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US briefing: Ukraine, China's missiles and Facebook's backdoor	US briefing: Ukraine, China's missiles and Facebook's backdoor
2019-10-04 10:24:16 UTC	2019-10-04 10:56:10 UTC (32 minutes later)
Subscribe now to receive the morning briefing by email.	Subscribe now to receive the morning briefing by email.
Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.	Good morning, I’m Tim Walker with today’s essential stories.
Texts suggest Trump exerting pressure on Ukraine president	Texts suggest Trump exerting pressure on Ukraine president
US diplomats told Ukraine’s ~~president~~ Volodymyr ~~Zelenskiy~~ that his hopes of meeting Donald Trump to improve Kyiv’s relations with Washington rested on his vowing to investigate allegations against the Bidens. The exchange emerged in texts released as part of the impeachment inquiry, hours after Trump himself made an extraordinary public demand for China to investigate his prospective Democratic rival, threatening: “If they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous, tremendous power.”	US diplomats told Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, that his hopes of meeting Donald Trump to improve Kyiv’s relations with Washington rested on his vowing to investigate allegations against the Bidens. The exchange emerged in texts released as part of the impeachment inquiry, hours after Trump himself made an extraordinary public demand for China to investigate his prospective Democratic rival, threatening: “If they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous, tremendous power.”
Kurt Volker. The first witness in the impeachment inquiry was the former special envoy on Ukraine, who believed he could maintain the US policy of upholding Ukrainian independence despite Trump’s attachment to Putin. He was wrong, as Julian Borger reports.	Kurt Volker. The first witness in the impeachment inquiry was the former special envoy on Ukraine, who believed he could maintain the US policy of upholding Ukrainian independence despite Trump’s attachment to Putin. He was wrong, as Julian Borger reports.
‘Deep state’. The president’s allies continue to blame the so-called “deep state” for his impeachment, despite Steve Bannon himself debunking the conspiracy theory. In fact, says Richard Wolffe, Trump is becoming his own worst enemy.	‘Deep state’. The president’s allies continue to blame the so-called “deep state” for his impeachment, despite Steve Bannon himself debunking the conspiracy theory. In fact, says Richard Wolffe, Trump is becoming his own worst enemy.
Kurt Volker. The first witness in the impeachment inquiry was the former special envoy on Ukraine, who believed he could maintain the US policy of upholding Ukrainian independence despite Trump’s attachment to Putin. He was wrong, as Julian Borger reports.	Kurt Volker. The first witness in the impeachment inquiry was the former special envoy on Ukraine, who believed he could maintain the US policy of upholding Ukrainian independence despite Trump’s attachment to Putin. He was wrong, as Julian Borger reports.
‘Deep state’. The president’s allies continue to blame the so-called “deep state” for his impeachment, despite Steve Bannon himself debunking the conspiracy theory. In fact, says Richard Wolffe, Trump is becoming his own worst enemy.	‘Deep state’. The president’s allies continue to blame the so-called “deep state” for his impeachment, despite Steve Bannon himself debunking the conspiracy theory. In fact, says Richard Wolffe, Trump is becoming his own worst enemy.
Russia helping China build missile defence system, says Putin	Russia helping China build missile defence system, says Putin
The Russian ~~president~~ Vladimir ~~Putin~~ has said his country is helping China to develop a ballistic missile defence system of a sort that has so far been used only by Russia and the US. The network of ground-based radars and space satellites would give Beijing early warning of intercontinental ballistic missile launches. Speaking at a conference in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said it was “a very serious thing that will radically enhance China’s defence capability”.	The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has said his country is helping China to develop a ballistic missile defence system of a sort that has so far been used only by Russia and the US. The network of ground-based radars and space satellites would give Beijing early warning of intercontinental ballistic missile launches. Speaking at a conference in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said it was “a very serious thing that will radically enhance China’s defence capability”.
Eurasian cooperation. The news demonstrates increased cooperation between Moscow and ~~Beijing,~~ at a time when US relations with both powers are complicated by controversy over the Kremlin’s ties to Trump and the trade war between the US and China.	Eurasian cooperation. The news demonstrates increased cooperation between Moscow and Beijing at a time when US relations with both powers are complicated by controversy over the Kremlin’s ties to Trump and the trade war between the US and China.
