Good morning, here’s your Tuesday morning briefing to set you up for the day ahead. Look out for these three things happening around the world today.

Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing begins

Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will be introduced to the Senate Judiciary Committee today, beginning several days of hearings that will consider his suitability to become Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Tuesday’s session will see former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Ohio Senator Rob Portman and lawyer Lisa Blatt comment on Kavanaugh. He will then begin answering questions from senators on Wednesday.

The hearing will provide senators with an insight into how Kavanaugh would rule on particular cases.

The hearing is expected to take three to four days, concluding by Friday, 7 September.

Many Americans have expressed dissatisfaction at the nomination of Kavanaugh, who has been deemed too conservative by Democrats.

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Japan pushes for whaling law changes

The 67th annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting will get underway today in Florianopolis, Brazil, where Japan will push for changes to the international ban on the commercial hunting of whales.

The IWC is an international body that oversees the conservation of whales and helps to regulate the whaling industry. The IWC suspended commercial whaling in 1982 and has resisted pressure from Japan and Russia since.

However, this year’s meeting will be chaired by Japan’s whaling commissioner, Joji Morishita, and the Asian nation hopes to take advantage of this to push for changes to current regulations.

Japan hopes to obtain permits to hunt whale species that aren’t deemed to be endangered.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has said: “There couldn’t be a better opportunity. We hope to draw on this opportunity to realise an environment where Japan’s claims will have more chances of being accepted.”

House of Commons’ summer holiday ends

Members of the British parliament return from their summer holidays today.

They will be thrown straight back in after a six-week recess, with the House of Commons agenda to include civil liabilities and women’s rights after Brexit.

In a separate session held by the Department for Exiting the European Union, MPs on the Exiting the European Union Committee will be briefed on the progress that has been made in Brexit negotiations. This will be held at Portcullis House, London, starting at 10:15am London time.

Likewise, the House of Lords will debate the progression of the Customs Bill. Topics up for debate include the response to a no deal Brexit, the use of artificial intelligence in politics, and the UK’s military presence in Afghanistan.

Separate sessions are also set to be held on the 2010 Bribery Act, domestic abuse, rural economy and internet regulation.


Yesterday’s highlights

88% of UK data breaches caused by human error, not cyberattacks

The cost of a no-deal Brexit: Report sheds light on what’s at stake in ongoing Brexit talks

Real Living Wage would boost UK cities by up to £1bn