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Celebrations in the city of Hama, where Syrians gather at Al-Assi Square to take commemorative photos and express their joy over the city's control. The square is filled with the sounds of celebratory gunfire and the distribution of sweets to mark the occasion. Photo: AFP / Rami Alsayed By Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Timour Azhari, Reuters Syrian rebels announced on state television on Sunday that they have ousted President Bashar al-Assad, eliminating a 50-year family dynasty in a lightning offensive that raised fears of a new wave of instability in a Middle East gripped by war. Syria's army command notified officers on Sunday that Assad's regime had ended, a Syrian officer who was informed of the move told Reuters. But the Syrian army later said it was continuing operations against "terro...

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Timour Azhari, Reuters People celebrate at Umayyad Square in Damascus on 8 December 2024. Photo: AFP / LOUAI BESHARA Syrian rebels declared President Bashar al-Assad's ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, forcing him to flee and ending his family's decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war in a seismic moment for the Middle East. The Islamist rebels also dealt a major blow to the influence of Russia and Iran in the heart of the region, key allies who propped up Assad during critical periods in the conflict. Iran's embassy was stormed by Syrian rebels following their capture of Damascus, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Sunday. Syria's army command notified officers on Sunday that Assad's rule had ended, a Syrian office...

By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters People check the damage outside the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, following Israeli strikes around the medical complex. Photo: AFP Palestinian health officials said on Sunday (local time) that Israeli forces had shelled the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, damaging electricity and oxygen pumps and disrupting urgent surgeries. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of the hospital, one of only three barely operational on the northern edge of the enclave, said the facility was hit by around 100 tank shells and bombs, wounding several of the medical staff and patients. "The situation is extremely dangerous. We have patients in the intensive care unit and others awaiting surgeries. Access to the operating r...

The Chinese embassy in New Zealand has rejected US accusations about the operation that breached the networks of major global telecommunications providers. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER The Chinese Embassy has condemned accusations about a cyber attack as "unfounded and irresponsible smears and slanders". The National Cyber Security Centre put out an advisory last week alongside US and other authorities about an operation called Salt Typhoon, that breached the networks of major global telecommunications providers, which they blamed on China-affiliated hackers. US authorities who had investigated it for months said hackers accessed phone conversations and texts, and swept up masses of metadata from Americans. But the Chinese embassy in New Zealand rejected this and criticised the US. "We urge...