Vaccine changes, Colombia quake toll, hottest month ever: Catch up on the day’s stories
By Daniel Wine, CNN
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Feel like you’ve been melting under this summer’s heat? You’re not imagining things. July was the hottest month ever recorded in the US.
🫠 Get your local forecast in the CNN Weather app
Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.
5 things
1️⃣ Childhood vaccines
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order that decreases the number of immunizations recommended for children by the federal government. Medical groups previously sued over a similar effort.
2️⃣ Colombia quake
More than 100 people were killed and dozens injured after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit western Colombia. The government declared a national disaster and deployed soldiers to help with search and rescue.
➕ Watch: Video shows moment church steeple topples
3️⃣ Shocking twist
A trial in Washington, DC, seemed pretty straightforward: Shamell Naquan Joyner was accused of robbing gas stations and stealing cars. Then the jury made a discovery that stunned everyone in the courtroom.
4️⃣ ‘Chilling and exciting’
Buried alongside Pharaoh Tutankhamun, two small, ornate Egyptian trumpets remained silent for more than 3,000 years. A remarkable BBC radio broadcast let the world hear them again.
5️⃣ Changing tastes
7UP, which popularized lemon-lime flavoring when it rolled out nearly a century ago, is getting a makeover in response to younger drinkers’ thirst for citrus.
Watch this
🕺 Dancing for a discount: A gas station in upstate New York offered customers 20 percent off if they put on a show for the cashier. See their moves.
Top headlines
- Todd Blanche sworn in as attorney general by another former Trump lawyer
- Trump says the US has ‘mine swept the entire’ Strait of Hormuz
- $580 million undersea power cable rerouted after uproar from ‘Harry Potter’ fans
Check this out
🐛 It’s a trap: Back in 1875, Charles Darwin had a theory about the sticky “hairs” on this plant. More than 150 years later, scientists proved him right.
For CNN subscribers
- The 9 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2026
- Analysis: There’s a big problem with what we’re told about America’s economy
- Civilian or Spy: The untold story of a Russian-born federal contractor killed by the FBI
Quiz time
🗳️ Which GOP lawmaker, pictured here, decided to remain in his race for reelection despite abuse allegations?
A. Rep. Chuck Edwards
B. Rep. Cory Mills
C. Sen. Bernie Moreno
D. Rep. Max Miller
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.
Thanks for reading
✅ Most popular in Friday’s newsletter: A new romcom captures the very horny spirit of 2026
🧠 Quiz answer: D. Miller, a Republican from Ohio, has denied the accusations from his ex-wife.
👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
Today’s edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Kimberly Richardson and Gina Park.