The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

High-ranking women say they are watching the gains they spent their careers building being erased. Despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech on Tuesday, they are determined to keep serving their country. Also: today's stories, including why health care is at the center of the government shutdown, how tough times have led Joseph Arthur to see songwriting as a spiritual practice, and how parallels might be drawn between peace talks in Northern Ireland 30 years ago and the Middle East today. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

High-ranking women say they are watching the gains they spent their careers building being erased. Despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech on Tuesday, they are determined to keep serving their country. Also: today's stories, including why health care is at the center of the government shutdown, how tough times have led Joseph Arthur to see songwriting as a spiritual practice, and how parallels might be drawn between peace talks in Northern Ireland 30 years ago and the Middle East today. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Portland, Oregon, is the latest city where President Donald Trump is activating National Guard troops for novel use in a fight against crime and illegal immigration. Our reporter takes a big-picture look at how the U.S. government has directed the National Guard this year. Also: today's stories, including how Ukrainians are fleeing Russia's scorched-earth tactics on the front lines; a look at the trade offs in Colombian President Gustavo Petro's energy agenda; and how a Haitian businessman is working to build social bridges toward peace in his home country. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Two recent mass-shooting suspects are decorated U.S. combat veterans. The events renew concerns about how America cares for veterans – including in regard to mental health care and meaningful social connections. Also: today's stories, including why India is investing in its ports, how self-determination remains a major concern for Gazans as “day after” plans are made for Gaza without their input, and how activists in Liberia are working to successfully end female genital mutilation. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had accepted a U.S. plan for Gaza. But prospects for ending the war lean on Arab and Muslim states to deliver Hamas' agreement to disarm. And a U.S. and Israeli threat hangs heavily. Also: today's stories, including how Gen Z women are turning away from motherhood; how a raid by U.S. immigration agents on a Hyundai factory in Georgia amplified South Korean frustration with its American ally; and how tax credits for electric vehicle purchases in the U.S. are changing under the Trump administration. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

The indictment of former FBI director James Comey, which President Donald Trump demanded on social media, comes amid threats of more prosecutorial action. Critics say it could have a chilling effect across government. Mr. Trump says he is seeking justice, not revenge. Also: today's stories, including how repeated incursions of drones and jets into European airspace have reopened debate about how well NATO efforts to deter Moscow are working; a look at North Carolina's recovery efforts in the one year since Hurricane Helene; and whether Bhutan can hold on to its non-materialist Buddhist values and boost economic growth at the same time. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Part of the Trump administration's immigration clampdown involves encouraging unauthorized immigrants to “self-deport” by offering cash and other incentives. A growing number are deciding to leave the U.S. on their own. Also: today's stories, including how a quick look behind the curtain of the United Nations General Assembly finds cooperation, dialogue, and a commitment; how Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy turns to songwriting when faced with a challenging world; and how the effects of more expensive H-1B visas could range from businesses sending jobs offshore to some American workers seeing greater demand for their skills. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

More food is reaching Gaza now but barely enough to stave off famine amid the chaos of forced displacement, which was ordered by the Israeli army. Also: today's stories, including how one Monitor writer's new hometown shows resilience amidst federal government cutbacks and other challenges; how current drama around TV host Jimmy Kimmel being taken off air under government pressure bears resemblance to the case of a political satire show in post-Soviet Russia; and a look at one museum in Kentucky celebrates beloved Louisville Slugger baseball bats. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

As the United Nations General Assembly opened in New York, President Donald Trump told member states that immigration and green hoaxes are the key threats to international peace and prosperity. Also: today's stories, including whether the rebranding of the Defense Department comes alongside other interventionist moves, where money from settlement claims brought by the Trump Administration against universities will end up, and how Venezuelans seeking a haven from their country's chaos are turning to Spain for safety. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Gaza's high school graduation exams are seen as far more than an individual academic accomplishment. They are a step into adulthood, carrying both your dreams and your country's. The war has made that transition nearly impossible. Also: today's stories, including how Tamir Rice's mother wants to provide a cultural map for young people; how Chinese laborers have reshaped the Algiers food scene through noodles; and how Roseville, California turned itself into a model of preparedness and hazard mitigation after destructive floods in the 1980s and '90s.

