Advertisement

Monday afternoon news briefing: Boris Johnson is 'empty lecterned' by Luxembourg Prime Minister after no-show at press conference

Boris Johnson pulled out of a press conference with the Luxembourg Prime Minister on Monday - AP Pool
Boris Johnson pulled out of a press conference with the Luxembourg Prime Minister on Monday - AP Pool

If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here and try our Audio Briefings on WhatsApp.

Empty lectern in Luxembourg as Prime Minister ducks media

Boris Johnson pulled out of a joint press conference today after being heckled on the way into a meeting with the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. Click here to see the amusing pictures of the press conference, where Mr Bettel "empty lecterned" Mr Johnson. It comes after the PM enjoyed a working lunch with Jean-Claude Juncker, who told reporters he agreed Brexit talks "needed to intensify". You can read the latest developments on our politics liveblog. But as the Prime Minister says he "passionately believes" he can strike a Brexit deal in weeks, what kind of agreement could he secure with the EU - and can he sell it in London? Europe Editor Peter Foster analyses the options available.

Meanwhile, as the Lib Dem party conference continues, leader Jo Swinson has warned broadcasters not to "freeze" her out of TV debates. Here is what she told them they need to do. But her comments come amid a growing split in her partyover revoking Article 50. And former prime minister David Cameron has revealed why he pushed for military action against Syria, which eventually led to a first defeat of a government's foreign policy plans in more than 200 years.

Oil prices in record spike as fallout from Saudi attack intensifies

The fallout from the suspected Iranian attack on the Saudi Arabian oil facility has hit global markets, with the biggest spike in prices on record. It comes as US President Donald Trump and Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani appeared to back away from the prospect of talks today, after Tehran was blamed for the strike. Here is what Mr Trump tweeted about the meeting. And Harry de Quetteville explains how the drone attack is a vivid demonstration of how radically warfare has been changed by the machine revolution.

How many heatwaves Britain will experience each year revealed

Experts have long warned about the potential for huge climate change in the future. Now forecasters at the Met Office have put a figure on the number of heatwaves expected to be experienced each year in Britain in a look ahead to the next 50 years. The weather forecasters used their powerful supercomputer to make hyper-local predictions, enlisting top climate scientists to analyse the data. The projection took a year of computer time. Here is what they found.

News briefing

Video: The players to watch at the Rugby World Cup

In case you hadn’t heard, the Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday. Watch Telegraph journalists reveal their top 10 players to watch at this year’s tournament as Brian Moore explains why World Rugby needs to make big changes after the Japan World Cup if the game is to really grow.

 

Comment

World news: The one story you must read today...

Bird attack | An elderly cyclist has died in Australia while trying to avoid a swooping magpie in a park. The native bird was reportedly a repeat offender that was responsible for a string of aerial assaults. The Magpie Alert website, which tracks swooping magpies in the country, shows several attacks in the area.

Editor's choice

  1. Classical concerts | Messiaen at his most transcendent with Simon Rattle and the LSO at the Barbican

  2. How I made my first £1m | 'I started with £200 – now I plan parties for Prince William'

  3. Snoozing scarcity | Nine out of 10 children aren't getting enough sleep: here's how to get them back on track

Business and money briefing

‘We’re in 2005 again’ | Economist Robert Shiller thinks his peers have missed something big. Here's why he's warning about the US housing market.

Sport briefing

Rugby World Cup TV schedule | The sporting event of the year kicks off this month in Japan: the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Here’s how to watch every match.

And finally...

Insect sex | Picture it. Pullulating hordes, desperate to meet Miss or Mr Right. Sending out coy but unmistakable signals, then coupling up. The fate of the world depends upon it. Naturally, we’re talking about aphids. Here’s the story of the global race to harness the smell of insect sex to end the need for pesticides.