Good morning. It’s Tuesday, August 4, and this thoughtful column by Monica Hesse might make you think differently about the recent Ariana Grande discourse. Let’s catch up.
Todd Blanche faces a key vote today in his bid to become attorney general.
Yesterday: Two Republican holdouts said that they will now back Blanche after he agreed to nix a key aspect of President Donald Trump’s controversial deal with the IRS.
Next steps: Should he win the support he needs in a committee vote this morning, Republicans aim to put his nomination up for a confirmation vote in the Senate this week.
The latest: Trump said yesterday that peace talks were ongoing, which Iran denied. It is far from the first time during the war that the two sides have offered differing versions of reality.
Trump keeps making bombastic threats: In his second term, he has said he will annihilate Iran, seize Greenland and annex Canada. World leaders are taking him less and less seriously.
Trump’s claims of vandalism at the Reflecting Pool have crumbled.
The Reflecting Pool project was intended as a showcase for Trump’s ability to quickly get things done. (Tom Brenner for The Post)
In recent days: Federal prosecutors have dropped vandalism charges against four people. In a court filing, they blamed flawed installation work for peeling paint at the D.C. landmark.
Trump is not pleased: He is furious at Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for D.C. and one of his most ardent supporters. The president has lashed out at her both publicly and privately.
In Michigan: Rep. Haley Stevens faces progressive challenger Abdul El-Sayed for the Democratic Senate nomination. The race is a fight for Democratic Party’s future.
Elsewhere: There are primaries in Virginia, Kansas, Washington and Missouri.
In Congress: A House panel is seeking to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-North Carolina) for what it described as “inappropriate conduct” toward two young female staffers.
The first deaths related to the cyclosporiasis outbreak were reported in Michigan.
According to state health officials: Two people have died in connection with the parasitic outbreak. Both were reported to have significant underlying health conditions.
Protect yourself: Find six expert tips on how reduce your chances of getting sick here. It’s a good idea to wash your produce under cold running water for at least a minute.
Your brain can recover when you stop drinking alcohol, research shows.
Even reducing alcohol consumption to low levels without full abstinence increased cortical brain volume, research shows. (Illustration by George Wylesol for The Post)
First, the bad news: Over time, alcohol can change your brain. It may worsen feelings of depression, disrupt sleep and increase the risk of dementia and other health problems.
However: Cutting back on alcohol can lead to some restoration of brain function, studies have found. See what happens to your brain when you stop drinking here.
People are striking up friendships with crows on TikTok.
Cormac, the fish crow that Caitlin Gibson has befriended over the past year and a half. (Caitlin Gibson/The Post)
Crow bros: The “CrowTok” community is growing, fueled by trending news stories and viral videos showing the birds perched on people’s shoulders and tagging along on walks.
Our reporter did it: After years of trying, Caitlin Gibson secured a corvid buddy with a steady routine of providing snacks. She shared four expert tips on how to make your own crow pal
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