CNN 5 Things

Meet the Traveling Piano Man spreading joy across the US through music. People with memory loss disorders are getting sound prescriptions. The youngest-ever World Chess Champion returns home to a hero’s welcome. A beloved local Santa in New York passed away, but his son is carrying on his legacy. Plus, could mouse sperm orbiting Earth be the future of humanity?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Speaker Mike Johnson secured enough votes to pass a government spending bill hours before the deadline. Authorities in Germany say at least two people are dead after a driver plowed into a crowd. A US delegation met with the leader of a rebel group that has taken control in Syria. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing several US banks over their handling of fraud on Zelle. Plus, the Food and Drug Administration has updated its standards for “healthy” foods for the first time in 30 years.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House GOP leaders are racing to sell their latest funding bill to avoid a shutdown at midnight. President-elect Donald Trump is threatening Europe with tariffs. We have sentencing details for the Indiana man convicted of killing two teenage girls in 2017. We’re tracking a storm system that could bring significant snowfall to parts of the eastern US. Plus, two big retail chains are closing stores.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US is hours away from a government shutdown, while lawmakers scramble to find an agreement on a funding bill. The Federal Reserve’s go-to inflation gauge ticked up less than expected last month. American officials are in Syria, while US military forces continue airstrikes on ISIS targets in the country. President Joe Biden is set to approve more student debt relief. Plus, researchers say they’re discovered dozens of new species in northwestern Peru. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans have just hours left to find a last-minute solution to avoid a government shutdown. Thousands of Starbucks baristas and Amazon drivers are on strike. A new report shows that last year the US carried out the highest number of deportations in a decade. Malaysia announces the search for MH370 will resume. Plus, we’ll tell you why Apple is being urged to get rid of an AI feature.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices