Financial Tech Diplomacy: The UAE and Syria’s central banks signed an MoU to boost cooperation on payments, monetary policy, cash management, innovative financial technologies, and areas like climate risk, sustainable finance, financial inclusion, and regulatory enforcement. Heritage Meets Science: Syria’s Culture Minister visited Saudi Arabia’s Madinah Research and Studies Center to review its documentation, rare photo collections, and research work—highlighting how heritage preservation can support scholarly output. Underwater Innovation: Syria unveiled “From War to Life,” a proposed underwater museum off Latakia that would blend Palmyrene-inspired structures, Syrian art, marine habitat creation, and decommissioned war equipment—aimed at tourism, education, and research. Tech & Security: Reports say Chinese-backed hacking groups targeted AI firms and Asian governments via phishing and credential theft attempts, underscoring rising cyber risk for research and policy communities. Education Links: Türkiye plans to open a Turkish school in Damascus for about 1,000 students, expanding education cooperation and support for families returning to Syria. Human Impact: A new investigation estimates US-led coalition air operations caused at least 3,336 civilian deaths or injuries across Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Somalia, with Syria recording the highest toll.