Prize money for Olympians, inside the Forbidden City, preparing for an asteroid: Catch up on the day’s stories
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Covid-19 is on the rise again in the United States, with emergency rooms reporting that visits by people seeking treatment have been increasing for weeks. The virus also is showing up more often during wastewater testing. An expert explains what you should know about the summer spread.
Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:
5 things
1️⃣ Medals and money: Some athletes train their entire lives for the chance to compete in the Olympics. The winners are rewarded with gold, silver and bronze medals, of course, but there’s heated debate about whether they should receive prize money as well.
2️⃣ No joke: Jack Black’s comedy rock band Tenacious D canceled its remaining tour dates after member Kyle Gass sparked backlash with an apparent joke about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
3️⃣ HIIT workouts: High-intensity interval training has been a popular fitness trend for years because you can burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. Some people with bad knees or balance problems are wary, but you can still get your heart pumping without all the jumping.
4️⃣ Space race: An asteroid the size of a cruise liner will come within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029. Prep work has already begun for a mission to accompany the asteroid Apophis.
5️⃣ Lifting the lid: China’s secretive Forbidden City was once one of the most powerful places on the planet. A historian with rare access to the palace’s sealed archives is shedding light on some culinary mysteries.
Watch this
☕ Reading the future: The art of interpreting coffee grounds dates back 500 years in Turkey. In a modern twist, young people have turned to online readings, bringing the mystical practice into the 21st century.
Top headlines
• US ramped up security after intel of Iranian plot to kill Trump; no known link to shooting
• Growing faction of Democrats revolt against Biden’s upcoming virtual nomination
• Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez found guilty in federal corruption trial
What’s buzzing
💍 Happy anniversary? Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck just marked their second wedding anniversary as speculation swirls about their relationship. They recently put their California home on the market and are reportedly living separately.
Check this out
🐋 Aquatic mystery: Scientists are scrambling to figure out whether a creature that washed up on a beach in New Zealand is one of the world’s rarest whales.
1,327
🌪️ That’s how many tornado reports have been recorded by the National Weather Service in the United States so far this year, as the storm season got off to an accelerated start.
Looking ahead
🏨 New chapter: The iconic Mirage Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip will close tomorrow after more than three decades. It will undergo extensive renovations and reopen in 2027 as Hard Rock Las Vegas with a soaring 700-foot-tall tower in the shape of a guitar.
Quiz time
🇺🇸 Which country singer’s version of the national anthem at Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby went viral?
A. LeAnn Rimes
B. Miranda Lambert
C. Ingrid Andress
D. Carrie Underwood
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.
Good vibes
😎 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: The internet is going wild for the outfits Mongolian athletes will wear for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Summer Olympics in Paris. They feature embroidered vests, pleated robes and accessories inspired by traditional attire. Take a peek.
Thanks for reading
👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
💬 What did you like about today’s 5 Things PM? Did we miss anything? Email us: 5ThingsPM@cnn.com
🧠 Quiz answer: C. Ingrid Andress apologized for her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Home Run Derby, saying she was drunk and is checking into rehab.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.
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