This edition of 5 Things PM highlights major news and human-interest stories, including the Department of Veterans Affairs' plan to cut tens of thousands of open positions, the death of Betty Reid Soskin at 100, and legal developments in the Mahendra "Mick" Patel case after he spent 47 days jailed and the charge was dismissed. Other items cover holiday travel flu guidance, a linked 3.4-million-year-old Ethiopian fossil that may reshape the human family tree, and former Senator Ben Sasse’s revelation that he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Catch Up: VA Job Cuts, Death Of Nation’s Oldest Park Ranger, And Offbeat Holiday Movie Picks
Workers at a VA hospital in Boston. - Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images/File
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM. Holiday viewing often defaults to Miracle on 34th Street or Elf, but festive favorites can come from unexpected places — which unconventional holiday movie tops your list? Fill out your bracket and join the fun.
Top Stories You May Have Missed
VA Announces Deep Cuts To Open Positions. Employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs were stunned after the agency said it will eliminate tens of thousands of open positions, including roles for doctors, nurses, mental health providers and social workers. The change raises concerns about veterans' access to care.
Kidnapping Charge Dropped After 47 Days In Jail. Mahendra “Mick” Patel, a retired engineer, went to Walmart for Tylenol; what he expected to be a routine exchange led to a kidnapping charge. Patel spent 47 days in jail before the case was dismissed.
Travel And Flu: What To Do If You Test Positive. With millions traveling by car and plane for the holidays, doctors offer practical guidance on when to stay home, when to seek treatment and how to protect others if you test positive for the flu while en route to family gatherings.
Betty Reid Soskin, National Park Service’s Oldest Active Ranger, Dies At 100. Soskin, who retired at age 100 as the NPS’s oldest active ranger, played a vital role in interpreting the contributions of Black Americans on the home front during World War II and in expanding the stories told at national sites.
A fossilized jawbone. - Stephanie Melillo
Kitchen Essentials: A Surprising Pick From Samin Nosrat. Best-selling author and Netflix host Samin Nosrat listed one item she once dreaded but now considers indispensable — a reminder that pro and home cooks often define essentials differently.
Dear Santa… CNN’s Richard Quest visits Santa’s official address in Norway — a Christmas-themed post office that receives thousands of letters each year and offers a festive glimpse behind the scenes.
Former Senator Ben Sasse Announces Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. Sasse revealed his diagnosis and called it a "death sentence," sharing the severity of his prognosis publicly.
New Details From Epstein Files. Journalists continue to comb through the latest releases in the Jeffrey Epstein records, revealing additional details about his network and activities.
Tragic Development In Missing Child Case. Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old who vanished during a road trip with her mother, has been found dead, sources say; investigators continue to seek clarity on the circumstances.
Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images
Mystery Foot Fossil Linked To Unfamiliar Hominin. Scientists say they solved the puzzle of a set of 3.4-million-year-old bones discovered in Ethiopia in 2009. The remains have now been linked to an unfamiliar species that could prompt rethinking of parts of the human family tree.
Watch And Read: CNN profiles filmmaker Rob Reiner’s life and legacy; other features explore how moving from the US to Germany changed one woman’s outlook and the desperate choices some Ukrainian men are making to avoid frontline service.
Quick Hits
🏈 Quiz: The Kansas City Chiefs will relocate from Missouri to Kansas in 2031. (Answer: Kansas.)
✅ Most Popular Yesterday: Tips on moving abroad from people who learned the hard way.
👋 We’ll see you tomorrow. Today's edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Meghan Pryce. For more news and newsletters, create an account at CNN.com.
