Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.
A key senator is undecided on Trump’s attorney general pickTodd Blanche, the acting attorney general, very likely needs the support of every Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee to be confirmed to lead the Justice Department. But after a rocky confirmation hearing today, it was not clear whether he will get it. The main hurdle for Blanche is Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, who raised questions about Blanche’s role in a deal granting President Trump protection from I.R.S. audits and creating a $1.8 billion fund aimed at paying some of Trump’s allies. Afterward, Cornyn said he had not yet made up his mind. ”It’s a very difficult position to be in,” he said, “to be the president’s personal lawyer and then to end up being a member of the cabinet.” Blanche’s confirmation, however, is partly symbolic. Under law and precedent, he can probably remain in charge of the Justice Department until a new leader is confirmed or Trump leaves office. In a separate hearing room on Capitol Hill today, Democratic senators pressed Jay Clayton, Trump’s pick to be the next director of national intelligence, on the 2020 election. And in her confirmation hearing, Dr. Erica Schwartz, the president’s pick to lead the C.D.C., said she did not think Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, would ask her to do anything to hurt public health. In other Trump administration news:
Cyclospora cases rise fast, with no confirmed sourceAt least 1,645 people across 34 states have been infected with cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that spreads through contaminated food or water and causes severe diarrhea. The confirmed cases have nearly doubled over the last five days, and health officials are investigating thousands more suspected infections. Here’s what to know. In Michigan, where the most cases have been reported so far, officials identified lettuce or salad as a potential source of the outbreak. But cyclospora can take weeks to make someone sick, making it very difficult to confirm the origin of the infections. Still, there are ways to lower your risk. Start with always washing your hands and your fresh produce, which is typically how cyclospora spreads. You can also heat your food to 158 degrees or higher, which should kill the parasite.
As the Iran war rages on, businesses expect higher pricesAmerican forces launched a wave of missile attacks today at a small, disputed island in the Strait of Hormuz, as part of a fifth straight day of exchanging strikes with Iran. The attacks were aimed at military targets, U.S. officials said, though Trump threatened yesterday to target civilian infrastructure if the Iranians remained defiant. Here’s the latest. The new phase of the war has heightened uncertainty in the global supply chain. As a result, our economics correspondent Patricia Cohen reports, businesses are taking steps to plan for an unpredictable world, causing prices to rise even if the fighting comes to a halt. For more: A billboard in central Tehran depicts Trump in a coffin.
Scientists were glad that a meteor fell through a N.J. roofFor the last two years, a couple in Hillsborough, N.J., kept secret a shocking experience. On July 16, 2024, a space rock sped some 32,000 miles per hour through Earth’s atmosphere — fast enough to cause a huge sonic boom — before crashing through the roof above their bedroom. The meteorite that landed left black soot everywhere and onyx-colored rocks on their bed. A study published today revealed that the meteorite was a rare specimen containing complex organic molecules and evidence of salty water — ingredients that life, as we know it, thrives on. “Had this landed in a wooded area, there’s a good chance it might never have been found,” one scientist said. Take a look at the meteorite (and the mess it left). More top news
With ‘The Odyssey,’ Nolan’s passion for film shines throughChristopher Nolan’s adaptation of “The Odyssey” is a classic in every sense, our film critic Manohla Dargis wrote in her review. In the movie, which arrives in theaters this week, Nolan gives a 3,000-year-old poem Old Hollywood allure. It stars Matt Damon, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland, and Manohla described the performances as uniformly good. But nothing manages to hold you like Nolan’s passion for film, which is “in every frame,” Manohla writes. For more: Odysseus wasn’t real. But he had real worshipers in ancient Ithaca.
The World Cup final is setIt was a comeback for the ages. With about five minutes left in regulation time, England, the birthplace of modern soccer, seemed poised to reach its first World Cup final in 60 years. Then, Lionel Messi reminded the world why he is considered the greatest soccer player ever. In quick succession, he assisted two goals, leading Argentina to a stunning 2-1 victory this afternoon. Now, Argentina has a chance to become the first back-to-back World Cup winner since 1962. On Sunday, they will take on Spain and its teen superstar, Lamine Yamal — who, in a remarkable coincidence, met Messi as a baby.
Dinner table topics
Cook: This baked pasta recipe is an easy way to upgrade everyday spaghetti. Watch great theater performances available to stream. Read “Catch the Devil,” a vivid story of a con man who put four people on death row. Dine at the best restaurants in Nashville, Seattle or Washington, D.C. |
