Syria helps Jordan with extra water

Syria is to provide Jordan with two million cubic metres of water to help it through the current regional drought.

The Jordanian Water Minister, Hazem al-Nasser, said the water would be pumped to Jordan from the Yarmuk River, which has its source in Syria.

The water is expected to begin coming through this week.

On Monday, Mr Nasser said that Jordan was facing a deficit of 50% in its water supplies this year.

It is the third year in succession that Syria has helped Jordan with extra water supplies.

Jordan also receives water from Israel under a peace treaty signed in 1994.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service