A grieving community, prenatal acetaminophen, ‘alien tortoises’: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Gina Park, CNN

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! This Japanese bodybuilder just won his 19th national title. Oh, and he’s 90 years old. See what’s fueling his success.

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

5 things

1️⃣ A grieving community

An engaged reporter, a soon-to-retire pilot and a young tourist. Instead of celebrating the next chapter of their lives, the loved ones of the three people killed in a news helicopter crash in Los Angeles are now coping with an unimaginable loss.

2️⃣ Reproductive changes

A new study found that girls born to mothers who took acetaminophen during pregnancy could have their fertility affected later in life. But doctors say it remains safe to use when needed.

3️⃣ ‘There’s blood everywhere’

About 13 years ago, “American Idol” contestant Caleb Flynn gushed about his wife Ashley on national TV. Now he is on trial for her murder and has pleaded not guilty.

4️⃣ Symbolic secession

A tiny rural village in central England voted to split from the United Kingdom in protest over a nearby migrant center. The result holds no legal weight, but it is the latest sign of growing tensions surrounding migration.

5️⃣ Long-lost giant

These “alien” tortoises once roamed the Galápagos Islands by the hundreds of thousands. After 150 years of absence, they’re making a remarkable return.

Watch this

🔥 Hillside blaze: A wildfire broke out in Northern California, burning hundreds of acres and shutting down a major highway. Officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

➕ Download the CNN Weather app

Top headlines

• White House pulls ICE director nominee
• Mortgage rates climb for fourth-straight week to hit highest level since Trump took office
• Trump seen with ‘Kennedy Center demolished’ poster hours before court filing on building damage

Check this out

🎨 Grief, joy and what remains: From bold floral interiors to color-soaked installations, Yinka Ilori has built a reputation as a master of dopamine design.

For CNN subscribers

• Essay: ‘I stood and watched a place I loved vanish’
• The luxury private jet you can sleep in without being a billionaire
• Karaoke for one: China’s $1 trillion ‘loneliness economy’ gives a glimpse of the world’s future

Quiz time

🐜 In what country was a restaurant owner fined over an accusation of serving ants on a plate?

A. Thailand

B. Denmark

C. Cambodia

D. South Korea

⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: Crew rescues climber stranded on 700-foot sheer cliff

🧠 Quiz answer: D. The owner of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea avoided prison time in a highly publicized case.

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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