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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Fall is officially here, and that means it’s virus season. The US government plans to make more at-home Covid-19 tests available for free by the end of September. Each household will be able to order four test kits.
Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:
1️⃣ Shared goals: What started as an informal pick-up soccer game has evolved into an organized club that serves as a lifeline for many asylum-seekers in New York. “We’re like a family,” one member said. “There is respect, love and understanding between us.” Meet the Newcomers Football Club.
2️⃣ Personal info: Social media platforms are using what you create for their artificial intelligence systems — everything from selfies on Snapchat to resumes on LinkedIn. Companies say the data is valuable for training AI because it’s timely and conversational. Here’s how to opt out.
3️⃣ Déjà vu: During the 1992 presidential election, a popular TV sitcom character became the center of political controversy and sparked a national conversation about “family values.” Fast forward to 2024, and we’re seeing echoes of that again in this campaign.
4️⃣ Tools of war: Researchers are using thousands of bones and hundreds of weapons to piece together what happened on Europe’s oldest battlefield 3,250 years ago. The discoveries include swords, wooden clubs and arrowheads — some still embedded in the remains of the fallen.
5️⃣ Tables turned: Ted Purdom hated languages and flunked Spanish as a high school student in California. Then he found himself studying in Spain, and now the former gardener runs his own language academy.
🐂 Un-herd of: Eight bulls were on the loose for several hours after escaping from a rodeo in Massachusetts. No one was hurt, and crews eventually managed to round them up and onto a cattle trailer.
Video shows eight bulls on the loose after escaping from rodeo
• Hundreds killed in latest Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon
• Man suspected of assassination attempt against Trump left a letter detailing his plans, prosecutors say
• Melania Trump was paid for a rare appearance at a political event. It’s not clear who cut the unusual six-figure check
🐧 Big baby: Although he’s only 9 months old, Pesto the king penguin is already larger than his adult parents. His keepers at an aquarium in Australia call him a “walking feathery poop machine.”
🚓 That’s the estimated drop in violent crime in the US last year, including a dramatic decline in murders, according to new FBI data.
🧑⚖️ Legal tussle: Cards Against Humanity filed a lawsuit against SpaceX alleging that Elon Musk’s company is trespassing on its land in Texas. The maker of the popular card game wants $15 million.
☀️ Which country is home to the world’s oldest desert?
A. Egypt
B. Namibia
C. Algeria
D. Libya
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.
🦠 Virus concerns: A common infection that could lead to paralysis is on the rise, and children are more susceptible. Here’s what parents should know.
😎 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: Eight new emojis are coming soon to a smartphone near you. One features an exhausted face with bags under its eyes. Check out the rest.
👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: B. Researchers consider Sossusvlei in Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia the world’s oldest desert — up to 80 million years old.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.
