There are only two northern white rhinos left on Earth. Due to the constant threat of poachers, they are protected 24/7 by armed guards. Now, a new documentary chronicles the fight to save these creatures from extinction.
Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
1️⃣ CDC
The CDC has been left leaderless after Director Dr. Susan Monarez was ousted by the White House on Wednesday. Although she had only been working at the CDC since July 31, Monarez was “not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement. According to people familiar with the situation, Monarez recently clashed with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his team over vaccine policies and personnel matters. Following her departure, three other high-level veteran agency officials resigned. “When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda,” Monarez’s attorneys said in a statement. Morale was already low at the agency due to mass layoffs in the spring and a deadly shooting at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta earlier this month.
2️⃣ Minneapolis school shooting
Investigators are working to understand what may have motivated a shooter to open fire on the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, killing two children. Three elderly parishioners and 14 other children were wounded in the attack. The shooter, who had no prior criminal history and died of a self-inflicted wound, posted a “manifesto” online that authorities are reviewing. According to a CNN analysis, it was the 44th school shooting in the US this year. After visiting the scene, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a call to action. “This has happened in other countries and guess what, they do something about it. We gotta do something about it here,” he told CNN’s Erin Burnett. Frey’s message was echoed by Annunciation principal Matthew DeBoer: “We as a community have a responsibility to make sure that no child, no parent, no teacher ever has to experience what we’ve experienced today — ever again.” Several Democratic leaders have also renewed calls to address gun violence.
3️⃣ Ukraine
Russia’s latest attack on Kyiv overnight killed at least 15 people, including four children, and wounded dozens of others. There may be additional victims trapped under the rubble; some 500 rescuers and 1,000 police officers have been tasked with searching multiple locations for survivors. The missile and drone strike is the latest in a series of assaults Russia has conducted on Ukraine and comes just over two weeks after President Donald Trump held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. That summit was followed by planning for a bilateral meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but that has not taken place, and diplomatic efforts to end the war seem to have stalled. “These Russian missiles and attack drones today are a clear response to everyone in the world who, for weeks and months, has been calling for a ceasefire and for real diplomacy,” Zelensky said on X.
4️⃣ Israel-Hamas war
There appears to be a major disconnect happening in Israel between many of its citizens and the country’s leadership. As hundreds of thousands of demonstrators take to the streets, demanding a ceasefire and the return of the hostages held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been speaking about “the unity of the people” and proclaiming that Israel is on “the path to victory” as it moves to escalate the 22-month war in Gaza. In response to the rallies, Netanyahu and his allies have denounced the protesters — including the families of the hostages — and accused them of aiding Hamas. Israel is facing international condemnation as well for its assault on the biggest hospital in southern Gaza, a back-to-back attack that killed at least 22 people. New video obtained by CNN provided more details about the bombing, including the fact that there was a third strike.
5️⃣ Sex education
The Trump administration is threatening to pull millions in federal funding from sex education programs for merely mentioning gender identity or transgender people. A division of the Department of Health and Human Services told 40 states, five territories and the District of Columbia that they “are now on notice.” “Federal funds will not be used to poison the minds of the next generation or advance dangerous ideological agendas,” Acting Assistant HHS Secretary Andrew Gradison said. Although the federal government had already approved the curriculum before the funds were granted to the states or territories, the Administration for Children and Families later identified program materials that it said fell “outside of the scope” of the State Personal Responsibility Education Program. The affected states and territories have 60 days to remove the inclusive language.
Breakfast browse
France returns 3 skulls to Madagascar
One of them even belonged to royalty.
Brightest fast radio burst ever detected coming from nearby galaxy
Such observations could shed light on one of the most mysterious cosmic phenomena ever studied.
MIT researchers are buzzing about new robot
The machine weighs less than a paperclip, can fly 6.5 feet per second and may someday work on other planets.
This hobby is costing young men big bucks
Yet a recent study showed 26% of men under the age of 45 are participating in it.
Green it like you mean it
Simple changes can make a profound difference in creating a sustainable college campus. Here are five to try.
Big number
6 in 10
That’s how many teachers used an AI tool for work in the 2024-2025 school year, according to a study from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup.
Quotable
Malick is a coordinator at a “school for husbands” in Senegal. The UN-backed initiative helps respected male community members learn about “positive masculinity” in health and social issues and promote it in their communities.
Weather
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
And finally…
▶️ Incoming asteroid won’t hit Earth
However, the building-sized object’s revised trajectory is drawing attention to another possible target.
Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.
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