Funding the government is ultimately a must-pass priority for Congress. But with votes from both parties needed, it's also an opportunity for the minority Democrats to seek leverage. And pressure from their base is pushing them toward taking a hard line. Also: today's stories, including Russia's new rival to Eurovision; one Monitor writer's reflection on his first trip to Tokyo; and our Monitor film critic's remembrance of Robert Redford's career and legacy. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

The sidelining of comedian Jimmy Kimmel's late night show could signal a wider chilling effect on free speech, under pressure from President Donald Trump and regulators under him. But the move also comes as media companies are facing a difficult financial environment. Also: today's stories, including how a French-Saudi initiative supporting an independent Palestine keeps discussion alive; what comes next after youth-led protests brought down Nepal's government; and why visiting Canada's Yukon is a privilege — and an adventure. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

The Federal Reserve's mission, outlined by Congress, is to spur job growth while keeping inflation under control. Its objectives have grown trickier this year amid political pressure from the White House, a slowing job market, and still-high inflation. Also: today's stories, including how moves to codify religious draft exemptions to Israeli military service have fanned resentments; how Canada and Mexico seek to renew connections with each other; and why California's Governor Gavin Newsom's is a test case for Democratic presidential candidacy. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Republicans have long railed against “cancel culture” and blamed the left for seeking to curb free speech. Now, they are catching criticism on the same grounds in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination – and potentially going further by having government officials involved. Also: today's stories, including how Charlie Kirk's allies are vowing to continue his political legacy, how some Syrians are taking steps to build a democratic legislature, and our review of “Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival," by Stephen Greenblatt. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Republicans have long railed against “cancel culture” and blamed the left for seeking to curb free speech. Now, they are catching criticism on the same grounds in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination – and potentially going further by having government officials involved. Also: today's stories, including how Charlie Kirk's allies are vowing to continue his political legacy, how some Syrians are taking steps to build a democratic legislature, and our review of “Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival," by Stephen Greenblatt. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

By 2027, the hard right could govern economies worth roughly half of European GDP, the Economist said earlier this month. “It's about time the government listened to what the British people want,” one hairdresser tells the Monitor. In today's stories, we also look at the new U.S.-China deal on TikTok, a strike by bar advocates in Massachusetts, and a program to train rural and Indigenous filmmakers in India. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

The U.S. has entered a new age of political violence, evidenced by the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Those who work in conflict resolution say Americans need to engage in the hard work of seeing those we disagree with as fully human and worthy of respect. Also: today's stories, including how the U.K. is grappling with the controversial public display of St. George's flag; how Moscow is ignoring war in favor of nonstop celebration this summer; and how one essayist chooses to cherish September. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Inflation posted a 2.9% annual rate in August, up from 2.3% in April. Job creation has slowed sharply. These key indicators put pressure on Republicans as the party in power – even as they push blame toward the Federal Reserve and Democrats. Also: today's stories, including how gruesome footage of the killings of Charlie Kirk and a Ukrainian refugee has renewed debate about safeguards for online content; whether Israel and Syria can find common ground on border issues; and how the U.S. Department of War will differ from the Defense Department. Join the Monitor's Cameron Pugh for today's news.

Chinese students and scholars have long made up the largest foreign scientific community in America, a major talent pool. The Trump administration has not made them feel welcome; can Beijing tempt them to return home? Also: today's stories, including whether Gaza peace talks are possible after a failed Israeli Hamas assassination; how residents of Gaza City are struggling to find places to go after an Israeli evacuation order; and our film critic's guide to the Toronto International Film Festival. Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.

