This week’s cover

In most of the world this week we look at Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick. The week began with awful news: that a gunman had tried to veto the democratic choices of millions of Americans by assassinating Donald Trump. Fortunately, the shooter failed and Mr Trump suffered only a minor wound, though a bystander was killed and others were badly injured.

Our early cover ideas stressed how close America came to having a presidential election upended. Our initial thought was to have a bullet, stark and simple, painted with stars and stripes. We also considered a more subtle image: Old Glory, with a bullet hole just nicking the edge of its uppermost stripe and blood trickling down, as if from Mr Trump’s lacerated ear.