US-UK diplomatic crisis
The row between the US and the UK over remarks made by British ambassador Sir Kim Darroch about Donald Trump has developed into a diplomatic crisis, The Guardian reports. Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross postponed planned trade talks with UK secretary of state for international trade Liam Fox. Trump had responded by calling Sir Kim “wacky” and “a very stupid guy”, the BBC says. Boris Johnson, meanwhile, has not ruled out firing Sir Kim if he becomes prime minister, according to CNN. But his rival for the job, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, called Trump “disrespectful”, Sky News reports.
India next tariff target for Trump?
On a busy Twitter day for the US president, he also ratcheted up his war of words with India over trade terms between the two countries, CNBC reports. Trump tweeted: “India has long had a field day putting Tariffs on American products. No longer acceptable!” Earlier this year the US had stripped India of a preferential status, and India responded by raising tariffs on 28 US goods, India Today reports.
Trump can’t block Twitter critics
But his love of Twitter has to be democratic, the president discovered on Tuesday when The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University won a law suit. It had sued on behalf of seven individuals blocked on Twitter by Trump after criticising his policies, The Guardian reports. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Trump blocking critics constitutes “viewpoint discrimination” that “violates the First Amendment” Vox says,
Census: court rejects legal team swap request
The U.S. Department of Justice has lost its request to change lawyers handling the US 2020 Census case, Reuters reports. The Washington Post says a federal judge ruled that the attempt to switch layers, after the administration lost an attempt to add a citizenship question to the census, was “patently deficient” and provides no “satisfactory reasons.”
Tribal violence in Papua New Guinea
At least 15 women and children were killed in a massacre in Papua New Guinea on Monday, The Guardian reports. ABC cites a department of health worker who says 8 of the victims were under 15 and two were pregnant women.
Carrie Lam says extradition deal is dead
Hong Kong leaders Carrie Lam in Tuesday said that her government's work on a controversial extradition bill had been a "total failure" and that the legislation was now “dead”, the BBC and Reuters report.
Perot passes away
Two-time presidential candidate and billionaire Ross Perot has died at the age of 89, the BBC reports. The Guardian has an obituary.
Virgin Galactic to launch IPO
Richard Branson’s space travel project Virgin Galactic is to go public by end of the year, according to Reuters. It will list its shares as part of a merger deal with Social Capital Hedosophia, a special-purpose acquisition company that will invest $800 million for a 49% stake in the combined company. CNBC says Virgin Galactic has already raised $80 million by selling sold 600 tickets to aspiring astronauts.
Tom Steyer announces 2020 run
Billionaire Tom Steyer, who has urged Democrats to impeach Donald Trump, announced on Tuesday he is entering the race for the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election, Reuters reports.
Minaj cancels Saudi show
Pop star Nicki Minaj has said she is pulling out of a concert in Saudi Arabia in order to make clear her “support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression” The Guardian reports.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts