Nuclear Safeguards: The IAEA says Assad-era Syria was building a reactor in Deir al-Zor that was “almost completed” and configured to efficiently produce fissile material for possible nuclear weapons use, after inspectors uncovered reactor fuel and about 73 metric tons of uranium metal; Syria’s new authorities are now working with the agency to close past safeguards gaps. Oil & Gas Deals: AK&M published an M&A digest covering major moves across oil and gas, including Serica’s planned Pharos Energy asset buyout, BP’s stake sale plans tied to Kirkuk operations, and refinery/project transactions spanning Europe and the Middle East. Trade & Logistics at Borders: Syria–Türkiye traffic surged through Öncüpınar/Bab al-Salama in the first eight months of 2026, with 1.23M travelers and 46,480 trucks moving nearly 1.1M tons of goods, as both sides modernize crossings to boost overland trade. Regional Energy Infrastructure: Iraq says export capacity is already above 3M bpd and aims for 5M bpd once pipelines to Fishkhabur and Syria’s Banias port are finished, positioning Syria as a Mediterranean outlet for crude. Groundwater & Water Tech: KISR and the IAEA launched a regional project meeting on using nuclear techniques to map groundwater vulnerability and protection zones amid climate and pollution pressures, with Syria among participating countries. Security & Shipping Disruption: Reports say a sanctioned Russian ro-ro cargo ship, Lady Mariia, was hit by drone-dropped munitions near Crete while heading toward Syria, underscoring how Mediterranean logistics remain exposed.