Your noon Briefing:

Welcome to your noon digest of what’s been making news and what to watch for.

Hello readers. Here is your noon roundup of today’s top stories and a long read for lunchtime.

Four boys have been freed from the caves.

Race against the rain

With four of the 13 young footballers rescued, there is still no word on when the second rescue operation will begin. Last night, Thai authorities gave 8am local time (11am AEST) as the starting time but rescue workers may still be working on preparations, including re-filling air tanks. Meanwhile, a light rain is continuing to fall; rain, of course, is the great enemy in this operation with fears the caves could flood again. Keep up with the latest developments in our live coverage of the Thailand cave rescue operation. Richard Lloyd Parry of The Times writes that no mission like this, and on this scale, has been attempted in human history.

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Former prime minister Tony Abbott during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Wednesday, June 27, 2018. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Abbott backed emissions target

Tony Abbott gave prime ministerial backing in a crucial cabinet meeting in August 2015 to a proposal to ramp up the upper limit of Australia’s emissions reduction targets from 26 per cent to 28 per cent ahead of the Paris climate-change agreement. Mr Abbott’s backing for the proposal to increase Australia’s emissions reduction target from the original proposal of 26 per cent to a potential 28 per cent has emerged amid anger from former ministerial colleagues at his call last week for the government to walk away from the Paris Agreement.

“It wasn’t raised by me, it was pushed by others in the cabinet. ’m sick and tired of cabinet ministers leaking against the bloke who got them into government. This is the kind of thing that is bringing the current government into disrepute.”

Tony Abbot t

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Greens Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Power failure

Greens MP Adam Bandt says high power bills are “proof” that deregulation and privatisation of the energy market have failed, pledging to introduce a bill for a commission of inquiry into “excessive profiteering” by energy companies when parliament returns. The Greens’ push comes after The Weekend Australian revealed that Barnaby Joyce and three other Coalition MPs — Craig Kelly, Michelle Landry and Rick Wilson — were urging Malcolm Turnbull to threaten retailers such as AGL, Origin Energy and Energy Australia with a royal commission unless they swiftly cut prices. Nationals MP George Christensen joined the group of MPs at the weekend in calling for a royal commission and yesterday promised to raise the issue in the Coalition party room.

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Eric Lobbecke ozoped cartoon for 09-07-2018Version: Ozoped Artwork (1280x720 - Stretched to Fit)COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications.Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.

Faith no more?

A new battle is looming between social conservatives and progressives, writes Denis Dragovic, but people of faith must be allowed the freedom to practise their beliefs as identity politics intrudes into every aspect of life.

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President Donald Trump reacts to the cheering crowd as he leaves a rally at the Four Seasons Arena at Montana ExpoPark, Thursday, July 5, 2018, in Great Falls, Mont., in support of Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., and GOP Senate candidate Matt Rosendale. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The long read: Three faces of Trump

NATO members wait to see which Donald Trump turns up at summit: Triumphant, tetchy

or torpedoed?

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Comment of the day

“Humanity at its best when we all pull together. Go guys. Get em out.”

Richard, in response to ‘Four boys rescued from cave, governor confirms’.