Damascus – At its weekly session chaired by Prime Minister Imad Khamis, the Cabinet approved on Tuesday granting loans for rural women willing to set up small income-generating projects in the rural production field.

The government’s support program includes providing necessary technical training to rural women to achieve the utmost benefit of the loan with the aim of empowering those women economically through establishing rural industries projects, SANA reported.

 Damascus, (ST) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform signed here yesterday a cooperation agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to help farmers affected by forest fires in Lattakia province.

 In a statement to reporters, Agriculture Minister Eng. Ahmad Al-Qadri said that the aim of the agreement is to enhance the production capacity of 2,700 families affected by forest fires in several areas in the province late last summer, indicating that the agreement includes providing agricultural grants of vegetable seeds, olive plantations and agricultural equipment to train farmers.

DAMASCUS –Damascus International Fair, the Syrian economy’s window to the world, is brought back to life again after several years of forced absence due to the terrorist war inflicted upon the country.

According to SANA, the famous and well-reputed Fair has defied all the extremely harsh coercive economic measures imposed unilaterally on Syria to be revived and held on August 17-26, surpassing all the repercussions of the war and succeeding to attract many Arab and foreign companies to join its activities.

HAMA– Prime Minister Imad Khamis said that the government is ready to provide all facilitations and customs exemptions as well as land for free to any industrialist who wishes to establish a factory or industrial facility that contributes to the economic and social development of the province and to find job opportunities provided that it is established immediately, according to SANA.

 Damascus, (ST) - Minister of Public Works and Housing Hussein Arnous discussed with a delegation representing the Russian-Syrian Company for Trade and Investment "Moskova" prospects of future cooperation within the domains of the ministry’s work.

 During the meeting held here on Saturday, the Minister gave a presentation on the reality of the public sector of construction and the tasks of the institutions affiliated to the Ministry in the field of construction and reconstruction, pointing to the existence of studies of large projects at the Ministry, but many of these projects need funding.