Tuesday morning news briefing: Donald Trump defends Wisconsin shooting suspect

Donald Trump defends Kenosha shooting suspect

Donald Trump has refused to condemn a 17-year-old accused of killing two protesters when he took to the streets with a rifle in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during demonstrations against the shooting of Jacob Blake. Kyle Rittenhouse has been charged with two counts of first degree homicide and one count of attempted homicide over the shootings. Footage of the incident was widely distributed on social media last week. Mr Rittenhouse appears to be being chased in one video before turning and shooting. In another after tripping he is kicked and hit with a skateboard before he shoots two other pursuers. The shootings happened last Tuesday evening. The US president said Mr Rittenhouse "probably would have been killed" in the incident in comments likely to prompt fierce criticism from some who have questioned why Mr Rittenhouse decided to police the streets with a gun in the first place.

Joe Biden, Mr Trump's rival in the US presidential election, has called for rioters and looters to be prosecuted, decrying their behaviour as "lawlessness" in his strongest condemnation yet of the campaign of the violence seen in some US cities this year. The Democratic presidential nominee, under pressure from his Republican rival's repeated claims he is weak on "law and order", drew a distinction between peaceful anti-racism protests and those resorting to violence. Mr Biden continues to lead Mr Trump in the national polls as the US approaches the election in November. This graph shows how their polling compares. It comes as one of Mr Trump's top coronavirus advisers has issued a statement saying the White House is not pursuing a "herd immunity" strategy.

Pupils face GCSE and A-level exam delay next summer

GCSE and A-level exams will be delayed next summer to give children a chance to catch up on lost lesson time, Gavin Williamson has indicated. The Education Secretary told The Telegraph he was studying plans for a "short delay" to public exams "with the aim of creating more teaching time". Read on for details of the plans as around four in 10 schools in England reopen fully today for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown in March, with the remainder opening by the start of next week. Mr Williamson said the new term brought a sense of "fresh hope" after months of turmoil. It comes as a study by one of Britain's leading education research bodies suggests boys have fallen further behind girls during the pandemic, with some now lagging up to six months behind.

Adele backed by MPs amid 'cultural appropriation' row

Photographs of Adele have had a tendency to "break the internet" since images first emerged of her dramatic weight loss. Yet the latest picture of the star has seen her defended by the likes of Naomi Campbell and David Lammy after she was embroiled in a "cultural appropriation" row. The singer shared a photograph of herself wearing a bikini printed with the Jamaican flag and her hair tied in bantu knots - a traditional African hairstyle - to mark the Notting Hill Carnival. But the post sparked a bitter row as hundreds of people accused her of insensitivity. Mr Lammy, the Labour MP for Adele's native Tottenham, north London, branded the criticism "poppycock". Take a look at the picture and read the response.

At a glance: More coronavirus headlines

• Flu jabs | Millions may be delayed until December despite crisis fears

• Foreign aid | Raab resisting plans to cut budget to pay Covid costs

• Flight outbreaks | Travel chiefs want law for face masks on planes

• Quarantine chaos | Portugal expected to be put back on 'red list'

• Covid deaths | Children nearly 20 times as likely to die from injury

Also in the news: Today's other headlines

Left-wing comedy shows | The BBC's new director-general is planning to tackle perceived Left-wing bias in the corporation's comedy shows, The Telegraph can disclose. Tim Davie believes the BBC's comedy output is seen as too one-sided and needs a radical overhaul in the coming months, senior sources revealed. In an article today, Ruth Davidson outlines why Mr Davie must face the need for deep reform.

• Civil service | Duke of Cambridge's former private secretary to lead

• Eight-hour search | Lone Channel swimmer found 500m from Dover

• Body found | Missing British diplomat vanished in May

• Helicopter crash | Pilot 'haunted by memory of water filling cockpit'

• War on obesity | Overweight adults to go on 'soup and shakes' diet

Around the world: India captures Chinese camp

Indian troops have captured an important Chinese military post after allegedly fighting off an attempt by the People's Liberation Army to occupy further Indian territory in the disputed border region of Ladakh. The move was triggered after around 500 Chinese troops had tried to cross into Spanggur, a narrow valley near the village of Chushul. Three hours of hand-to-hand combat ensued. Read on for details and view more striking pictures from around the world in today's gallery.

Comment and analysis

• Charles Moore | Lower the top rate of tax for more gain and less pain

• John Bolton | The West is running out of time to help Belarus

• Celia Walden | It's time to stop worrying about airbrushed A-listers

• Melanie McDonagh | Teenagers' fear of full stop down to confidence

• Reader letters | Commuters have seen a better life outside the office

In case you missed it: Highlights from the weekend

• Tax rises | Treasury officials push for bombshell hikes to pay for virus

• British Library | Chief claims 'racism is the creation of white people'

• We'll all wear one soon | The Hundred Years' War over face masks

• Kate Andrews | Deluded home-workers can't see the pain ahead

• Douglas Murray | It's in the UK’s national interest for Trump to win

Editor's choice: Features and arts

1. The big return to work | An expert's guide to the office for the Covid-cautious

2. Shunning classrooms | Meet the parents joining the home schooling revolution

3. Not his first brush with the law | The world of Piers Corbyn – unmasked

Business and money briefing

'Daft' hikes | Tax rises could lead to investors sending their money overseas as a minister warned it would be akin to "acid rain falling on the green shoots of recovery”. Senior business chiefs and economists have warned successful entrepreneurs will flee overseas and major companies shun UK investments if the Treasury presses ahead. Read on for details.

• McDonald's dispute | Former boss accused of lying to gain share deal

• Investment tip | Kingfisher is giving itself a DIY makeover

• Alex cartoon | See our cartoonist's latest work on world of finance

Sport briefing

First call-up | Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish's prolonged wait for senior England recognition is finally over after being summoned into the squad for the first time. Grealish joined up with Gareth Southgate and the rest of the players as the national coach reacted to two significant pull-outs ahead of the Nations League games with Iceland and Denmark.

• England T20 | Joe Root omitted from squad for Australia series

• Player exodus | RFU urges ministers to speed up grass-roots return

• US Open | British No3 Cameron Norrie knocks out No9 seed in thriller

Tonight's dinner

Individual onion gratins with blackcurrants | Soft, sweet onions baked under a layer of bubbling cheese. These are great served with jacket potatoes and salad. Read the recipe.

And finally... for this morning's downtime

Wish we weren't here | Have we just lived through the weirdest summer of our lives? As a new season starts, Boris Starling takes a look back on the summer that never was and the seismic changes that have happened in all our lives since the arrival of Covid-19.