The Evening: Trump courts parents

Also, an obesity drug may prevent Covid deaths

View in browser|nytimes.com August 30, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Friday. Trump's speech to education activists New obesity drug benefits Plus, designer dorm rooms 🇺🇸 2024 The presidential election is 67 days away. Here's the latest from the campaign trail. Trump in Arizona last Friday. Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times Trump courts parents Donald Trump is set to deliver a speech tonight to a gathering of Moms for Liberty, a conservative activist group that says it defends "parental rights" and has called for funding cuts to schools that embrace progressive ideas on gender and race. On the local level, conservative activists that focus on similar issues have lately lost some ground, but Trump's education platform still mirrors their priorities. The event comes as access to fertility treatments emerged as a flashpoint in the campaign. During stops yesterday in Michigan and Wisconsin, Trump — who is struggling for women's votes, according to polls — called for free fertility treatments for all Americans. Democrats, however, questioned Trump's sincerity. Kamala Harris has also positioned herself as a champion for parents. Part of her economic message is a vow to make raising a family more affordable. Here's what else to know: Harris plans to deploy President Biden to Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, where he still appeals to many white, working-class voters and union members. Liz Cheney, the most prominent Republican critic of Trump, plans to weigh in on the race after repeated outreach from the Harris campaign. Trump is using influencers to attract the "bro vote." Tulkarm, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, after an Israeli military raid. Mohamad Torokman/Reuters Israel shifted its West Bank raid to Jenin Today, on the third day of raids in the West Bank, Israeli forces began to pull back from the ravaged city of Tulkarm and shift their focus to Jenin. The Israeli police said their special forces had killed a local Hamas commander and two other militants there. In total, at least 19 Palestinians have been killed during the operation, according to local health authorities. Israeli officials said the raids are necessary to stem an increase in attacks on Israeli citizens and troops, but international criticism is mounting over the operation. In related news, relief agencies are rushing polio vaccines to Gaza. Moira Gallagher and her partner have struggled to buy a home in Anchorage, Alaska. Ash Adams for The New York Times Mortgage rates are falling, but houses are still expensive Across the U.S., and in countries around the world, home prices have increased so much in recent years that they have become unaffordable for many middle-class families. However, mortgage rates are beginning to fall as the Federal Reserve prepares to reduce borrowing costs next month. Several economists said 30-year mortgage rates, for instance, could end up in the 5.5 to 6 percent range, down from their 7.5 percent peak last year. Still, housing costs are expected to remain elevated, in large part because there's simply not enough supply to meet all of the demand. M. Scott Brauer for The New York Times An obesity drug may prevent Covid deaths During the pandemic, people who took Wegovy, the popular obesity drug, were 33 percent less likely to die of Covid even before losing large amounts of weight, according to a clinical trial. The study also found that the death rate from all causes was lower among subjects taking Wegovy, a very rare finding in clinical trials of new treatments. The result suggests that lower life expectancy among people with obesity is actually caused by the disease itself, and that it can be improved by treating obesity. In related news, North Carolina covers the costs of obesity drugs for its poorest residents, but stopped covering them for state employees. More top news Education: Enrollment among Black students dropped at Amherst College and Tufts University after the Supreme Court decision that ended affirmative action. Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the head of the country's air force days after an F-16 crashed in an incident that may have been caused by friendly fire. Social media: X was banned in Brazil after Elon Musk refused a judge's orders to suspend certain accounts. Economy: Inflation in the U.S. held steady in July and consumer spending was robust, according to a new report. South Korea: An official leaked classified data to a suspected Chinese intelligence agent for years in exchange for cash, defense officials said. Courts: The Maryland Supreme Court ordered a repeat of the hearing that had freed Adnan Syed, whose conviction for murder was chronicled in the hit podcast "Serial." Health: Federal inspectors cited continuing problems at a Boar's Head deli meat plant in Virginia that was linked to nine listeria deaths, records indicate. Sports: The N.H.L. player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed in a traffic crash. TIME TO UNWIND A scene from "The Deliverance." Aaron Ricketts/Netflix A supernatural horror movie based on a true story? In "The Deliverance," Netflix's new riotously wacky horror flick starring Andra Day, Glenn Close and Mo'Nique, a young boy scales a wall after becoming possessed by a demon. The tale is inspired by the story of Indiana woman who says that evil spirits overtook her family in 2011. The state's child service department, which claimed to have corroborated the woman's story, eventually took custody of her three children. Our reviewer wrote that, despite some odd logic jumps and clumsy sound design choices, the film delivers "big, brazen moments engineered to make us race out of the theater and tell our friends what we've just seen." Alice Zoo for The New York Times Embrace the end of summer Sure, summer is waning, but Labor Day weekend offers an opportunity to host a picnic or a barbecue, or to simply take in the season's beauty before the leaves change color. My colleague Genevieve Ko pulled together a selection of easy recipes that boost the flavors of end-of-season produce. If you prefer to relax indoors, we have three charming computer games to consider. Do you have a case of the September Scaries? Here's how to manage your stress. Alternatively, you could plan a fall trip to look forward to. Prices are down as the post-pandemic rush seems finally to be easing. The subway in the 1940s. Bettmann Archive, via Getty Images Dinner table topics Subterranean muse: For 120 years, the subway has been embedded in New York City's fiction. We took a ride through that history. Channeling synesthesia: Hermès's head perfumer has a neurological condition that allows her to see and feel scents. Fake Warhols: A Florida art dealer was accused of going to elaborate lengths to pass off $6 million of forged artworks as authentic. Modern Love: Our writer tells the story of the time she and her father fell for the same woman. WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: This colorful grain salad is laced with juicy stone fruit and milky burrata cheese. Stock: Red-chile flakes are a pantry staple that can change your cooking. Watch: Here are five science fiction movies to stream right now. Read: Our Book Review Book Club will discuss Jo Hamya's "The Hypocrite" this month. Protect: We have tips for fending off mosquitoes. Compete: Take this week's news quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Andrea Morales for The New York Times College dorms with a touch of Versailles For some students, especially at large universities in the South, the typical dorm room aesthetic of cheap linens, Ikea furniture and corkboards just will not do. That's where a new class of high-end dorm room interior designers come in, charging as much as $10,000 a room. Depending on how much the college students (or really their parents) want to pay, the designers will equip the tiny living spaces with custom curtains, monogrammed pillows, luxury light fixtures, handmade murals and much more. The clients are almost all young women, but one male student paid a designer to turn his dorm into an Amazonian rainforest. Have a gilded weekend. Thanks for reading. We will be off on Monday for Labor Day. I'll be back on Tuesday. — Matthew Kirsten Luce was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. 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