Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
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Good morning.
Here’s what you need to know:
• The pieces of a deadly puzzle.
The Times obtained photographs of evidence collected at the scene of Monday’s terrorist attack in Manchester, England, that suggest the bomb was an improvised device made with forethought and care.
Prime Minister Theresa May said today that she would confront President Trump over leaks, attributed to the U. S. government, which British officials blame for news reports, including in The Times, about the investigation.
The authorities are racing to find other parts of a “network” that helped the bomber, Salman Abedi, who recently visited family in Libya. His younger brother and father have been detained there.
More victims have been identified after the attack, which killed 22 people. We’ re tracking the latest developments and looking at some of the rumors and hoaxes that have spread online.
• Russian efforts to influence Trump.
American spies collected information last summer revealing that senior Russian officials were discussing how to exert influence on Donald Trump through his aides, according to three current and former American officials.
Our reporters learned previously unreported details of the Russians’ conversations, which focused on Paul Manafort, Mr. Trump’s campaign chairman at the time, and Michael Flynn, an adviser.
A House committee announced on Wednesday that it would subpoena Mr. Flynn — who became national security adviser, but lasted less than a month — in its investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election.
• If it’s Thursday, this must be Belgium.
President Trump is in Brussels today for the fourth leg of his overseas trip. We have live updates.
He is expected to endorse NATO’s commitment to mutual defense, breaking a long silence about whether the U. S. would automatically aid an ally under attack.
On Wednesday, the president met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, and was pressed on the subject of climate change.
• Scoring the new health bill.
By 2026, the new House health care plan would leave 23 million more people uninsured than under the Affordable Care Act, the Congressional Budget Office said on Wednesday.
We have a copy of the report, which says insurance costs could soar for consumers who are sick or have pre-existing conditions, but fall for the healthy. Here’s a look at the winners and losers under the bill.
In a video, our reporter explains a crucial part of the Republican plan, which underwent changes to secure the votes for passage in the House.
• Montana race gets physical.
Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate in a special House election in Montana, was charged with assaulting a journalist on Wednesday, the day before the vote.
We look at Mr. Gianforte’s background and what to watch in a race that has been examined for clues about the national political environment.
• “ The Daily, ” your audio news report.
In today’s show, we discuss how the unsolved killing of Seth Rich became a case study of how and why fake news endures.
Listen on a computer, an iOS device or an Android device .
• OPEC ministers extended oil production cuts today through March 2018, although they are losing their grip on oil prices .
• Amazon is setting up shop in the heart of the publishing industry by opening a store in New York City today, at Columbus Circle.
• The deadline for many students to choose a college and place a deposit was this month, but, increasingly, negotiations continue .
• U. S. stocks were up on Wednesday. Here’s a snapshot of global markets.
• Here’s what to keep in mind when moving in with your significant other .
• Although it can feel as if your missteps are the focus of everyone’s attention, research suggests otherwise.
• Recipe of the day: Hot and sour seared tofu with sugar snap peas is a meatless dinner to cook often.
• China’s circular homes.
In today’s 360 video, enter a Tulou home in Fujian Province, where multiple families live together in houses that have been designated U. N. World Heritage sites.
• Where history is personal.
We spoke with five New Orleans residents about the city’s recent removal of Confederate monuments, which led to an impassioned debate about legacy, resolution and symbolism.
A speech by the mayor, Mitch Landrieu, has resonated nationally but drawn criticism back home.
• Two stories about climate change.
As President Trump moves to reverse the Obama administration’s environmental policies, California has pushed back, holding itself out as a model to other states — and nations.
And we traveled to Glacier National Park in Montana, which is losing its glaciers. We mapped 50 years of melting ice.
• Best of late-night TV.
Several of the hosts were amused by Pope Francis, who looked unamused during his meeting with President Trump on Wednesday.
“Star Wars” appeared in theaters for the first time on this day in 1977, unleashing one of the greatest pop culture explosions this galaxy has ever seen.
The Force drew us in as much as anyone: Over the past 40 years, The Times has published thousands of articles about “Star Wars” and the universe that surrounds it.
Some now seem quaint: In a prerelease interview, George Lucas called Chewbacca “a cross between a large bear, a dog and a monkey.” (Chewie, as we know now, is a 200-year-old Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk and one of the greatest sidekicks in the history of film .)
Other reports were serious: We covered President Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars” antimissile system in the 1980s, the “Star Wars” “piracy menace” of bootleg films in Hong Kong, and provided obituaries of franchise stars like Alec Guinness, in 2000, and Carrie Fisher, in December .
We also tried to be playful. We covered the recent campaign to make Jediism a religion, and the “Star Wars” socks worn by the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.
And maybe we got a little obsessed, too. Last year, we offered “Star Wars” teaching ideas — from “Tackle Shakespeare With Yoda, You Will” to an economics primer, “The Death Star, Too Big to Fail?”
In any case, may The Force be with you.
