A shutdown blame game, US brain drain, eyeglass breakthrough: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Daniel Wine, CNN

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! What do you get when you cross a blue jay with a green jay? A scientific marvel — take a look.

Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.

5 things

1️⃣ The blame game

Barring some type of last-minute reprieve, the federal government is careening toward a shutdown Tuesday night. It’s a complicated game of chicken between Republicans and Democrats. So who will blink first — and who will be to blame if things grind to a halt?

2️⃣ Brain drain

A Princeton nuclear physicist. An engineer who helped NASA explore space manufacturing. A National Institutes of Health neurobiologist. Celebrated mathematicians and AI experts. The list of research talent leaving the US to work in China is staggering — and growing.

3️⃣ ‘Breakthrough device’

The Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing of the first eyeglass lenses in the US to correct and slow nearsightedness in children. Eye doctors could start prescribing them in the coming weeks.

4️⃣ Amazon refunds

The company will have to return $1.5 billion directly to Prime customers as part of a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Follow these steps to see if you’re eligible for a refund.

5️⃣ A fresh perspective

Louise Trotter, who recently joined Bottega Veneta, is one of the few female designers in luxury fashion. Her first collection for the Italian label reflected a return to its roots.

Watch this

🐻‍❄️ Bear necessities: Drone video captured by a travel blogger shows polar bears roaming an abandoned research station on a remote island in the Arctic. Scientists left shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Top headlines

• Trump announces Gaza plan, with warning for Hamas
• Police chief calls Michigan church attack an ‘evil act’
• Exclusive: Report reveals hidden reality of child marriage. Three girls share the impact on their lives

Check this out

🦴 Bone dry: Thousands of years ago, hunter-gatherers in Asia prepared their dead for burial with smoke-drying. A new analysis resulted in the oldest known evidence of human mummification.

Quiz time

🎵 Who will perform during next year’s Super Bowl halftime show?
A. Post Malone
B. Taylor Swift
C. Bad Bunny
D. Beyoncé
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in Friday’s newsletter: See the five types of independents that have big implications for American politics

🧠 Quiz answer: C. Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny is taking the biggest stage in football next February.

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Today’s edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Kimberly Richardson and Sarah Hutter.