Tourists stranded in Mexico, cosmic mystery, landline phones: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Daniel Wine, CNN

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Did you know that Saturn has 274 moons — far more than any other planet in our solar system? Astronomers say they have solved one of the ringed planet’s greatest mysteries.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Stranded visitors

The killing of a top Mexican drug cartel leader set off a wave of retaliatory violence affecting areas popular with tourists. Many can’t return home, and one said it “almost felt like being in the twilight zone.”

2️⃣ Breaking point

Four years after Russia’s invasion, Ukraine is stretched to the brink. More than 80,000 people are missing, while millions are trying to survive a brutal winter without heat and electricity.

3️⃣ ‘Victory for justice’

A discarded cigarette containing DNA has helped authorities solve the murder of a California teenager. Investigators used genetic genealogy to identify her killer more than four decades later.

4️⃣ Hello again

Some parents are putting landline phones back in their homes. They appreciate the sense of nostalgia and say the retro technology is good for their kids.

5️⃣ An American in Paris

Michelle Harris never planned to live in the French capital, but a spiritual experience opened her eyes to the possibility. Now she calls it home.

Watch this

🗼 Wild encounter: A Pokémon theme park just opened in Tokyo featuring hundreds of life-sized statues, rides, food stalls and merchandise.

Top headlines

• Travel bans remain in effect as 5 states have over 2 feet of snow
• Judge Aileen Cannon bars the release of special counsel report on Trump’s handling of classified documents
• Nick Reiner pleads not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of his parents

Check this out

👠 Glitz and glamour: Hollywood A-listers hit the red carpet at Royal Festival Hall for the British Academy Film Awards in London. Check out these 10 must-see looks.

For CNN subscribers

• Analysis: The GOP’s biggest 2026 risk may be hiding in plain sight
• A fight over circumcision is giving Europe a taste of the new US diplomacy
• Ukraine is suffering through an epic demographic crisis

Quiz time

🏅 Which country won the most gold medals at this year’s Winter Olympics?
A. Italy
B. China
C. Norway
D. United States
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in Friday’s newsletter: ‘The photo gods were on my side.’ How that astonishing image of Andrew was captured

🧠 Quiz answer: C. Norway ended Milan Cortina 2026 with a record 18 gold medals — and 41 total.

👋 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 and Jordan D. Brown.