Eurasian cooperation. The news demonstrates increased cooperation between Moscow and ~~Beijing,~~ at a time when US relations with both powers are complicated by controversy over the Kremlin’s ties to Trump and the trade war between the US and China.	Eurasian cooperation. The news demonstrates increased cooperation between Moscow and Beijing at a time when US relations with both powers are complicated by controversy over the Kremlin’s ties to Trump and the trade war between the US and China.
US to demand Facebook ‘backdoor’ to encrypted messages	US to demand Facebook ‘backdoor’ to encrypted messages
The US, UK and Australia plan to pressure Facebook into providing governments with a “backdoor” to its encrypted messaging system, allowing them to access the content of private communications, according to a letter from top officials to Mark Zuckerberg, which has been obtained by the Guardian. The signatories to the open letter, dated 4 October, include the US attorney ~~general~~ William ~~Barr~~ and Britain’s home secretary, Priti Patel.	The US, UK and Australia plan to pressure Facebook into providing governments with a “backdoor” to its encrypted messaging system, allowing them to access the content of private communications, according to a letter from top officials to Mark Zuckerberg, which has been obtained by the Guardian. The signatories to the open letter, dated 4 October, include the US attorney general, William Barr, and Britain’s home secretary, Priti Patel.
Data access. The US and UK have also unveiled a “world-first” data access agreement, permitting law enforcement agencies investigating serious crimes to demand certain data directly from the other country’s tech firms without going through their governments.	Data access. The US and UK have also unveiled a “world-first” data access agreement, permitting law enforcement agencies investigating serious crimes to demand certain data directly from the other country’s tech firms without going through their governments.
Data access. The US and UK have also unveiled a “world-first” data access agreement, permitting law enforcement agencies investigating serious crimes to demand certain data directly from the other country’s tech firms without going through their governments.	Data access. The US and UK have also unveiled a “world-first” data access agreement, permitting law enforcement agencies investigating serious crimes to demand certain data directly from the other country’s tech firms without going through their governments.
Los Angeles homeless face alarming increase in violence	Los Angeles homeless face alarming increase in violence
As a housing crisis forces more and more people on to the streets, homeless people and their advocates in Los Angeles are reportedly facing a ~~spike~~ in harassment and violence. Statistics have long shown that homeless people are more vulnerable to crimes such as assault, harassment and vandalism than the housed. The Guardian’s Carla Green spoke to almost a dozen homeless Angelenos, who all said there had been a noticeable increase in attacks in the past year, by people who target them for being homeless.	As a housing crisis forces more and more people on to the streets, homeless people and their advocates in Los Angeles are reportedly facing a rise in harassment and violence. Statistics have long shown that homeless people are more vulnerable to crimes such as assault, harassment and vandalism than the housed. The Guardian’s Carla Green spoke to almost a dozen homeless Angelenos, who all said there had been a noticeable increase in attacks in the past year, by people who target them for being homeless.
Arson attack. Prosecutors are reportedly considering charges of attempted murder against two men, including the son of a local chamber of commerce president, for setting fire to a homeless encampment in LA’s Eagle Rock neighbourhood in August.	Arson attack. Prosecutors are reportedly considering charges of attempted murder against two men, including the son of a local chamber of commerce president, for setting fire to a homeless encampment in LA’s Eagle Rock neighbourhood in August.
Public banks. In a bid to tackle the affordable housing crisis, California has legalised the creation of public banks by cities and counties, which could provide public agencies access to loans at interest rates much lower than private banks.	Public banks. In a bid to tackle the affordable housing crisis, California has legalised the creation of public banks by cities and counties, which could provide public agencies access to loans at interest rates much lower than private banks.
Arson attack. Prosecutors are reportedly considering charges of attempted murder against two men, including the son of a local chamber of commerce president, for setting fire to a homeless encampment in LA’s Eagle Rock neighbourhood in August.	Arson attack. Prosecutors are reportedly considering charges of attempted murder against two men, including the son of a local chamber of commerce president, for setting fire to a homeless encampment in LA’s Eagle Rock neighbourhood in August.
Public banks. In a bid to tackle the affordable housing crisis, California has legalised the creation of public banks by cities and counties, which could provide public agencies access to loans at interest rates much lower than private banks.	Public banks. In a bid to tackle the affordable housing crisis, California has legalised the creation of public banks by cities and counties, which could provide public agencies access to loans at interest rates much lower than private banks.
Cheat sheet	Cheat sheet
The EU has urged the UK government to publish its new Brexit plan in full as Boris Johnson heads to Europe for talks with Angela Merkel and other leaders, while Ireland’s prime minister has accused Johnson of misleading the British parliament.	The EU has urged the UK government to publish its new Brexit plan in full as Boris Johnson heads to Europe for talks with Angela Merkel and other leaders, while Ireland’s prime minister has accused Johnson of misleading the British parliament.
