Presidential plaques, affordability crisis, archives of Black beauty: Catch up on the day’s stories

By CNN Newsource

Published December 18, 2025 3:23 PM

By Jordan D. Brown

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Love cheese? Your brain might be a fan, too. A new study suggests that classics like cheddar, Brie and Gouda could help lower dementia risk. Still, experts caution against going all‑in on full‑fat dairy just yet.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Tart tribute

Insults, baseless claims and random capitalization fill the new plaques along President Donald Trump’s “Presidential Walk of Fame.” The politicized descriptions of his predecessors often read like his Truth Social posts — and the criticism targets more than just Democrats.

2️⃣ Wage woes

Americans’ paychecks still haven’t caught up with the inflation surge from a few years back. And to make matters worse, the latest jobs report shows the affordability squeeze deepened last month. CNN’s David Goldman breaks down what you need to know.

3️⃣ Writing history

A “master calligrapher” in Uzbekistan is keeping the art form alive with one handwritten copy of the Quran at a time. With renowned work across the Islamic world, the artist is set to teach others about the traditional expression in his nation’s capital.

4️⃣ Heated discovery

When scientists measure how much the Earth has warmed up over the years, calculations typically start with the year 1850. A groundbreaking new temperature dataset will singlehandedly change the timeframe experts use to diagnose the severity of global warming.

5️⃣ Vintage image installation

The Obama Presidential Center, scheduled to open this spring, will feature a monumental portrait celebrating African American beauty and culture. Drawn from vast photographic archives from Ebony and Jet magazines, artist Theaster Gates described the work as “foundational images of Black life.”

Watch this

👰‍♀️ You may kiss the bot: What began as casual texts with an AI companion blossomed into wedding vows when Yurina Noguchi said “I do” to a ChatGPT-created persona. While the union isn’t legally recognized in Japan, Noguchi insists her digital partner brings her more joy than any human ever could.

Top headlines

Trump moves to ban transgender care for minors by targeting hospitals
Former NASCAR driver and 6 others dead after private jet crashes in North Carolina
Investigators believe they have identified suspect in Brown University shooting, sources say

Quiz time

🛍️ Instacart’s AI-driven pricing model was found to hike costs for the same item by up to:
A. 10%
B. 20%
C. 25%
D. 30%
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Trial watch

Brian Walshe was sentenced Thursday to life without parole for killing his wife, dismembering her and discarding her remains in dumpsters in January 2023. Ana Walshe’s sister said in court that her death “left us with an unbearable emptiness.”

Harsh words: Walshe was convicted Monday of first-degree murder by a jury who heard about two weeks of evidence in a Dedham, Massachusetts, courtroom. The judge had strong words, calling Walshe’s actions “barbaric and incomprehensible” before imposing the sentence.

And finally: Freniere also ordered Walshe to serve consecutive prison sentences for two other charges to which he had pleaded guilty ahead of the trial — misleading police and improper conveyance of a body — totaling another 23 years. That’s more symbolic than anything else.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: What to know now about changes to your 2025 taxes

🧠 Quiz answer: B. A recent study found that Instacart’s AI-driven pricing model was found to display up to 20% higher prices for the same item, depending on the shopper.

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.

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Today’s edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Kimberly Richardson, Daniel Wine and Chris Good.

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