We were waiting on Iran. And we weren’t disappointed.
This edition of Guardian Weekly kicks off with the historic nuclear deal detailed near midday Tuesday by Iran and six world powers. Months in the making, the agreement was a milestone. The purpose of the compromise accord: to stop the spread of atomic weapons and avert a major new conflict in the Middle East.
So, yes, we were waiting on Iran, watching news services, websites and social media. As our midday press deadline loomed, we weren’t sure when the news would be properly confirmed.
So we set up two front pages, one that featured analysis on Iranian politics and the nuclear deal and another front page analysing the Greek debt deal achieved last weekend.
With both possible front pages edited and ready for the presses, and our print site in east London giving us some flexibility on deadlines, it was a waiting game.
In the end, it proved that waiting on Iran was a very good thing, as a solid agreement became increasingly apparent. Signing off on this week’s front page felt a bit like touching the hem of history. We’ve never done two front pages before, then watched and waited! None of us can recall a morning quite like it here on the Weekly.
The Greek debt deal plays second fiddle, albeit a strong one, on two pages inside the edition. The impact of the deal is also considered on our Comment pages. This is a fast-moving story, so if you’d like updates, please do visit theguardian.com and search with the keyword eurozone crisis for all the latest, or click on that link.
Elsewhere, we report on Pope Francis’s visit to Latin America, the 20th anniversary of the massacre at Srebrenica and the foolishness of fossil fuels. We look at US politics and the race for the Republican nomination, an election build-up in Canada, and the advocacy underway for Aboriginal recognition in Australia.
In Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi says her party will contest November elections, and Thailand’s military government defends its decision to send more than 100 Muslim Uighurs back to China, where many are expected to disappear into prisons.
You can’t say we don’t cover the world.
In the UK, the chancellor, George Osborne, unveiled a summer budget that aimed to crush the opposition Labour party while furthering his own ambitions. Osborne snatched the best of the left, introducing policies that Labour had showcased in its failed May general election bid. Guardian executive editor Jonathan Freedland analyses developments.
On our letters page, you shared views on Islamic State, migration and climate, some favourite Guardian Weekly themes. We’re always keen on submissions, which you can contribute by clicking here.
Our deeper-read Review section looks at conflict in Iraq, architecture and community in Old Calcutta, the lost kangaroos of Paraguay (I’ll let you get there on your own!), and land ownership in Burundi.
Discovery looks at ageing and considers the science that’s redefining medicine. Please do watch upcoming editions for images of Pluto from the New Horizons probe’s flyby, some of which were released just a couple of hours after we went to press.
Our book reviews consider landmarks, Russian politics, fictional erotica, and the marvel of cartooning. That’s quite a variety on just three or four pages! Culture reflects on singer Amy Winehouse as a new biopic is released.
Having lived through a slightly hectic morning, we have taken a deep breath and are focused now on your next edition. This blog gives me a chance to reflect on the week that was. I’d rank this one as truly amazing.
Please do share your thoughts on the paper by sending me an email using this link. And thanks for reading.
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