Holiday shopping, Menendez brothers chaos, world’s oldest man: Catch up on the day’s stories

Published November 26, 2024 3:29 PM

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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

5 things

1️⃣ Holiday shopping: Americans plan to spend about $900 on average this year on gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items. Black Friday is nearly here, and the sales are in full swing. Here’s what you can expect from retailers in the weeks ahead.

2️⃣ Fueling a frenzy: A former neighbor of Lyle and Erik Menendez in California described the fascination surrounding the brothers’ murder case as “chaotic.” A Netflix documentary put them back in the spotlight and made their previous home a tourist destination again.

3️⃣ Ancient rituals: Researchers discovered residue from psychedelic drugs, bodily fluids and alcohol inside a 2,000-year-old mug. The new findings suggest that Egyptians drank hallucinogenic beverages during religious ceremonies.

4️⃣ Yea or nay? Some people have strong feelings about whether it’s OK to pee in the shower. Urologists say it’s generally fine, but there are certain situations when using the shower as a makeshift toilet might not be a good idea.

5️⃣ A life well-lived: John Tinniswood, the world’s oldest man, died at the age of 112 “surrounded by music and love,” his family said. He recently described his longevity as “pure luck” but shared some advice for younger generations.

Watch this

🍝 Lotsa pasta: Tori Paschal said hosting a Thanksgiving feast for seven people cost her almost $500 last year. With food prices still high and a baby on the way, she’s making spaghetti this year.

Top headlines

• What could get more expensive if Trump launches a new trade war with Mexico and Canada
• Israeli security cabinet approves Lebanon ceasefire deal, after 11th-hour strikes on central Beirut
• Analysis: Alito is determined to tear up precedent in Trump’s next term. Kagan will try to save it

What’s buzzing

🎶 Feuding rappers: Drake accused a record company of using bots to “artificially inflate” Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” on Spotify. The diss track has nearly 900 million streams on the platform, according to the petition.

Check this out

✈️ Flying high: British Airways is taking luxury to new heights. The airline just unveiled a refreshed design for first-class seats on its A380 planes, and they’re set to debut in 2026.

Quotable

🏳️‍⚧️ Tough times: Although Delaware just elected Sarah McBride, making her the first out transgender person to serve in Congress, people in the trans community say they’re on edge after Donald Trump’s election victory.

Quiz time

🦞 Red Lobster brought back which beloved menu item after emerging from bankruptcy?
A. Endless shrimp
B. Hush puppies
C. Cheddar bay biscuits
D. Endless lobster
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

😎 Too cool for school: More than 220 projects entered a prestigious international architecture competition, and a humble suburban school in Australia beat out skyscrapers, museums and airport terminals to be named the world’s best new building. Take a look.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: B. The cornmeal fritters are returning to the menu, but don’t expect to see the endless shrimp deal anytime soon.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Chris Good, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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