podcast
CNN One Thing
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. New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.
Israel has taken some steps to relax restrictions on aid into Gaza in recent days amid a steady stream of horrific images of starving and emaciated Palestinians emerging from the besieged enclave. We hear from the leader of one aid group who believes much more needs to be done – and why only one man can help make it happen.
Guest: Arwa Damon, president/founder of International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance (INARA)
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Host/Producer: David Rind
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Jul 30, 2025
Former Texas governor and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is not someone you’d think would be advocating for controversial psychedelic therapies to treat mental illness and PTSD. Yet he is one of a growing number of prominent Republican voices stepping forward to push for more research. In part two of our series, we trace why the politics of psychedelics have shifted over the decades, and whether HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will hurt or help the cause.
Guest: Jane C. Hu, science journalist and writer, The Microdose newsletter
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 27, 2025
While President Donald Trump seems eager to move on from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the loudest MAGA voices don’t seem to be. But will the backlash actually hurt Trump’s presidency? We dig into just how much anger there actually is amongst Republicans and why there is a growing bipartisan push for transparency in Congress.
Guest: Aaron Blake, CNN Senior Reporter
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 23, 2025
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump officials seem open to embracing psychedelics as treatment for serious conditions trauma, depression and drug addiction. The shift has excited advocates, but some experts worry the hype could be getting ahead of science and safety. In part one of a two-part series, we hear from someone who says a powerful hallucinogen helped kick her drug habit.
Guest: Samantha Juan, US Army veteran
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 20, 2025
Note: This episode contains descriptions of offensive language.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI was forced to issue an apology after its chatbot Grok started spewing violent and antisemitic responses to user prompts last week. We examine why Grok isn’t the only chatbot that has an antisemitism problem and why hate speech might actually be part of the solution.
Guest: Hadas Gold, CNN Correspondent
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 16, 2025
A recent diplomatic cable revealed that someone has been using artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a bid to gain access to accounts or information. It comes amid a rise in deepfake scams targeting victims around the world. We look at whether law enforcement is equipped to deal with the problem – and what a different approach might look like.
Guest: David Maimon, SentiLink Head of Fraud Insights/Georgia State University Professor of Criminology
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 13, 2025
In the days since the catastrophic flooding in central Texas, some have been asking: could more have been done to warn residents? We examine what we know about the communication between federal and local officials and look at how a warming world might necessitate a different approach to emergency notifications.
Guest: Bernadette Woods Placky, Climate Central Chief Meteorologist
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 9, 2025
More Americans are starting to follow through with threats to leave the country in President Trump’s second term. We hear about what went into one family’s decision and why some are leaning on dual citizenship as a defacto ‘insurance policy.’
Guest: Anna Cooban, CNN Business and Economics Reporter
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Episode photo: Megan Varner/Reuters
Jul 6, 2025
As President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending package nears a final vote in Congress, many Americans just want to know how the bill would impact their lives. We explain how it could increase how much you pay for electricity and transportation – no matter where you live.
Guest: Ella Nilsen, CNN Climate Reporter
See the projection for your state here.
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Jul 2, 2025
10 years ago, the US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, changing the lives of millions of Americans. We hear from the lead plaintiff about why he thinks the precedent is under threat from right-wing allies of President Donald Trump.
Guest: Jim Obergefell
Have a question about the news? Have a story you think we should cover? Call us at 202-240-2895.
Episode Photo: Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images
Jun 29, 2025