How to mark the days? By minute, cycle, season? As spring comes into its own here in London, with the promise of endless possibilities, days grow longer and clocks change, we mark time in seven days at the Weekly, just like always.
Also as usual, we’ve captured an eventful week in a concise yet compelling way.
The Guardian’s Simon Tisdall, who does such a super job of analysing and distilling world events, opens our edition with a look at a Saudi-Iranian proxy war that has escalated in Yemen. There is, of course, a danger of other global powers being drawn into the conflict, which is just one of the implications that Tisdall considers.
From Europe, we catch up on eastern Ukraine after the fragile ceasefire of a month ago. All is not well, with a population left mentally scarred by conflict. From Turkey, we consider Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans for a super-presidency. In France, local elections see a triumph for former president Nicolas Sarkozy’s rightwing UMP party and significant gains for Marine Le Pen’s Front National.
There’s a strong south Asia offering. The Guardian’s correspondent in the region, Jason Burke, reports on an Indian court ruling that has killed off a law censoring the internet. Partner paper the Washington Post weighs efforts to speed and simplify adoption procedures in a country with an estimated 30 million orphans.
The Post also contributes a solid story from China, where NGOs fear that new rules could lead to harassment and arrest. From Singapore, meanwhile, we explore a business training programme for North Korean officials, which leaves some in doubt about its merits.
As we went to press, votes were being tallied in Nigeria’s presidential elections, and it looked like incumbent Goodluck Jonathan would be ousted. You can visit theguardian.com/world/nigeria for updates. Stories that are in play at our press deadline always cause some chin-scratching. This week, we’ve packaged the likely results with a fine piece of writing by Nigerian historian and author Max Siollun, who finds optimism in the poll so far.
In Britain, a general election was formally called, and a landmark court case cleared the way for the release of secret correspondence penned by Prince Charles to British government ministers. Our Comment section is especially strong, showcasing the thinking of Timothy Garton Ash on parliaments, Natalie Nougayrède on the west’s relations with China and Polly Toynbee on the burial of Richard III.
Our deeper-read Review section looks at hopes for an end to the world’s longest conflict: the civil war that has raged in Colombia since 1948. We also look at ways of climate-proofing Manhattan, and uncover a clever programme that trains African giant pouched rats to sniff out landmines. It’ll make you think about rats in an entirely new way.
Our books pages are thought-provoking, as usual, taking in a history of scientific advancement, online shaming and the end of apartheid.
One of the most provocative pieces in the newspaper appears on our Culture pages. It’s a look at the fierce and fragile fashion of designer Alexander McQueen. You’ll find lovely images packaged with some seriously fine writing. Just as you’d expect.
I always enjoy putting together the Eyewitnessed spread of images of the week, and took great pleasure in juxtaposing nature, from the awesome and fearful Villarrica volcano in Chile to the transient beauty of cherry blossom in Japan (a season I so enjoyed in my many years resident there).
In both pictures and words, as moments pass and seasons shift, we’ve captured time by the best available measure: Weekly. You can click here to share your thoughts and observations. I hope you enjoy the edition.
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