Revisiting Jimmy Carter’s presidential transition, the joy of postcards, TV preview: Catch up on the day’s stories

By CNN

Published January 7, 2025 4:30 PM

CNN

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! It’s nice to express affection in person, but that’s not always possible. Sending a monthly postcard can help you practice gratitude and add positivity to someone’s day.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Through the lens: Former President Jimmy Carter’s casket has arrived at the US Capitol, where he will lie in state before his official funeral. Historic photos of his presidential transition back in 1977 captured memorable moments like an “uncomfortable” limousine ride and Dick Cheney’s side-eye.

2️⃣ Leap of faith: As they neared retirement, Madeline Waid and her husband Jim were eager to spread their wings. They moved from Vermont to Spain, but he was diagnosed with cancer and died not long afterward. She’s determined to live their dream.

3️⃣ ‘Parting prescription’: As US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy nears the end of his second term as the nation’s doctor, he offered a diagnosis to help heal America’s ills. It boils down to a stronger sense of community — and three key elements make that possible.

4️⃣ Star power: A-list celebrities have already cornered the market on spirits. Now they’re aiming for the non-alcoholic aisle, with British actor Tom Holland making perhaps the biggest deal yet just in time for Dry January.

5️⃣ TV preview: “White Lotus” heads to Thailand, and there will be plenty of monsters and aliens to keep you entertained. We put together a rundown of highlights coming to the small screen this year on television and streaming.

Watch this

🧊 Daring jump: A driver leapt from a moving car that was sliding on ice on a freeway exit ramp in Kansas City, Missouri. She was not injured. A powerful winter storm brought snow, ice and freezing temperatures from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic states.

Top headlines

• Trump lobs global threats and rails against legal cases in wide-ranging remarks
• Judge Aileen Cannon blocks release of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on Trump investigation
• Meta is getting rid of fact checkers, and Zuckerberg says to expect more harmful content

What’s buzzing

🍪 Last hurrah: It’s officially the beginning of Girl Scout cookie season — but it’s also the end for two flavors that won’t be available anymore.

Check this out

🚆 Wild ride: The Australian outback is one of the most picturesque places on Earth. Now you can take a 75-hour luxury train ride through the vast void of deserts and wilderness.

4 million

🐦 That’s how many murres died as a result of a two-year marine heat wave in Alaska, a study found. Before that, Alaska’s murre population made up 25% of the world’s population of seabird species.

Quiz time

🫏 A famous donkey named Perry inspired Eddie Murphy’s character in which movie, an animated feature about an ogre and his sidekick?
A. “Balto”
B. “Shrek”
C. “Finding Nemo”
D. “Ratatouille”
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

🏈 Forgiving mood: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall said he wants to meet the person who shot him in the chest during an attempted robbery in August. “I have to be able to forgive him to have that weight off my chest,” said Pearsall, who recovered quickly and played in 11 games during his rookie season.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: B. DreamWorks animators visited Perry, a donkey in California, for inspiration while working on “Shrek.”
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Today’s 5 Things PM was edited by CNN’s Andrew Torgan and Kimberly Richardson.

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