Hurricane-resistant homes, twist in missing kayaker case, too much toilet time: Catch up on the day’s stories

By CNN Newsource

Published November 12, 2024 2:43 PM

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Standing desks exploded in popularity among people concerned about the effects of sitting all day, but it turns out they might not be so great after all. A new study found that prolonged standing may not improve heart health and could even increase the risk of certain circulatory problems.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Built to last: With rapidly strengthening storms and skyrocketing insurance premiums, some homeowners are taking matters into their own hands by investing in circular houses designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. ➕ How fireproofing your house could save it.

2️⃣ Kayaking mystery: A missing man from Wisconsin was initially believed to have drowned during a fishing trip. Investigators now suspect that the married father of three children faked his death and fled to Europe.

3️⃣ Toilet time: First of all, leave your phone behind when you head to the bathroom. And No. 2, don’t spend more than 10 minutes on the john because doctors say too much sitting can cause health problems.

4️⃣ Lost luggage: Apple wants to help you find your wayward suitcases. The tech company is rolling out a new “Find My” location feature that will be integrated into customer service at airlines including Delta and United.

5️⃣ ‘Terror birds’: Millions of years ago, the long-legged predators with big beaks ruled the Americas. Scientists in Colombia recently discovered one of the largest specimens ever unearthed.

Watch this

🚘 Caught on dashcam: A Brooklyn man has been charged with staging a crash after video of the incident went viral. A woman was driving on a New York highway, and footage shows a car pull in front of her, slam on the brakes and then back into her vehicle.

Top headlines

• Trump wants to shut down the Department of Education. Here’s what that could mean
• Federal judge temporarily blocks Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display Ten Commandments
• FAA grounds all US flights to Haiti after 2 planes were struck by gunfire

Check this out

😷 Toxic haze: Record-breaking levels of thick smog are shrouding parts of eastern Pakistan and northern India. Authorities in some areas closed schools, and the pollution is so bad that it’s visible in satellite imagery.

Quotable

Seeking closure: Four Alabama police officers killed a Black woman while searching for illegal whiskey in 1945. Her granddaughter is finally getting answers.

Quiz time

🛍️ Which mall brand is making a comeback with grown-up fans? It was the pinnacle of middle school cool for many American millennials.
A. Justice
B. Delia’s
C. Gap
D. Limited Too
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Celebrity corner

⭐ Passed over: Timothée Chalamet’s experience makes it clear that women in Hollywood aren’t the only ones being judged for their physical appearances. Early in his career, the actor said, he was told he didn’t “have the right body” for some big roles.

Good vibes

🇺🇸 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: After nearly 160 years, renowned freedom fighter Harriet Tubman was honored for her military service on Veterans Day. She served in the Union Army during the Civil War and worked as a nurse and a spy to help free more than 700 slaves.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: D. Limited Too is launching its first foray into adult clothes.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

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