Turning on Trump, polar vortex, how kissing evolved: Catch up on the day’s stories
By Daniel Wine, CNN
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Sales of an AI-enabled teddy bear were halted after it offered advice on sexually explicit topics, how to light a match and where to find knives. The plush toy was marketed as “the perfect friend for both kids and adults.”
Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.
5 things
1️⃣ Turning on Trump
For the first time in his second term, fellow Republicans defied President Donald Trump — on the Epstein files — and he fell in line. That doesn’t mean GOP lawmakers will turn on him en masse, CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf writes, but it’s likely you will hear this term more frequently.
2️⃣ Missing the mark
Sales at Target have stagnated for about four years, and 1,000 corporate employees are being laid off. The retail giant hopes a new CEO can turn things around, but the latest quarterly report showed there’s no quick fix.
3️⃣ Fluoride’s benefits
The longstanding practice of adding fluoride to drinking water is facing heavy scrutiny in the US. New research challenges recent claims about the risks — and instead suggests that it may have additional positive effects.
4️⃣ Polar vortex
High above the North Pole, a transformation is underway. During the next 10 days, changes in the stratosphere will set the stage for a cold, snowy December across parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
5️⃣ Prehistoric kisses
Humanity’s earliest lip locks were recorded 4,500 years ago, but the behavior might actually date back 21 million years. Scientists just mapped its unexpected origins.
Watch this
💥 Underwater bull’s-eye: NATO released dramatic footage of a Norwegian submarine torpedoing a ship during a training exercise. See the moment of impact.
Top headlines
- Trump’s handpicked US attorney admits full grand jury didn’t see the final indictment handed up against Comey
- Larry Summers resigns from OpenAI board as scrutiny over Jeffrey Epstein emails intensifies
- Democratic lawmakers urge troops to disobey illegal orders
Check this out
🏺 ‘Addicted to clay’: Renowned potter Kate Malone creates otherworldly ceramics brimming with life. Her handcrafted pieces draw inspiration from the natural world.
For CNN subscribers
- Thieves broke into the Louvre one month ago. Here’s how police closed in on the suspects
- From fentanyl to the felt: How drug money from Mexican cartels flowed to a Las Vegas casino
- Trump pick for deputy UN job questioned loyalty of American Muslims
Quiz time
🎤 Who will appear on “Saturday Night Live” as a musical guest for the first time in nearly 40 years?
A. Cher
B. Billy Joel
C. Dolly Parton
D. Paul McCartney
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.
Thanks for reading
✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: Video: There’s a dolphin living in the Venice canals
🧠 Quiz answer: A. Cher will be the musical guest on the December 20 episode of the long-running NBC sketch show.
👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
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Today’s edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Kimberly Richardson and Chris Good.
