Assad makes rare televised appearance

State TV showed Assad speaking to staff on the occasion of International Workers Day, or May Day, at the Umayyad Electrical Station in the Tishrin Park district. Similar still images also appeared on a page used by the Syrian presidency on Facebook.

At least 14 people were killed in Tuesday’s blast, the second in the heart of the capital in two days. Rebels seeking to topple Assad have been trying to create a supply line from Jordan, so that arms bought by Saudi Arabia and Qatar can be shipped in for assaults on the city they hope to capture.

Meanwhile, the Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition rebuked the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group Sheik Hassan Nasrallah had warned that Syria’s “real friends”, including his Iranian-backed militant group, could intervene on the government’s side if the need arises. The coalition said it hoped Hezbollah would stay out of the Syrian war.