logo
Broken justice: inside the 4 July Guardian Weekly

Broken justice: inside the 4 July Guardian Weekly

The Guardian2 days ago
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.
Critics argue that rather than justice, international law is now often used to provide legal cover for aggression, as seen in conflicts like Lebanon and Gaza. So, can anything be done?
Some experts remain hopeful, seeing the climate crisis as a potential catalyst for renewal. Ultimately though, perhaps the future prospects for international law are most tellingly – and ominously – reflected in the fragile state of global politics itself.
Get the Guardian Weekly delivered to your home address
Spotlight | How the rise of Zohran Mamdani is dividing DemocratsMany 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 breastsBreasts 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 generationJust 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 ArcticWhy 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
It's Wimbledon tennis fortnight but this beacon of British sporting tradition has taken a revolutionary turn, ditching its famous line judges for an AI-based system of robotic cameras. With a guarded reception from both players and fans, this interesting opinion piece begs the question: is human-free perfection really a desirable thing to pursue in all areas of life? Graham Snowdon, editor
The Tour de France sets off for its 112th edition on 5 July, with the riders putting themselves to the test physically and mentally as they cover more than 3,300km en route to the final stage's dash around Paris. The perfect way to build up to the Grand Départ is William Fotheringham's wheel through the history and drama of 50 years of finishes on Champs-Élysées. Clare Horton, assistant editor
Audio | Who will win Euro 2025? Our panel make their predictions – Women's Football Weekly
Video | Bougainvilleans went to war to shut down the Panguna mine. Why do some want it reopened?
Gallery | Stephen Shames's photographs of the Black Panthers
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the magazine: for submissions to our letters page, please email weekly.letters@theguardian.com. For anything else, it's editorial.feedback@theguardian.com
Facebook
Instagram
Get the Guardian Weekly magazine delivered to your home address
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week
Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week

Glasgow Times

time25 minutes ago

  • Glasgow Times

Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week

The Prime Minister and France's leader will dial into a meeting with allies on Thursday, as Mr Macron makes his first state visit to the UK, it is understood. Britain and France have led efforts to establish the coalition, a peacekeeping force aimed at policing any future ceasefire deal in Ukraine, and deterring further threats by Russia. The effectiveness of the coalition has been called into question, as only London and Paris have so far indicated they would provide frontline soldiers towards it. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he arrives on Air Force One, Friday, July 4, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The peacekeeping mission would also be predicated on American air support, something which US President Donald Trump has been unwilling to openly say he would provide. Russia launched a massive barrage of drone strikes on Kyiv overnight, reportedly the largest since the war began. Some 550 drones and missiles were fired at Ukraine in the strikes, with the capital Kyiv the primary target. At least 23 people were injured, with 14 taken to hospital, according to the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko. The strikes came hours after Mr Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, pushing him to accept a truce. No 10 said the continued Russia strikes were 'clear evidence that Putin was not serious about peace', as it condemned them. The Russian strike on Kyiv was reportedly one of the biggest of the war (AP Photo/Yehor Konovalov) A Downing Street spokesman added: 'Since Ukraine agreed to an unconditional ceasefire over four months ago, 700 civilians have been killed, more than 3,000 injured, 'We are, alongside our allies, absolutely united in support of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. We are clear that must start with a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.' The UK's immediate focus is 'stepping up our support Ukraine, ratcheting up the pressure on Russia', he said. Mr Trump has halted some shipments of critical weapons to Kyiv in recent days, including those used for air defences. Ukraine has warned the move will prevent it from defending against Russian air strikes.

Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week
Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week

Rhyl Journal

time26 minutes ago

  • Rhyl Journal

Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week

The Prime Minister and France's leader will dial into a meeting with allies on Thursday, as Mr Macron makes his first state visit to the UK, it is understood. Britain and France have led efforts to establish the coalition, a peacekeeping force aimed at policing any future ceasefire deal in Ukraine, and deterring further threats by Russia. The effectiveness of the coalition has been called into question, as only London and Paris have so far indicated they would provide frontline soldiers towards it. The peacekeeping mission would also be predicated on American air support, something which US President Donald Trump has been unwilling to openly say he would provide. Russia launched a massive barrage of drone strikes on Kyiv overnight, reportedly the largest since the war began. Some 550 drones and missiles were fired at Ukraine in the strikes, with the capital Kyiv the primary target. At least 23 people were injured, with 14 taken to hospital, according to the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko. The strikes came hours after Mr Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, pushing him to accept a truce. No 10 said the continued Russia strikes were 'clear evidence that Putin was not serious about peace', as it condemned them. A Downing Street spokesman added: 'Since Ukraine agreed to an unconditional ceasefire over four months ago, 700 civilians have been killed, more than 3,000 injured, 'We are, alongside our allies, absolutely united in support of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. We are clear that must start with a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.' The UK's immediate focus is 'stepping up our support Ukraine, ratcheting up the pressure on Russia', he said. Mr Trump has halted some shipments of critical weapons to Kyiv in recent days, including those used for air defences. Ukraine has warned the move will prevent it from defending against Russian air strikes.

