Paying more for less, holiday deportation nightmare, disappearing coach: Catch up on the latest stories
By Daniel Wine, CNN
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Thinking about retirement? The world’s top-rated destination for 2026 is a sun-soaked European country with thousands of picturesque islands.
Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.
5 things
1️⃣ Pay more, get less
Black Friday once again proved that Americans are willing to shop when they spot bargains, and the retail sales numbers are encouraging. But there’s a disturbing trend: People are spending more but getting less.
2️⃣ Holiday nightmare
A college freshman was looking forward to flying home to Texas for Thanksgiving to see her parents and two younger sisters. But moments before she boarded her flight, federal immigration officials arrested the 19-year-old and deported her instead.
3️⃣ Drying up
Iran is grappling with an extreme water shortage, and it’s so critical that the president has warned people in the capital city they might need to evacuate. The scale of the crisis is visible from space.
4️⃣ Tackling adversity
Last month, a high school football coach left his Virginia home with a firearm and vanished into the woods. He hasn’t been seen since — but his team keeps winning.
5️⃣ Meowcrobiology
The origins of domestic cats have long been murky. Now ancient DNA is helping to fill in the blanks, and the findings shake up the traditional story.
Watch this
🐍 Slithering through: A huge storm battered southern Thailand, bringing floodwaters more than 8 feet high. The conditions were perfect for this huge snake — take a look.
Top headlines
- White House defends admiral who ordered follow-up strike on alleged drug boat
- Winter storm to morph into bomb cyclone as it hits the Northeast
- White House releases details of Trump’s medical imaging, saying results were ‘perfectly normal’
For CNN subscribers
- A stranger messaged him on Facebook. It was the start of a nightmare that cost him $280,000
- He played a cop on TV. Now he’s training to become one
Quiz time
🗳️ Days after US President Donald Trump intervened, two conservative challengers are ahead of the governing party in which country’s presidential vote?
A. Nicaragua
B. Honduras
C. Mexico
D. Spain
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.
Trial watch
Brian Walshe pleaded guilty to disposing of his wife’s body but maintains he didn’t kill her. Now a Massachusetts jury is hearing his murder case. Click here for full coverage of today’s proceedings. CNN’s Lauren del Valle is following the case and was in the courtroom today. Here’s what happened:
- Opening statements: The defense said Walshe found his wife dead in their bed and then in a panic started searching the internet about how best to dispose of a body. It’s the first time anyone has offered an explanation for her death. Prosecutors described Walshe as a man who publicly claimed a happy marriage but was secretly researching divorce.
- Testimony begins: The first witness was called. Cohasset Police Sgt. Harrison Schmidt, who was part of the investigation into Ana Walshe’s disappearance, testified about his interviews with the suspect.
- Tomorrow: Schmidt will continue his testimony. The judge said she’s watching the weather and might let the jury go early if it turns bad.
The trial is expected to last several weeks, and we’ll continue to feature del Valle’s coverage in this space. Click below to get caught up on the case.
Walshe pleads guilty to lesser charges
Thanks for reading
✅ Most popular in Wednesday’s newsletter: Weighing whether to divorce in 2026? Taking these steps now may lessen some money stress
🧠 Quiz answer: B. Trump stepped into Honduras’ tight presidential race, backing a conservative candidate and pledging to pardon a former president.
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Today’s edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Kimberly Richardson, Meghan Pryce and Jordan D. Brown.
