podcast
CNN 5 Things
We bring you 5 stories that will get you up to speed and on with your day. Updates at 6am, 12pm, and 6pm Eastern, every weekday.

President Donald Trump has hailed the "dawn of a new Middle East” in his address to Israel’s parliament. Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are closing as the government shutdown enters its third week. We’ll tell you when the stormy weather on the East Coast is set to end. Stock markets have settled after Trump has seemingly backed down from another trade fight with China. Plus, the planet has reached a worrying milestone.
Oct 13, 2025
The 20 Israeli hostages held in Gaza have now been released. We explain how a chaotic weekend of firings and reinstatements unfolded at the CDC. A federal appeals court has ruled on the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago. Four people are dead after a mass shooting at a bar in South Carolina. Plus, we pay tribute to Hollywood icon Diane Keaton.
Oct 13, 2025
As the appetite for artificial intelligence rises, so does the need for power-hungry data centers. While residents who live near them complain of the noise and pollution, data suggests they could spike utility bills far and wide. We hear from an electricity law expert on why regulators are thinking of reforms – but will it be too late?
Guest: Elizabeth Martorana & Ari Peksoe, Director, Harvard Law School Electricity Law Initiative
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Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Oct 12, 2025
Chemistry that works like Hermione Granger’s magical handbag won a Nobel Prize this week. How an Indigenous inventor is working to preserve her tribe’s language. A wildlife photographer is making sure hermit crabs in Japan have proper homes. A man was dead for five minutes at a comedy show – what happened next was really special. Plus, a surprising call leads to a heartwarming reunion.
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Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco
Producer: Eryn Mathewson
Showrunner: Faiz Jamil
Senior Producer: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Nick Blatt, Samantha Lindell, Clare Duffy, Dan Bloom
Oct 11, 2025
Mass government layoffs are underway as a shutdown drags on. We have details on a massive blast in Tennessee that decimated an explosives facility and rattled homes. We’ll tell you the role US troops are playing in the Gaza ceasefire deal. An escalation in a trade war between the world’s two largest economies is rocking the stock market. Plus, the wild weekend weather threatening parts of the US.
Oct 10, 2025
Thousands of Palestinians are returning to Gaza City as the ceasefire is now officially in effect. The indictment of New York’s attorney aeneral has caused shockwaves among President Donald Trump’s critics. The Trump administration has tried to block millions of dollars in security grants to Muslim groups. Tesla is being investigated for a safety issue. Plus, we’ll tell you the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
Oct 10, 2025
Israel’s military says a ceasefire is now in effect in Gaza. A judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard in this state. House Speaker Mike Johnson had a tense exchange with a military spouse over the government shutdown. Ukraine is reporting a massive Russian attack on its energy infrastructure. Plus, a judge rules on Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss-track.
Oct 10, 2025
President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan in Gaza is a step away from being implemented. Another one of Trump’s political opponents is facing criminal charges. Two key legal battles could determine the fate of Trump’s National Guard deployments. Air traffic controllers are at risk of losing their jobs during the government shutdown. Plus, after years of unsuccessful appeals, a death row inmate is getting a new lifeline.
Oct 9, 2025
The Israeli government is set to vote today on the first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza. Two court cases on National Guard deployments are testing the bounds of President Donald Trump’s authority. The IRS is the latest agency to be impacted by the government shutdown. The Senate has voted on the Trump administration’s strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats. Plus, a significant nor’easter is set to lash parts of the US this weekend.
Oct 9, 2025
Israel and Hamas have brokered the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan. A major MAGA lawmaker seems to have broken ranks with Republicans in shutdown negotiations. The Trump administration is pushing back in its legal battle with Chicago over the National Guard being deployed there. The Trump administration has taken aim at Antifa and the press during a White House roundtable. Plus, a new milestone in using pig livers for organ transplants.
Oct 9, 2025