CNN 5 Things

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Passengers Thwart Mid-flight Stabbing

#32 trending · Daily News

Chaos erupted aboard an Israel-bound Flydubai flight. The US military has officially completed its long-awaited exit from Iraq. The UK’s prime minister believes Iran play

Sep 30
6 min

Why You Should Care About California’s Governor’s Race

With just days before voters receive mail-in ballots, Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face off tonight in a California gubernatorial debate, host

Sep 30
13 min

Fat Bear Week Champ Crowned

DA hopes to speak today to "Jane Doe" who made Cornell rape allegations. Hurricane Polo fueling dangerous flash flooding threat. Trump says AI leaders can "self-police" t

Sep 30
8 min

‘Idol’ Alum Convicted of Murder

An AI giant is warning potential investors that its own technology could cause existential risks to humanity. Caleb Flynn has been found guilty of murdering his wife. A G

Sep 29
8 min

Is Georgia Going Blue?

The energy behind Sen. Jon Ossoff has Democrats feeling good about holding on to his Senate seat in Georgia. But does that enthusiasm extend to other key races in the sta

Sep 29
15 min

AI Executives at the White House

AI executives at the White House. Prosecutor reopens investigation intno Cornell University gang rape allegations. GOP's big spending on Texas Senate race, Closing argume

Sep 29
9 min

SpaceX Launches Unprecedented Starship Flight

Mediators are working to revive US-Iran talks despite diplomatic sticking points. An explosive civil lawsuit has forced a fresh look into a gang-rape case at Cornell Univ

Sep 28
8 min

‘#HangEmHigh’: A Texas GOP Candidate’s Extreme Posts

The Republican nominee for a powerful statewide office Texas went viral recently for a racist social media post about University of Texas students. But a KFILE investigat

Sep 28
12 min

5 Arrested on Suspicion of Terror Near UK Air Base

5 arrested on suspicion of terror near UK air base. White House releases third taxpayer-funded ad. 12 teens injured in shootout near skate park. Nor'easter cleanup and fl

Sep 28
8 min

He Used to Oversee Executions. He Still Sees The Dead.

Florida is among the states carrying out the most executions in the US, even as death penalty use and public support declines nationwide. CNN spoke with a former prison w

Sep 27
33 min

This City’s Airport is Looking for a New Voice

Meet the artist blending Punjabi storytelling with country twang. A neuropsychologist reveals why the music of our formative years can have such staying power. A wicked g

Sep 26
16 min

SCOTUS Allows Controversial Voter Check

The Supreme Court revived a citizenship data tool for voter audits. Millions are on alert as a powerful nor’easter unleashes its full fury this weekend. Sources say intel

Sep 25
7 min

The ‘Biggest DOJ Election Observer Effort in History’

The Justice Department is planning to dispatch a widening network of poll monitors on Election Day in what it calls the “biggest DOJ election observer effort ‘in history”

Sep 25
15 min

40 Million People Could Feel Impact of Nor'easter

Nor’easter to slam East Coast with flooding, 50 mph winds. Trump hosting Xi for tea, trip to National Archives amid press access fight. NVIDIA CEO talks to CNN about warn

Sep 25
8 min

CNN White House Access Restored

Three news outlets were temporarily blocked from entering White House grounds today, causing a chaotic delay. China’s president made his first state visit to the US in ne

Sep 24
8 min

When ‘Bet on Anything’ Meets the Midterms

Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have surged in popularity this year. But election season has proven to be messy, with the platforms revealing multiple insta

Sep 24
14 min

Judge Orders White House to Reinstate Access for 3 Media Outlets

Judge orders White House to reinstate access for 3 media outlets. Australian PM says OpenAI agent hacked into government healthcare system. Caleb Flynn's ex-mistress test

Sep 24
9 min

Iran President’s Defiant UNGA Speech

Iran’s president fired back at President Donald Trump during a fiery speech to world leaders. A super El Niño is fueling a prolific Pacific hurricane season. Harvey Weins

Sep 23
7 min

Why Some GOP Candidates Are Running Away from Trump

A new CNN poll finds Republicans are facing an even rougher midterm political landscape than they did eight years ago. We dig into the results and what they tell us about

Sep 23
10 min

Iran's President to Speak at UN After Trump Threats

Iran's president to speak at UN after Trump threats. Judge to hear arguments today on Trump's ban on 3 media outlets, including CNN. "Looksmaxxing" influencer charged wit

Sep 23
8 min

Chart trend

Position in the Daily News chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#14#27JulAugSepOct

#16

all-time peak

676

days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where CNN 5 Things ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 1, 2026).

#20 — Daily News US

#77 ▼ 9 News US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I have been loving this podcast for years. I love how basic and straightforward the format is and how relatable the hosts have been but today it sounded like we were listening to a video segment on CNN. If I wanted to do that, I'd watch CNN. I hope this isn't the new format. The background music, the rushed pace and a person who sounds like a typical anchor person does not make me want to keep listening. I come to podcasts because I don't care for or trust traditional news anymore. I don't want the music, the sound and visual effects and the anchor people who are more interested in drama than the truth or the context around it. I just want to know what is going on in the world. I feel like the hosts on this podcast give us almost exactly what we need for our day and I greatly appreciate them.

Nerdy Pete · Sep 2026

I don’t listen to CNN 5 Things, but I do tune in for David Rind’s weekly One Thing for a deeper dive into a single current event. If you haven’t listened to it yet, I encourage you to try one episode. You won’t be disappointed. Great objective journalism still exists and is needed now more than ever. Thank you David 🙏

Nikolai88 · Apr 2026

I really like it when Kate delivers the stories of the day. She seems more engaged in what she is delivering and therefore gets me more engaged

TxAg86 · Apr 2026

I’ve listened to CNN 5 Things for a long time because it provided a fast, straightforward list of the day’s top stories. I don’t like the new music or format or new anchor Kate Baldwin. I don’t want to hear about her or have her side commentaries. For listeners like me who rely on it for a neutral news briefing, the other anchors and the earlier format worked much better. I would really appreciate a return to the more direct “just the news” style that made the podcast so useful.

straycat blues · Mar 2026

I had stopped listening to 5 Things here and elsewhere because inserting ads part way through a podcast that is LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES long is just insulting and abusive. To be clear, I am fine with ads to support a program, but only within reason. INTERRUPTING such a short one is the epitome of greed, and is basically a big F-U to the audience. CNN could afford to put out a free five minute microcast that only runs once every three hours if it wanted to do so. Limiting ads to the intro and outro cannot possibly have a material impact on its bottom line. Now, this one is falsely promoted as “ad-free” over on Amz Music. For the past two weeks, CNN has been interrupting every episode to play ads on its supposedly ad-free feed over there. I had only begun listening at Amz because it came without the obnoxious interruption. There are PLENTY of other micro newscasts out there that have figured out ways to support their programs without inserting ads right into the middle of their extremely short podcasts. And several others honor the ad-free format at Amz Music, including NPR, WaPo, Slate, and even Fox and WSJ. So I will, once again, dump CNN. 👎🏻

Miz Luv · Nov 2023

We used to enjoy this podcast. The background music is now mixed so loud that it’s virtually impossible to understand the reporting.

ASchnacks · Aug 2026

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.