The actor James Franco faces a new lawsuit claiming he and other staff at his acting school “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students”, accusations that Franco refutes as “not accurate”.	The actor James Franco faces a new lawsuit claiming he and other staff at his acting school “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students”, accusations that Franco refutes as “not accurate”.
Google reportedly told subcontracted workers to target people with “darker skin tones” when harvesting face scans from the public to improve the firm’s facial recognition algorithms, which are notoriously inept at identifying people of color.	Google reportedly told subcontracted workers to target people with “darker skin tones” when harvesting face scans from the public to improve the firm’s facial recognition algorithms, which are notoriously inept at identifying people of color.
Thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have taken to the streets in masks after the territory’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, prepares to implement harsh colonial-era emergency powers banning face masks.	Thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have taken to the streets in masks after the territory’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, prepares to implement harsh colonial-era emergency powers banning face masks.
The EU has urged the UK government to publish its new Brexit plan in full as Boris Johnson heads to Europe for talks with Angela Merkel and other leaders, while Ireland’s prime minister has accused Johnson of misleading the British parliament.	The EU has urged the UK government to publish its new Brexit plan in full as Boris Johnson heads to Europe for talks with Angela Merkel and other leaders, while Ireland’s prime minister has accused Johnson of misleading the British parliament.
The actor James Franco faces a new lawsuit claiming he and other staff at his acting school “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students”, accusations that Franco refutes as “not accurate”.	The actor James Franco faces a new lawsuit claiming he and other staff at his acting school “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students”, accusations that Franco refutes as “not accurate”.
Google reportedly told subcontracted workers to target people with “darker skin tones” when harvesting face scans from the public to improve the firm’s facial recognition algorithms, which are notoriously inept at identifying people of color.	Google reportedly told subcontracted workers to target people with “darker skin tones” when harvesting face scans from the public to improve the firm’s facial recognition algorithms, which are notoriously inept at identifying people of color.
Thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have taken to the streets in masks after the territory’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, prepares to implement harsh colonial-era emergency powers banning face masks.	Thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have taken to the streets in masks after the territory’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, prepares to implement harsh colonial-era emergency powers banning face masks.
Must-reads	Must-reads
Art-rock legend Kim Gordon: ‘Consumerism is killing us’	Art-rock legend Kim Gordon: ‘Consumerism is killing us’
Sonic Youth, the seminal art-rock band ~~that~~ Kim Gordon co-founded with her ex-husband Thurston Moore, came to a natural conclusion when the couple split in 2011. Now, at 66, she is releasing her first solo record. “Playing bass was never my desire,” she tells Jenn Pelly. “It was a byproduct of wanting to make something exciting.”	Sonic Youth, the seminal art-rock band Kim Gordon co-founded with her ex-husband Thurston Moore, came to a natural conclusion when the couple split in 2011. Now, at 66, she is releasing her first solo record. “Playing bass was never my desire,” she tells Jenn Pelly. “It was a byproduct of wanting to make something exciting.”
Why is ‘junk science’ still sending people to death row?	Why is ‘junk science’ still sending people to death row?
For decades, US law enforcement has used ‘forensic hypnosis’ to draw out testimony from witnesses and victims, despite growing evidence that it is unreliable, relying on a false notion of memory as “a vast, permanent and potentially accessible storehouse of information,” as Ariel Ramchandani reports.	For decades, US law enforcement has used ‘forensic hypnosis’ to draw out testimony from witnesses and victims, despite growing evidence that it is unreliable, relying on a false notion of memory as “a vast, permanent and potentially accessible storehouse of information,” as Ariel Ramchandani reports.
The week’s best film about an extremist loner is not Joker	The week’s best film about an extremist loner is not Joker
The superficial similarities between the much-hyped revisionist supervillain movie Joker and Rob Lambert’s grimy low-budget drama Cuck are ~~numerous~~ ~~and~~ striking. But it is Lambert’s portrait of an online racist who turns to IRL violence that is the more repellent, honest and astute, says Charles Bramesco.	The superficial similarities between the much-hyped revisionist supervillain movie Joker and Rob Lambert’s grimy low-budget drama Cuck are striking. But it is Lambert’s portrait of an online racist who turns to IRL violence that is the more repellent, honest and astute, says Charles Bramesco.