Firefighters in Cyprus were battling on Wednesday to contain a huge wildfire forcing the evacuation of at least four villages on the first day of a heatwave which sent temperatures soaring.
Water levels at Lebanon’s largest reservoir on the Litani River have hit historic lows amid the country's worst recorded drought, threatening agriculture, power generation, and domestic water supply.
Britain said it had restored diplomatic relations with Syria after the country's years-long civil war, as Foreign Minister David Lammy visited Damascus, pledging £94.5 million in support.
Greece and Egypt agreed to protect one of the oldest Christian worship sites after an Egyptian court ruling cast doubt on its future, officials said on Wednesday.
On a wintry night in Damascus, hundreds gathered in the Old City, dancing and singing during a joyful evening of music - a concert held with the approval of Syria's new, Islamist-led authorities.
The head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will meet Syrian officials in Damascus on Saturday, three sources familiar with the visit told Reuters.
