The rebel chief who led the overthrow of the longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad has been declared the head of government for a transitional period.

The new leadership of the country said the rebel coalition leader, Ahmed al-Shara, would serve as president during a transitional period.

With an Israel-Hamas cease-fire set to begin, the shock waves from their war have reshaped the region in unexpected ways.

The new interim Syrian government says it will hunt down and punish senior security officials and others, but concern is growing about attacks on former low-level members of the Assad regime’s forces.

Despite assurances from the rebels-turned-leaders, members of some religious groups worry what life will be like for them in a post-Assad Syria.

The visit by Prime Minister Najib Mikati was the first official trip by the Lebanese leader to meet with the new government of Syria.

The authorization comes after rebels toppled the Syrian government last month and is intended to allow humanitarian groups to operate more freely without running afoul of U.S. sanctions.

Syria’s new government has swiftly ordered changes to school curriculums. Some Syrians say the move is a worrying sign of how the former rebels plans to govern a diverse country.

Four weeks after the fall of the Assad regime, Israel is pressing on with a military campaign on Syrian soil.

Tensions are high on Syria’s border with Lebanon. The ouster of President Bashar al-Assad led to worry that violence could spill over into neighboring countries.

Top diplomats from Germany and France went to Damascus on behalf of the European Union. It’s the first such trip in years, part of a flurry of Western outreach.

Finding the remnants of the old dictatorship and bringing them to justice has emerged as a top priority for the new administration in Syria.

American officials are wary as they try to persuade the rebels now in control in Syria to govern with an inclusive and moderate hand.

President Bashar al-Assad, who wielded fear and force over Syria for more than two decades, fled the country under the cover of night — and a fake political address.

The overthrow of the Assad government could mean Russia’s bases in Syria are closed and Iran’s pathway to Hezbollah is cut off. Now Iran, newly vulnerable, will have to decide between negotiation and the bomb.

© Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times

The overthrow of the Assad government could mean Russia’s bases in Syria are closed and Iran’s pathway to Hezbollah is cut off. Now Iran, newly vulnerable, will have to decide between negotiation and the bomb.

© Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times