The New York Times

1. Vanilla Ice Is In, Bret Michaels Is Out: Trump’s Battle for Celebrity Validation

   President Trump has pursued fame his entire adult life. Now in his second term in the White House, he is finding how little power he has to force cultural figures to fall in line.

2. New Research Suggests a Possible Path to Prevent Lung Cancer

   Also, senators clashed over Trump’s payout fund. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.

3. Several Women Who Dated Graham Platner Recall ‘Unsettling’ Behavior

   The Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine could be charming, women said in interviews, but some found his actions intimidating and disturbing.

4. Platner Denies Hurting Ex-Girlfriend and Says He Will Not Quit Senate Race

   In an interview after The Times reported on his treatment of women he had dated, Graham Platner acknowledged “not exactly acting with the best behavior” after his military service.

5. In a First, Scientists Precisely Edit Human Embryo Genes

   Researchers relied on a newer gene-editing technique that may make it possible to engineer embryos, a prospect that has long alarmed bioethicists.