
THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘Is This The Death of International Law?’…
Once viewed as a safeguard against global injustice, international law has become increasingly politicised and dysfunctional in recent years. As Linda Kinstler writes in a fascinating essay for the cover story of this week’s Guardian Weekly magazine, the norms, institutions and good faith essential to the system functioning effectively have been badly eroded, and it’s hard to see how the problems can be reversed.
Institutions like the UN security council and international criminal court (ICC) are now often simply ignored or manipulated by powerful member states. The ICC in particular has struggled with legitimacy and enforcement, delivering only a few convictions, amid resistance from big powers such as the US and Russia. The unilateralism of Trump has further undermined the system, while China’s growing influence is shifting the international focus away from human rights.
Spotlight | How the rise of Zohran Mamdani is dividing Democrats
Many believe the New York mayoral hopeful signals time for the national party to evolve but others say his brand of politics will not appeal in key battlegrounds. Lauren Gambino and Alaina Demopoulos report
Environment | Tipping points, doomerism and catastrophic risks
Climate expert Genevieve Guenther talks to Jonathan Watts on the importance of correcting the false narrative that climate threat is under control – and why it is appropriate to be scared
Feature | The politics of breasts
Breasts have always been political – and now they’re front and centre again. Is it yet another way in which Trump’s worldview is reshaping the culture? By Jess Cartner-Morley
Opinion | The global order is being dismantled by an ageing generation
Just when the world desperately needs wise elders, its fate is in the hands of old and ruthless patriarchs, argues David Van Reybrouck
Culture | The Herds: The animal marathon stampeding to the Arctic
Why is a huge pack of puppet animals, from tiny monkeys to towering elephants, making a 20,000km cross-planet odyssey? Kate Wyver spent a week as an antelope to find out