Syrian singer Assala Nasri has released “The Syrian Album,” a collection of fourteen folk songs representing different Syrian governorates. The album presents familiar heritage songs with new musical arrangements.
Syria reopened its embassy in Tripoli on August 30 after more than fourteen years of closure. Syria and Libya also signed an agreement to restart their Joint Higher Committee.
Rizkullah Abd, a 91-year-old bookseller in Aleppo, says he has spent nearly four decades gathering about one million old and rare books. His small shop helps students, researchers, and readers find works that may no longer be available elsewhere.
Syria says it hopes security negotiations with Israel will restart soon. Contact stopped after the August 18 air raids on Abu al-Duhur airbase, while the two sides give different accounts of the reason for the attack.
Syrian powerlifter Mohamed Safwamar won four gold medals in the over-120-kilogram class at the World Junior Powerlifting Championships in South Africa. Teammate Mergan Haji also earned four medals.
A Damascus court sentenced Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia on August 11, 2026. The ruling is a major development in Syria’s efforts to address crimes linked to the former government, while rights groups have raised fair-trial concerns.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Damascus on July 25, 2026. He called for international support for Syria’s recovery, reconstruction, and a stable future for all Syrians.
Syria’s under-17 girls’ football team earned a 1–0 opening victory over Saudi Arabia at the West Asian championship in Zarqa, Jordan. Masa Minya scored the match’s only goal in the second half.
Syrian and Iraqi oil companies have agreed to rehabilitate the Kirkuk–Baniyas pipeline. The project could eventually provide Iraq with another route for exporting oil through the Mediterranean.
