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Good morning and welcome to the Sunday edition of Morning Wire, where we give you the weekend rundown to get ready for the week ahead. The U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general; the largest reservoir in the United States has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was filled some 90 years ago; and the Perseid meteor shower will peak this week. 

But first, the lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries are raising fresh concerns about the toll of the Iran war on American troops.

UP FIRST

Joe Shearer, who was diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries from fighting in Iraq, poses for a portrait in his home in Colorado Springs, Colo., Wednesday. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

Iran war renews concerns about the lasting toll of traumatic brain injuries to US troops

Military officials say the majority of American troops wounded in the Iran war have suffered traumatic brain injuries. That's raising fresh concerns about the lasting effects of such injuries, which were also a signature wound during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many people recover within weeks, but problems like memory loss and brain fog can persist for years. Colorado resident Joe Shearer says he's still plagued with dizziness, migraines and forgetfulness after experiencing two blasts in Iraq in 2005. Read more.

TOP STORIES

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, center, is joined by Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator Terry Cole, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel, right, during a news conference at the Department of Justice, Wednesday, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general, cementing the ex-Trump attorney’s command of the Justice Department

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a vote early Saturday, cementing the command of President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer at a Department of Justice that Trump has sought to bend to his will. The path to confirmation for Blanche was unusually rocky, due in large part to Republican concerns about a controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS. In the end, Blanche was confirmed by the narrowest of margins, opposed by two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — and by every Democrat. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, the decisive vote, throwing his support behind Blanche on Friday. Read more.

Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles

Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was filled some 90 years ago, another sign of the crisis plaguing the Colorado River system. Years of overuse combined with drought and rising temperatures have been depleting Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir. Read more.