"And in the end..."

“It’s been a long, long, long time” (obligatory Beatles reference out of the way early), but sad to say today finally marks the end here - and for too many far finer others - at favourite newspaper Metro.

Sorry especially to be bidding farewell to so many cherishable colleagues - and with fond memories of dozens more from the past - while grateful to not only them but everyone who has helped on stories. And also, such readers.

One of the earliest glimpses here into just what human good could be done - and galvanised in people picking up a copy each day - came when writing way back when about Odette Mupenzi, a young woman whose family had been slaughtered by Hutu militias during the Rwandan genocide.

Just a minute (and then some...)

The Moby Dick of celebrity scoops here, that man Macca, has unfortunately remained out of reach - but many years at Metro have involved pitching in with a few 60 Second Interviews.

A favourite was with Jerry Lee Lewis, before seeing him play live at the Palladium - although he was dubious about his chances of understanding anyone with a British accent.

An eyebrow or two might have arisen on the Tube that morning at "The Killer" somehow insisting: "Some people have said they are afraid of me, but I don’t know why. I’m a really nice guy."

Searches still amid quake rubble, "survivor's guilt" - and scarce hope as Syria's civil war enters 13th year...

Syrian families are still desperately digging in earthquake rubble - not for survivors anymore, but any last possessions finally lost after 12 years of war.

Wednesday this week marks another grim milestone in the civil war-torn country, as it enters the 13th year since President Bashar al-Assad launched a crackdown against pro-democracy protesters now thought to have seen upwards of 500,000 people killed and as many as 16.5million forced from their homes.

Millions of children have grown up not knowing any different, while few families have escaped losing not only shelter but also loved ones in a bombardment of shelling, village invasions and panicked escapes into neighbouring countries and beyond.

Al-Assad’s regime faces worldwide condemnation - other than from key allies including Russia, China and Iran - but sanctions have hindered much-needed aid deliveries, amid widespread fuel shortages.

The country was also suffering the impact of a nationwide cholera epidemic even before the 7.8-magnitude earthquake which hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, so far killing more than 50,000 people - including at least 6,000 in already-war-ravaged Syria.

Aid workers on the ground have now told Metro how today’s latest anniversary throws into even starker relief the suffering upon suffering endured by those who have not managed to make it out of the country, such as to struggling-neighbours such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.