World News

Two war monitoring groups said Syria’s military had pulled out of a number of Damascus suburbs where anti-government protests erupted. The movements could not immediately be confirmed.

World leaders are in Paris for ceremonies as the 12th-century Gothic cathedral opens its doors after a monumental renovation.

The longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is facing threats from rebellions on multiple fronts and his key ally, Iran, is paring back support.

In a region “already on fire,” analysts say, rebels’ advance toward Damascus is a barometer of the shifting power dynamics that also affect nations like Iran, Turkey, Russia and the United States.

Hadrian’s Aqueduct supplied water to Greece’s capital for centuries but was then largely abandoned. It’s being revived to ease water scarcity amid global warming.

President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would not seek to impose martial law again and that he would leave his fate to his party. Lawmakers will vote on whether to impeach him later on Saturday.

The rebels’ gains prompted Lebanon and Jordan to close border crossings and Iran to begin withdrawing personnel from Syria.

The withdrawals by one of President Bashar al-Assad’s key backers come amid a resurgent rebel offensive.

The decision came days after the government asserted that there had been “cyberattacks” meant to undermine the vote and security council documents indicated possible Russian meddling.

When equilibriums are disrupted, chaos can ensue.