Top story: Where does the power lie?
Good morning and welcome to this Tuesday briefing with Alison Rourke.
The country’s highest court will start hearing arguments for and against parliament prorogation, in a case that’s set to test the the foundations of the UK’s unwritten constitution, including the respective powers of parliament, the courts and the government. Was proroguing parliament designed to prevent MPs’ scrutiny of Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans or to give his government time to set out its new legislative agenda for when parliament returns on 14 October? So far Scottish and English courts have handed down contradictory judgments. The supreme court, sitting in London, must reconcile them over the next three days.
It comes after the PM’s humiliating “empty chair” press conference in Luxembourg exposed the fault lines between the UK and Europe. Johnson was booed and jeered as he left a working lunch with the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, before opting out of plans to speak alongside Luxembourg’s prime minister. Xavier Bettel, speaking alongside Johnson’s empty lectern, mocked the PM’s varying suggestions in recent weeks that there had been good progress in the Brexit talks and that it would take the strength of the comic book hero the Incredible Hulk to leave the EU with a deal. As Jon Henley writes, Bettel’s anger highlights a bleak truth: the EU27 just wants Britain to go.
Meanwhile, the Lib Dems leader, Jo Swinson, will close the party’s conference this afternoon with a rallying cry over Brexit. She will argue the “tired old parties” are losing their dominance and that the Lib Dems could win 100 or more seats at an election.
Trump tax returns – New York prosecutors have issued a subpoena for eight years of the president’s records as part of the investigation into hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. It’s believed the subpoena includes personal and corporate tax returns. Trump is the first president in nearly 40 years not to release his returns, despite promising to do so in his election campaign. The firm that prepares his returns said in a statement that it would “fully comply with its legal obligations” but a lawyer for the Trump Organization, Marc Mukasey, said he was “evaluating the situation and will respond as appropriate”.
Israel election – Voters head to the polls today for the second time this year, in a campaign that has seen the PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, demonise Israel’s Arab minority and vow to annex much of the Palestinian territories. April’s ballot failed to produce a government when coalition talks stalled after the far-right former defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, a Netanyahu ally-turned-rival, refused to back the PM. Netanyahu’s biggest rival is security hawk and former head of the army Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party. But with a razor-thin margin expected, another stalemate is a potential outcome, plunging the country into further political crisis.
Dark web paedophiles – The Home Office will fund the use of artificial intelligence including voice analysis and age estimation to see whether they can help track down child abusers. Earlier this month the chancellor, Sajid Javid, announced £30m would be set aside to tackle online child sexual exploitation, with the Home Office releasing more information today on how it would be spent. Law enforcement bodies have welcomed the greater resources but critics described the government’s crackdown on crime as cynical populist politics designed to sway voters before a possible general election.
Amazon crime – Deforestation is being driven by criminal networks that threaten and attack government officials and indigenous people, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. “As long as you have this level of violence, lawlessness and impunity for the crimes committed by these criminal groups it will be impossible for Brazil to rein in deforestation,” says the report’s author, Cesar Muñoz Acebes. “These criminal networks will attack anyone who stands in their way.” The report documents 28 killings in which it found evidence that “those responsible were engaged in illegal deforestation and saw their victims as obstacles”. Thousands of fires have been burning across the world’s biggest rainforest this year, with deforestation rising to a rate not seen in a decade.
‘He’s a barbarian’ – A village in New Zealand has banned a replica of Captain Cook’s ship, the Endeavour, from docking to mark 250 years since the explorer’s arrival after an outcry from the local Māori community. Anahera Herbert-Graves, the head of Northland’s Ngāti Kahu iwi, or tribe, told Radio NZ: “He [Cook] was a barbarian. Wherever he went, like most people of the time of imperial expansion, there were murders, there were abductions, there were rapes, and just a lot of bad outcomes for the indigenous people.” She objected to the idea that the 250-year commemorations events were using “euphemisms like ‘encounters’ and ‘meetings’ to disguise what were actually invasions”.
