Dog food concerns, soaring heating bills, newly discovered portrait: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Jordan D. Brown, CNN

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5 things

1️⃣ Buyer beware

Samples of commercial dog foods contained “dangerous levels” of lead, mercury and other contaminants, according to a new investigation. Dry food carried the most heavy metals, followed by air- and freeze-dried products.

2️⃣ Increased charges

Rising prices for natural gas, electricity and home heating oil — combined with sustained frigid temperatures in much of the country — are burning yet another hole in many Americans’ wallets. This is how some households are trying to keep expenses in check.

3️⃣ ‘Cruel and brazen’

Nafiah Ikram was severely burned when someone threw acid in her face outside her home on New York’s Long Island. Her assailant remained unknown for years. Now, investigators say they have a breakthrough: this rapper’s lyric.

4️⃣ Lost image

Despite having the largest solar storm in history named after him, Richard Carrington is not well known. One hundred fifty years after his death, the astronomer’s only confirmed portrait has finally been discovered.

5️⃣ Worth the price

Centuries after his ancestors migrated from Italy to the US, Vito Andrea Racanelli decided to do it in reverse and leave his home in Denver to purchase a $1 million Tuscan farmhouse. The splurge gave him more than just greenery.

Watch this

🛬 Abrupt arrival: A small plane made an emergency landing on a busy road in Gainesville, Georgia. Two people were left with minor injuries after the single‑engine aircraft crashed into multiple cars, according to officials.

Top headlines

• Multiple gloves discovered in Nancy Guthrie case as sheriff’s department expands call for video
• Judge says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is unlawfully retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly over ‘illegal orders’ video
• Border czar announces end to immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota

Check this out

🎥 Not for bookworms: “Wuthering Heights” hits theaters this weekend — and it’s already stirring up confusion and controversy. See why Emerald Fennell’s bold take on the gothic classic has polarized audiences since the first trailer.

Quiz time

📱 Which country just announced it has blocked WhatsApp as part of a broader crackdown on social media platforms?
A. United States
B. Australia
C. Russia
D. Germany
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: 5 takeaways from Attorney General Pam Bondi’s fiery testimony

🧠 Quiz answer: C. Russia has confirmed that it has blocked the messaging app in the country, instead directing citizens to use its state-backed Max app.

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