Firing squad makes a comeback, what drinking does to your brain, mantras as motivation: Catch up on the day’s stories
WFTV, CNN
By Daniel Wine and Morgan Severson, CNN
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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Some fitness coaches use mantras or mottos to help motivate their clients. Experts suggest finding a phrase that speaks to you.
Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:
5 things
1️⃣ ‘I find it more humane’: South Carolina plans to execute a man for the murder of a police officer — by draping a hood over his head and firing three bullets into his heart. He chose to die by firing squad, and the antiquated execution method seems to be making a comeback.
2️⃣ Alcohol impacts: A new study linked heavy drinking with increased risk of a type of brain injury tied to memory and thinking problems. Researchers defined heavy drinking as eight or more alcoholic beverages a week. CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen explains the potential danger.
3️⃣ Luxury at 30,000 feet: Some airlines have declared first class dead, and instead they’re focusing on improving the experience for business customers. Other carriers — including Air France, Emirates and Lufthansa — are doubling down and upgrading their offerings.
4️⃣ Chair changes: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe has been described as a “leader of modern architecture.” His legacy also includes the “Barcelona” furniture line, designed in 1929, which continues to be in demand today. Now it’s getting its first update in decades.
5️⃣ Screen gems: Cannes Film Festival organizers reviewed nearly 3,000 contenders before settling on the 2025 lineup, and the Nigerian movie “My Father’s Shadow” is making history. Take a look at some of the other films that made the cut.
Watch this
💉 Tiny technology: Engineers at Northwestern University have developed the world’s smallest pacemaker. The device — about the size of a sesame seed — can be injected non-invasively and shows potential as a new treatment for newborns with congenital heart defects.
Top headlines
• Several people pulled from deadly helicopter crash in Hudson River
• Planes bump wings on the ground at Washington’s Reagan National Airport
• Trump concedes ‘transition problems’ as markets plunge
50
🦛 That’s about how many hippos and other large animals have been killed by anthrax poisoning in the past week at Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Check this out
💦 Splash zone: During Songkran, Thailand’s annual New Year festival, people young and old take to the streets with water guns and buckets to engage in day-long battles. While the water fights are well known, other traditions include visiting Buddhist temples and enjoying seasonal dishes like mango sticky rice.
Sports spotlight
👟 Gout’s got speed: A 17-year-old Australian sprinter just clocked 9.99 seconds in the under-20 100 meters twice in the same day. Gout Gout is drawing comparisons with legendary sprinter Usain Bolt and is considered one of the fastest teenagers in the world.
Quiz time
🍿 What phrase from “A Minecraft Movie” is causing audiences to scream, toss popcorn in the air and applaud?
A. “Flint and steel!”
B. “Chicken jockey!”
C. “I am Steve!”
D. “Oh, that’s donkey kong!”
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.
Good vibes
🥰 Looking for love: Relationships have been tricky for 27-year-old Madison Marilla, who has autism. But after watching Netflix’s “Love on the Spectrum,” she felt inspired to give dating another try and is now a contestant on the reality show’s latest season.
Thanks for reading
🧠 Quiz answer: B. Jack Black yells “Chicken jockey!” when a Minecraft baby zombie riding a chicken like a horse appears on screen. At some theaters, moviegoers’ rowdy reaction to the scene caused the police to be called. Test your knowledge with CNN’s weekly news quiz in tomorrow morning’s 5 Things newsletter.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Chris Good, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.
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