Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, otherwise known as Bashar Assad’s lifeline in Syria, have bigger fish to fry at the moment.

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at a reignited Syrian civil war, mass protests over Georgia ’s suspended European Union accession bid, and U.S. export restrictions on China ’s semiconductor industry.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sought to shore up support from his allies Sunday, after a monitor said a shock rebel offensive saw government forces lose control of Aleppo for the first time since the start of the country's civil war.