Berliner Tageszeitung - News from Berlin, Brandenburg and the world

Syria's embattled government said Saturday it was setting up a ring of steel around Damascus, state media reported, as rebels on a lightning advance said they were bearing down on the city.

An irate Toto Wolff slammed his own Mercedes team on Saturday for an "inexcusable" decision that led to seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton flopping in qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Manchester City failed to win for the eighth time in nine games in a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday as high winds caused the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool to be postponed.

West Ham forward Michail Antonio has been involved in a road traffic accident, the Premier League club said on Saturday.

Lando Norris wants to lead McLaren to their first constructors' title since 1998 in style after claiming pole on Saturday ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri for Sunday's decisive season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Jamal Musiala came off the bench to rescue an injury-hit Bayern Munich, scoring twice in a 4-2 win over lowly Heidenheim, sending his side six points clear in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

A visibly bruised Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals from five continents on Saturday, including bishops from Algiers, Tehran, Tokyo and Abidjan -- many of whom may one day help choose his successor.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday said that the world was "a little crazy" as he met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris ahead of the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral on his first international trip since his re-election.

Ghanaians voted in tight elections on Saturday, with Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia trying to shake off anger over economic woes under the current government to stave off opposition party ex-president John Mahama.

Lando Norris secured pole position ahead of Oscar Piastri as McLaren reeled off a dominant 1-2 to move within reach of a first teams’ title since 1998 at Sunday's decisive season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lando Norris secured pole position ahead of Oscar Piastri as McLaren reeled off a dominant 1-2 to move within reach of a first teams’ title since 1998 at Sunday's decisive season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Dane Paterson continued his late-career revival when he bowled South Africa into a strong position on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at St George's Park on Saturday.

At least three people died Saturday when an apartment complex in The Hague collapsed after a huge explosion and fire, authorities said, with little hope of finding survivors under the rubble.

At least two people died Saturday when an apartment complex in The Hague collapsed after a huge explosion and fire, authorities said, with little hope of finding survivors under the rubble.

Thousands of protesters marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi Saturday for the 10th day of rallies sparked by the government's decision to shelve EU accession talks following a disputed election.

Rebels on a lightning advance through Syria said they were nearing Damascus on Saturday, although Bashar al-Assad's government denied that the army had withdrawn from areas around the capital.

Lando Norris captured pole position on Saturday for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while teammate Oscar Piastri completed a McLaren lockout of the front row as they look to shore up the constructors' championship.

At least one person died Saturday when an apartment complex in The Hague collapsed after a huge explosion and fire, the city's mayor said, with little hope of finding survivors under the rubble.

US national champion Amber Glenn stunned three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto to win women's gold ahead of five Japanese figure skaters at the ISU Grand Prix final on Saturday.

Tens of thousands of people across the UK were left without power on Saturday morning after Storm Darragh hit the country with strong winds and caused pre-Christmas travel disruption.

Yemen's warring parties and beleaguered people cannot wait indefinitely for a roadmap to peace before the country slips back to war, the UN special envoy told AFP.

More than 13 years since Bashar al-Assad's security forces opened fire on protesters demanding democratic reforms, the Syrian president's grip on power may finally be weakening.

France on Saturday prepared to throw open the doors of the capital's Notre Dame cathedral after a half-decade closure, in a ceremony attended by dozens of world leaders celebrating the rebirth of the Paris landmark ravaged by a devastating fire.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has staggered from scandal to crisis but he surprised everyone this week by declaring martial law -- only then to survive an impeachment vote.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol escaped impeachment Saturday over his brief declaration of martial law, after lawmakers from his ruling party boycotted a vote despite huge protests outside parliament.

With Donald Trump, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and dozens of other world leaders in town Saturday for the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral, Emmanuel Macron has succeeded in making Paris the capital of international diplomacy for the day.

Defending champion Ding Liren and his teenage challenger Gukesh Dommaraju of India remained even Saturday with only four games to go in their World Chess Championship match.

Rebels on a lightning advance through Syria said on Saturday they have begun to encircle Damascus as government forces denied they had withdrawn from areas near the capital.

Oscar Piastri beat Lando Norris to top the times in a convincing McLaren one-two ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Saturday’s final practice ahead of the teams’ title-deciding season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Double Olympic road cycling champion Remco Evenepoel could spend "eight weeks without a bicycle" after suffering multiple fractures in his latest crash, his Soudal-Quick Step team manager said on Saturday.

A motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was on the brink of failing Saturday, after lawmakers from his ruling party boycotted the ballot despite huge protests outside parliament.

US president-elect Donald Trump on Saturday arrived in Paris to join other world leaders for the reopening of the French capital's Notre Dame cathedral, celebrating the restoration to its former glory half a decade after the devastating fire.