Not even the most optimistic of rebels could have predicted the rapid collapse, last weekend, of the Assad dynasty that ruled Syria with an iron fist for more than 50 years. Yet while there was relief and joy both inside Syria and among the nation’s vast displaced diaspora, it was also accompanied by apprehension over what might come next.
Our reporter William Christou was quick to reach Syria from Beirut in Lebanon, where he is based. Once across the border, he was taken on a tour of liberated Damascus by rebel commanders, accompanied by the sound of gunfire not from fighting but from citizens discharging rifles into the air in celebration.
We have a moving piece from Ammar Azzouz, a Syrian writer living the UK, who tries to capture his emotions as the incredible scenes unfolded. Senior reporter Peter Beaumont has written a terrific encapsulation of the rise and fall of Bashar al-Assad (including a remarkable cameo from Peter in his own piece). And Simon Tisdall looks beyond the immediate celebrations to put events into a wider context.
Finally, due to industrial action by journalists at the Guardian and the Observer last week, you may notice that some regionalised pages of this week’s magazine are missing. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
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Five essential reads in this week’s edition
1
Spotlight | Russia and Ukraine wait warily for Trump transition
The idea of the US president-election as a saviour for Ukraine, as unlikely as it may seem, holds an appeal for an exhausted nation without a clear path to victory. Shaun Walker and Pjotr Sauer report
2
Environment | The jailed anti-whaler defiant in face of extradition threat
Capt Paul Watson talks to Daniel Boffey about his arrest on behalf of the Japanese government, his ‘interesting’ Greenland prison, and separation from his children
3
Feature | The growing threat of firearms that can be made at home
One far-right cell wanted to use 3D-printed guns to cause ‘maximum confusion and fear’ on the streets of Finland. Could the police intercept them in time? By Samira Shackle
4
Opinion | Farage is lying in wait. Britain can’t afford for Starmer to fail
It is not enough for the Labour leader’s ‘milestones’ to be achieved. Voters must feel the improvement in their daily lives, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland
5
Culture | The best books of 2024
From a radical retelling of Huckleberry Finn to Al Pacino’s autobiography, our critics round up their favourite reads of the year
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What else we’ve been reading
In its heyday, the Finnish telecoms company Nokia had cornered 40% of the world mobile phone market. Eschewing traditional designs aimed at business types, Nokia’s style won its phones parts in Hollywood, while the default ringtone was so ubiquitous that birds learned to sing it. Now there are plans to put the company’s design archive online. Neil Willis, production editor
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Other highlights from the Guardian website
• Audio | How Trump’s victory sparked a crypto boom – podcast
• Video | How we created ultra-processed food from industrial waste
• Gallery | The 2024 Nature Conservancy Oceania photo contest winners
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