5 things to know for Nov. 20: Epstein files, Dick Cheney, Endangered species, Ukraine peace plan, Congresswoman indicted

By CNN Newsource

Published November 20, 2025 5:11 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

Thanksgiving is a week away and the weather is already shaping up to be a wild card for millions across the US. Take a look at the holiday forecast to see which cities could face challenging conditions and potential travel disruptions.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Epstein files

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill directing the Justice Department to release all its files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump shared the news on social media, framing the move as a step toward transparency while also criticizing some Democrats for their past associations with the disgraced financier. The Justice Department now has 30 days to release documents related to the case. However, some lawmakers and analysts are concerned that the Trump administration may try to hinder the process by slowing the release or redacting information.

2️⃣ Dick Cheney funeral

Past presidents and politicians will gather in Washington, DC, today for former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral. The service will take place at the Washington National Cathedral and over 1,000 guests are expected to attend. Former presidents George W. Bush and Joe Biden will pay their respects, along with former vice presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore and Dan Quayle. A source told CNN that President Trump and Vice President JD Vance were not invited. Cheney, who served as Bush’s vice president from 2001 to 2009, died on November 3 at the age of 84. He was a key figure of pre-MAGA Republican politics and was considered one of the most powerful vice presidents in history. But his role as the architect of the Iraq War saw him leave office deeply unpopular and cemented a polarizing legacy.

3️⃣ Endangered species

The Trump administration moved on Wednesday to roll back Biden-era protections for endangered species and their habitats. The Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service proposed restoring rules from the first Trump administration that stripped safeguards for plants and animals threatened by human development and a warming planet. The two agencies also proposed to strip the so-called “blanket rule,” which extends endangered-level protections to species that are listed as “threatened” with extinction. Industry groups see this as a win, after complaining for years that environmental laws have become too restrictive for major energy, mining and development projects. Environmental groups decried the move as one that could be devastating for endangered species.

4️⃣ Ukraine peace plan

In the coming hours, a meeting is expected to get underway in Kyiv aimed at reviving stalled US peace efforts in Ukraine. It comes as the White House has been quietly working on a new peace plan with Russia to end the ongoing war, a source familiar with the talks told CNN. A US delegation is on the ground in Ukraine to discuss the US proposals. According to an Axios report, the current draft framework being negotiated between Washington and Moscow focuses on 28 points, including security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe, as well as future US relations with Russia and Ukraine. Russian officials downplayed the report but confirmed that high-level talks with the US are ongoing.

5️⃣ Congresswoman indicted

Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has been indicted on charges accusing her of stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and using some of the money to aid her 2021 campaign, the Justice Department announced. Prosecutors say the Florida Democrat misappropriated FEMA overpayments that her family’s health care company received for a Covid-19 vaccination staffing contract. “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. Cherfilus-McCormick’s attorneys said the lawmaker is a “committed public servant” and they will “fight to clear her good name.”

Breakfast browse

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Baby formula recall

As infant botulism cases climb to 31, state officials say they are still finding recalled ByHeart baby formula on some store shelves.

Cruise ship death

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What is the K-shaped economy?

In this short video, CNN’s David Goldman shows how a $12 Chipotle burrito and a tube sock can explain the entire US economy.

Behind the effort to save Africa’s ‘cryptic’ golden cat

A Ugandan conservationist is using camera traps and AI algorithms to save the African golden cat, one of the least studied big cats on the continent.

Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

And finally…

▶️ Japan’s new PM hardly sleeps. Is that a problem?

Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, says she sleeps only two hours a night. CNN’s Hanako Montgomery explores Takaichi’s sleep habits and how they’re an indicator of the wider overworking crisis in Japan.

Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.

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