Rather than replacing workers, AI is making humans more productive, the evidence so far suggests. In today's stories, we look at the Trump administration's plan to downsize the State Department, the potential U.S. government shutdown, and how New England states are dealing with a Canadian travel boycott. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Reading and math skills among U.S. high school seniors have fallen to their lowest levels on record, according to an upcoming report. “If we are serious about helping kids to learn … we need to carve out the time for it,” an advocate of science and math learning tells the Monitor. In today's stories, we also look into the U.S. missile attack against an alleged crime boat, the lives of Ukraine's front-line medics, and the horror film boom in Indonesia. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

A sizable number of teens and young adults in the U.S. are not in school, employed, or in job training. Civic leaders want to reconnect them to a path toward productive adulthood. Also: today's stories, including how grand juries in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, are pushing back against indictments; how a vote of confidence in French Prime Minister François Bayrou reveal a nation at political loggerheads; and how young Americans are seeking more in-person connection through team sports from softball to kickball. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Both parties agree in principle that health policy should be driven by facts and science, not by politics. But translating science into policy involves human judgments. And an uproar this week around vaccines shows rising tension over public health. Also: today's stories, including how some Latin Americans are embracing U.S. intervention amid record violence; whether current laws designed to stop potential gun violence by people deemed a threat to themselves or others could have prevented a recent shooting in Minnesota; and how Lebanon's government is facing a new test in disarming a weakened Hezbollah. Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.

Vladimir Putin and other world leaders alienated by the West gathered in China this week – first for an economic summit in Tianjin and then a military parade in Beijing. The meetings offer a glimpse of what Chinese leader Xi Jinping's New World Order might look like. Also: today's stories, including how U.S. President Donald Trump's normalizing armed troops patrolling Washington absent a security crisis could impact how Americans are governed in years to come; concerns over President Trump's executive order to create a “quick reaction force” using National Guard units; and how one grassroots organization in India is fighting for women's legal rights against human traffickers. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Funding for the federal government runs out at month's end. To prevent a shutdown, bipartisanship will be required. The good news is that talks might be in the offing. Also, today's stories: how the National Guard court ruling affects President Trump's plans for other cities; whether President Trump's gains among Latinos will stick; and how a new statue aims to revitalize Massachusetts' oldest neighborhood. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

The tragic shooting of children at Annunciation Catholic School in Minnesota comes after the assassination of a state legislator earlier this summer. The incidents have revealed divides over how to reduce gun violence – as well as a universal desire to emerge from the turbulence stronger. Also: today's stories, including how some religious leaders and volunteers are standing with immigrants at court hearings; how the U.S. and China are racing to build humanoid robots capable of performing many daily tasks; and how the end of tax exemptions for small parcels entering the U.S. is affecting the Indian diaspora. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis was the third such tragedy involving a Christian school in as many years. Security has long been top of mind at Jewish and Muslim schools; now there are growing efforts within Christian school communities to fortify their institutions. Also: today's stories, including how sending a U.S. naval force off the coast of Venezuela has revived regional anxiety over U.S. militarism, how laws protecting asylum-seekers in Europe are under fire from the public, and what changes Trump's ‘Big Beautiful Bill' will bring to colleges and students. Join the Monitor's Harry Bruinius for today's news.

Brazil has the world's second-largest rare earth reserves. The country is trying to rewrite the rules of global extractive industries. In today's stories, we also write about in-person summer schools in Ukraine, a job-creating but environmentally risky project in Spain, and we share our favorite books of August. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Among all the shortages in war-ravaged Gaza, clean water is one of the most critical. Already facing the perils of famine and a new Israeli military offensive, families must engage in a daily hunt for water that often is barely usable. Also: today's stories, including the latest on U.S. President Donald Trump's attempt to oust Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board; how a Syrian comedy renaissance is blooming in Damascus; and how some states are attempting to impose campaign spending limits. Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.

