Aviation staffing woes, cat hate, growing strong readers: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Jordan D. Brown, CNN

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Is it okay to hate cats now? Two well‑known personalities seem to think so, sparking a wave of claws‑out reactions online. (Our editor, a devoted feline mom, firmly objects.)

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

5 things

1️⃣ Workforce scarcity

A shortage of aircraft mechanics is causing flight delays and cancellations. There’s a push to teach more people how to fix planes as cargo carriers scramble to hire trained technicians.

2️⃣ New concepts

The next wave of tech devices may not have screens — and you might not even realize they’re gadgets at all. Interest is growing in wearables that look like ordinary accessories.

3️⃣ Developmental assessments

As childhood literacy rates lag, a pediatric hospital is screening for reading ability during doctor’s visits. The idea is to catch struggles early and guide parents on how to help their kids.

4️⃣ Puzzling twist

Scientists are one step closer to understanding the origins of complex life on Earth. The key may lie in how simple microbes adapted to the presence of oxygen.

5️⃣ ‘Fascinating case study’

The popularity around “Heated Rivalry” challenges assumptions that Gen Z is disinterested in sex. See how the horny hockey show escaped the criticism and did what its contemporaries cannot.

Watch this

🎆 Buzzing explosions: In a century-old Taiwan tradition, fireworks fly out like bees into crowds of attendees. Festivalgoers hope the sparks will cast off bad luck.

Top headlines

• Iran war spreads as European nations drawn further in
• Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as frustrations build among White House officials, GOP lawmakers
• ‘Soulless hotel conference space’: Approval for Trump’s East Wing ballroom delayed amid scathing public feedback

Check this out

👗 Billionaire observers: For some, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan were a distraction at Milan Fashion Week. Like it or not, the industry is becoming the new playground for America’s technocrats.

For CNN subscribers

• Exclusive: Iranian bombers were ‘two minutes’ from striking US air base before Qatari planes shot them down
• ‘We miss our Canadian friends’: Trump’s threats to Canada hit Las Vegas
• America is the oil king of the world. So why is the Iran war sending gas prices higher?

Quiz time

⛽ Gas prices are climbing as the war with Iran intensifies. What’s the national average per gallon right now?
A. $2.95
B. $3.25
C. $3.60
D. $4.16
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: Hot air balloon passengers rescued 920 feet above ground

🧠 Quiz answer: B. The average US gas price hit about $3.25 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA, up more than 36 cents from last month’s $2.89 average.

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.

📧 Check out all of CNN’s newsletters.

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 Chris Good.