Why people are stocking up, ‘hidden cancer,’ tips for safe drinking: Catch up on the day’s stories

By CNN Newsource

Published December 16, 2024 3:46 PM

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! The holidays and New Year’s Eve are nearly here, and for many people that means plenty of alcohol-infused festivities. But booze can take a heavy toll on your body. An expert shared five tips to stay safe if you do drink.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Pandemic déjà vu: It’s not 2020 anymore, but some Americans are stocking up on essentials — like canned vegetables and toilet paper — nonetheless. They’re worried that prices will spike if President-elect Donald Trump follows through with the tariff threats he has made.

2️⃣ ‘Hidden cancer’: A Los Angeles woman had routine bloodwork done during her second pregnancy and was shocked when the results came back. They suggested her baby was healthy, but there was something unusual about her own health.

3️⃣ Help for travelers: Airlines will have to follow more rigorous guidelines when it comes to passengers with disabilities. A new rule will require airlines to meet standards for “safe and dignified” assistance to people in need, especially those who use wheelchairs.

4️⃣ Mirror life: Scientists are sounding the alarm about the potential creation of synthetic organisms in which the molecular structure found in nature is reversed. They warn it could put humans, animals and plants at risk of exposure to dangerous pathogens.

5️⃣ Flavor punch: How do you make a vegan cheese that people actually want to eat? A German biotech company thinks it may have found the answer in a tiny ancient fungus.

Watch this

👮 Help, please? A man who was fleeing from police ended up getting stuck in a chimney in Fall River, Massachusetts. Firefighters managed to free him, and he was taken to jail to face drug charges.

Top headlines

• Teen kills teacher and student at Wisconsin school, police say
• What we know about mysterious drone sightings
• Key lines from Trump’s first post-election news conference

1,418 square miles

🧊 That’s the size of the world’s largest iceberg, and scientists say it’s on the move again after months stuck spinning on the same spot.

Check this out

🎨 AI in art: In his latest show, Takashi Murakami uses artificial intelligence to help recreate ancient Japanese paintings. A closer look at his intricate work reveals that not all is quite as it seems.

Quotable

🌿 Weighing in: The music legend, who has been sober for many years, said he believes cannabis is addictive and can lead people to use other drugs that are more dangerous.

Quiz time

💸 What is the median net worth for a renter in the US?
A. $4,000
B. $10,400
C. $17,500
D. $29,000
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

👩 Heroine at the helm: “The Lord of the Rings” franchise will introduce its first female protagonist to the big screen. Gaia Wise, a self-confessed Tolkienist and lifelong fan of the series, said playing Héra is a “deeply meaningful moment.”

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: B. The median renter in the US has a net worth of $10,400, while the median homeowner’s net worth is $400,000.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Chris Good, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

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