Welcome back! We’re sure you’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for the rest of the week. Here’s what you need to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. North Korea
North Korea gave the US an unwelcome Independence Day present when it announced Tuesday it had successfully launched a long-range missile capable of reaching “anywhere in the world.” Obviously, world powers were spurred to action, but some of the biggest players were split on how to respond to the rogue state. China and Russia want concessions, while the US joined South Korea for a show of military might. The countries held drills Wednesday to display their own missile strength. Whatever solution the US and its fellow powers choose, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has made things clear. “We will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea,” he said after the launch.
2. G20 summit
President Trump is just days away from crucial meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at this year’s G20 Summit in Germany. But first, he stops today in Poland, where a conservative populace and strong pro-American sentiments are sure to make him feel welcome. He’s due to address a regional summit of Eastern European leaders and deliver a speech outlining his vision for trans-Atlantic ties.
3. Voter registration
Forty-four states have refused to provide certain types of voter information to the Trump administration’s election integrity commission, a CNN inquiry to all 50 states found. State leaders and voting boards across the country have responded to the letter with varying degrees of cooperation, from dramatic rejections (Mississippi told the White House inquirers to “go jump in the Gulf of Mexico”) to eager willingness to supply information (that is already public). Remember, the Trump administration put together this panel after Trump claimed voter fraud diminished his victory in the 2016 election.
4. Reddit
The Reddit user who initially claimed credit for President Trump’s tweet that showed an image of Trump tackling CNN issued an apology Tuesday for the video and other offensive content he has posted. The user wrote in a lengthy post on Reddit that he does not advocate violence against the press, and he expressed remorse there and in an interview with CNN for other posts he made that were racist and anti-Semitic. A senior administration official told CNN Monday that the video was not pulled from Reddit. The White House still has not responded to a series of questions from CNN asking how the video ended up as a tweet from the President.
5. UK baby
An emotional struggle between the parents of a terminally ill baby in the United Kingdom and the European Court of Human Rights has turned into an international controversy. Charlie Gard has a rare genetic disease, which has led the Court of Human Rights to authorize the hospital treating him to discontinue life support. His parents want more time so they can travel to the US for an experimental — and very expensive — treatment. Since the case has gained attention, the Vatican and President Trump have offered to help the parents make the trip.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
E! News host Maria Menounos is recovering from brain tumor surgery
She revealed the news at the same time her mom is battling brain cancer.
A Canadian baby got a health card with no sex identification
The baby’s parent wants the child to make its own choice about gender.
A truck crash in Austria ends with 7,500 chickens on the highway
Sometimes, the jokes just write themselves.
Cops get complaint about slip-and-slide, end up joining in
It’s as heartwarming as it sounds.
Man tries to kill wasps, sets off fireworks, destroys garage
Honestly, wasps are terrifying, so we kind of understand.
AND FINALLY …
The kaleidoscope is people!
Take your morning to a more chill place with a mesmerizing dance routine. (Click to view)