Editorial planning for the Weekly starts on a Tuesday afternoon, with the feature coverage. News planning begins in earnest on a Friday, and is constantly refined throughout a Monday, right up to our press deadline at midday on a Tuesday.
It’s not often we are caught out by events; Weekly puts context around the news, takes in the big picture, tries to explain why something happened, and what it may mean.
So we don’t usually rip up news pages on a Tuesday morning and start again. But we did this week, as terror prevailed in Brussels and scores were killed or injured by bombings of the Belgian capital’s airport and its metro system.
We’ve crafted a spread of coverage inside the paper on this latest attack in Europe, from a swiftly penned but well-considered analysis by Jason Burke, an expert on Islamic militancy, to a “first thoughts” comment piece from opinion-setter Simon Jenkins. Though some of the nuts and bolts of the story may have evolved before you receive your newspaper, (you can follow breaking news online here) the context around this event and reflections in the Weekly will remain relevant.
Our front page is given over to the US presidential elections, and the continuing rise of Republican contender Donald Trump. Can anyone stop him from securing his party’s nomination? And if he wins it, will Republicans, on election day, turn to likely Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton? The Guardian’s Washington bureau chief, Dan Roberts, reflects on these fascinating questions as the race to the November poll gathers pace.
Inside the paper, we update on political swings in Brazil and moves to impeach President Dilma Rousseff. We report on new conflict in the waters of Asia, as Indonesia clashes with China over maritime rights. In Poland, meanwhile, with the Chinese economy roiled, the sheen comes off amber, which has risen in value up to 1,000% in recent years due to Middle Kingdom demand.
It was an eventful week in Britain too, as the chancellor, George Osborne, presented a budget that was savaged for its proposed cuts to disability benefits. The works and pension secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, quit, and the prime minister, David Cameron, faced a headache as controversy swirled around government spending. We bring a spread of news and analysis.
Our leader comment is especially strong this week, reflecting on a deal reached between the EU and Turkey on Europe’s refugee crisis. The comment pages analyse Vladimir Putin’s strategy in Europe, consider the murder of Honduran activists, and wonder over divisions within Britain’s Conservatives.
Great writing also dominates the back of the book.
Weekly Review opens on a wonderful piece about the country nobody wanted. Settle back and enjoy this delightful read by Jack Shenker on a parcel of land in north-east Africa sought by some, though loved by few.
The book reviews range from refugees, to life under Syria’s Assad. Culture hears the story behind a film about journalist error that brought down a veteran American news anchor instead of a US president.
And our ever-clever Notes & Queries contributors wonder about immortality. Would you choose it? Why? Please do send your replies by clicking here. These back pages of the paper provide a quiet place to smile.
Planning the Weekly is one of the greats joys of the job. Still, the best laid plans, and all that. I believe we’ve given you a good balance of events, analysis and the lighter side of life. Please do email me your thoughts on the edition by clicking here. And thanks for reading.
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