End of an era for Kmart, Europe’s secret travel season, time limit on hugs: Catch up on the day’s stories

Europe

October 21, 2024

Meghan Pryce - CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Catch flights, not feelings. An airport in New Zealand has introduced a time limit on hugs with a new sign, adding “for fonder farewells please use the car park.” Some are outraged by the curfew on cuddles.

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

5 things

1️⃣ End of an era: The last full-size Kmart in the mainland US closed its doors for good over the weekend, joining the list of iconic chains like Toys “R” Us and RadioShack that ended up in retailing’s graveyard in recent years. Shoppers bid farewell to the last outpost of a once-beloved “mainstay.”

2️⃣ Reduce your risk: Men develop breast cancer, too. But it can be misdiagnosed or overlooked because it’s so rare. Early detection can be lifesaving, so here’s what a doctor wants you to know.

3️⃣ Data privacy: X has unveiled its newest terms of service. Starting next month, by continuing to use the platform, users will agree that X can use their data to train its AI model. Why creators are up in arms with the changes.

4️⃣ Europe’s secret season: Summer might be the most popular time to travel to Europe. But if you break from the pack, you could enjoy fewer crowds, far more comfortable temperatures and plunging prices on airfare and accommodation. Get to planning your next trip now.

5️⃣ Taste for carbs: Did humans always crave potatoes, pasta, rice or bread? In a new study, scientists pinpoint the origins of our long love affair with starch, offering the first hereditary evidence for early carb-laden diets.

Watch this

🚐 Retro feels: Volkswagen’s new electric van will feel like taking a trip back in time for those who grew up with the original gas-powered vehicle. But is it worth $60,000? CNN takes it for a test drive.

Top headlines

• ‘Central Park Five’ members sue Trump for defamation after his debate comments on 1989 case
• Major shakeup at Disney: Board chair is out. New CEO is coming soon
• Infants died at higher rates after abortion bans in the US, research shows

What’s buzzing

😘 A budding romance? After several flirtatious encounters, Andrew Garfield finally appeared on Amelia Dimoldenberg’s “Chicken Shop Date,” her popular YouTube interview show. They were laying it on so chick, the internet thought their chemistry was off the charts.

Check this out

💔 Outpouring of love: One Direction fans gathered around the world to pay tribute to Liam Payne, who tragically fell to his death last week. A memorial in London created what looked like a scrapbook of both the singer’s life and the people whose lives he touched.

Quotable

Kenya’s manosphere: The overlooked rise of toxic online masculinity throughout the African nation is having an untold impact on the women who live there. Experts say they are increasingly seeing men turn on women they have been in relationships with for years.

Quiz time

🍖 A museum dedicated to barbecue culture — and mouthwatering foods like burnt ends and smoked brisket — is opening next year in which state?
A. Missouri
B. North Carolina
C. Texas
D. Tennessee
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

😎 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: Idris Elba has conquered Hollywood. Now he’s focusing on a new stage — one 10,000 miles away. Elba is on a mission to transform the entertainment industry in Africa by building film studios across the continent and giving young people there a “chance to tell their own stories.”

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: A. The “world’s first museum of barbecue” in Kansas City, Missouri, will no doubt kick off the great debate over which region does it best.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Kimberly Richardson and Daniel Wine.