Thursday, July 25, 2019 | View in browser

Good morning.

We’re covering Robert Mueller’s highly anticipated testimony, China’s stark warning to Hong Kong and a plan to find the Loch Ness monster.

By Alisha Haridasani Gupta

Special Counsel Robert Mueller arriving for the hearings on Wednesday. Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Fiery Mueller hearings extract little

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill spent hours grilling the special counsel, Robert Mueller, about his investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and whether President Trump obstructed justice.

The highly anticipated sessions were more sizzle than substance, as Mr. Mueller tried to stick rigorously to the information and language in the voluminous report he produced in April. We’ll have deeper analysis on nytimes.com shortly.

The questions: Though Democrats did get Mr. Mueller to confirm, on the record, the most damning elements of the report, Republicans spent much of their time trying to portray the investigation as biased.

Highlights: Mr. Mueller was a reluctant witness but he reiterated that the president was “not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,” sharply rebutting Mr. Trump’s declarations that he had been “totally exonerated.”

Mr. Mueller also offered stark warnings about the threat of foreign interference in American elections. “I hope this is not the new normal,” he said. “But I fear it is.” Watch the biggest moments here.

Troops from the Chinese People's Liberation Army at a base in Hong Kong last month. Tyrone Siu/Reuters

A warning from China

Beijing suggested on Wednesday that it was prepared to use military force in Hong Kong to maintain order and quell protests — its most explicit warning to date and a stark reminder of China’s ultimate control over the fate of the semiautonomous city.

The warning came in Beijing’s new defense strategy white paper, and the chief spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense cited protests on Sunday outside the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, which protesters painted with graffiti.

Analysts said that the warning could inflame, rather than calm, the underlying grievances driving the protests in Hong Kong.

Explainer: Soon after China resumed control over Hong Kong in 1997, the People’s Liberation Army established a garrison of 6,000 soldiers there, but China has never before ordered them to intervene in the territory’s affairs.

According to law, the military can intervene in “local affairs” only when requested by Hong Kong’s leaders.

Another angle: Organized crime groups, known as the triads, have been blamed for an attack last weekend that appeared to target antigovernment protesters. Here’s a look at their history.

Queen Elizabeth II greeting Boris Johnson at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Pool photo by Victoria Jones

Boris Johnson becomes U.K. prime minister

The former foreign secretary and two-term mayor of London projected an optimistic view of the future of Britain in his first address as the country’s leader, despite the looming specter of Brexit.

“After three years of unfounded self-doubt, it is time to change the record,” he said in a speech outside 10 Downing Street, shortly after meeting with Queen Elizabeth II.

Mr. Johnson, a high-profile backer of Brexit, reiterated his view that Britain must leave the E.U. by Oct. 31 one way or another — “no ifs or buts.”

Analysis: President Trump, who has referred to Mr. Johnson as “Britain Trump,” is encouraging the new leader to push on with Brexit. But Mr. Johnson could be constrained by the complexities of British politics and his establishment background, our correspondents write.

A delayed lunch in San Francisco raises questions in China

Justin Sun, a wealthy Chinese cryptocurrency celebrity, paid $4.6 million to have a charity lunch with Warren Buffett on Wednesday in San Francisco — a rendezvous that he was counting down to on social media. On Monday, Mr. Sun postponed the lunch, citing health concerns.

His decision sent the Chinese media and internet into overdrive, igniting speculation that he was being investigated for his financial dealings and hadn’t even left China. Mr. Sun denied the rumors, even posting images of himself in San Francisco, but that did little to stem the tide of questions.

Background: The intense speculation around Mr. Sun’s case isn’t without precedent. As China has increased scrutiny of the finance and business worlds, high-profile executives have been known to disappear for months, even years, creating an environment of fear.

If you have 8 minutes, this is worth it

Neil Armstrong’s death and a secret payout

SSPL/Getty Images

When the American astronaut died in 2012 at 82 after heart surgery, his sons contended that he had received incompetent post-surgical care that cost him his life. The hospital defended the care but secretly paid the family $6 million, a settlement that divided the Armstrong family.

