Stories from Washington DC · United States

A dispute among House Republicans delayed the Farm Bill debate until approximately 2:30 a.m. Eastern on Thursday. The disagreement centers on allowing year-round sales of E15 gasoline, which contains ethanol content.

President Donald Trump announced one week ago that the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool will be colored American flag blue. The project involves contractors sealing the pool, which Trump previously described as leaking like a sieve.

A study evaluated how a reasoning model developed by OpenAI performs using messy electronic health records. The study is described as one of the largest conducted to date. The research indicates the technology's effectiveness in real-world diagnostic settings despite messy electronic health records. David Rich, chief clinical officer at New York's Mount Sinai health system, was not involved in the research. Researchers evaluated an OpenAI reasoning model's ability to diagnose patients and make clinical decisions. The model outperformed a large physician baseline when processing complex case reports and clinical vignettes. Researcher Rajman Rai noted the model excelled at parsing electronic health records for specific cases, such as a patient with lupus. The study was part of a series of experiments regarding AI in medical decision-making.

A major study published in the journal Science suggests artificial intelligence can compete with doctors on day-to-day decision-making. The study indicates AI performance matches human doctors across three key metrics. The findings were discussed on WAMU 88.5 in Washington DC.

Suicide deaths in the United States fell most steeply in areas with the highest 988 suicide and crisis lifeline call volumes.

A study published in the journal JAMA observed 4,300 fewer suicides in the two and a half years following the launch of a lifeline compared to previous year projections. Angela Kemble, chief advocacy officer at INS, discussed the implications of these findings.

Democratic candidate Mills is struggling to overcome first-time candidate Graham Platner in recent polling. Platner is described as an oyster farmer. Mills was previously a favorite of Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer.

Caterpillar shares advanced approximately 10 percent following the release of solid earnings news. The construction equipment manufacturer is benefiting from building data centers for artificial intelligence projects. The stock movement occurred as the NASDAQ finished at record highs. The company's performance helped lift the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 both finished at record highs.

An internal US State Department telegram sent to embassies suggests forming a maritime freedom initiative to secure one of the world's most shipping lanes. The telegram calls on American diplomats to pressure foreign governments to join the movement. The initiative aims to facilitate information exchange and maritime security. The proposal involves information exchange and coordinated diplomatic efforts. Operations would be split between the State Department managing diplomacy and a second entity providing real-time maritime intelligence and military coordination. The coalition aims to protect ships and tankers through diplomatic pressure and naval participation. Military options, including short and harsh strikes against Iranian life-support infrastructure, remain under consideration to force concessions from Iran.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the American medical establishment has turned its back on women for more than two decades. He claimed millions of women were told to fear menopause therapy that could provide strength and dignity.