Why employers want you to quit, smart shopping carts, plastic pollution: Catch up on the day’s stories

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

5 things

1️⃣ Pushed out: Most employers know their companies can’t succeed unless they attract and retain good people. Sometimes, though, companies would like employees to quit — and not just the underperformers. They might even create conditions that make you want to leave.

2️⃣ Trump’s tariffs: The incoming president’s plan to tax imported goods could change what products customers find on the shelves at Dollar Tree and other stores. The discount chain said it might need to raise prices again from their current level of $1.25.

3️⃣ Plastic promises: Coca-Cola, one of the world’s top producers of plastic pollutants, is scaling back its packaging sustainability goals. Environmental activists are outraged at the beverage giant, which also reduced its recycling benchmark.

4️⃣ Tiny tools: Ancient artifacts unearthed at a Wyoming archaeological site helped shed light on how early Americans survived the last ice age. They found needles made from the bones of foxes, cats and rabbits.

5️⃣ Lifelong friends: Four women posed for a photo when they took a vacation together in 1972. More than 50 years later, they recreated it. Take a look at them then and now.

Watch this

🛒 Smart cart: Instacart says it can save customers time and money with Caper, a shopping cart that scans products as they go in. The carts have been rolled out to chains such as Kroger and ShopRite, and CNN technology writer Clare Duffy took one for a spin.

Top headlines

• Police hunt for gunman after UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in New York City
• Trump’s defense secretary pick says he’s not dropping out amid doubts over confirmation
• Supreme Court’s conservative majority appears ready to endorse Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for minors

What’s buzzing

✈️ Top destinations: Paris enjoyed a big year, hosting the Summer Olympics and reopening Notre Dame, so it’s no surprise the French capital was named the most attractive city in the world. But one regular contender didn’t even crack the top 10.

Check this out

🛞 Pretty in pink? British luxury automaker Jaguar just unveiled its Type 00 concept car during Miami Art Week. Social media users are divided, with many criticizing the new aesthetic.

Quotable

🧳 Security breach: Authorities are scrambling to figure out how a stowaway avoided identity and boarding pass checks on a flight from New York to Paris.

Quiz time

🌮 Which popular Mexican chain is making a comeback 20 years after its last restaurant closed?
A. Rubio’s Coastal Grill
B. Chevy’s Fresh Mex
C. Don Pablo’s
D. Chi-Chi’s
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

🎄 Chill out: If the conversations with family over the holidays get a little too intense, you can always try to steer things in a more lighthearted direction by playing holiday movie bingo. Grab some eggnog and queue up your favorite cheesy Christmas flick.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: D. Chi-Chi’s, known for its eclectic interiors, plans to open restaurants again in 2025.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Chris Good, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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