5 things to know for Oct. 13: Hostage release, Government shutdown, CDC firings, Severe weather, SpaceX launch

By CNN Newsource

Published October 13, 2025 4:51 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

Many states today are observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day, reflecting a growing movement to honor Native heritage instead of the Italian explorer. It’s also a federal holiday, which means most banks will be closed and mail delivery is paused.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Hostage release

After two years of the Israel-Gaza war, all 20 living hostages have now been freed and are in Israel. Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, singing and cheering as the initial hostages were released. President Donald Trump received a warm reception upon his arrival in Israel hours ago, where he was greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thanked for his role in brokering the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Trump is scheduled to address Israel’s parliament soon. Nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israel will also be freed as part of the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire deal.

2️⃣ Government shutdown

The government shutdown is entering its 13th day, with Congress still gridlocked over a funding agreement. Top House leaders signaled Sunday that there is virtually no appetite for their parties to cross the aisle and engage with the other side’s demands. Meanwhile, more than 4,000 federal employees were recently given layoff notices amid the ongoing impasse, the Trump administration revealed in a court filing. President Trump vowed to target workers deemed to be aligned with the Democratic Party. Roughly 1.4 million other federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay, according to a Bipartisan Policy Center review.

3️⃣ CDC firings

Hundreds of staff mistakenly fired from the CDC on Friday have been reinstated, according to the American Federation of Government Employees. After a new round of layoff notices was sent late Friday to around 1,300 workers at the CDC, approximately 700 were reinstated on Saturday, while about 600 remain laid off, according to the union. The mistakenly fired employees were sent incorrect notifications due to a coding error on the notices, according to an HHS official. Among reinstated employees are those who publish the agency’s flagship journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, along with others from the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, the Global Health Center, and the Public Health Infrastructure Center.

4️⃣ Severe weather

A powerful nor’easter is hammering the mid-Atlantic coast with damaging winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding as it slowly tracks north. This coastal storm is called a nor’easter due to the prevailing wind direction from the northeast ahead of its center. These northeast winds push water toward the coast, causing floods and beach erosion. The storm is already disrupting air travel at major Northeast airports, with ground delays due to weather reported Sunday night at Boston Logan and John F. Kennedy airports, according to the FAA. Average delays at JFK in New York were more than three hours late on Sunday, the agency said.

5️⃣ SpaceX launch

Calls for the US to land astronauts back on the moon before China have been increasingly loud and frequent. But it all hinges on SpaceX’s Starship — the most powerful launch vehicle ever constructed — to eventually transport humans on a key portion of the lunar journey. However, Starship has yet to hit several key milestones to assure a successful moon-landing mission, which NASA has planned for mid-2027. So far, parts of the megarocket have failed in dramatic fashion during six of its 10 uncrewed test flights. Another prototype recently exploded during ground testing. SpaceX is set to launch its next test, Flight 11, as soon as 7:15 p.m. ET today from the company’s South Texas launch facilities.

Breakfast browse

Defining photos of the last 40 years

A man stands in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square. A jubilant Nelson Mandela is released from prison. See the iconic images here — and hear from the photographers who took them.

What’s popular at the movies

A sci-fi adventure film topped the domestic box office charts over the weekend, while a prison escape drama broke out in second place.

The NFL’s only winless team

This team slipped to 0-6 after Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos.

World’s oldest president

Cameroon’s 92-year-old president is seeking to extend his rule — a move that could keep him in office until he’s 99.

Humans are living 20 years longer than they were in 1950, study shows

But not everyone is sharing in those gains, as vast health inequities cast a shadow over global progress.

In memoriam

Acclaimed actress Diane Keaton dead at 79

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton, who starred in “Annie Hall” and “The Godfather,” has died. The cause of her death is not yet known. Several Hollywood stars have offered their condolences, paying tribute to “just a truly original person,” as actress Reese Witherspoon put it.

Number of the day

19

That’s how many Smithsonian museums were forced to close on Sunday due to the government shutdown. The National Zoo also announced its temporary closure but reassured the public that all animals “will continue to be fed and cared for.”

Quotable

Davis described the meticulous effort to clear the debris of a Tennessee explosives plant, where 16 people were killed after a massive blast on Friday.

Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

And finally…

▶️ Anderson Cooper’s bread confession

Anderson Cooper surprised Tony Shalhoub by admitting he’s never tasted this classic type of bread.

Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo.

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