Planet of the apes is fiction, but the island of the apes is not. Check it out, then find out what else you need to know 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. Afghanistan
The Taliban have received better weapons in Afghanistan that may have come from the Russians, according to exclusive videos obtained by CNN. These two videos show sniper rifles, Kalashnikov variants and heavy machine guns that weapons experts say are stripped of any means of identifying their origin. For months American and Afghan officials have accused Moscow of arming the Taliban, but Russia’s Foreign Ministry has previously called such allegations “utterly false.”
2. Heath care
It’s another do-or-die day in the GOP effort to kill Obamacare. Today the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed on the House health care bill. If that passes — and at this point that’s a huge if — then all of the amendment-making and deal making will start up again in earnest. What it all will lead to is anybody’s guess. President Donald Trump’s piling on the pressure, but we’ll see if that will work.
But here’s some good news no matter what side of the political aisle you’re on — Sen. John McCain’s coming back to Washington for the vote, his first trip to the Capitol since getting his brain cancer diagnosis.
3. Jeff Sessions
We’ve seen this before — a president displeased at his attorney general. But we’ve probably never seen such a public dissing as the one Donald Trump is giving to Jeff Sessions. First, Trump complained about him last week in The New York Times. Then on Monday, he tweeted out that Sessions is “beleaguered,” rolled his eyes when asked at a photo-op if Sessions should resign and then didn’t have Sessions — an Eagle Scout! — around for his speech at the Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia. So how did this once-warm relationship grow so cold? Trump obviously hates Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from any probe into possible Russian collusion in the 2016 campaign. CNN’s Chris Cillizza says the President doesn’t want to fire his AGÂ but instead wants him to quit.
4. Human trafficking deaths
The driver of a tractor-trailer where several undocumented immigrants died is now facing federal charges. James Matthew Bradley Jr., 60, of Florida was charged with knowingly transporting undocumented immigrants. But Bradley told investigators he had no idea dozens of people were inside the semi. The death toll is now 10. Eight died in the truck, and two more died at a hospital. The survivors describe a hellish scene. It was so hot inside that people took turns breathing fresh air from a hole in the truck. Others banged on the wall to get the driver’s attention, but he kept going. Doctors say many of the survivors will suffer from “irreversible brain damage.”
5. The moon
We already knew there was water on the moon, but we didn’t know there’s a lot of it, until now. Scientists at Brown University say they’ve found evidence of water trapped in “glass beads” on the moon’s surface. These beads are in volcanic deposits found all over the moon. It’s not clear just how much water may be in these beads, but the lead scientist for this research says it’s more “than previously recognized.” This finding could be a boon for future moon missions because water could potentially be extracted from volcanic deposits.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“If it was a guy from South Texas, I might ask him to step outside and settle this Aaron Burr-style.”
US Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas, expressing his frustration with GOP holdouts on the Senate’s effort to repeal Obamacare. Three of the senators who are current “no” votes are women.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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Set for life
Talk about a good investment: A Florida teen’s $1 scratch-off ticket turned into $26,000 every year for the rest of her life.
RIP, Paint
It’s the home of our first digital doodles, but Microsoft’s durable Paint application probably won’t survive the next Windows update.
Word of the day
British chocolates are among 2,500 products sold in the UK hit by so-called “shrinkflation.”
Flashback
Alice Cooper’s probably forgotten a lot about the ’70s. That’s not surprising, but this is: He forgot about an Andy Warhol painting he owns that’s been sitting in storage for years.
So sorry
Justin Bieber’s canceling the rest of his Purpose Tour. He didn’t say why, but he’s getting some rest and riding some bikes.
AND FINALLY …
Knight life
He’s trying to get into nightclubs … dressed as a knight. (Click to view)
