A celestial spectacle, superbug crisis, forgotten gemstone: Catch up on the day’s stories

Published September 17, 2024 3:39 PM

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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

5 things

1️⃣ Double feature: In a celestial spectacle, Tuesday’s fall harvest supermoon also will create a partial lunar eclipse. For about an hour, it will appear as if a bite has been taken out of the moon, and that will be visible over Europe and much of Asia, Africa, North America and South America.

2️⃣ Superbug crisis: Nearly 40 million people could die from antibiotic-resistant infections between now and 2050, a new study estimated. The World Health Organization called it a top threat to global public health.

3️⃣ Big-box wars: Sam’s Club plans to raise pay to encourage workers to stay with the company — and not jump ship to Costco. The Walmart-affiliated chain will increase its minimum wage to $16 an hour starting in November, and existing employees will get raises based on tenure.

4️⃣ Safe travels: Don’t let an illness ruin your next vacation. A little stomach bug is no big deal, but there are far more dangerous diseases to protect yourself against. Some of them can be deadly. Here’s what you should know.

5️⃣ Forgotten gemstone: Diamonds, sapphires and rubies have reigned supreme for decades. But during the Victorian era, a far less dazzling gem captured the hearts of jewelry lovers — and now it’s making a comeback.

Watch this

🔥 Fiery rescue: A Minnesota state trooper and nearby motorists rushed to pull a person from a burning car after it ran off the highway and struck a light pole. The driver’s injuries were not life-threatening.

Top headlines

• Pager explosions injure thousands in Lebanon, officials say, as Hezbollah blames Israel
• Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail and will remain in detention after federal indictment, judge rules
• Springfield, Ohio, schools open with more security amid threats linked to false claims about Haitian immigrants

What’s buzzing

💊 No need for needles: Pill versions of the new GLP-1 drugs for weight loss are coming, and they could revolutionize treatment for people looking to shed pounds.

Check this out

🎾 Big hit: After tennis balls lose their bounce, almost all of them end up in landfills, where they take hundreds of years to decompose. A Belgian designer’s creative solutions are garnering lots of love.

$10 trillion

💵 That’s how much in Zimbabwean dollars — worth about $22 USD on eBay — was awarded to recipients of this year’s IG Nobel Prizes. Celebrating the unusual, scientists who discovered mammals can breathe through their anuses were among the winners.

Your health

☕ Perking up your heart: Moderate amounts of caffeine — about three cups of coffee or tea a day — could help head off cardiac-related ailments, according to new research.

Quiz time

👩 A new report found that women are making gains in leadership roles at work. What percentage of C-suite positions are held by women?
A. 12%
B. 20%
C. 29%
D. 40%
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

😎 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: More than 35 years after the release of Tim Burton’s classic “Beetlejuice,” the long-awaited sequel reveals a modern wardrobe upgrade — and it comes just in time for Halloween.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: C. The report found that women now hold 29% of C-suite positions, up from 17% in 2015.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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