Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, left, with his Syrian counterpart Mohammed Al Bashir in Damascus. Reuters
Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, left, with his Syrian counterpart Mohammed Al Bashir in Damascus. Reuters
Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, left, with his Syrian counterpart Mohammed Al Bashir in Damascus. Reuters
Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, left, with his Syrian counterpart Mohammed Al Bashir in Damascus. Reuters

Turkey to provide 2 billion cubic metres of gas annually to Syria, minister says


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Turkey will provide 2 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Syria annually, Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Thursday, in a joint news conference in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart, Mohammad Al Bashir, as they signed a joint co-operation agreement to boost energy collaboration.

Mr Bayraktar said that Turkey's gas exports to Syria will contribute to an additional 1,300 megawatts of electricity production in the country and that Anakara aims to triple electricity exports to Syria up to 1,000 megawatts in coming months. Supplies will help increase power hours in Syria up to 12 hours per day, and the two will also explore natural resources to help reconstruction efforts, he added.

Turkey will start supplying Syria, which has suffered from severe power shortages, with gas in June as the two work on completing a gas pipeline connecting them, Mr Al Bashir said in the presser.

"This will significantly boost electricity generation, which will positively impact the Syrian people’s electricity needs."

The two minister discussed completing a 400-kilovolt line that links the countries, contributing to importing around 500 megawatts of electricity into Syria, to be ready by the end of the year or shortly thereafter.

The ministers signed a joint co-operation agreement to boost energy collaboration. Reuters
The ministers signed a joint co-operation agreement to boost energy collaboration. Reuters

Cooperation also includes opening the door for Turkish companies to invest in mining, phosphate, electricity generation and electricity distribution in Syria.

"There is very intensive work underway regarding the discovery of new natural resources, whether gas or oil, on land or at sea," Mr Bayraktar said.

Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available for only for a few hours a day in most areas. Damascus used to receive the bulk of its oil for power generation from Iran before Hayat Tahrir Al Sham took power in December.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

MATCH INFO

Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

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  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
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  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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1987

1954

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About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

Price, base: Dh1,731,672

Engine: 6.5-litre V12

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm

Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm

Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km

While you're here
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
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Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

Updated: May 22, 2025, 12:38 PM`