Good morning, this is Eleanor Ainge Roy bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Tuesday 17 July.

Top stories

Donald Trump has been condemned as “treasonous” after a stunning joint appearance with Vladimir Putin in which he seemingly accepted the Russian leader’s denial of election meddling. The US president offered no criticism of Putin, or the cyber-attacks that the US intelligence community says he coordinated to help Trump’s 2016 election campaign. “They said they think it’s Russia; I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia,” Trump told reporters. “I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be. I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.”

The comments set off a new firestorm in Washington, with critics suggesting it was a historically weak performance by a US president against a foreign adversary. The house speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, said Trump “must appreciate that Russia is not our ally”. Nancy Pelosi questioned what Putin had on Trump that made him “so afraid” to stand up to him, while David Axelrod called the meeting “horrifying”.

While most Australians are experiencing stagnating wages, top chief executives are doing better than ever, with pay up 12.4% for those running ASX 100 companies to the highest level yet. The latest survey by the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors also found that bonuses seemed to be routinely paid and in many cases were not a true performance incentive. The council’s chief executive, Louise Davidson, said: “At a time when public trust in business is at a low ebb and wages growth is weak, board decisions to pay large bonuses just for hitting budget targets, rather than exceptional performance, are especially tone-deaf.”

The Australian Energy Market Operator says gas and renewables with storage will be the cheapest way to replace the power now supplied by coal generators. It will be important to avoid the premature shutdown of coal to ensure an orderly transition, the operator found. But while some in the government have been campaigning for new coal-fired power, backed with government subsidy or underwriting, Aemo is clear the future lies with renewables (with storage), pumped hydro and flexible gas-powered generation. In the latest Guardian Essential poll 40% of those surveyed agreed the government should put up $5bn to build new coal plants and 38% disagreed. More than half (63%) said energy companies should be returned to public ownership.

Charred crumbs found in a pair of ancient fireplaces have been identified as the earliest examples of bread, suggesting it was being prepared long before the dawn of agriculture. The tiny lumps were discovered by archaeologists at a site in Jordan. Using radiocarbon-dating of charred plant materials the team found the fireplaces were used just over 14,000 years ago. Fully fledged agriculture in the Levant is believed to have emerged around 8,000 BC. “Bread has been seen as a product of agriculturist, settled societies, but our evidence from Jordan now basically predates the onset of plant cultivation … by at least 3,000 years,” said Dr Tobias Richter, co-author of the study, from the University of Copenhagen.

Christian women who have pledged lifelong virginity as “brides of Christ” have expressed shock at a Vatican document that suggests literal virginity is not a prerequisite for their consecration. There are an estimated 5,000 consecrated virgins in at least 42 countries, with the largest numbers in France, Italy and Argentina. Consecrated virgins are unmarried women who offer their physical virginity as a gift to Christ, and devote time to penance, works of mercy and prayer. The US Association of Consecrated Virgins said the ruling was “deeply disappointing”.

Sport

The drama continues at the Tour de France, with Bradley Wiggins warning of a leadership battle within Team Sky. Wiggins, who fell out with Chris Froome when he won the 2012 Tour, said the team would have a “real problem on their hands” if Geraint Thomas, as expected, takes the race leader’s yellow jersey in Tuesday’s first Alpine stage.

Four weeks of endless excitement in Russia has re-energised the World Cup, writes Barney Ronay. The tournament was gripping from start to finish, with thrilling matches, marvellous midfielders, the rebirth of England and the VAR controversy. Guardian writers pick their highs and lows, while readers have voted for their team of the tournament.

Thinking time

Come Inside My Mind is the first documentary to comprehensively examine Robin Williams’ life and art since his suicide in 2014. Its director, Marina Zenovich talks about the actor’s inner demons and what compels her to explore complicated men. “Steve Martin says in the film, when Robin was on stage, whether it was theatre or standup, he was in charge,” Zenovich says. “But in his life he was trying to hold himself together.”

The Not the Booker prize is back. The literary award decided by Guardian readers is celebrating its 10th birthday – and now it’s down to you to choose the contenders and nominate your favourite book of the year. Past winners include Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Tales from the Mall by Ewan Morrison and Dark Chapter by Winnie M Li.

Despite a chorus of “very serious people” stroking their chins and calling for the Reserve Bank to lift the cash rate because, well, just because, a slowing housing market, low inflation and slow wage growth mean the RBA will do nothing of the sort, writes Greg Jericho.

Media roundup



The treasurer, Scott Morrison, has warned that the growing trade war between the US and its various competitors is threatening the entire global economy, which has only just righted itself after the 2008 financial crisis, the Australian Financial Review reports. The ABC analyses the “re-trauma” of being involved in a rape trial, and speaks to the former wife of the disgraced former One Nation adviser Sean Black. And the Advertiser splashes on research from the University of Adelaide that uses robots to predict cancers in a world-first human trial.

Coming up

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine, which killed all 298 passengers and crew, including 38 Australians.

The ACTU congress begins in Brisbane, where more than 800 delegates will debate and vote on policy. Speakers will include Ged Kearney, Annastacia Palaszczuk and Bill Shorten.

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