Lebanon, where a fuel tank explosion killed at least 20 people Sunday, is mired in what the World Bank calls one of the world's worst economic crises since the 1850s.

Three years after Syria's government retook control of the flashpoint southern province of Daraa, regime forces have clashed with rebels again, trapping thousands of civilians in the crossfire.

Nearly half of the population of the rebel-held Daraa al-Balad district have fled heavy shelling and ground battles, but the United Nations warns that remaining civilians are cut off with dwindling supplies.

Kitted out and nowhere to go: many young Iraqis in Baghdad make an effort to be hip, even as they admit their country may have no future.

The three Principals of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) -- EU Ambassador to Lebanon Ralph Tarraf, U.N. Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi and World Bank regional director Saroj Kumar Jha – have co-authored an op-ed marking the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast.

The Lebanon 3RF is a response plan to help Lebanon address the urgent needs of the population affected by the 4th of August Port of Beirut explosion that killed over 200 people, injured more than 6,500 and destroyed thousands of homes and properties. It provides a costed and prioritized framework of key actions to support the recovery and reconstruction of Beirut. Based on in-depth consultations with government, civil society and donors, the 3RF aims to provide a common reference point and action plan on what needs to be done across various sectors. The 3RF also sets out arrangements for the coordination, implementation and financing of recovery and, subject to reform progress, reconstruction priorities.

Since February this year, Iran and its arch-enemy Israel have been engaged in a "shadow war" in which vessels linked to each nation have come under attack in waters around the Gulf in tit-for-tat exchanges.

A recap:

After the massive explosion at Beirut's port a year ago, only a small part of Ibrahim Hoteit's younger brother was identified: his scalp. His brother was a large man, a firefighter, a martial arts champion, but Hoteit buried him in a container the size of a shoe box.

Since then, Hoteit has sold his business and sleeps only a few hours a night.

As Iran inaugurates its new president Ebrahim Raisi, a recap of the country's landmark events since the 1979 revolution that overthrew the US-backed monarchy and established an Islamic republic.

- Islamic republic -

With the exit of U.S.-led foreign forces in Afghanistan near completion, the Taliban has ramped up its offensive, capturing half the country's districts and border crossings and encircling several provincial capitals.

A recap since the sweeping offensive began in May: 

In the year since a monster explosion disfigured Beirut, a local probe has yet to yield significant arrests or even identify a culprit, with politicians widely accused of stalling progress.

The August 4, 2020 explosion at the Beirut port killed more than 200 people and destroyed swathes of the capital.

As Lebanon marks a year since the devastating Beirut port blast, here is a timeline of its 12 months of crisis:

- Devastation -