Stay ConnectedStarting August 2, 2026 all new episodes can be found over in the CNN 5 Things feed. Search “CNN 5 Things” wherever you get your podcasts.
You’ve been overwhelmed with headlines all week – what’s worth a closer look? One Thing takes you beyond the headlines and helps make sense of what everyone is talking about. Host David Rind talks to experts, reporters on the front lines and the real people impacted by the news about what they’ve learned – and why it matters.
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US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement that the Covid-19 vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women has sparked concern among many health experts. We hear from one of them who thinks this is just the latest in a line of moves that could undermine trust in science.
Guest: Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Episode photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
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President Donald Trump’s embrace of the cryptocurrency industry has boosted the value of multiple digital assets, while raising thorny conflict of interest questions stemming from his personal crypto ventures. We break down a bill moving through Congress that could have wide-ranging impacts – even for those who have never invested in crypto.
Guest: Hilary Allen, Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law
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The House passed President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill on Thursday, despite divisions within the GOP. We break down what’s in it and hear from a Medicaid recipient who is worried she could lose coverage at the worst possible time.
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As hurricane season approaches, the National Weather Service is grappling with a DOGE-fueled staffing shortage that has left some local offices unable to operate 24/7. A former meteorologist explains why it’s leaving behind a patchwork system that could threaten lives when disaster strikes.
Guest: Andrew Freedman, CNN Climate & Weather Senior Reporter & Brian LaMarre, former NWS meteorologist
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The US and China have agreed to drastically walk back their trade war – for now. But will consumers feel the pain anyway? The co-founder of a baby products company tells us why he isn’t afraid to talk to his customers about tariffs.
Guest: Michael Wieder, Lalo co-founder
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The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Thursday in a case involving President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship order. We examine how the outcome could impact other Trump court cases and hear from immigrant parents of a new baby who are worried their child could be branded an ‘outcast.’
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The Department of Transportation announced it will build a “brand new air traffic control system” by 2029. It follows more than a week of massive delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport sparked by a frightening communications blackout. We look at the plan for the new system and hear from a former air traffic controller who says government funding is at the heart of the problem.
Guest: Michael McCormick, Air Traffic Management Program Coordinator at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University & Alexandra Skores, CNN Transportation Reporter
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Interest in the 2024 Oscar-winning film “Conclave” skyrocketed as Cardinals gathered in Rome this week and elected Pope Leo XIV. We talk with the author of the book that inspired the movie, who shares why he thinks the story has resonated with Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Guest: “Conclave” author Robert Harris
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We have a pope – and he’s an American! Cardinal Robert Prevost has been selected as the next pope, the first American pontiff in history. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV. We break down the significance of this unprecedented moment and what challenges the Catholic Church's new leader will face as he takes over.
Guest: Christopher Lamb, CNN Vatican Correspondent
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Spoiler alert: we don't have a new pope – yet. While we wait, we get an update from St. Peter’s Square as the conclave begins and dig into the political ramifications of the job.
Guests: Christopher Lamb, CNN Vatican Correspondent & Massimo Faggioli, Villanova University theology professor
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