Geopolitical Developments - Syrian transitional leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa is set to visit Washington D.C. for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to sign an agreement for Syria to join a global anti-terror coalition, indicating a significant shift in U.S.-Syrian diplomatic relations [2][4][8] - Al-Sharaa, who leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, was previously designated a high-risk terrorist by the U.S. and had a $10 million bounty on his head since 2013, marking a dramatic change in U.S. policy following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in January 2025 [3][8] Corporate Developments - Petrofac Limited (PFC), a UK-based oil and gas services firm, faces imminent administration after the Court of Appeal overturned its debt restructuring plan aimed at addressing $4 billion in liabilities, putting approximately 2,000 jobs in Scotland at risk [5][8] - The Court of Appeal's decision was influenced by major creditors, including Saipem and Samsung, who argued that the restructuring benefits were unfairly distributed, with new investors set to receive over two-thirds of the restructured company's equity, equating to a 211% return on investment [6][8] - Petrofac's financial difficulties have been exacerbated by a £77 million fine for bribery and corruption from 2017 to 2021 and the recent cancellation of a key 2 GW offshore wind contract by Dutch firm TenneT, which undermined its restructuring efforts [7][8]