Trump’s loaded language, gene-edited babies, pilot’s last words: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Daniel Wine, Gina Park, CNN

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! “The Pitt” leads the pack with 25 Emmy Award nominations, while “Hacks” and newcomer “Widow’s Bay” also snagged numerous nods. There were a few snubs too. See the full list.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Loaded language

President Donald Trump dug his latest line of attack out of the dustbin of history. With the midterm elections approaching, calling his opponents “communists” is shaping up as his go-to counteroffensive.

2️⃣ A fatal leap

A flight school pilot jumped out of a moving plane to his death, leaving the student he was teaching to land the aircraft by herself. His last words were: “You know what you have to do, carry on.”

3️⃣ Gene-edited babies

New research shows it’s possible to alter the DNA of human embryos with more precision. But scientists warn the technique still isn’t safe, and the ethical debate is far from settled.

4️⃣ Perfect pairings

LJ Rader is the guy behind the popular social media accounts that juxtapose photographs of big moments in sports with fine art. The World Cup provides plenty of inspiration.

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5️⃣ ‘It seduces people’

For this London restaurant, the real prize isn’t Michelin stars or industry rankings — it’s the satisfaction of serving generations of loyal customers, a tradition they’ve kept alive since 1798.

Watch this

🖌️ Sky high: Morning traffic was disrupted in Melbourne, Australia, when a graffiti artist climbed a 460-foot tower to paint a giant cartoon. Oh, and he also had a list of demands.

Top headlines

• US conducting new strikes in Iran after Trump said ceasefire is ‘over’
• Judge orders the release of Trump’s $5 million payment to E. Jean Carroll
• Stabilization work continues on buckled columns at NYC high-rise as developer makes plans to rebuild damaged section

Check this out

🧊 Disappearing ice cap: CNN’s Bill Weir joins scientists in the rapidly warming Arctic, where sea ice is record-low, glaciers are shrinking and wildlife is shifting. Meanwhile, global politics threaten the research needed most to understand the changes.

For CNN subscribers

• Exclusive: US commanders bypassed warnings about outdated intelligence ahead of strike that hit school in Iran, sources say
• How trips to Asia are making some Americans healthy again
• 2,300 years in the making, a record-setting bridge is finally in the works. Because of Trump. Sort of

Quiz time

🪙 In which popular mobile game can players help recover lost Revolutionary War treasures?
A. “Roblox”
B. “Pokémon Go”
C. “June’s Journey”
D. “Township”
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: The world’s most livable city for 2026 has been revealed

🧠 Quiz answer: C. Players of “June’s Journey” step into 1920s New York and search for clues to hunt down lost artifacts. The game’s creators hope that the virtual treasure hunt will lead to some real-world discoveries.

👋 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.