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
Stephen Colbert signed off from the “Late Show” for the final time Thursday after CBS ended the iconic late night franchise. While many believe his criticism of President Donald Trump played a factor, the network insists it was purely a financial decision. But can political comedy and media consolidation coexist? And how will pressure from Trump’s FCC influence broadcasters going forward? A working comedian weighs in.
For more: watch ‘The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert’
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Guest: Michael Ian Black, “Have I Got News for You” team captain
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Support: Sophie Tran
Photo By: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS
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After a gunman killed two children and injured 27 others at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis at the start of the school year, parents, teachers, and students have been left to pick up the pieces. It is a process that might feel familiar to countless other communities who have encountered school shootings, but what does it look like for these families? How do you live the rest of your life after everything changes? CNN went to Minneapolis to find out.
For more: The shooting finally stopped. Then came everything else.
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Guest: Michelle Krupa, CNN Editor
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Emily Smith
Photo: Liam James Doyle for CNN
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From tariffs to tough talk, President Donald Trump has long positioned himself on being tougher on China than any US president. Now, he heads to Beijing for a high-stakes state visit needing their help on a massive political problem: the war with Iran. We look at how both sides might navigate this moment and how Trump's pressure campaign may have helped China prepare for this moment of global instability.
For more: The shadowy network of Chinese oil refineries funding Iran
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Guest: Simone McCarthy, CNN Senior China Reporter
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
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At the urging of President Donald Trump, multiple Republican-led states in the South have move quickly to redraw congressional maps in the wake of the Supreme Court decision last month that critics say will significantly weaken the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In Louisiana, the Black congressman who represents the district at the heart of that Supreme Court case says Democrats can't stand by and need to act. So what happens now? And with the midterms less than six months away, how could it impact voters across the country?
For more: How the Republicans pulling ahead in the redistricting war affects the midterms
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Guest: Rep. Cleo Fields (D-LA)
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Ethan Cohen
Photo by: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
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In this special episode of CNN One Thing, we look back on the life and legacy of CNN founder and media pioneer Ted Turner.
Photo: CNN
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President Donald Trump has amplified (and been the subject of) many conspiracy theories during his time as a public figure. Online speculation, without evidence, that recent assassination attempts against him in Butler, Pennsylvania and the White House Correspondent’s dinner were staged have only grown in recent weeks. But the conversation around the death and disappearance of multiple top government scientists is perhaps the most curious item to grab Trump’s attention – in part because of the path it took to get to his desk. We look at how the story reached the White House and why conspiracy theories continue to fester in the age of Trump.
For more: How a speculative story about dead and missing scientists went from the fringe to the White House
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Guest: T.M. Brown, CNN Senior Reporter
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: David McNew/Getty Images
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After the killings of two American citizens in Minneapolis and the firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation is attempting a bit of a reset. From calling ICE agents “NICE” agents on social media to reducing visible presence on the streets, it’s clear new Secretary Markwayne Mullin wants federal agents out of the spotlight. But are the goals of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation push any different? Plus, we hear from someone caught in the middle of the administration’s crackdown on legal immigration.
For more: Exclusive: Trump moves to accelerate deportations of migrant children in US custody
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Guest: Priscilla Alvarez, CNN Correspondent
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Tami Luhby
Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images
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King Charles is in the midst of a four-day state visit to the US to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. The visit comes at a time when US-UK relations are notably strained, thanks to the war with Iran and calls for greater Jeffrey Epstein-related accountability. But President Donald Trump is usually receptive to royalty – so will this trip help mend fences, or give European allies more to worry about?
For more: Epstein scandal lingers in background of King Charles’ visit to Washington
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Guest: Jack Blanchard, POLITICO Playbook Author/Managing Editor
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Henry Nichols/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
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Tech titans Elon Musk and Sam Altman are set to face off in court this week in a case centered on OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit model. Musk alleges Altman and his company have strayed from their founding mission to develop artificial intelligence for the good of humanity rather than corporate profit (OpenAI denies the allegations). But is this just petty billionaire beef, or could it tell us something about our own AI futures?
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Guest: Hadas Gold, CNN AI Correspondent
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Photo: Carlos Barria/Kenny Holston/Pool/Reuters
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday aimed at beefing up research of psychedelic drugs like ibogaine that could be used in mental health treatments. Some veterans and people who have struggled with addiction who have used ibogaine say this could be a breakthrough that could lead to wider access, but some medical experts are warning approvals shouldn’t be rushed. We hear why a leading advocate group says while it’s a good start – much more has to be done.
For more: Trump accelerates research on psychedelic treatments and asks, ‘Can I have some?’
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Guests: Samantha Juan & Melissa Lavasani, Psychedelic Medicine Coalition Founder/CEO
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Katherine Dillinger
Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
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