A lawsuit by the Trump Department of Justice is unprecedented in that it sues all the federal District Court judges in Maryland at once. At stake is a case involving deportation, rights of habeas corpus, and the Constitution's separation of powers. Also: today's stories, including how the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) might spur an international aid response in Gaza, how a Boston neighborhood and a college cope with a housing crisis, and a ballet school showing Kenyans that dance is for everyone. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina threatened to snuff out the spirit of New Orleans. Two decades later, our reporter and photographer chronicle the city's healing journey. Also: today's stories, including how carmakers like Ford are focusing on EVs; how Syrian seamstresses are bringing an ancient craft to life; and our columnist's visit with his son to the Equal Justice Initiative's sculpture park in the wake of President Donald Trump's order to review America's museums. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Beyond wrangling over whether sending thousands of federal troops to Washington, D.C., is needed or even legal, residents and crime experts say real community investment – not a show of force – is the better anti-crime strategy. Also: today's stories, including why some Russian observers believe Russia is content to wait out a peace deal with Ukraine; how foreign leaders are adjusting their diplomatic strategies to a more personal approach when dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump; and how one social media influencer tries to shed light on deportation - and showcase the unexpected joys of making a fresh start. Join the Monitor's April Austin for today's news.

An era of abundant low-cost imports faces a reckoning – but not necessarily an end – as the Trump tariffs take hold. America's long pivot from thrift toward consumption is deeply engrained. So is the economics of global supply chains. Also: today's stories, including how film can bring together India and Pakistan, how two historic Black churches share one vision of freedom and a review of Alix Morris' book “A Year with the Seals: Unlocking the Secrets of the Sea's Most Charismatic and Controversial Creatures.” Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

School meal debt has been rising. Now, changes to SNAP and Medicaid could reduce automatic eligibility for free and reduced price meals. How are schools responding to prevent hunger and save their budgets? Also: today's stories, including how the demise of USAID has fractured communities, how a female Hindu priest is defying norms, and how the end of Assad's leadership allows Syrians to read previously banned books. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy walked into the Oval Office on Monday to confront an essential question: Will his country, Ukraine, remain Ukrainian? In today's stories, we also look into Trump's crime crackdown in D.C., massive anti-war protests in Israel, and the worries of Afghan asylum seekers in the U.S. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

Since the fall of Kabul four years ago, about 200,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States, many of whom supported U.S. war efforts. Now, some Afghans are questioning whether their status in the U.S. is secure, while they also try to bring more family here. Also: today's stories, including how ‘docufiction' helped director Kate Beecroft capture wild horses, Denzel Washington and Spike Lee's reunion in their new film “Highest 2 Lowest,” and our essayist's birding journey. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for his summit with President Donald Trump on Friday, his refusal to countenance a ceasefire in Ukraine before peace talks could pose a stumbling block to negotiations. Also: today's stories, including how the current political fight in Texas over redistricting is a sign that hard-nosed politics are now the norm; why some Pakistanis aren't thrilled with a budding U.S.-Pakistan friendship; and how one artist is painting New Orleans' many contrasts, from struggle to rebirth. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

As Ukrainians field swarms of destructive Russian drones, the world is watching modern warfare unfold. Here is what Russia's summer drone blitz in Ukraine says about the future of war. Also: today's stories, including an Israeli women's group protesting war in Gaza; why Democrats' are poorly rated despite President Donald Trump's similarly low approval ratings; and how Trump can negotiate between Russia and Ukraine. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

In Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine, a battle is on over national identity, as teens face intense efforts to convince them that their real identity is Russian. In today's package, we also explore how schools are bracing for absenteeism among immigrant children, how China is making gains in the AI race, and why France is cracking down on ‘ultrafast' fashion. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

President Trump, citing high crime, said Monday that he is placing the District of Columbia police department under federal control and deploying the National Guard. But the move comes as statistics show violent crime in the city at a 30-year low, and is stirring controversy. Also: today's stories, including how a new diploma gives Indiana students the option to earn different “seals” depending on whether they want to go straight to work, serve in the military, or head to college; how abductions have become a weapon in Sudan's civil war; and how one pending federal rule could provide safety guidelines to keep outdoor workers safer in high temperatures. Join the Monitor's Erika Page for today's news.