Today in Focus podcast: How dangerous is chlorinated chicken?
Chlorine-washed chicken from the US has become a totemic issue in the post-Brexit trade deals Britain could look to secure. But is it unsafe? And what does it say about the different attitudes to food production on either side of the Atlantic? Also today: Israelis go to the polls for their second election of the year.
How dangerous is chlorinated chicken?
Lunchtime read: Could a thrilling short film save the Jurassic franchise?
The new Jurassic World film, Battle at Big Rock, is by far the best in the series, managing to be wholly original (unlike Jurassic World) without being aggressively, bonk-headedly stupid (unlike Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), writes Stuart Heritage. It’s tight, it’s tense and a perfect fat-free distillation of everything that’s good about the franchise. However – and now for the bad news – it’s only eight minutes long. Filmed in secret and released this weekend, Battle at Big Rock is an odd duck indeed, Heritage says. Three things make it stand out. First, the campers in the film have no idea that the dinosaurs are coming, so their shock is at least genuine. Second, in its inventive use of a high chair and its distinctive framing of a roar it achieves a one-two punch of indelible series-best moments. And third, the mid-credit scenes are absolutely bonkers … and its release might be time to get excited about Jurassic World again.
Sport
Ben Stokes believes Jofra Archer to be the most talented fast bowler he has seen and one who can help regain the Ashes in Australia. It has not been the perfect summer for England, and the Test side requires work, but Trevor Bayliss delivered the prize England coveted most – the World Cup. Liverpool have landed in Italy for their Champions League game against Napoli and, despite a late defeat in last year’s group stage, Jürgen Klopp insists a triumphant campaign has only made his squad hungry for more. England’s players have been enjoying their welcome in Japan but are ready to focus Sunday’s Rugby World Cup opener with Tonga. Suzann Pettersen is keen to lead Europe at the next Solheim Cup after announcing retirement but Catriona Matthew “wouldn’t say no” if offered the captaincy for a second time. Arthur Masuaku was sent off and Jack Grealish missed a golden late chance in a 0-0 draw between Aston Villa and West Ham at Villa Park while Arsenal’s Daniëlle van de Donk, a substitute, scored a late winner to seal a 1-0 victory over newly promoted Manchester United in the Women’s Super League. And an RAF senior aircraftman has died after being injured playing in an inter-services rugby league match against the army.
Business
Oil lost some of its massive gains on Tuesday, but the threat of military action over the attacks on Saudi oil facilities (Trump says the US’s response will depend on Saudi Arabia’s assessment of the attacks) kept prices elevated and stocks under pressure. While equity market losses have not been large, shaky investor confidence continued to support safe-haven assets, with gold edging higher. Investors otherwise broadly remained on the sidelines ahead of an expected interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve on Wednesday and the next round of US-China trade talks on Thursday.
The pound is buying $1.241 and €1.127.
The papers
A photo of Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg’s PM, and an empty podium feature on many of the front pages today after Boris Johnson pulled out of a joint press conference.
The Guardian says: “Johnson left humiliated as Brexit visit ends in chaos”, the Telegraph reports: “Luxembourg laughs in Johnson’s face”, the Times has: “Tory anger as Johnson ambushed in Europe”, the i reports: “Johnson hounded out of EU talks” and the Express says: “No wonder Britain voted to quit the EU”.
The FT continues reporting on the impact of the drone attacks in Saudi Arabia: “Crude price spikes as fears mount over disruption to Saudi supply”, the Mirror has a story about Gary Lineker: “I’ve told BBC to cut my pay”, and the Mail has a story about the delayed rollout of smart meters: “£13.5bn smart meters fiasco”.
Sign up
The Guardian Morning Briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes bright and early every weekday. If you are not already receiving it by email, you can sign up here.
For more news: www.theguardian.com