SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency

Cairo-SANA- The events of the twelfth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12)  was concluded Friday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

WUF12 was held by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN- Habitat) over five days with the participation of Syria.

The activities of the last day included presentations and working papers from Yemen, Palestine and Iraq under the title “Urban Recovery Strategies in Arab Countries”.

Assistant Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Moataz Douji, touched upon Syria’s experience in preparing recovery plans related to wars, crises and disasters, and how administrative units deal to overcome them and achieve sustainability through relief operations, early recovery, and finally securing adequate housing and meeting the needs and requirements of local communities.

Tunis, SANA- Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ben Ayed discussed with Ambassador of Syria to Tunisia, Muhammed Muhammad boosting bilateral cooperation between Syria and Tunisia to serve the interests of the two friendly peoples.

The Tunisian official expressed his country’s interest to strengthen cooperation with Syria in various areas, including politics, economy, trade and culture.

He also stressed Tunisia’s firm stance calling for maintaining Syria’s security, sovereignty and independence ,and safeguarding the unity of its land and people.

The Syrian Ambassador, for his part, affirmed that both countries have deeply-rooted historical, cultural, and civilizational ties, and share visions and positions on issues of common interest.

Shaza Qreima

Astana, SANA- Kazakh Foreign Ministry said that the next international meeting on Syria in Astana format is scheduled to be held in the Kazakh capital on November 11-12.

The ministry said in a statement that bilateral and tripartite consultations will be held between the delegations on the first day of the meeting, and will continue the following day, as a general session and a final press conference are scheduled to be held on November 12.

The statement added that the meeting’s agenda includes issues of the development of the regional situation around Syria, efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement, and the situation on the ground in Syria.

Last October, the Russian President’s Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, said that a new meeting in the Astana format is scheduled to be held before the end of this year.

Noura/Shaza Qreima

Damascus, SANA -With the aim of supporting programmers, application developers and young entrepreneurs in Syria and enhancing their ability to employ technology and develop their communities, achieve their ambitions in their country, and in line with the great development witnessed by the world, Syria Trust for Development and the Technology Growth Incubator launched the “Syrian Applications Race” project, the first of its kind in Syria.

The race supports software developers in the process of establishing their own companies and entering the entrepreneurial labor market in a correct and appropriate manner, and encourages them to develop new applications by greater participation and accepting more successful applications in each round, and increasing their chances of launching their entrepreneurial projects.

The competition provides a national competitive path or independent developers with the aim of presenting technological applications as independent entrepreneurial projects and obtaining financial, administrative and technical support, and ensuring the launch, operation and success of projects and their establishment as start-up companies.

The target groups of the race include independent software developers, individuals and teams of Syrians from inside and outside the country , developers who work with entities or companies under an employment contract.

Noura /Mazen Eyon

Tehran, SANA- Iranian Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi stressed that Iran will never stop its approach of upgrading its defensive capabilities, but the methods of confrontation will change in line with the form and size of the threats.

IRNA news agency quoted Mousavi as saying in a speech at the Aja (Army) University of Medical Sciences, “The army always thinks about preserving Iran’s dignity, status and power. This thinking and approach to strengthening and modernizing the defensive power has always existed and will continue. We will not stop for a moment, but our methods of confrontation will also change according to the form and size of the threats.”

We are always ready, and the idea of raising the level of readiness in all elements and components of the army is on the agenda, Mousavi added.

Nisreen Othman / Fedaa al-Rahai

Occupied Jerusalem, SANA-Israeli occupation continued its brutal aggression on Gaza Strip for the 399th day, leaving dozens of martyrs and wounded.

Palestinian media reported that a young Palestinian was martyred and three others were injured in occupation boats bombing a group of fishermen on Rafah city’s beach, while two Palestinians were martyred and others were wounded in Israeli shelling a tent housing displaced people in Tahlia area of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip.

Eight Palestinians also were killed and others injured and went missing after the occupation forces bombed a house in Gaza City’s Daraj neighborhood.

While in Al-Manshiya neighborhood in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip four Palestinians were dead and others injured after the occupation forces bombed a house.

Noura / Fedaa al-Rahai

Moscow, SANA- Russian Defense Ministry announced the interception and destruction of 17 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory yesterday evening.

“Last night, an attempt by Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack using drones on objects in Russian territory was thwarted” ، the ministry said in a statement on Friday adding that the air defense systems on duty destroyed 17 Ukrainian drones, six of which were intercepted and shot down over the territory of Voronezh region, six over Saratov region, four over Belgorod region, and one over Bryansk.

Kyiv regime forces almost daily target Russian border areas in the Republic of Crimea and Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk and Voronezh regions with drones and missiles, with the aim of terrorizing civilians.

