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The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday said it had agreed a wide-ranging technical assistance programme for conflict-ravaged Syria, where the new government is rebuilding the economy after more than a decade of civil war.An IMF team undertook a five-day trip to Damascus from July 19, after resuming missions to the country last year for the first time since 2009."Given Syria's large humanitarian and development needs, strong and timely international financial support is still needed," said Ron van Rooden, a senior IMF official who led the visit. "Sustainable reintegration of returning refugees and internally displaced people requires support beyond humanitarian assistance, focused also on creating productive employment opportunities, enhancing public service delivery, and restoring housing and infrastructure."The IMF delegation met with Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh, central bank Governor Safwat Raslan and other senior officials, an IMF statement said.Syria's economy was devastated by more than 13 years of war, as armed rebel groups and pro-democracy activists fought against former president Bashar al-Assad's brutal rule.The new Syrian authorities are led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.The US and some of its allies have announced the easing of sanctions on Syria since then, but investors have remained cautious. The World Bank has estimated the country's post-war reconstruction could cost $216bn.Syria has not officially asked the IMF for a bailout package. Such a request would be contingent on a debt analysis and possible restructuring, and negotiations with the IMF.IMF official van Rooden said the IMF was continuing to support authorities "in their efforts to rehabilitate Syria's economy and improve the functioning of key economic institutions."The agreed-upon IMF technical assistance programme will include helping Syrian authorities with capacity building on fiscal reforms, revenue mobilization and public debt management.The programme will also focus on financial sector reforms, including preparing new legislation and regulations, helping to rehabilitate the crippled banking sector and enhancing anti-money-laundering and anti-terrorism-financing controls.The IMF said that progress had been made on a debt sustainability analysis, including the compilation of comprehensive debt data.Van Rooden warned, however, that gaps in the data remain and that the technical assistance mission would also contribute to building better economic data collection and analysis systems.

Malaysian authorities announced on Monday that the recent floods in the country have displaced more than 10,000 people, with the northern state of Kelantan being the most affected.Kelantan, which has been experiencing continuous heavy rainfall for several days, recorded the evacuation of 8,248 people due to the floods. The displaced were moved to 33 flood relief centers, according to the authorities.The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of continued heavy rainfall and strong winds.In Dec. 2014, Malaysia experienced an unprecedented flood that struck several western states, resulting in the displacement of about 400,000 people after they lost their homes and belongings.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said that approximately 75,000 displaced people in the Gaza Strip are currently sheltering in more than 100 of its facilities, despite most of them being damaged by Israeli bombardment and overcrowded.In a post on its X platform, UNRWA said humanitarian conditions in these shelters have become extremely dire, with acute shortages of water, food, and basic supplies.It also warned of a deteriorating health situation and the spread of diseases due to overcrowding and poor sanitation.UNRWA affirmed that its teams continue to operate despite limited resources to provide urgent assistance to the displaced, calling on the international community to take immediate action to ensure the protection of civilians and improve the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.It also noted that 90% of Gaza's population suffers from malnutrition.Since the outbreak of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, UNRWA has faced the biggest humanitarian crisis in its history, as its schools and health facilities have turned into temporary shelters housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people, amid widespread destruction and the collapse of basic services.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has confirmed that it is currently operating more than 70 shelters across the Gaza Strip, housing tens of thousands of forcibly displaced people.In a statement on Sunday, the Agency noted widespread destruction throughout the territory, including unstable structures and unexploded ordnance. It stressed that its teams continue working tirelessly to keep the shelters operational and to help children continue learning and playing.UNRWA also reported that more than 25,000 Palestinian children have joined the agency’s temporary learning spaces, either in person or online, with plans underway to expand the number of these facilities.The Agency further stated that it provides online lessons for around 300,000 children in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that literacy and education serve as vital tools to combat despair and psychological trauma — made possible through the dedication of thousands of UNRWA teachers.