capital

Meanwhile, life appeared to be slowly returning to normal in the capital Damascus after two days of near-shutdown.

But they both converged on the capital on Sunday.

As rebel forces swept across the country in recent weeks, they freed thousands of political prisoners held in government jails - including the notorious Saydnaya prison near the capital, Damascus.

But while Indigenous Americans have more autonomy, racism is as persistent as ever, and the novel is a bracing tale of a brewing race war in the capital city in 1922.

The 79-year-old was taken to hospital in the capital, Brasília, on Monday after he had complained of a severe headache.