Former US energy envoy Amos Hochstein has urged the US and Lebanon to "activate" a deal to transport gas from Egypt to Lebanon through a pipeline in Syria, after the US lifted sanctions on Damascus.
Mr Hochstein on Monday night also called for electricity to be transferred from Jordan to Lebanon through Syria.
"Deals are done and ready to go," Mr Hochstein, who was previously the US special presidential co-ordinator for global infrastructure and energy security, said in a post on X.
He said making it a priority to fix the Syrian power grid "is the absolute best way" to help Syria and Lebanon. "Can’t begin rebuilding without access to affordable/reliable power," he added.
Mr Hochstein’s post referred to a gas import agreement signed in June 2022 by Lebanon, Egypt and Syria to ship 650 million cubic metres of natural gas per year from Egypt to Lebanon via Syria, as part of US-backed efforts to ease Lebanon's electricity crisis. However, at the time, Egypt and Jordan privately voiced concerns that the project could breach US sanctions on Syria, including the 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.
Lebanon's electricity sector has been crumbling for about three decades amid a lack of investment. It has been kept afloat by costly and short-term fixes that have failed to provide round-the-clock electricity, despite repeated promises by politicians. Lebanon's economic woes have also exacerbated the power crisis, as the country can no longer afford to operate most of its power plants.
Mr Hochstein urged the countries involved to activate the deals after US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order lifting sanctions on Syria, allowing the country to rebuild after a prolonged civil war. Mr Trump's executive order takes effect on Tuesday.
Mr Hochstein, who has held several government roles in Washington, has also spent time as a lobbyist and executive at a liquefied natural gas company. He is currently the managing partner of holding company TWG Global.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani said on X that the move by the US to lift sanctions on Syria would allow for "long-awaited reconstruction and development".
The removal of sanctions marks an economic reawakening and geopolitical repositioning for Syria, Arturo Bris, professor of Finance and director of the IMD World Competitiveness Centre, has said.
Several regional airlines have resumed flights to Damascus, infrastructure deals have been announced and the country's debts are being cleared.
In May, Syria signed a $7 billion deal with a Qatar-led business group aimed at doubling the country's power supply, in a series of moves to boost its postwar economy. The Syrian government signed an agreement with a consortium of companies led by Qatar's UCC Holding to add 5,000 megawatts to the national grid. The country faces a severe power crisis.
The lifting of US sanctions on Syria has reignited global investors' interest, with several major companies already establishing a foothold in the war-torn country's economy. In May, Dubai-based DP World signed an initial agreement worth $800 million to develop the port of Tartus.
Billionaire Emirati entrepreneur Khalaf Al Habtoor said in June that he was exploring new investment opportunities in the country.
Turkish companies, from banks to port operators and energy firms, are also lining up to grab their share of business opportunities arising from Syria’s $500 billion reconstruction effort.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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match info
Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20front-axle%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E218hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20touring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%20(claimed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh215%2C000%20(estimate)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
ENGLAND SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
