Suddenly the world feels like a place of danger and confusion on a scale unseen in recent times. As Europe scrambles to contain the threat of extremist Islamic terror attacks, the security situation around Syria continues to deteriorate.
Tuesday’s downing of a Russian fighter by Turkish forces over its border took international tensions over Syria to boiling point. The incident happened too late to make much impact in this week’s Guardian Weekly, but you can catch up with the latest Guardian coverage of this fast-moving story by visiting our website.
On the terror alert in Europe, we have some highly insightful writing from two international experts in the field. On the cover this week, Jason Burke provides some very useful historical perspective on Islamic extremism and considers the likely direction of the latest cycle of violence. Inside, Emma Graham-Harrison considers the weakening of Islamic State’s middle eastern “caliphate”. There’s also a catchup with the week’s frantic events on the European mainland, where Brussels was in anti-terror lockdown, as well as the separate atrocity in Mali.
Russia was involved in another escalating diplomatic situation over Crimea, after power lines from Ukraine were sabotaged to leave the peninsula in darkness. We look at the regional implications of this re-emerging flashpoint.
Ahead of next week’s COP21 climate change conference in Paris, we bring you the last of our special environmentally focused editions. From concrete to seaweed, the renowned Australian climate expert Tim Flannery looks in depth at natural solutions to the problem of capturing carbon emissions. There’s also a look at how melting sea ice is putting polar bears in peril.
Argentinian politics took a step to the right as Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri was elected president, ending the populist left years of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. In South Korea, we visit a coffee shop that tries hard to assimilate its former North Korean employees. From China, there were health fears after increased antibacterial resistance was discovered in livestock.
In the UK, junior doctors voted to strike over proposed new employment terms, while argument raged over defence and security spending in the light of the Paris attacks.
The Weekly Review visits Mexico, where a government tax on sugary drinks has met with fierce industry opposition but is starting to pay health dividends in the world’s most obese nation. In the US, one school is examining the effects of teaching kids while they exercise. From India, we look at the persecution still faced by leprosy sufferers.
Our expanded Culture pages trip the light fantastic creations of artist James Turrell, while there’s also a fascinating glimpse into the unheralded but crucial work of museum exhibition designers and lighting specialists. Books finds out about the fascinating life of the American crime writer Patricia Cornwell.
Notes & Queries considers the power of words over images. Good to Meet You hears from a reader for whom the Weekly is a bridge to a Devon childhood. From Claxton, Norfolk, Nature Watch descends deep into the decaying imagery of late autumn.
These may be shifting times, but we’re confident you won’t find better context and analysis of the bigger picture than in the Guardian Weekly. Thanks for reading, and please feel free to email us your thoughts on the edition.
Would you like to change your delivery address? Your email address? Suspend delivery? You can manage your account online here.
Are you a subscriber looking for our digital edition? Click here. This edition can be viewed by subscribers on desktops, laptops, iPads, iPhones, some Kindles, Android tablets and smartphones. Log in on the device to the digital edition and the technology should take you to the correct format.
