Guardian Weekly

The Guardian Weekly magazine is a round-up of the world news, opinion and long reads that have shaped the week. Inside, the past seven days' most memorable stories are reframed with striking photography and insightful companion pieces, all handpicked from The Guardian and The Observer.

Eyewitness Madagascar

All eyes on Ukraine, Afghan women fight back and Covid curbs

Global report • Headlines from the last seven days

DEATHS

SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT

Global report United Kingdom

Eyewitness • Let there be light Caitlin Kurtto ma de music in Aberdeen last week by leaping between touch-sensitive footpads among Trumpet Flowers. The interactive installation, by the Australian design studio Amigo & Amigo, was part of the city’s Spectra festival – an extravaganza of illumination to bring light and succour to the city where the days are still short at this time of year. The mostly outdoor festival also included Gaia inside Aberdeen Art Gallery, where a huge floating globe was made by Luke Jerram.

War games • Amid bleak western intelligence briefings, fading diplomatic hopes and an exodus of foreign nationals from Kyiv, one key question has remained unanswered up to now: exactly how far is Vladimir Putin ready to go to achieve his goals?

Troops around Ukraine • Positions of troops and weapons on the Russian and Belarus ian borders with Ukraine, as of late 2021

How it came to this What, exactly, does Vladimir Putin want in Ukraine?

One false move? A miscalculation could trigger a wider, far more serious crisis

How a new generation of educated girls defied the Taliban • In-depth reporting and analysis

A fine line On the border, old tensions remain high

Ghost town

Pécresse makes anti-immigrant play to fend off far right

Forced out The demise of the Met’s ‘tin-eared’ trailblazer

The end of the curbs as we know them? • England plans to lift all Covid restrictions – but the rest of the world has mixed opinions on the wisdom of the move

Can the vaquita porpoise be saved? • The rare marine mammal is facing an existential threat from fishing nets – and time to ensure survival is running out

Quest to find species lost to science

Fragile states Why do military coups keep happening? • Weak institutions and jihadism are factors behind the frequent overthrow of governments in the region

Desperate river jumpers risk police or crocodiles

Tragic deaths of family at US border expose visa trade scandal

From Urdu to Old Norse How Wordle took over the world

Can bitcoin go green? • A giant Norwegian crypto-mining operation is recycling its waste heat, pushing back against criticism of the famously energy-intensive industry

‘Open door’ Could Sarah Palin make a return to politics?

Embrace or avoid? Democrats weigh up the Biden factor

Nudge theory • How gambling firms keep punters coming back for more

Super fly • Cochabamba’s female skateboard collective ImillaSkate has adopted traditional Bolivian clothing as a symbol of resistance. The distinctive look is one way of celebrating their indigenous heritage

This short-sighted, libertarian dash for the Covid exit is reckless Will Hutton

We are tantalisingly close to harnessing the the power of the stars Arthur Turrell

Theglobal ‘freedom movement’ is a danger to our democracy Van Badham

The success of the Welsh language is a sign of confidence – not a threat

Letters

A WEEK IN VENN DIAGRAMS

Wild card • Marina Abramović is known for her provocative performance art. How will that feed into her latest project as a self-help guru? Kadish Morris finds out

There will be more blood • An army of vampires and the undead are...