Top story: Unexpected turn in Hanoi

This is Alison Rourke bringing you this morning’s briefing.

The much-heralded summit between President Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been dramatically cut short. While the leaders were in an expanded bilateral meeting, the White House said Donald Trump would give a press conference earlier than expected and it was unclear if there would be a signing ceremony. Just two hours before, Trump and Kim had held a press conference together on the second day of their talks in Vietnam. The message was there was “no rush” to get a deal done. The demeanour of both leaders was largely sombre even though both professed to be hopeful about future ties. Asked about the prospects for a deal, the North Korean leader said: “Well, it’s too early to tell, but I wouldn’t say that I’m pessimistic. From what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come out.” You can stay up to date on all the latest developments on our live blog.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un appearing at their talks in Hanoi. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

‘Dirty deeds’ – Half a world away in Washington, Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen delivered a sharp warning to his former boss and to the Republican party that the president faces legal and political peril on multiple fronts. In an explosive seven-hour appearance before Congress, Trump’s former lawyer alleged that in 2016 the president knew in advance that his eldest son, Donald Jr, was meeting Russians promising dirt on Hillary Clinton – and that WikiLeaks would be releasing emails stolen from Democrats by Russian operatives. He also hinted that special counsel Robert Mueller may have proof of this.

Cohen detailed a scheme he says was cooked by by Trump, Donald Jr and the chief finance officer of the Trump Organisation, Allen Weisselberg, to pay off Stormy Daniels, the adult film actor who has alleged she had an affair with the president. Cohen said Trump knew about the scheme at every stage. Cohen said his former boss instructed him to lie about the alleged affair to Melania Trump. “Lying to the first lady is one of my biggest regrets because she is a kind, good person,” Cohen said.

Play Video 2:09 Michael Cohen: Trump knew about Don Jr's meeting with Russians – video

Cohen hinted at further possible dangers for Trump coming from an investigation by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, separate to Mueller’s inquiry.

In his closing statement, Cohen spoke directly to his former boss, admonishing him for a litany of sins ranging from his attacks against the media to his policy of separating immigrant families, and his failure to “take responsibility for your own dirty deeds”.

You can read about the key moments in Cohen’s testimony here, and Richard Wolffe’s take on how long Republicans are planning to “protect the unprotectable” here

‘Pattern of behaviour’ – A top Labour official has reversed the party’s decision not to suspend Derby North MP Chris Williamson, exposing deep internal party divisions over antisemitism. Williamson was filmed saying Labour had been “too apologetic” about antisemitism. He subsequently apologised and the party announced he would remain a Labour MP while a “pattern of behaviour” was examined. But internal pressure seems to have forced the change of heart. Williamson said he planned to clear his name, insisting: “I think I’ve got a very strong case. There is no evidence against me in reality.”

Brexit – Theresa May is expected to announce a series of new pledges on workers’ rights and the easing of trade union restrictions next week, in the latest attempt to get Labour MPs to support her Brexit deal. The statement is expected to set out greater guarantees for workers post-Brexit, including a “non-regression lock” and giving MPs a vote on whether to adopt future EU rules on workers’ rights. Measures are also expected to include a reporting mechanism to involve trade unions and the Confederation of British Industry when the government considers such adoptions. MPs would be able to amend votes on future EU workers’ rights legislation, meaning they can potentially force the government to accept new rules.

Living wage? – More than 1 million public sector workers are trapped in poverty, unable to make ends meet, according to the Living Wage Foundation. Their report says NHS, councils and other public sector workers receive unsustainably low wages of less than £9 an hour, or £10.55 in London. “It’s simply wrong [that workers are] struggling to keep their heads above water on wages that don’t meet basic living costs,” says Lola McEvoy, head of campaigns for the foundation.

Semi-identical twins – Researchers have been stunned by twins that are neither identical nor fraternal – but something in between. The boy and girl, now four, are only the second pair of semi-identical twins ever recorded. An ultrasound six weeks into the pregnancy suggested they were identical. “What happened was the mother came back for her routine ultrasound some months later, and we saw one [twin] to be a boy and one to be a girl,” said Dr Michael Gabbett, first author of the report from Queensland University of Technology in Australia. It turns out one egg was fertilised by two sperm.

