Vacationing in Iraq, mysterious chemical in water, Jeep’s downward spiral: Catch up on the day’s stories

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! More than half of American adults plan to rely on Social Security to pay for necessary expenses after they retire, a new survey found. They’re also worried about how their benefits might change given that the program is expected to run short on money in less than a decade.

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

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Courtesy Janet Newenham
Courtesy Janet Newenham

1️⃣ ‘Cradle of civilization’: Two decades after an American military invasion left the country spiraling out of control, Iraq is beginning to attract international visitors despite a US “do not travel” warning. Here’s what they say about their experiences.

2️⃣ Water woes: For about 40 years, scientists have noticed a mysterious chemical in the treated drinking water of millions of people in the US, but no one has been able to pinpoint exactly what it is — until now. A new study found some answers.

3️⃣ Jeep misery: Prices for the beloved brand have gone through the roof, and sales have plummeted. Dealers are furious and say that parent company Stellantis is ruining a good thing by jacking up prices and mismanaging its vehicle lineup.

4️⃣ Biological breakthrough: Scientists have mapped the gastrointestinal tract using data from 1.6 million cells — the basic unit of life. It’s a huge leap in understanding the complexities of how the human body works.

5️⃣ Winter workouts: Just because the weather turns cold doesn’t mean you should stop exercising for the next few months. CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen offers suggestions on how you can stay active.

Watch this

🫖 Side by side: The world’s tallest woman, Rumeysa Gelgi, and shortest woman, Jyoti Amge, met for afternoon tea in London to celebrate Guinness World Records Day.

Top headlines

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s attorney general pick amid questions about sexual encounters
• Linda McMahon, Trump’s Department of Education pick, was sued for allegedly enabling sexual abuse of children
• Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 hate-crime hoax case is overturned

1,217

🏀 That’s how many victories Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma has — the most of any head coach in women’s or men’s college basketball history.

Check this out

🌠 Stellar view: Astronomers captured the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy. The photo was taken during a dramatic moment near the end of the star’s life.

This is the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy, WOH G64. - K. Ohnaka et al./ESO
This is the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy, WOH G64. - K. Ohnaka et al./ESO

Celebrity corner

Planning ahead: In a podcast interview, British actress Florence Pugh revealed that a surprising diagnosis led her to have her eggs frozen when she was 27.

Quiz time

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Major League Baseball plans to test the use of what during spring training next year?
A. Heavier bats
B. Instant replay
C. Larger baseballs
D. Robot umpires
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

🦃 Turkey time: With just two months until he leaves office, President Joe Biden is preparing to talk turkey and make much ado about stuffing. It’s almost time for the annual tradition of pardoning the Thanksgiving birds on the South Lawn of the White House.

Thanks for reading

🧠 Quiz answer: D. MLB will test the use of robot umpires as part of a challenge system during spring training. Test your knowledge with CNN’s weekly news quiz in tomorrow morning’s 5 Things newsletter.
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