Fedaa al-Rahai

Beirut, SANA- Israeli occupation continued on Friday its attacks on the villages of Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts, as the Zionist enemy’s warplanes raided the Lebanese towns of al-Tayri, al-Sultaniyeh, Tebnin, Shaqra, Kounin and Khirbet Silm.

Reconnaissance, drone and combat aircraft continued to fly over the villages of Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts, and fired flares over the border villages adjacent to the Blue Line.

On the other hand, UNIFIL forces announced that six Malaysian battalion members were injured in the raid carried out by hostile drones near the army checkpoint at Awali River Bridge.

Nisreen Othman / Fedaa al-Rahai

Occupied Jerusalem, SANA- 51 Palestinians were martyred and dozens injured in the Israeli occupation massacres in Gaza Strip today.

Palestinian media reported that the occupation bombed a house in the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza Strip, killing more than 30 and wounding dozens, most of them children and women from the same family, according to a preliminary toll.

Meanwhile, the occupation bombed a residential square in the vicinity of Hamza Mosque in the Jabalia area, which led to the death of 4 Palestinians and the injury of others.

It also targeted a Red Crescent medical point in the area, wounding many of its staff.In the west of Gaza City, the occupation aircraft bombed a school housing displaced persons in al-Shati Camp linked to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), killing 12 Palestinians, including children and women, and the injury of about 30 others.

In the south of the Strip, 4 persons, including two children, were killed in an occupation bombing on Al-Mashrou’ area east of the city of Rafah, while a Palestinian was martyred and others were injured in a similar bombing that targeted a group of Palestinians in the nearby Al-Jeneina neighborhood.

Mazen Eyon

ASTANA, SANA-Russia is ready for open dialogue with the United States if such an initiative comes from Washington after Donald Trump’s reelection, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference following his working visit to Kazakhstan.

“We have never rejected contact with anyone. President Putin stresses our position every time the topic is raised. Talking is always better than getting isolated from each other,” Russia’s top diplomat told TASS.

When asked if there are plans to maintain communication with the new US administration, Lavrov said “We’ll see if there are any proposals, and I reiterate that it was not us who broke off relations and it’s not up to us to suggest reviving those. If there is an initiative to sit down and have a frank conversation about where we are standing and how we should move forward, without any unilateral demands, we will be ready for that.”

Lavrov described the problems facing Russia-US relations as “very deep,” stemming from the perception by the American elite that any rivals in the international arena should be suppressed unless someone questions the US global dominance.

“Of course, this position is becoming increasingly irrelevant, given how things have evolved globally. However, the Americans continue to adhere to this ideology,” he concluded.

Mazen Eyon

Moscow, SANA- Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Russian army inflicted heavy losses on Ukrainian forces during the battles taking place in Kursk region.

“Units of the Russian forces repelled four counterattacks by the Kiev regime forces in the direction of Novoivanovka town, and another enemy attack in the direction of Novaya Sorochina” the Ministry said in a statement on Thursday noting that its forces targeted formations of ten Ukrainian brigades in the areas of Darino, Leonidovo, Nikolaevo-Darino, Novoivanovka and Plekhovo.

The statement added “the operational tactical air forces and missiles carried out attacks on the areas where the Kiev regime forces were stationed in the Sumy region and targeted them in several areas of the region,” indicating that these forces lost more than 150 soldiers, a tank, four cannons and a vehicle during the past 24 hours”.

Fedaa al-Rahai

Cairo, SANA- Minister of Public Works and Housing, Hamza Ali discussed with his Egyptian Counterpart, Sherif el-Sherbiny Minister of Housing and Construction ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and issues related to the housing sector.

The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the World Urban Forum held in Cairo, focused on defining mechanisms for joint collaboration between the two countries with the aim of exchanging knowledge and expertise and benefiting from experiences and joint coordination.

Furthermore, Ali and his accompanying delegation also discussed with the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) team the future aspects of cooperation hoped for between the two sides.

Minister Ali hailed exerted efforts by the program within the framework of joint cooperation and the qualitative issues that touch on local communities, environmental reality, dwelling and housing, as well as issues related to preserving properties activate and strengthen the support of the governorate’s directorates of real estate interests.

Fedaa al-Rahai

Kuala Lumpur, SANA- The Final Draw for the AFC U20 Asian Cup that is set to be held in China 2025 starting in mid-February, placed the Syrian youth football team in Group D, alongside the teams of South Korea, Japan and Thailand.

Our national team qualified for the Asian finals by topping Group A in the qualifiers with a full score and 12 points.

Syrian national football team won its first match against the Bangladesh national team by 4-0, and against Bhutan national football team by 1-0, and against the Guam national team by 10-1 before concluding the qualifiers by winning against Vietnam by 1-0.

Fedaa al-Rahai

Occupied Jerusalem, SANA- 14 Palestinians were martyred and others were injured on Thursday in Israeli occupation bombing of several areas in  northern Gaza Strip.