Today in Focus podcast: The fall of Cardinal George Pell

One of Pope Francis’ trusted advisers is now the most senior member of the Catholic church to be convicted of child abuse. The Guardian’s Melissa Davey was in court every day and describes the trial that brought about Pell’s downfall. Plus: Alex Hern on Facebook’s decision to permanently ban the far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Australia’s most senior Catholic Cardinal George Pell was found guilty on child sexual assault. Photograph: Erik Anderson/EPA

Lunchtime read: How American vigilantes at the border led to Trump’s wall

The border before Trump was no idyll. Conflict grew especially acute in California in the early 1970s. As San Diego’s sprawl began to push against agricultural fields, racist attacks on migrants increased. The border patrol continued being what it had been since its founding: a frontline instrument of white supremacist power. Patrollers regularly engaged in beatings, murder, torture and rape. Into the late 80s and beyond, neighbourhoods that were filled with undocumented residents had patrols operating with the latitude of an occupying army, writes Greg Grandin.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Donald Trump inspects border wall prototypes in San Diego in March. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Awareness of the violence began to break through around 2000, only to be overshadowed by 9/11 and foreign wars. In the years that followed, soldiers returning from America’s foreign wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere were drawn back to the border, along with veterans of older conflicts who feared the influx of migrants. Veterans travelled to the borderlands to rehearse how lost wars could have been won and with Trump, the rhetoric against migrants took centre stage.

Sport

Maurizio Sarri dropped Kepa Arrizabalaga, allowing Willy Caballero to finally play a part in the rolling soap opera, and the Chelsea manager was rewarded with a win that leaves Tottenham’s title hopes in tatters.

On a busy night of Premier League football, both Liverpool and Arsenal scored five in big wins over Watford and Bournemouth respectively, Sergio Agüero’s contentious penalty kept Manchester City on the march against West Ham and Romelu Lukaku seized his chance in Manchester United’s victory at Crystal Palace.

Beth Mead lashed home a second-half winner as England’s women made a strong start to their SheBelieves Cup campaign in Philadelphia with victory over Brazil.

England scored a mammoth 418 for six but were given a scare by another Chris Gayle six blitz before beating West Indies by 29 runs in the fourth ODI.

Manu Tuilagi has said his reported move to Paris to join Racing 92 is not yet a done deal and his future will not be finalised until the Six Nations is over.

Elinor Barker struck gold in the women’s scratch race at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Poland and five skiers from Austria, Kazakhstan and Estonia have been arrested in anti-doping raids at the Nordic skiing world championships in the Austrian resort of Seefeld.

Business

Uk car production fell for the eighth month in a row in January, as output bound for China plunged by more than 70%. The car industry is struggling with multiple headwinds, including falling demand in China, a regulatory backlash against diesel vehicles in Europe and continued uncertainty over Brexit, which has put the brakes on investment in the UK.

The pound is buying $1.33 and €1.17

The papers

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: The Guardian

The papers are broadly split between Labour’s ongoing antisemitism troubles, Donald Trump’s ongoing Michael Cohen troubles and Prince William possibly talking about Brexit.

The Guardian catches the first two, leading on Cohen’s explosive testimony alongside a picture of Trump with Kim Jong-un (at a summit some of us speculated might end prematurely over Cohen). “Racist, liar, conman: claim that imperils the president” is its main headline. “Williamson suspended after U-turn by Labor” is its other headline/

The Telegraph goes large on Cohen alongside a deep picture of the president’s one-time fixer raising his hand to swear to tell the truth. It’s headline echoes the Guardian: “Trump is a racist, a conman and a cheat”.

The Daily Mail focuses on claims Jeremy Corbyn sought to block the suspension of ally Chris Williamson but was forced to back down. “Corbyn’s hateful new low” is the headline.

The Times seeks to put a positive spin on Brexit, saying Norway’s sovereign wealth fund will continue to invest in Britain. It’s main headline is: “World’s top wealth fund puts billions into Britain”. Cohen’s testimony gets a single column under the headline “Trump ‘broke the law from the Oval Office’ ex-aide claims”

The FT gives Cohen’s testimony a solid central spot (“Trump labelled racist, cheat and conman by former fixer Cohen”), above a piece about a hedge fund benefiting from the woes of M&S, Ted Baker and Metro bank.

The Sun carries Prince William’s call for calm and unity during a trip to Northern Ireland, comments interpreted as being linked to Brexit. “Chill says Wills” is the headline. The Express has: “Prince William calls for calm and unity”. The Mirror splashes on William but on his comments about football and mental health, saying clubs need to care for those who don’t make the grade. “Football’s shame” is its headline.

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