts of electricity, significantly boosting the country’s power capacity. As part of the short-term plan, Türkiye will also provide 1,000 megawatts of electricity directly to help stabilize Syria’s battered grid.
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir confirmed that both sides had agreed to reactivate a cross-border gas pipeline, with flows expected to begin as early as June. "This will significantly boost electricity generation, which will positively impact the Syrian people’s electricity needs," he stated.
The agreement also outlines the completion of a 400-kilovolt transmission line connecting the two nations, expected to be operational by the end of the year or shortly thereafter. The line will enable the import of up to 500 megawatts of electricity from Türkiye into Syria.
Beyond gas and electricity, the cooperation framework includes opening Syria to Turkish investment in key sectors such as mining, phosphate extraction, electricity generation, and power distribution. Bayraktar noted that Türkiye is also involved in “intensive work” to explore new oil and gas reserves, both onshore and offshore in the eastern Mediterranean region.
The comprehensive energy deal not only aims to alleviate Syria’s severe power shortages but also signals growing Turkish influence in the post-war economic and geopolitical landscape of the region. Analysts say the partnership could serve as a model for broader regional cooperation in Syria’s long path toward recovery.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Britain’s King Charles III said on Friday, 12 December, that his cancer treatment is expected to be reduced in the coming year, using a televised address to urge people across the country to take part in cancer screening programmes, officials confirmed.
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders, a U.S. official said.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday (12 December) as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
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