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.
Copyright: © 2023 CNN
After Title 42 expired in May, some expected an influx of migrants to descend on communities along the US-Mexico border. While overall encounters dropped in October, some people say they are experiencing a growing number of migrants arriving on their properties. In this episode, we hear from some in the San Diego area about what they’re experiencing and explore why most migrants actually want to be encountered by border authorities.
Guest: David Culver, CNN Senior National Correspondent
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Earlier this year, record-setting wildfires in eastern Canada sent plumes of unhealthy air over US cities normally unaccustomed to wildfire smoke. Experts say climate change is making fires like these more likely and more intense. In today’s episode, we hear how a previous blaze in Canada changed how firefighters do battle with the flames and what it can tell us about how the building industry needs to adapt.
Guest: John Vaillant, author of “Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World”
Read more at CNN’s Road to COP28 here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As Israel moves troops into Gaza and continues to launch airstrikes as retaliation for the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack, thousands of civilians remain in the crosshairs. What does that mean for US support of Israel? In today’s episode, we explore how President Joe Biden is weighing humanitarian concerns with fears of a wider war in the region.
Guest: Phil Mattingly, CNN Anchor
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Four former allies of former President Donald Trump have pleaded guilty in the Georgia election subversion case in recent days, with all agreeing to testify on behalf of the prosecution at future trials. Meanwhile, a New York judge overseeing Trump’s civil fraud trial fined the former president $10,000 on Wednesday for violating a gag order. In today’s episode, we look at how the growing legal pressure could impact the former president as he balances the courtroom with the campaign trail.
Guest: Paula Reid, CNN Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A new state law in Florida is making it easier for conservative groups to get certain books removed from school libraries. It has turned school board meetings into spectacles, with parents and outside voices reading out explicit passages from books without context to argue that they should not be available to minors. In today’s episode, we explore the tactics and hear from students about how they feel about the effort by adults to control which books they have access to.
Guest: Elle Reeve, CNN Correspondent
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Hamas assault on Israel has shocked the world and sparked fierce retaliation from Israel. Thousands of people have been killed in both Israel and Gaza, while Hamas claims to be holding over 100 people hostage. In today’s episode, we hear from our teams on the ground in Israel and people living through the conflict.
Guests: Nic Robertson, CNN International Diplomatic Editor
Becky Anderson, CNN International Anchor
Clarissa Ward, CNN Chief International Correspondent
Listen to Tug of War here.
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In 2020, firearms surpassed motor vehicle accidents to become the No. 1 killer of children and teens in America. More than 1,300 children and teens have been killed by a gun so far this year, prompting calls for stricter regulations. However, behind those statistics and policy debates are devastating stories of loss and families left behind to pick up the pieces. In today’s episode, we hear one of those stories and look at how the parents of Anthony Alexander, Jr. are hoping their son’s legacy will bring about positive change in their community.
Guest: Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Digital Writer
Read more from CNN Digital here.
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hunter Biden is due in court this week on federal gun charges after becoming the first child of a sitting president to be charged by the Justice Department. Separately, House Republicans held their first public hearing last week in the impeachment inquiry into his father - President Joe Biden – despite failing to show any evidence that the president himself received foreign money. There can be a lot to keep track of, so: what are the facts, and what is just political posturing? In today’s episode, we examine the long legal saga of Hunter Biden and how it could impact the 2024 presidential race.
Guest: Kara Scannell, CNN Correspondent
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
After the apparent death of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last month, there were questions about the future of the mercenary group and what Russian president Vladimir Putin would do to take back control. In today’s episode, CNN travels to the Central African Republic to see what that future looks like on the ground. We examine why Wagner remains popular there despite Prigozhin's death and look at why Russia continues to expand its reach into Africa. Plus, we get an update on the war in Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky pleads with Western countries for more aid.
Guest: Clarissa Ward, CNN Chief International Correspondent
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Last week, the FDA and CDC signed off on updated Covid-19 vaccines that target currently circulating variants. It comes amid a recent uptick in hospitalizations and deaths in the United States ahead of winter that could see threats from three respiratory viruses – coronavirus, flu and respiratory syncytial virus. In today’s episode, we answer some frequently asked questions about the updated Covid-19 vaccines and look at how we should approach the virus nearly more than three years after its emergence.
Guest: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Listen to Chasing Life here.
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
