SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced Thursday, October 9, that Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Krasznahorkai was honored “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art,” the Academy said in its official announcement.

Known for his dense, philosophical prose and haunting narratives, Krasznahorkai joins the ranks of literary giants recognized for shaping the global cultural landscape.

Earlier, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has also named Omar M. Yaghi, Susumu Kitagawa, and Richard Robson as recipients of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, recognizing their pioneering contributions to the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The announcement was made via the Nobel Committee’s official account on X.

Their innovative research has opened new pathways for addressing critical environmental issues, including carbon dioxide capture and plastic pollution, through advanced chemical technologies.

Kitagawa, born in Kyoto in 1951, is a professor at Kyoto University. Robson, born in the United Kingdom in 1937, is affiliated with the University of Melbourne.

Yaghi, born in Amman in 1965, serves as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications on MOFs and covalent organic frameworks.

Syrian Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salehani met with Jordanian Ambassador to Damascus, Sufyan Al-Qudah, to discuss enhancing cooperation in the tourism sector and exchanging expertise to strengthen mutual benefit.

Minister Al-Salehani presented the Ministry’s plans to develop new educational and cultural tourism routes, establish amusement parks for children in various tourist areas across Syria, and organize carnivals.

The Jordanian ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to support Syria’s tourism sector, which was deeply affected by the war.

A delegation from the Syrian Ministry of Justice visited the judicial departments in the city of Ras al-Ain, north of Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria. The delegation, headed by Attorney General Judge Counselor Hassan al-Turba reviewed civil and military judicial operations and assessed the departments’ needs for judicial and administrative staff to ensure smooth functioning and better service delivery to citizens.

Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib visited the sites of the “Green Job Opportunities” project in the Qadi Askar neighborhood in eastern Aleppo and reviewed its progress. The project includes rehabilitating sidewalks,maintaining gardens, and improving the sewage network.

Health authorities in Gaza said Thursday that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip have killed 11 Palestinians and injured 49 others over the past 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza (MoH), “11 martyrs, including one recovered from the rubble, and 49 injuries were recorded across Gaza in the past 24 hours” bringing the total toll to 67,194 deaths and 169,890 injuries, since October 7, 2023.

The Ministry also highlighted the plight of civilians attempting to access humanitarian aid, reporting 2 deaths and 13 injuries in the past 24 hours among those seeking assistance. This brings the total number of aid-related casualties to 2,615 deaths and over 19,177 injuries.

Syria welcomed Thursday the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip expressed hope that this development will help end the suffering of civilians.

In a statement, Syrian Foreign Ministry voicing optimism that the agreement would “open the way for urgent humanitarian and relief efforts, paving the path toward regional stability”.

The statement highlighted the mediation efforts led by Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, and the United States to help reach the agreement.

The announcement came early Thursday that an agreement had been reached on the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for the Gaza Strip, following indirect negotiations between delegations from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Israel, and mediators in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Minister of Interior Anas Khattab discussed with the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Syria, Meritxell Relaño Arana, joint cooperation plans to support children and the most vulnerable groups in the country.

The meeting, held at the ministry’s headquarters, reviewed current work plans between the two sides and discussed mechanisms for developing them in line with urgent humanitarian needs, particularly in the areas of child protection and the implementation of priority programs.

Minister Khattab emphasized the importance of continued coordination with UNICEF, praising its role in supporting Syrian children and emphasizing the need to unify efforts to achieve sustainable development and serve the public interest.

In a move aimed at modernizing Syria’s financial and economic system, the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria (CBS), Abdulkader al-Husrieh, announced plans to amend Law No. 34 of 2023, which governs the import and export of gold.

The reforms also introduce a new regulatory framework for licensing domestic gold refineries, developed in coordination with relevant government bodies and the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Commission.

According to the announcement by al-Husrieh, published on CBS Telegram channel, the initiative is part of a broader effort by the Central Bank to “revamp Syria’s foreign exchange and precious metals system and to bolster the country’s gold and jewelry sector”.

He emphasized that the new policy aims to support local production, encourage investment, and “establish a transparent and regulated gold market” that can build investor confidence while curbing smuggling and speculation.

The proposed framework includes licensing gold refineries that meet international technical and environmental standards, and upholding the highest levels of financial integrity and compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. The goal, al-Husrieh noted, is to position Syria as a regional hub for gold and jewelry manufacturing and to revive its longstanding reputation for craftsmanship and high-quality production in this field.

The Central Bank will directly oversee implementation through a national digital registry for gold traceability, along with a dedicated licensing system for gold refineries, ensuring transparency and accountability at every stage of the supply chain.

Amending Law 34 is seen as a key milestone in restructuring Syria’s gold sector and opening new opportunities for investment and industrial development. It is a part of the Syrian government’s broader economic recovery strategy, aiming to build a more efficient and open financial environment.

