4 things from Washington this afternoon you should know

For non-Washington news, keep scrolling. For Washington news, buckle up: 

• Congressional hearings aren't usually must-watch TV. Wednesday's Senate grilling of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo got contentious. It was the first time lawmakers had a chance to quiz Pompeo since President Donald Trump's meeting last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin (followed by Trump's mixed messages about election meddling). To address concerns that the administration is soft on Russia, Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the U.S. rejects Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea and called on Moscow to end its occupation of the territory. Phew, clarity. Just what the panel wanted, said the committee chairman, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. "We are antagonizing our friends and placating those who wish us ill," Corker said. Lawmakers need "a clear understanding of what is going on," he said.

•  Zero tariffs. Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed to new talks on eliminating trade barriers between the U.S. and Europe. Trump said both men would work toward a plan to have zero tariffs on many products. Details were not announced.

• Trump uninvites Putin to D.C. The White House said Wednesday that Trump and Putin will not meet this year, a surprising reversal that came amid mounting pressure from fellow Republicans on his handling of Russia. The meeting, initially planned for the fall, will be pushed back to next year. The reason given for the delay: The 'Russia witch hunt.'

• Oh, those recordings. The feud between Trump and his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, erupted into open warfare Wednesday with the airing of a taped conversation the two men had in 2016. Cohen's shift in allegiance has created an atmosphere of anxiety in a White House already under siege.

The non-Washington news we promised: 

• Larry Nassar seeks resentencing, wants judge signing his "death warrant" off case
• This longtime sports announcer was asked to take an 80 percent pay cut
• Demi Lovato is "awake and with her family" after possible overdose
• California DMV worker slept thousands of hours on the job, state report finds
• Butina lawyer: Not true she traded sex for a job

Mars, congrats on your water. Love, Earth

Scientists revealed Wednesday that there is indeed water on Mars and not just ice as originally suspected. Yes, water — hidden a mile beneath the surface of the Red Planet. This finding, published in Science, the peer-reviewed journal, also raises the possibility there might actually be life on Mars. The water on Mars stretches 12 miles across and is similar to lakes found beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets on Earth.

Things you do on TV aren't always cool in real life

Dropping your pants and screaming racial slurs on TV is rarely acceptable behavior for a lawmaker. Georgia state Rep. Jason Spencer resigned from office two days after he appeared on comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's satirical new show "Who Is America?" In the episode, Spencer is duped by Cohen, who plays an Israeli anti-terrorism expert character. Spencer repeatedly yells words we won't repeat here and pulls down his pants, thinking those actions will ward off terrorists. You can't make this stuff up.

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This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY, brought to you by Emily Brown, David Carrig and Alex Connor. The really juicy parts were taken out by our editor. 

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