Companies helping moms, close encounter with the sun, Festivus for the rest of us: Catch up on the day’s stories

By CNN Newsource

Published December 23, 2024 3:35 PM

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Some patients want to take a pause on their diabetes or weight-loss drugs during the holidays. This is what doctors say they need to know.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Help for moms: For some new mothers, breastfeeding can be hard and lonely. Many stop and switch to baby formula because they don’t have enough structural and emotional support. These companies are trying to change that.

2️⃣ Complicated case: A 10-year-old boy went for a walk down the road. Someone saw him and called 911, and his mother was arrested and taken to jail. The Georgia case could make parents think twice about letting their children run free.

3️⃣ Close encounter: The Parker Solar Probe will zoom by the sun in a record-breaking flyby, coming within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface. It will go down in history as humanity’s closest approach to the sun.

4️⃣ Surviving the ‘Drake shake’: The passage between the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic has a reputation for being a dangerous journey — but why is it so rough? Here’s what it’s like to navigate the world’s most terrifying ocean crossing.

5️⃣ Bah, humbug! Go ahead, put up your Festivus pole and air your grievances. The day that gained fame thanks to “Seinfeld” is for everyone who finds holiday cheer hard to come by. Just try to leave a bit of room for positivity.

Watch this

⛪ Weed and worship: Despite beautiful mountains, a sparkling food scene and an iconic music venue, one of Denver’s top attractions is the International Church of Cannabis. Take a closer look.

Top headlines

• House Ethics Committee report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid thousands for sex and drugs
• Suspect arrested in fiery NYC subway killing identified as undocumented immigrant
• CEO killing suspect pleads not guilty to state terror and murder charges

What’s buzzing

🧝 Say what? An improvised line in the 2003 holiday classic “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell, almost got cut. Now it’s gone viral.

Check this out

🐟 Bizarre find: Researchers on an expedition in Peru discovered 27 new animal species, including a “blob-headed fish,” whose head resembles a nose, and an amphibious mouse.

Quotable

⛷️ Hot ticket: Prices at many ski resorts in the US and Canada are dynamic, which means they adjust in real time according to demand. The cost is often alarming.

Quiz time

🪸 Apo Reef Natural Park contains one of the world’s largest connected coral reef systems. Where is it located?
A. Australia
B. Mexico
C. Bahamas
D. Philippines
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

📚 Education for everyone: A nonprofit school in Boston gives free access to classes, playtime and meals to children who have experienced homelessness. Some parents who are struggling to get back on their feet say the program has been a lifesaver.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: D. Apo Reef Natural Park, off the coast of the Philippines, spans 13 square miles.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Chris Good, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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