The Week UK

The best of the media in one magazine. Each issue stitches together news and views from more than 200 global news sources into an utterly enjoyable, informative read.

Syria’s new dawn

Andrew and the “spy”

It wasn’t all bad

THE WEEK

The Week

Missed chances

Puberty blockers ban

UK economy shrinks

Spirit of the age

Good week for:

Bad week for:

Poll watch

Europe at a glance

The world at a glance

People

Castaway of the week • This week’s edition of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs featured the singer and actress Cher

The age of jargon

Farewell

The house of Assad • Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half-a-century – until 8 December this year

The Syrian gulag

Best articles: Britain

IT MUST BE TRUE… • I read it in the tabloids

Best of the American columnists

The shooting of a CEO: turning a killer into a folk hero

Best articles: International

Syrian refugees: the sound of doors closing across Europe

What the scientists are saying…

Google’s super-fast quantum chip

A urine test for lung cancer

The Christmas quiz • Test your grasp of current affairs and general knowledge with our quiz

Rugby union: how Covid has taken its toll on Exeter Chiefs

Football: Manchester City lose the plot… again

Commentary box

Sporting headlines

Pick of the week’s correspondence

ID cards: has their time come?

Books of the year • The critics’ top eight choices based on Christmas selections in national newspapers, The London Standard, The TLS, The Spectator and The New Statesman

Theatre: The Producers • Menier Chocolate Factory, London SE1 (020-7378 1713). Until 1 March Running time: 2hrs 50mins

Podcasts… a voyage into space, and a gripping mystery

Film & TV

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Netflix adaptation of García Márquez’s novel

Exhibition of the week The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998 • Barbican Art Gallery, London EC2 (020-7870 2500, barbican.org.uk). Until 5 January

Parmigianino: The Vision of Saint Jerome • The National Gallery, London WC2 (020-7747 2885, nationalgallery.org.uk). Until 9 March

Best books… Caroline Quentin • The actress picks five favourites. A life-long gardener, her self-illustrated book Drawn to the Garden (Frances Lincoln £20) came out this year. She shares her love of horticulture at cqgardens.com and on Instagram @cqgardens

At-a-glance guide to the best holiday television

The Archers

New to streaming

Characterful country retreats

Upside-down sticky pear and walnut cake • I was never a fan of upside-down cakes, until I realised one vital point, says Nicola Lamb: they MUST be eaten warm. Somewhere between a cake and a hot pudding, this one is just the thing to serve at the end of a celebratory lunch. The buckwheat flour gives it the most delicious, potent flavour; but if you don’t have any to hand, you could sub for more ground walnuts or flour.

What the experts recommend

Sweet wines

The best… presents for teenagers

Tips… on etiquette at Christmas • Etiquette expert William Hanson shares his tips on navigating the festive period:

And for those who have everything…

Where to find… last-minute gift subscriptions

In the footsteps of wartime heroes in western France

Getting the flavour of…

Hotel of the week

The journalist at the centre of the “Hitler’s Diaries” fiasco

Lay preacher who lent his name to a haulage giant

Companies in the news …and how they were assessed

Seven days in...