The news of the dispute and the payment, never before reported, comes days after the 50th anniversary of Mr. Armstrong’s moon walk.

Here’s what else is happening

Boeing: The aircraft manufacturer suggested that it would halt production of the 737 Max planes if they continue to be grounded for much longer, a prospect that would have profound consequences for its customers and suppliers around the world as it struggles to contain the fallout from two deadly crashes.

South Korea: The government said that Moscow expressed “deep regret” that a Russian military plane had flown into its territorial airspace, prompting South Korean jets to fire warning shots. But a Russian spokesman countered the statement, saying that his country had not formally apologized.

U.S.: The Justice Department said that it would start an antitrust review to examine how internet giants had accumulated market power, the clearest sign yet that the arguments that helped shield the tech giants from competition scrutiny are eroding.

Facebook: The social media company, on top of a $5 billion fine for violating a privacy agreement with the Federal Trade Commission, was ordered by the agency to create new layers of oversight on how it collects and handles users’ data.

Stefan Sauer/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Snapshot: Above, a crowded beach on the island of Usedom in the Baltic Sea where temperatures reached 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday. Temperatures in Britain, France and Germany are expected to hit record-breaking highs on Thursday in an intense heat wave sweeping parts of the continent.

Loch Ness monster: A Facebook event last week invited people to storm the Loch Ness lake in Scotland in September to find the fabled underwater creature, weeks after a similar event invited people to “storm Area 51,” a top-secret U.S. military site, to find the aliens said to be held there. Some users pointed out that there was no need to storm Scotland’s popular tourist landmark as it is “open to the public 24/7, 365 days a year.”

What we’re reading: This Twitter thread from one of our investigative reporters, Mike Forsythe. He shares what he has found so far, after years of research in Beijing, about how the late Li Peng’s family accumulated its vast wealth. It’s a fascinating peek into the rigorous process that our reporters adhere to.

Now, a break from the news

Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.

Cook: Try a different, full-bodied pesto made with broccoli and walnuts.

Watch: Hulu released its “Veronica Mars” revival a week early. It has lost its teen spirit, but still “finds ways to charm you,” our critic writes.

Eat: Our restaurant critic visits Mercado Little Spain, under Hudson Yards, and finds “more delicious things to eat per square foot than anywhere else in New York.”

Look: We spoke with six rising photographers and show you some of their works on display at the Rencontres d’Arles festival, in Arles, France.

Smarter Living: Summer is for swimming, but it’s also reading season. Scientists and librarians have recommendations for creating the perfect reading environment. In an age of smartphone reading, Maryanne Wolf, the author of “Reader Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World,” recommends reading for 20 minutes every day in order to improve your focus.

We also have five games that will help you through long trips.

And now for the Back Story on …

… Double negatives

Lawmakers questioning former special prosecutor Robert Mueller on Wednesday tried mightily to decipher what may become the most infamous double negative in U.S. history: “If we had had confidence … that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. However, we are unable to reach that judgment.”

Double negatives — commonly defined as a negative statement containing two negative elements — have long been abhorred by grammarians.

Nevertheless, they are a popular rhetorical device: Geoffrey Chaucer used them to humorous effect; William Shakespeare slipped a triple negative into “Twelfth Night.” The children on Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” famously sang “we don’t need no education,” Weird Al Yankovic shamed double negative users in his parody song “Word Crimes,” and Bart Simpson vowed on a chalkboard that he “won’t not use no double negatives.”

Other languages — including Persian, Russian, Polish, and Hebrew — don’t have a problem with the double negative. The French use them for emphasis, and in Chinese they make an even stronger affirmative.

But George Orwell railed against their use in political speech, which he said can “make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.”

That’s it for this briefing. Yesterday’s briefing misstated the source of propulsion for a solar sail. It is photons from the sun, not solar winds.

See you next time.

— Alisha

Thank you
To Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. Emma Goldberg, a researcher for the Times editorial board, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.
• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about President Trump’s re-election chances.
• Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: When it’s a good idea to argue with strangers on the internet (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.
• The New York Times is exploring new ways for publishers to help fight misinformation online with the News Provenance Project, a research initiative.