Enacted in 2023, Law No. 34 regulates Syria’s gold import and export operations. It was introduced to channel gold trade through official mechanisms, enhance transparency, and combat illicit trafficking and market manipulation.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) targeted Syrian Army positions east of Aleppo on Thursday claiming the live of one soldier and injuring several others, in a violation of the newly announced ceasefire agreement, the Media and Communications Directorate at the Ministry of Defense said.

“The (SDF) targeted Syrian Army positions near Tishrin Dam, east of Aleppo. One soldier was martyred and several others injured,” the Directorate told SANA in a statement.

The Directorate added that SDF have “violated the ceasefire agreement (announced Tuesday) more than 10 times by attacking Army positions along deployment lines in eastern Aleppo”.

Defense Minister General Murhaf Abu Qasra announced Tuesday that he had reached a ceasefire agreement during a meeting with Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the SDF, in Damascus.

“I have recently met with Mr. Mazloum Abdi in the capital, Damascus, where we agreed on a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts and military positions in northern and northeastern Syria. The implementation of this agreement will begin immediately,” Abu Qasra wrote on X.

The ceasefire was reached following clashes erupted between SDF and Syrian Army in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood Monday night, after SDF shelled nearby residential areas.

“The SDF continues fortification and entrenchment operations along all axes,” the statement added, noting that Syrian forces had intercepted communications related to planned attacks targeting the Army and security forces in Aleppo city.

Leaders of several countries welcomed US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas had signed the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza.

Qatar, a mediator in the agreement, welcomed the accord as an initial step to end the war on Gaza and ensure hostage- prisoners swap.

“An agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid,” Majed Al-Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry, wrote on his social media account (X). The details will be announced later, he added.

In Canberra, Australian government welcomed the agreement as prime minister Anthony Albanese commended the accord as a “a ray of light” to bring peace in the middle east.

Albanese told the House of Representatives that “There is growing international momentum to bring peace and security to the Middle East and we must all continue to work together to build on this.

In a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Albanese urged “all parties to respect the terms of the plan”, stating there is a “long road to recovery in Gaza”.

Turkish Foreign Ministry also welcomed the agreement of a ceasefire in Gaza, hoping that it “will bring an end to the genocide that has continued for the past two years.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomes announcement of ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The announcement followed three days of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Senior officials from Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and the United States had joined the delegations from Israel and Hamas on Wednesday for those talks.

Nisreen / Abdull

Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, mediated by the United States, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, yielded late Wednesday an agreement on the first phase of a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan for Gaza.

A senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse the group will release 20 hostages in exchange for more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel, including 250 serving life sentences and about 1,700 others, detained since the war began two years ago.

A Palestinian source familiar with the talks said the prisoner exchange is to be completed within 72 hours after the agreement takes effect.

The deal, expected to be signed later Thursday in Egypt, also calls for at least 400 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza daily during the first five days following the cease-fire, with the amount set to increase in the days ahead.

It also allows displaced residents from southern Gaza to return to Gaza City and to central and northern parts of the territory.

President Donald Trump said early Thursday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his Gaza peace plan. Qatar confirmed both sides had agreed “on all terms and implementation mechanisms of the first phase,” which would halt fighting, free Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and allow aid to enter the Gaza Strip.

Hamas called on Trump and the guarantor countries to ensure Israel fulfills the agreement and does not delay or withdraw from its commitments.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the deal, urging its immediate implementation, the release of all hostages and prisoners, and the swift delivery of humanitarian aid through U.N. agencies. He also called for guarantees against displacement or annexation and for the start of reconstruction efforts.

The “Rastan Wednesday” fundraising campaign raised $3.765 million in donations to support charitable and development projects in the city of Rastan, in Homs Governorate, central Syria.

Homs Governor Abdul Rahman Al-Ama, Director of Political Affairs Obaida Arnaout, along with several government officials and community leaders, participated in the campaign’s activities.

The initiative aims to rehabilitate infrastructure and public services in Rastan, including the reconstruction of schools, medical centers, and water and sewage networks. It also includes plans to build a cement factory bridge connecting the eastern and western parts of the city.

Eight people were injured in an explosion at a complex of grain mills, silos, and warehouses in the town of Sbeineh, south of Damascus, on Wednesday evening, Syria’s Civil Defense reported.

In a statement on its Telegram channel, the Civil Defense said that local residents evacuated seven of the injured, while emergency units rescued one person who was trapped under debris. The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined, it added.

The blast triggered fires in three separate areas within the facility. Firefighting teams extinguished the blazes and continued cooling operations to prevent reignition, according to the Civil Defense.

Sbeineh, an industrial zone that houses several mills, factories, and storage facilities, is known for its intense economic activity, which increases the risk of industrial accidents. Civil Defense and emergency teams regularly monitor the area to ensure a rapid response to potential incidents.

Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II reaffirmed his country’s support for Syria’s sovereignty and stability.

During a meeting on Wednesday with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris, the Prince expressed Jordan’s support for Syria and Lebanon in preserving their sovereignty, stability, and territorial integrity, Jordanian News Agency Petra reported.

