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—> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*
*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha—breaks down crying hysterically.
The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Sponsored by Delta Air Lines — Anticipation builds for Trump Supreme Court pick| How court battle could imperil Senate Dems, House GOP| Eight Thai boys rescued from cave| Trump preps for Europe trip| What to watch at NATO summit| Boris Johnson out as UK foreign secretary amid Brexit fight| Starbucks getting rid of plastic straws
NEWS OF THE MORNING
Four more boys have been rescued from the Thai cave:
Via CNN, a total of eight boys have been rescued from a cave in Chiang Rai, Thailand. https://cnn.it/2NEeDXN
WHAT TO KNOW:
Who is still left in the cave: Four more boys and their 25-year-old soccer coach.
Why the process has been taking days: Officials have had to pause the mission to refill oxygen tanks.
Have the rescued boys been reunited with their families?: Not yet. «A family member told CNN Monday that they hadn’t been told which boys had been pulled out, and who is still trapped in the cave.»
What the families have been up to: «A relative of one member of the soccer team said that the boys’ families had agreed to remain at the cave until all of the boys and the coach are brought out.»
Live updates: https://cnn.it/2L22k67
Video of the fifth boy on his way to the hospital:
Watch: http://bit.ly/2J7R9Xr
It’s Monday — I hope everyone’s still feeling Fourth of July festive! I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook .
NEWS THIS A. M.
Boris Johnson, OUT:
Via BBC, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has resigned from his post. Timing: Johnson quit just hours after Brexit Secretary David Davis resigned. The two opposed May’s plans for a «soft» Brexit plan taking the United Kingdom out of the European Union. Opponents worry that the plan makes too many concessions to the EU. Important context: Johnson resigned shortly before British Prime Minister Theresa May addressed Parliament about her plan for Brexit. https://bbc.in/2KV38wO
HAPPENING TONIGHT
SoOoOo, who’s organizing the wine-and-popcorn watch party…?: President Trump will make his highly anticipated Supreme Court nomination at 9 p.m. EDT tonight. Trump had planned to finalize his decision yesterday, but The New York Times is reporting that Trump has extended the process into today. https://nyti.ms/2N3rJwP
The top picks: Judges Thomas M. Hardiman, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Raymond M. Kethledge. What to know about each: https://cbsn.ws/2m6wlXu
HOW THE ABORTION DEBATE COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR SENATE DEMS AND HOUSE REPUBLICANS: http://bit.ly/2zobZCz
STARTING TOMORROW
Donny and Mel’s European vacation:
Tomorrow, President Trump leaves for a diplomatic trip to Europe. The highlights: A NATO summit and a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
His full schedule: Trump first attends a NATO summit in Brussels. He will then travel to the United Kingdom. Trump then heads to Scotland to visit his golf course. He will then meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. Full rundown: https://usat.ly/2N1Th5I
How I imagine Trump preparing for this week’s NATO summit:
—> http://bit.ly/2KUIJIe
President Trump criticized NATO members, arguing they need to increase their spending to the alliance. He tweeted: «The United States is spending far more on NATO than any other Country. This is not fair, nor is it acceptable. While these countries have been increasing their contributions since I took office, they must do much more. Germany is at 1%, the U. S. is at 4%, and NATO benefits Europe far more than it does the U. S.» http://bit.ly/2uhYEpl
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN THE NATO SUMMIT:
Details and context for each: http://bit.ly/2m97DWB
THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
Who wants to make the green light, red light buttons for Trump’s Supreme Court pick?:
Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney and Juliegrace Brufke, once President Trump announces his pick for the Supreme Court, Capitol Hill will kick into high gear. «Trump’s announcement will start a months-long race to replace [Justice Anthony] Kennedy, considered the court’s pivotal swing vote on hot-button issues including abortion and same-sex marriage. Top Republicans and the administration want Kennedy’s successor in place before the Supreme Court begins its new term in October.» http://bit.ly/2KIdvEK
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING ON CAPITOL HILL:
Jim Jordan controversy: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who has been considering a run for House Speaker, is returning to Washington after reports that he overlooked sexual abuse while he was a wrestling coach at Ohio State University. Jordan has maintained that he was unaware of the alleged abuse.
FBI hearing: FBI agent Peter Strzok will testify on Capitol Hill over GOP accusations of political bias.
Nominations: The Senate will take up three of President Trump’s nominees this week.
Deregulation: «The House is slated to vote on legislation aimed at increasing transparency on the costs of unfunded federal mandates.»
Details and context for each: http://bit.ly/2KIdvEK
IN OTHER NEWS
Getting traction — breastfeeding gets political:
Via The New York Times’s Andrew Jacobs, during a United Nations–affiliated World Health Assembly, hundreds of government delegates voted for a resolution to encourage breastfeeding infants. Why: The resolution says it is the healthiest option for babies. But The U. S. delegation disagreed and threatened its aid: «Then the United States delegation, embracing the interests of infant formula manufacturers, upended the deliberations … the Americans were blunt: If Ecuador refused to drop the resolution, Washington would unleash punishing trade measures and withdraw crucial military aid. The Ecuadorean government quickly acquiesced.» The story is fascinating: https://nyti.ms/2NBBkvS
I hope they use decorative paper straws. I love decorative paper straws:
Via The Associated Press, Starbucks will stop offering plastic straws within the next two years. The alternative: «it will be using straws made from biodegradable materials like paper and specially designed lids.
