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| Good morning. It’s Tuesday, July 28, and we’re glad that Punch the monkey, once tragic and abandoned, had a very happy first birthday. Let’s get to the news. | | | The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow new limits on mail ballots. | -
The request: Officials want justices to clear the way for an executive order requiring states to create lists of eligible voters. Under the plan, only people on the lists would receive mail ballots. -
Why it matters: If allowed, the order could dramatically change mail-in voting ahead of the midterms. President Donald Trump has long made false claims that voting by mail is rife with fraud. | Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has left Trump reflecting on his own mortality. | | Trump was subdued in the wake of Graham’s death and asked others if the senator’s travels could have taken a toll. (Alex Wong/Getty) | -
In the past few weeks: Trump has been rattled by the loss of his friend and golf partner, whom he is set to eulogize today. Both publicly and privately, he’s been musing about aging and fate. -
In other Trump news: The president has stepped up his attacks on the media after the White House correspondents’ dinner Friday. He posted an edited image mocking CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. | Anthony Fauci’s personal diary reveals his thoughts on a “rambling” Trump. | -
This weekend: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) released diary entries by Fauci that provide intimate details about what he was thinking as he helped lead the nation’s pandemic response. -
Take a look: Fauci describes internal battles over how to handle the outbreak and says he received an expletive-laden call from Trump in Nov. 2020. See all the key entries here. | Russia is cracking down on anti-war voices ahead of elections in September. | -
How? Candidates are being blocked from running if they show signs of opposing Russia’s increasingly unpopular military operation in Ukraine. -
One example: Russia’s most prominent anti-war politician, Boris Nadezhdin, was barred from public office. He told The Post that opposition politics had become impossible. | Schools are getting pepper-spraying drones to help combat active shooters. | | The aircraft are designed to distract their targets by flashing strobes, blaring sirens, spraying them with pepper gel or ramming into them. (Courtesy of Campus Guardian Angel) | -
What do they do? The drones can zoom through halls, smash windows and reach an active shooter within 15 seconds. Schools in at least three states will be equipped with them this year. -
Do they work? The drones have been tested in simulations, but never by an actual shooting. Critics fear potential accidents from deploying military-grade equipment at schools. | Your next stove may come with batteries included. | -
Let them cook: A new generation of stoves features batteries to store electricity and talk to the grid. They charge when power is cheap and clean, and send it back at peak times. -
Should you buy one? For now, these stoves are still a novelty. But, if they prove their worth, appliances that power themselves could eventually become the way homes work. | This grandma fought for a bill to allow happy hour at retirement homes. | | Anita LeBrun spoke at a bill signing ceremony on July 14. (Office of Governor Tim Walz) | -
Meet Anita LeBrun: The 82-year-old wanted to have a glass of pinot grigio with her friends at their retirement home. But Minnesota law banned retirement homes from serving alcohol. -
She became the face of a movement: She testified before lawmakers and stood with Gov. Tim Walz (D) as he signed a bill to change the law. She plans to enjoy a glass of wine next week. Before you go ... some expert advice: You might keep your brain younger by learning this skill. Plus: Why curiosity might be the key ingredient for a healthy relationship. One more good read: A desert town may run out of water. Others could face the same fate.  | News quiz: Test your knowledge in today’s On the Record. |  | Word game: One word to spell ’em all! Can you solve today’s Keyword in 6 guesses? |  | Wridges: Speed and spell your way up to a high score in our newest game. | You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow. | | | ((Illustration by Katty Huertas/The Washington Post)) | |