Wafa News Agency reported that the occupation forces targeted a group of Palestinians west of Jabalia camp, leaving 6 martyrs and wounding others, as well as the occupation aircraft bombed a house and a market in Beit Lahia, leaving 8 martyrs and wounding others.

The number of victims of ongoing occupation aggression on Gaza Strip for the 398th day has risen to more than 43,390 martyrs and 102,340 wounded.

Nisreen Othman / Manar Salameh

New York, SANA- Iran’s Permanent Representative to UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, stressed that Zionist entity is deliberately using starvation status among the Palestinians as a weapon against them, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis there.

During General Assembly meeting held Wednesday night, Iravani affirmed Iran’s deep concern over miserable conditions of Palestinian refugees, particularly in the Strip, noting that the genocide committed by Zionist entity and imposed siege on Gaza threatened the lives of thousands of civilians, including women and children.

He stressed that these acts not only constitute a violation of human rights, but are also a deliberate use of starvation as a weapon against the Palestinian people.

Iravani asserted that UNRWA, as the only agency providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees, plays a vital role in resolving this crisis, and any attempt to disrupt its activities, such as Israeli recent measures taken against it, is strongly condemned.

He renewed Iran’s call on Israeli entity to fulfill its obligations in accordance with international law, and to allow providing humanitarian aid to the occupied Palestinian territories.

Iravani called on international community to take serious measures in response to Israeli entity acts and to suspend its membership in UN General Assembly due to blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law.

Rafah al-Allouni/ Manar Salameh

Tehran-SANA-Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, stressed that the criterion for evaluating any US administration with regard to Iran depends on the performance of this administration.

In response to a journalist’s question about the US presidential elections that ended yesterday with the victory of Republican Donald Trump, Baghaei said: “We have very bitter experiences from past consecutive American administrations.

Baghaei added that every new election provides opportunities for revisiting and reconsidering unjust and ill-suited approaches.

“It is for the American people to elect their president and they have now made their choice,” Esmail Baghaei said.

“What matters for us is the US’s deeds”, he concluded.

Manar Salameh

Occupied Jerusalem, SANA- Five Palestinians were injured and others were arrested on Thursday as Israeli occupation forces stormed several areas in the West Bank.

Wafa News Agency reported that the occupation forces stormed Umm al-Sharait neighborhood in al-Bireh city amidst gunfire, which led to the injury of two young men, and the arrest of two other young men

The occupation soldiers stormed Anata town, east of Jerusalem, and shot a young man riding a motorcycle, leaving him bleeding for several hours, and preventing Red Crescent crews from reaching him, Wafa added.

The occupation forces stormed with a number of bulldozers Tulkarm city and its two camps, Nur Shams and Tulkarm, amidst heavy drone flights.

The occupation forces arrested 13 Palestinians during their raid Azzun town, east of Qalqilya, several neighborhoods in Hebron, and As-Samu town, south of it.

Nisreen Othman / Manar Salameh

Occupied Jerusalem, SANA -The Israeli occupation forces arrested six Palestinians on Thursday in Qalqilya city in the West Bank.

The Palestinian WAFA Agency reported that the occupation forces stormed Azzun town east of the city besieged and searched about many Palestinian homes, and arrested six of them.

In the same context, the occupation forces stormed the towns of Zaatara, Shawawra, al-Khader, Beit Sahour and the camps of Aida and al-Azza in the city of Bethlehem and raided the homes of Palestinians and searched them.

Reem Abdulhameed/Manar Salameh

Moscow, SANA- Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that 15 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed over two Russian districts on Wednesday evening.

“The air defense systems thwarted an attempt by Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist drone’s attack on Russian territory”, Sputnik quoted the ministry as saying in a statement, adding “15 Ukrainian drones were destroyed over Voronezh and Belgorod districts”.

Kiev forces continue targeting citizens and civilian facilities in Russia with drones and artillery shelling, leaving casualties there.

Rafah al-Allouni/ Manar Salameh

Beirut, SANSA-At least 40 people were martyred and injured 53 others on Wednesday in a series of aggressive raids carried out by Israeli entity on Baalbek and Beqaa, in an incomplete toll, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.

“Nine pepole were martyred and 15 others were injured in Israeli aggression on Shiqan neighborhood in Baalbek, as well as two people were martyred and three others were injured in Tamnin al-Tahta.” the Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health was quoted by the Lebanese National News Agency as saying in a statement.

 It added that 3 people were martyred in al-Ram and two others in al-Sharqi, in addition to two wounded.

Meanwhile, one person was martyred, five were injured in al-Shawagir, and five people were martyred and four others were injured in al-Ain, according to the ministry’s statement.

Reem Abdulhameed /Manar Salameh