This week we continued our special series Israel-Gaza: one year on, marking the anniversary of the 7 October attacks. Jerusalem correspondent Bethan McKernan revisited Nir Oz kibbutz (above), which sustained an extraordinary amount of bloodshed in the Hamas attack that day. Bethan also charted the year-long journey around Gaza of the Palestinian artist Maisara Baroud and his family, who have been displaced 12 times since the start of the Israel-Gaza war. Majdi Fathi is a freelance photojournalist living and working from al-Aqsa, the only functioning hospital in central Gaza. In this powerful video he shared scenes of life behind the lens with his young family, from 12 months of covering the war in Gaza. International security correspondent Jason Burke looked at everything we now know about the disastrous Israeli intelligence failures that allowed the attack to happen. We also told the story of Gaza’s youngest and oldest victims from the past year as well as a visual explainer showing the levels of devastation wrought on Gaza.
While our US team was reporting on the impact of Hurricane Helene and the first-hand accounts of its aftermath, more than a million people were asked to evacuate their homes ahead of Hurricane Milton, one of the fastest intensifying Atlantic storms on record. Our package of stories revealed what the frequency and intensity of these storms shows us about the climate crisis, as well as how some politicians placed party lines ahead of protecting life.
Charlotte Higgins and photographer Julia Kochetova visited the frontline Ukrainian city of Kharkiv to speak to the artists, poets and curators who are trying to keep the city’s culture alive against the relentless threat of Russian missiles.
Daniel Boffey has been following the Mohamed Al Fayed story and revealed in a Guardian exclusive how Metropolitan police officers allegedly enabled the sexual abuse of female staff members at Harrods. Kate Lyons continued her focus on the domestic violence crisis in Australia with this powerful interview with a woman and her son in the grip of a coercive relationship.
David Smith’s exclusive report on Donald Trump’s foul-mouthed rant in a closed-door fundraiser provided a fascinating glimpse into Trump’s conduct behind the scenes. In 2016 he won more votes from white women than Hillary Clinton. But a lot has changed since then; Carter Sherman asked if young white women will keep Trump out of office this time by voting for Kamala Harris.
Anna Isaac had an important exclusive on the news that UK chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering raising capital gains tax (a levy on the sale of assets such as second homes and shares) to raise funds for the UK’s crumbling public services.
With the world transfixed by the horrifying trial of Dominique Pelicot in France, it was shocking to read the story of Franky Dean - who, aged 12, was abused by a friend’s father during a sleepover. From the photo evidence, police wrongly assumed she was asleep and told her parents not to tell her. Arielle Domb’s piece was a fascinating insight into the moral dilemmas when it comes to “unknowing” victims. In her This is Europe newsletter, Katherine Butler asked whether the Pelicot case would move the dial on attitudes about violence against women in France.
The Observer’s Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Raphael Boyd broke new ground on the “freebies” saga that has engulfed the UK’s new Labour government. They revealed the Premier League and top football clubs had provided free tickets to more than 40 Labour MPs, including the prime minister and nine other members of the cabinet, amid a campaign to water down the powers of the new independent football regulator.
An investigation published as part of our America’s dirty divide series last week revealed that industry advocates, including officials at the US Department of Agriculture, are using taxpayer dollars to downplay the dangers of pesticides, discredit opponents, and undermine international policymaking. Carey Gillam, Margot Gibbs and Elena DeBre’s report was even featured prominently on the world’s biggest podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience.
I loved Catherine Shoard’s definitive piece marking 40 years since the actor Leonard Rossiter died mid-performance; Alex Blasdel’s long read on private equity; Carly Earl and Mandy McKeeisck’s photo essay on a new generation of animal-loving drovers in the Australian outback; Kate Summerscale on how the infamous 10 Rillington Place murders echo the contemporary obsession with true crime; and Jess Cartner-Morley’s joyful style hacks — “for those with champagne taste and a cider budget”.
Finally, this week the Guardian launched The Filter, our new online home for trusted product reviews, recommendations and sustainable shopping guides to help counter the noise and avoid fake reviews and suspect deals (sign up for the newsletter here). As you would expect, all our articles are 100% independent, and no advertiser or retailer can pay to be included in them. You can trust them. This week, outdoor clothing expert Paddy Maddison has been trying out the best men’s walking boots for every type of hiking adventure.
One more thing … A large percentage of the women in my life read All Fours by Miranda July this summer. Let’s just say … if you’re of a certain age, you’re going to love it.
