LA Post: How glaciers helped life evolve, new version of Alexa, perks of drinking tea: Catch up on the day’s stories

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Drinking tea has long been linked to various health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and inflammation in the body. A new study suggests another surprising perk of the beverage.

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

5 things

1️⃣ Building blocks: Ancient glaciers reshaped the Earth’s surface, and when the ice melted, that infused ocean water with nutrients. Scientists say this new finding reveals clues about how complex life on our planet evolved.

2️⃣ Egg prices: The US Department of Agriculture outlined a new strategy to limit the spread of bird flu and lower the cost of eggs. The agency will invest $1 billion in the plan, which will be paid for — at least in part — by Department of Government Efficiency cuts.

3️⃣ Unhealthy eating: Ultraprocessed foods, which are made with ingredients you wouldn’t normally find in a supermarket or your kitchen, make up as much as 70% of the US food supply. Experts offered suggestions on how to reduce your intake.

4️⃣ New and improved: Amazon just unveiled a revamped version of Alexa that brings the popular voice assistant into the artificial intelligence era. The next iteration — dubbed Alexa+ — is more conversational. See what else you can expect.

5️⃣ ‘Just amazing’: Coffee aficionados will need to rack up some serious frequent flyer miles if they want to try the “world’s best” coffee shop. Cafés were judged on a variety of factors, including quality of coffee and food, sustainability practices and customer service.

Watch this

🚽 Royal flush: Police just released surveillance video showing burglars driving stolen cars through the gates of Blenheim Palace in England before taking off with a solid gold toilet during a heist in 2019. Five people were arrested, but the toilet was never recovered.

Top headlines

• Trump memo tells federal agencies how to conduct mass layoffs
• Trump holds first official Cabinet meeting of second term
• Child in West Texas is first US measles death in a decade

What’s buzzing

⭐ Star power: Dozens of Academy Award nominees got together for dinner and, while they were at it, produced an epic photo. Take a look.

Check this out

🇬🇧 Tunnel vision: A mile-long series of secret World War II tunnels under a tube station in London will be turned into a major tourist attraction. Here’s what it’s like inside.

44%

🙏 That’s the percentage of Americans who said they pray daily, according to a major new study on religious views in the US.

Quiz time

🎤 Kurt Cobain, the Nirvana frontman who died in 1994, shares a grandson with which celebrity?
A. Glenn Close
B. Brad Pitt
C. Sandra Bullock
D. Tony Hawk
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

🏅 World champ: Merab Dvalishvili went from working in construction to becoming a UFC champion. In September, he won the bantamweight title belt by unanimous decision in a dominant performance. “Fighting is in my DNA,” he said of his humble beginnings in his native country of Georgia.

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: D. Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk’s son, Riley, and Cobain’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, welcomed a son together in September 2024.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Chris Good, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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