Two separate natural disasters in north Africa have dominated the news recently. But Moroccan emergency responses to an earthquake that killed about 3,000 people seemed rapid and efficient in contrast to the chaos at the deluged Libyan port of Derna, where many thousands more lost their lives after the town was deluged following a double dam burst caused by Storm Daniel.
While logistical and administrative challenges have made access to Derna incredibly difficult, Observer reporter Kaamil Ahmed has gathered the testimonies of several local Libyan journalists who witnessed scenes they are still struggling to process. Diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour explains why the disaster can be seen as a culmination of the climate crisis descending upon a failed state, while Rupert Neate and Peter Beaumont discuss the differing responses to the two situations.
From Europe, Jon Henley previews three upcoming elections that could have profound consequences for the region’s political future. Indeed, as the Guardian launches a new Europe-focused digital edition, editor-in-chief Katharine Viner outlines why now is the right time for us to expand our reporting across the continent.
In the UK, there’s a fascinating read by political correspondent Kiran Stacey into the meteoric rise of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a political foundation that arguably bestows the former UK prime minister with far more power than he ever had in office.
As Keir Starmer – the man who may well become Britain’s next PM – visits Paris for talks with French president Emmanuel Macron, Kiran also asks what the Labour leader really hopes to gain from his stated intention to renegotiate the Brexit deal with the EU.
The British may not be revered for the quality of our cheese, but we do love eating it. From rubbery cheddar slices to French reblochon, the restaurant critic and Guardian podcaster Grace Dent explains why, in these socially divided times, it’s the one foodstuff that unites us.
And despite the return of shorter days in the northern hemisphere this week, Tim Dowling has been raging against the dying of the light by wrestling with his garden hammock.
