As opposition forces took hold of Damascus a little over a week ago, Syria's dictator fled. Flying below radar range and with "the aircraft's transponder switched off", said Reuters, a plane carrying Bashar al-Assad headed first to Russia's airbase outside the Syrian city of Latakia and then on to Moscow, where his wife, Asma, and their three children were reportedly waiting.

Russia, a key ally of Assad during Syria's civil war, is said to have coordinated with neighbouring states to ensure the overthrown president could leave safely in a Russian plane. Assad's journey brought to an end his family's dynastic rule stretching back to 1971, and signalled the start of a life in exile.

Where is Assad living?
Shortly after the fall of Damascus, Russian state media reported that Assad and his family were in Moscow and would be granted asylum on "humanitarian grounds". But the Kremlin refused to confirm Assad's whereabouts or if he would receive asylum. As well as his immediate family, Assad is believed to have been joined by translators, drivers and security guards. Other relatives are also thought to be in Moscow, including his wife's previously London-based parents, Fawaz and Sahar Akhras, according to the Daily Mail.

How safe is he?
Several members of Assad's extended family bought at least 18 luxury apartments in a Moscow complex in 2019, the Financial Times reported. But while the former president and his family are also believed to have $2 billion hidden in offshore accounts, tax havens, real-estate portfolios and shell corporations across the world, they are unlikely to be living in extravagance in the Russian capital, said The Guardian. Instead, they are probably "hidden away in a secluded estate" and under the "tight surveillance" of Russian security guards.

What will Assad do now?
The toppled leader will "maintain a very low profile, perhaps for the rest of his life", US-based Syria expert David Lesch, who has met Assad several times, told The Guardian. Assad is unlikely to leave Russia for any country where he faces the threat of extradition back to Syria.

He has joined Putin's "collection of ex-dictators" and must now do "whatever is convenient for the Kremlin", wrote Professor Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian security affairs, in The Spectator. Putin seems unlikely to hand Assad back to the Syrians but he remains "a potential bargaining chip".

"Swirling in colourful costumes", dancers from the Chinese troupe Shen Yun are sent out in their hundreds to perform shows in "cities like New York, Paris, Toronto and Taipei", said The New York Times. But, while Shen Yun's visual spectacle is set to captivate audiences once again on a 2025 tour, concerns are being raised about the company's alleged culture of "untreated injuries and emotional abuse".

'Anti-humanity and anti-science cult'
Founded in 2006, the New York-based Shen Yun company has developed a reputation for elaborate productions, but the "mission" of the organisation is "more than entertainment", said The New York Times. It seeks to "amplify the anti-communist message" of Falun Gong, the religious movement behind the company. Established in 1992, Falun Gong's tenets include opposition to feminism, homosexuality and Western medicine. Its vocal opposition to communism led to the movement being outlawed in 1999 by the Chinese Communist Party, which called it an "anti-humanity and anti-science" cult.

But to say that politics and religion is "the sole end of Shen Yun's art" is to deny its "vital human experience of hope and kindness", said Yuefeng Wu on US news site The Hill. Shen Yun's "spiritual interpretation of Chinese culture" continues to have a "compelling global impact" for the hundreds of thousands of spectators who enjoy the show every year.

'Mistakes doom audiences to hell'
A recent lawsuit by a former Shen Yun dancer suggests it may have copied some of the Chinese government's "most abusive practices", said CNN. These include allegedly "subjecting children to public humiliation as discipline", and making them perform for "long hours for little pay". A further investigation by The New York Times uncovered a "controlling atmosphere". Dancers were reportedly told their performance "was part of a holy mission to save humanity – and that any mistakes onstage could doom their audiences to hell".

Writing for Newsweek, former dancer Mingye Liu defended Shen Yun as a "world-class company" that "worked with a sense of mission and pride". "If performers are so disgruntled, why are so many top artists joining and staying with Shen Yun?" he asked.

Shen Yun continues to strenuously deny accusations of poor labour practices, and already has 150 tour stops planned for 2025.

No longer confined to the "bougie delicatessen", panettone can be found in almost any supermarket at this time of year, cementing its status as a "British festive staple", said The Guardian. With demand for the Italian sweet bread soaring, here are some of the best.

Morrisons The Best Classic Fruit Panettone
Crafted at a family run bakery in Piedmont, this classic fruit panettone has a "golden, shiny exterior that wafts delicious, buttery flavours", said The Times. "And the taste? Even better. Well done, Morrisons."

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Chocolate & Hazelnut Panettone
"Well risen" with a "domed top", dark chocolate chips and "plenty of whole nuts", this is an excellent option, said The Telegraph. It feels heavy but "cuts easily" to reveal a fluffy texture with "well-integrated chocolate".

Waitrose Christmas Limoncello Fizz Panettone
Dotted with "oozy pockets of creamy lemon curd" and soaked in "sparkling wine syrup", Waitrose's unusual panettone is a triumph, said Good Housekeeping. The "DIY element" of a star stencil and packet of fizzy sherbet lemon sugar are perfect for adding a "final flourish" before serving.

M&S Nocciolato Panettone
Studded with sultanas and Calabrian orange peel and topped with a ground hazelnut crust, this "nice and tall pud" has a "boozy" flavour and "decent distribution of fruit", said The Times. The "ornate" tin is a welcome touch, too.

Breramilano 1930 Traditional Panettone
Packaged in a traditional blue-and-white striped box, this is ideal as a "luxury" gift, said London's The Standard. Hours of proving have ensured the dough is "sweet and buttery", and the plump juicy raisins are surrounded by "generous shreds of zesty candied orange".

MPs must take this chance to punish Putin
Edward Lucas in The Times
"Britain talks a good game," writes Edward Lucas, but "the real test is not rhetoric", it's "reality". And "if sanctions were working Russia would not be grinding forward in Ukraine". MPs should back a cross-party amendment that would let the government seize Russian central bank reserves held in UK accounts to help "pay for the damage" wrought by Moscow's invasion. Changing our "feeble, legalistic approach to the Kremlin's assets" would also "embolden other countries" that have "dithered".

What will the military do if Trump gives unconstitutional orders?
M.L. Cavanaugh in the Los Angeles Times
Donald Trump's threats to "use the military against his own enemies" has led some to "wonder with dread" what the military will do if given "unconstitutional orders", writes M.L. Cavanaugh. US military oaths "counsel thoughtful loyalty", and "there's no 'just following orders' defense". If Trump attempts to "abuse his authority as commander in chief", our "Americans in uniform will choose the harder right" over the "easier wrong" of "unthinking fealty".

Podcasts, politics and the craving for imperfection
Jemima Kelly in the Financial Times
Back in October, 15,000 "adoring fans" at London's O2 cheered two "British megastars" – Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, co-hosts of the "preposterously popular" podcast "The Rest is Politics". That people are willing to "spend good money" to listen to "centrist dads" is a symptom of a "polarised landscape". The result is a ravenous "appetite for spaces in which reasonable people can disagree politely and constructively".