While Black Lives Matter protests may not have brought lasting reforms nationwide, in Sanford, Florida, the town where Treyvon Martin was killed in 2012, change has taken root. Also in today's stories: the people fighting to keep local news alive, the stand-up comics testing free speech in India, and the role of Monopoly in rescuing POWs from German prison camps. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Russia's military presence on a narrow sandbar controlling a major Black Sea access point has badly disrupted Ukraine's economy. What can Kyiv do about that? Also: today's stories, including how Trump may reach a peace deal between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, why Italy's far-right premier wins plaudits from European neighbors, and an impression of Provence, where the Tour de France took place. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Japan is the only country in the world to have experienced nuclear war. As the country marks the 80th anniversary of the United States' bombing of Hiroshima, some activists wonder if the city is as committed to disarmament as it once was. Also: today's stories, the Trump administration's tariffs take effect on dozens of nations, our Paris correspondent takes a dip in the Seine, and British painter David Hockney's glorious art book that captures his 60-year career. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

In Florida, National Guard troops were activated to support Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers in nine cities. The move is part of a larger escalation that expands the military's involvement in immigration operations. Also: today's stories, including residents rebuilding after a volcano eruption in the Canary Islands, aid matchmakers filling the gap left by USAID funding cuts, and the wider impact of Corporation for Public Broadcasting's shutdown on the media landscape. Join the Monitor's Yvonne Zipp for today's news.

Famine is threatening tens of thousands in Gaza. To avert it, humanitarian assistance must ramp up fast, experts say. Also in today's stories: why young Indonesians remain discontent with the job market despite a new tariff deal, how sea food arrives on your table, and how young people in Massachusetts are working to protect an endangered turtle species. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

While elite institutions shaped the pandemic response, critics say they sidelined dissenting views, deepening distrust and contributing to Donald Trump's reelection. As the pandemic divided the United States, could a full accounting help the nation heal? Also: today's stories, including European and Arab governments making diplomatic progress towards peace, an artist pulling her work from the National Portrait Gallery, and a national opera house serving as a bomb-shelter cathedral in Ukraine. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

The international community has unified around the question of Palestinian statehood, diverging from the U.S. and Israel. But will it make a difference? Not since the mid-1950s under Dwight Eisenhower has a U.S. president held such sway over Israel. Also: today's stories, including how Sudanese women exiled by war are finding freedom from female genital mutilation; why Europeans have been pushing back on cruise ships; and a photo essay from Massachusetts' famed Brimfield Antique Flea Market. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Growing global outrage over the hunger crisis in Gaza has many asking if Israel had a deliberate policy of starving civilians. Israelis say that was never the case, but an ignorance of Palestinian suffering allowed an inconsistent government policy to lead to a calamity. Also: today's stories, including how the president has recently touted a trade deal with the EU, but the overall economic outlook is uncertain, how staff are working to help patrons stay connected to reading, education, and daily life, and how Finland has been ranked the world's happiest country for years. But that doesn't mean Finns are a smiling, perky people. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

President Trump's tariff threats are in some cases turning into tariff deals. The details of the broad agreements are yet to come and may determine whether the U.S. comes out ahead. Also: today's stories, including how Europeans feel in the wake of a new U.S.-EU trade deal; why Argentines are struggling economically despite efforts to tackle inflation; and a look at how volunteerism in Japan has surged in the decades following the devastating 1995 Kobe earthquake. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

The Trump administration faces pressure to release additional files from investigations of sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein. Here's what's known from two decades of lawsuits and what could come from efforts to reveal more. Also: today's stories, including a look at the effects of Syria's drought crisis, the Monitor's Francine Kiefer's farewell letter to readers and a new generation of journalists, and how the ceasefire reached between Thailand and Cambodia could help hundreds of thousands of displaced people return home. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

A spirit of “We're in this together” colored the early days of the pandemic in the United States. But that frayed as debate over what steps to take became increasingly politicized. Also: today's stories, including how a third of the enclave's 2.3 million people are not eating for multiple days in a row, how the truth-telling folk singer Patty Griffin was thinking about hanging up her guitar, and our global progress roundup this week: how California's Yurok tribe doubled its land holdings. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.