Subscribe now to receive the morning briefing by email.
Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.
The Squad responds to Trump: ‘This is what racism looks like’
The four progressive Democratic congresswomen known as “the Squad” have responded to a racist attack by Donald Trump, who told the group on Twitter on Sunday to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came”. Trump claimed they “originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe”. In fact, Ilhan Omar is the only one of the four who was born abroad. Ayanna Pressley, the African-American representative from Massachusetts, who was born in Cincinnati, said: “This is what racism looks like.” Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who was born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrants, said Trump “needs to be impeached”.
Team sheet. The other two members of “the Squad” are New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was born not far from Trump in New York City and comes from a Puerto Rican family, and Omar, who was born in Somalia and arrived in the US aged nine.
Immigration raids. Trump claimed on Sunday that the Texas migrant detention centre visited by the vice-president, Mike Pence, last week was “clean but crowded”, as planned immigration raids caused fear and protests across the US.
Beto says he is ‘beneficiary’ of family’s slaveholder past
As he campaigns for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Beto O’Rourke has stated clearly that America’s legacy of slavery must be “repaired … through telling, learning and sharing”. Now, the former Texas congressman has acknowledged that he and his children are direct “beneficiaries” of that legacy, after the Guardian uncovered records showing that his ancestors owned slaves.
National story. O’Rourke, who did not know of this aspect of his family history until he was contacted by the Guardian, has since written: “We all need to know our own story as it relates to the national story, much as I am learning mine.”
Epstein to request house arrest while awaiting trial
Jeffrey Epstein is expected to appear in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday to argue that he ought to be kept under house arrest rather than in custody while awaiting trial for the alleged sex trafficking of minors. Lawyers for the financier and sex offender say home detention, electronic monitoring and the bond on his $77m New York mansion would prevent him leaving the country, but prosecutors have said Epstein is prepared to flee and that he has funnelled hundreds of thousands of dollars to potential witnesses in what federal prosecutors say is an attempt to influence them.
Hark the Herald. After the 2008 plea deal that Epstein struck with Alex Acosta in Florida, the US media largely whitewashed his story – with a single, honourable exception: the Miami Herald.
Activists plan Prime Day protests and Amazon boycott
Monday is Amazon’s annual Prime Day, the e-commerce behemoth’s arbitrary annual sale, which last year made the company more than $4bn. However, the date is also a rallying point for activists, immigrants and Amazon employees, who have promoted a boycott and planned demonstrations against the firm in at least seven US cities to protest against its working conditions and the use of its technology to facilitate the Trump administration’s deportation policy.
Swiftian nightmare. Part of the Prime Day “celebrations” was a concert broadcast on Amazon’s streaming service featuring artists such as Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa. “If you want a vision of the future, imagine Taylor Swift in a tasselled rainbow stiletto, stamping on a human face – for ever,” writes Joel Golby.
Crib sheet
Tropical Storm Barry only briefly achieved hurricane status as it reached the Gulf Coast states on Saturday, sparing New Orleans the worst but causing floods and power outages elsewhere in the region.
The killings of up to 30 women and children in retaliatory tribal violence in Papua New Guinea’s rural highlands constitute the “worst payback killing” in the country’s history, its police minister has said.
A plane carrying parachutists in northern Sweden crashed on Storsandskär island shortly after takeoff on Sunday, killing all nine people onboard. Witnesses reportedly saw some skydivers attempting to jump from the plane before the impact.
While Daniel Craig will return as James Bond for the 25th film in the franchise, it has been reported that his 007 codename has been reassigned to a character played by the black British actor Lashana Lynch.
Must-reads
Can our cities survive the e-scooter scourge?
They’re cheaper than cabs, less effort than a bike and more convenient than the bus. But as the number of e-scooter accidents increases, a backlash against this tech-driven, eco-friendly transport option is growing, as James Tapper reports from Copenhagen.
Assisted dying is on the rise – but where?
The rates of euthanasia, assisted dying and assisted suicide are on the increase, with new countries and jurisdictions legalising the practice – including in the US. But what is the difference between the methods, and under what circumstances are they permitted? Nicola Davis explains.
The real Boris Johnson
The man most likely to become Britain’s next prime minister once conspired to have a journalist beaten up, switched political parties solely to win an election and, as a young reporter, helped create a distorted view of the EU that his biographer, Sonia Purnell, says has dogged the UK’s relationship with Europe ever since.
Easy Rider at 50
Fifty years ago, Dennis Hopper set out to make a rebellious, rambling road movie. It is remembered now as one of the great films of the 1960s and set the template for the New Hollywood of the 1970s. Charles Bramesco assesses the legacy of Easy Rider.
Opinion
Trump’s attacks on four American congresswomen suggest the only person in this story who has truly failed to integrate into American society is Trump himself, says Richard Wolffe.
Trump is unfortunately correct when he says their government is “the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all).” Because it’s his own government and it barely functions.
Sport
Novak Djokovic has called his epic Wimbledon final victory over Roger Federer on Sunday “the most mentally demanding match” of his career. With 16 grand slam titles under his belt, Djokovic is now closing in on Rafael Nadal’s 18 and Federer’s record of 20. Meanwhile, the women’s champion, Simona Halep, has her sights set on the 2020 Olympics.
England won the Cricket World Cup on home turf on Sunday with a thrilling, photo-finish win over New Zealand at Lord’s that observers have described as the greatest one-day game ever played.
Sign up
The US morning briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now.
