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By John Lyons, global affairs editor, ABC Bashar al-Assad, pictured with Russia's Vladimir Putin in 2021. Photo: AFP Analysis - The Middle East has changed dramatically in just eight days. Whether the regime of Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad is finished or just seriously wounded, he is now a leader with little authority. A rebel army has been able to take swathes of the country, storming into Damascus and tearing down a picture of Hafez al-Assad, the man who set up the brutal regime. Whatever the final outcome of the chaos in Syria, the last week has seen an extraordinary upheaval. Russia and Iran take a hit The big losers are Russia and Iran. They have both been instrumental in helping to prop up the regime since uprisings began in 2011. For Russia, Syria is its strongest ally in th...

By John Irish, Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy, left, with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in September. Photo: AFP - Ukrainian Presidential Press Service U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end "the madness", prompting President Volodymr Zelenskiy to say that there could be no peace without guarantees. Trump made his comments just hours after meeting Zelenskiy in Paris for their first face-to-face talks since Trump won the November U.S. election. Trump has vowed to bring about a negotiated end to the conflict, but so far has not provided details. "Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, adding that Ky...

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...