Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.
New research suggests a possible path for preventing lung cancerA group of scientists announced a discovery today that may help prevent some people from developing lung cancer, which kills more people every year than any other cancer. A team of more than 80 researchers across four continents identified a set of proteins in the blood that can accurately predict lung cancers more than five years before diagnosis. The researchers also found early evidence that an existing drug could reduce the odds of a tumor developing. The findings indicate that factors like smoking and air pollution cause “mutations and inflammation, which together cause cancer,” one researcher said. That’s exciting to scientists because inflammation is an issue that they can potentially target before cancers develop. The research is still in its early stages, but outside experts say the findings are a promising starting point toward a “holy grail” of public health research.
Senators clash over Trump’s payout fundSenate Republicans defeated a Democratic effort that could have permanently blocked President Trump from creating a $1.8 billion fund to pay people he believes to have been politically persecuted. Several Republicans oppose the fund, but approval of the Democrats’ push to kill it could also have stalled Republicans’ attempt to fund the president’s immigration crackdown. Senators are expected to weigh in on other hot-button topics over the next several hours as part of a marathon voting session. Follow here for the latest. The three Republicans who voted alongside the Democrats to block the fund — Susan Collins of Maine, Jon Husted of Ohio and Dan Sullivan of Alaska — are all facing re-election later this year. In other Trump administration news:
Women who dated Platner recall ‘unsettling’ behaviorSeveral women who have been romantically involved with Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, told my colleagues that he was caring and kind. But in extensive interviews with The Times, three other women offered more complicated assessments. They described their relationships with Platner as volatile, unsettling and at times emotionally wrenching. They said he could be charming, but also demeaning and, in at least one case, physically threatening. He drank heavily and was regularly unfaithful, they recalled. In a statement, Platner acknowledged that he had “too often self-medicated with alcohol, and was a far-from-perfect boyfriend.” He added: “Any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated.”
In Congo, mistrust spreads along with EbolaPeople are angry and afraid in Mongbwalu, the remote mining town believed to be ground zero of the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many residents distrust the health workers who are trying to stem the spread of the virus, and some are in denial that the disease is even real. Watch this video from my colleagues who are reporting in the region to see what it’s like at the center of the devastating outbreak. More top news
My colleague Jessica Testa sent along another postcard from New York City, where Knicks fans are still energized after last night’s gritty Game 1 victory in the N.B.A. finals. Here’s what she said: The first gift my phone gave me this morning was a video of Mayor Zohran Mamdani hanging out of an S.U.V., greeting an ecstatic crowd of fans. He looked like dopamine personified. So did my corner of Brooklyn last night, where flat screen TVs just appeared along sidewalks. Outside of Madison Square Garden, people climbed on top of anything they could find. My friend (and frequent Times photographer) Amir Hamja posted a video on Instagram of a woman’s clothes and hair catching fire in the chaos. I can’t fathom what the city will feel like when the Knicks play their first home game on Monday. Both Trump and Mamdani plan to be there. — JESSICA TESTA
A Tony favorite that feeds off collaborationThe bond between Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf, who star in the latest Broadway take on “Death of a Salesman,” is convincing. Perhaps that’s because they’ve collaborated with each other, and with the director Joe Mantello, for many years. “We prefer it, the three of us,” Metcalf said. The play is up for nine Tony Awards this weekend, and our critic expects it to win for best revival.
Half her country loves her. The other half says: ‘Who?’Pommelien Thijs sells out arenas in Belgium, and one of her songs topped its pop chart for 22 weeks last year. But in the southern part of the country, many people don’t even know who she is. That’s because Thijs sings in Dutch, and a significant cultural divide remains between Belgium’s Dutch-speaking north and Wallonia, its French-speaking south. Hardly any artists are popular in both regions, though Thijs has been using Duolingo in an effort to broaden her fan base.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Smashed, salted cucumbers form the base of this fresh avocado and shrimp salad. Watch “Carolina Caroline,” a soulful lovers-on-the-lam film. Groove along with these expressive Charlie Parker tunes. Consider these factors before buying any used tech products. Hunt: Which of these Upper West Side apartments would you buy? Play: Here are today’s Connections, Wordle and Mini Crossword. |