‘A dark day for our country': Democrats furious over Trump bill's passage
‘A dark day for our country': Democrats furious over Trump bill's passage

The Guardian

time29 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

‘A dark day for our country': Democrats furious over Trump bill's passage

Democrats have erupted in a storm of outrage over the passage of the Donald Trump's budget bill, delivering scathing critiques that offered signs of the attack lines the party could wield against Republicans in next year's midterm elections. Party leaders released a wave of statements after the sweeping tax and spending bill's passage on Thursday, revealing a fury that could peel paint off a brick outhouse. 'Today, Donald Trump and the Republican party sent a message to America: if you are not a billionaire, we don't give a damn about you,' said Ken Martin, the Democratic National Committee chair. 'While the GOP continues to cash their billionaire donors' checks, their constituents will starve, lose critical medical care, lose their jobs – and yes, some will die as a result of this bill. Democrats are mobilizing and will fight back to make sure everybody knows exactly who is responsible for one of the worst bills in our nation's history.' The bill's narrow passage in the House on Thursday, with no Democratic support and only two no votes from Republicans – which came from Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania – is 'not normal', wrote congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ocasio-Cortez highlighted the contradictions in the bill that Democrats can be expected to campaign on over the next two years, pitting its spending on immigration enforcement against the loss of social benefits for working-class Americans. She noted that Republicans voted for permanent tax breaks for billionaires while allowing a tax break on tips for people earning less than $25,000 a year to sunset in three years. She also noted that cuts to Medicaid expansion will remove tipped employees from eligibility for Medicaid and remove subsidies for insurance under the Affordable Care Act, and reduce Snap food assistance benefits. 'I don't think anyone is prepared for what they just did with Ice,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Bluesky. 'This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion – making Ice bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, [the] DEA and others combined. It is setting up to make what's happening now look like child's play. And people are disappearing.' Many critics referred to choice remarks made by Republicans in the run-up to the bill's passage that displayed an indifference to their voters' concerns. Senator Mitch McConnell was reported by Punchbowl News to have said to other Republicans in a closed-door meeting last week: 'I know a lot of us are hearing from people back home about Medicaid. But they'll get over it.' And Republican senator Joni Ernst, of Iowa, speaking at a combative town hall in Parkersburg in late May, responded to someone in the audience shouting that people will die without coverage by saying, 'People are not … well, we all are going to die' – a response that drew groans. Cuts to Medicaid feature prominently in Democratic reaction to the bill. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib described the bill as 'disgusting' and 'an act of violence against our communities'. She said: 'Republicans should be ashamed for saying, 'Just get over it' because 'We're all going to die.' They are responsible for the 50,000 people who will die unnecessarily every year because of this deadly budget.' 'There is no sugarcoating this. This is a dark day for our country,' wrote senator Raphael Warnock. 'Republicans in Washington have decided to sell out working people. As a result, millions will lose their healthcare and many millions more will see their premiums go up. Rural hospitals and nursing homes across Georgia will be forced to close. Children will be forced to go hungry so that we can give billionaires another tax cut.' But budget hawks on the left and the right have taken issue with the effects this budget will have on the already considerable national debt. 'In a massive fiscal capitulation, Congress has passed the single most expensive, dishonest, and reckless budget reconciliation bill ever – and, it comes amidst an already alarming fiscal situation,' wrote Maya MacGuineas, the president of the oversight organization Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, in reaction to the House's passage of the bill. 'Never before has a piece of legislation been jammed through with such disregard for our fiscal outlook, the budget process, and the impact it will have on the wellbeing of the country and future generations.' 'House Republicans just voted – again – to jack up costs, gut health care, and reward the elite with tax breaks,' wrote the House Majority Pac, a Democratic fund. 'They had a chance to change course, but instead they doubled down on this deeply unpopular, toxic agenda. They'll have no one to blame but themselves when voters send them packing and deliver Democrats the House majority in 2026.' 'Republicans didn't pass this bill for the people,' wrote Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat. 'They passed it to please Trump, protect the powerful and push cruelty disguised as policy.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store