Boris’s Suspended Parliament

Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, maneuvered to suspend Parliament ahead of the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline — giving his opponents less time to argue against a no-deal departure from the European Union. The increasing likelihood of such a rough break — which could lead to shortages of food, fuel and drugs — sent the pound plunging, as Brits protested nationwide and some elected officials resigned. On Thursday, Mr. Johnson responded to the backlash with a promise to speed up negotiations with Brussels.

Secret Files

Deutsche Bank’s disclosure that it has documents related to President Trump’s tax returns set off a frenzy of speculation. Current and former bank officials have said the lender has portions of Mr. Trump’s personal and corporate returns, as well as those of his “immediate family.” Congress is seeking information from the bank, which for many years was the only major financial institution willing to do business with the future president, in hopes of learning more about his business partners, how he made his money, the details of his extensive loans and any dealings Mr. Trump or his family may have had with foreign governments.

Image Credit... Giacomo Bagnara

What’s Next? (Sept. 1-7)

The Trade War Escalates (Again)

New tariffs on Chinese goods are set to go into effect Sunday, and American farmers and business groups are sounding alarms about the pain they’re feeling from the escalating trade war. Markets are sending mixed signals about whether the economy is on the brink of recession. The chatter has helped bonds deliver (by some measures) their best year since 2002. While economists and investors say the trade war threatens growth around the globe, the White House is pushing an argument that a recession, if one occurs, will be the media’s fault.