The two sides discussed the strong relations between Jordan and France as well as developments across the region.

Prince Hussein also conveyed Jordan’s appreciation for France’s role in mobilizing international support for the recognition of a Palestinian state and for its efforts to end the war in Gaza.

He stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and a just, lasting peace based on the two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that relations with Syria are “developing for the better,” with coordination underway to address common issues.

According to the Lebanese National News Agency, Aoun said during a meeting with Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defense at the European External Action Service, that Syria and Lebanon are coordinating to address the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

On Israeli-Lebanese issues, Aoun called on “friendly nations, especially those in the European Union, to press Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territories, end its daily aggressions, and release Lebanese detainees.”

“Without meeting these demands, the situation will remain unstable, and the implementation of the army’s plan to ensure the exclusive possession of weapons by legitimate security forces will be hindered,” he added.

The Lebanese president welcomed any support from the European Union to the Lebanese Armed Forces to strengthen their role in maintaining security and stability across the country.

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack emphasized that the March 10 agreement signed between the Syrian state and the Syrian Democratic Forces “SDF” is critical not only for the stability and security of Syria, but equally to the strategic interests of both Turkey and the United States.

Barrak said in a post on the X platform on Wednesday, “My engagement in Hasakah was conducted with full transparency and in the spirit of promoting regional stability, counterterrorism coordination, and humanitarian access—all of which directly serve Turkey’s security and economic interests.”

“My mission was-and remains-centered on advancing cooperative mechanisms that reduce cross-border threats and support the broader goal of regional peace and reconstruction,” Barrak added.

On March 10, the Syrian state reached an agreement with the “SDF”, stipulating their integration into the institutions of the Syrian Arab Republic, affirming the unity of Syrian territory and rejecting partition.

Nisreen/Abdull

Spain’s parliament passed on Wednesday a law imposing a ban on the sale or purchase of weapons from Israel, as part of measures taken to stop the war on Gaza

The Spanish Congress backed a total arms embargo on Israel – with 178 votes in favor, 169 against, which does not have a parliamentary majority, received the support of representatives from the far-left Podemos party, AFP reported.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Said that the government has proposed an embargo targeting the Israeli government to “stop the war of extermination” in Gaza.

On 8th of September, Sanchez announced a chain of measures to put an end to the “collective genocide” in Gaza, including imposing a ban on arms sales to Israel and preventing ships carrying fuel for the Israeli military from using the country’s ports.

Israel and Hamas announced late Wednesday that they had agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war on Gaza strip, a war that over two years, has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, displaced hundreds of thousands and left the enclave devastated.

The announcement came one day after the war entered its third year following talks hosted by Egypt the week before. The agreement is considered the first stage of Trump’s 20-point framework to end the war.

Trump hailed the deal and wrote on Truth Social, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.”

“This means that all of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting Peace,” Trump added.

In Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted the deal as “a diplomatic success” and a victory for Israel, saying that his government would meet Thursday to approve the agreement.

“With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

Netanyahu and Trump both described the agreement as a “historic achievement” during a phone call, according to Netanyahu’s office.

The Hamas Movement confirmed the agreement, which it sees as a starting point for ending the war, an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a hostage-prisoner exchange.

“We affirm that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain,” the Movement said, pledging not to abandon Palestinians’ rights until “freedom, independence, and self-determination are achieved.”

Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, more than 67,173 Palestinians have been killed, and approximately 169,780 others have been injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement and called on both sides to fully commit to it. In a statement he urged Israeli government to allow an “Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza” to end the suffering of the Palestinians.

The Syrian Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management received 1,335 food baskets, Wednesday, from the Qatar Fund for Development.

The aid will be distributed to families affected by recent incidents in Sweida Governorate, in coordination with the Syrian Development Organization.

The food baskets, supported by Qatar and Jordan, will be distributed across 23 centers in Sayyidah Zaynab area, as well as to 54 families in al-Mutlaa and 50 families in Zakiyah housing in Damascus countryside, in coordination with official bodies and humanitarian partners, Ahmad Bakeer from the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management said in a statement.

This collaboration reflects the joint humanitarian efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of families affected by the recent incidents in Sweida Governorate. It highlights the role of partnerships between official entities, donor countries, and local organizations in addressing difficult humanitarian conditions and delivering practical solutions to meet urgent needs.

MHD Ibrahim

Omar Al-Husari, chairman of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, announced Wednesday the launch of regular flights between Damascus and Tripoli via Syrian Airlines, starting October 16.

The delay in launching these flights was due to the need to finalize procedures for implementing a tax exemption mechanism for Syrian citizens in Libya, al-Husari said on X.

He affirmed that the exemption has been officially activated thanks to close cooperation and ongoing coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, ensuring smoother travel for members of the Syrian diaspora.

Al-Husari reiterated the Authority’s commitment to utilizing available resources to provide the best possible services to Syrian citizens, reinforcing their right to mobility, connection, and continuous ties with their homeland.

MHD Ibrahim