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Good morning, I’m Patrick Greenfield with today’s headlines. If you’d like to receive this briefing by email, sign up here.

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Top story: Donald Trump Jr may face legal peril

The head of the Russia investigation, Robert Mueller, could turn his attention to the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, after the special counsel showed he was prepared to prosecute people for lying to Congress. On Thursday, President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen admitted to deceiving congressional investigators about the Trump Organization’s contact with the Kremlin over plans to develop a Trump tower in Moscow in 2016. The president’s son has made statements to Congress that have later been contradicted by newspaper reports.

More prosecutions? Democrat Adam Schiff said the House intelligence committee would share transcripts from their Russia inquiry with Mueller’s investigation to consider further criminal charges.

World leaders fly in as G20 opens in Buenos Aires

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Security forces stand guard in downtown Buenos Aires on first day of the G20 summit. Photograph: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images

The leaders from the world’s 20 biggest economies converge on the Argentinian capital on Friday looking for consensus on the global flows of trade and investment – at a time when such consensus has been increasingly difficult to come by. As has been the case for the past two years, Trump’s volatile demeanour will almost certainly provide the focal point.

Trump’s agenda . The president has cancelled a planned meeting with Vladimir Putin. Among others he will talk to the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

Jamal Khashoggi. The murder of the Saudi journalist will hang heavily over the proceedings. Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the Turkish president, , are both attending.

Government shutdown looms over border wall funding

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A view of the border wall between Mexico and the US. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

The threat of another partial government shutdown in the US is looming over funding for Trump’s long-promised $5bn wall along the US-Mexico border. Funding for key parts of the US government expires on 7 December and Democrats are reportedly hoping to use the shutdown to protect funding for Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

Battle ready. Trump said he was “totally willing” to shut down the government over funding for the wall.

Final showdown. The disagreement over funding for the border wall will be the last bipartisan tussle before the Democrats take control of the House in January.

Hopes for HIV cure rise

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A student poses as she displays her face and hands painted with messages during an Aids awareness campaign in Chandigarh, India. Photograph: Ajay Verma/Reuters

On the eve of World Aids Day, there is growing excitement among researchers about a potential scientific breakthrough that could lead to an out-and-out cure for the virus.

New era. Experts say that efforts to eradicate the virus are entering a new stage.

Falling deaths. The number of Aids-related deaths reached its lowest level this century in 2017, falling below 1 million.

Crib sheet

Listen to Today in Focus ahead of the G20: Donald Trump and the rise of the strongmen

Authoritarians and populist autocrats will represent Russia, China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and of course, the US at this weekend’s G20 summit in Buenos Aires. Our global affairs editor, Julian Borger, analyses how the G20 became a stage for authoritarians ahead of is 10th birthday.

Must-reads

Facebook Twitter Pinterest An advert for the Squatty Potty. Photograph: Squatty Potty

The quest for colonic perfection

You may have been pooping the wrong way your entire life. But don’t worry, writer Alex Blasdel explains where you’ve been going wrong, how you got in this colonic mess, and what you can do about it. You might just become one of the 5 million Squatty Potty converts by the end of the piece.

The McConaissance continues

Romcom regular turned Oscar-winning Hollywood superstar Matthew McConaughey talks to our east coast arts editor, Benjamin Lee, about the Texan’s career transformation ahead of the release of his latest film, White Boy Rick.

‘You’re fired!’ – the quiz

For White House staffers, Donald Trump’s presidency might sometimes feel like a high-stakes season finale of The Apprentice. But have you been keeping up with who’s been fired? As we approach the two-year mark of Trump’s presidency, it’s time to take the test: can you remember the biggest departures so far?

The fading attraction of polyamory

The cultural historian Lara Feigel explores why we embrace monogamy over sexual experimentation through the experiences of artists and writers who have challenged sexual convention.

Opinion

The walls are closing in on the Trump family after one of the president’s closest advisers admitted to speaking with a Kremlin official about securing the Russian government’s support for a Trump tower in Moscow, writes the Guardian columnist Richard Wolffe.

Normally you might describe a political figure profiting from his public office – even his potential for public office – as corrupt. But the leader of the free world prefers to describe it another way: good business.

Sport

As the NFL season reaches its climax, instead of focusing on the winners we take a look at some of the worse teams in the league.

Arsenal and Chelsea were in action in the Europa League on Thursday ahead of a weekend of fierce derby clashes in the Premier League.

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