Podcast appearances and mentions of The Christian Science Monitor

The summit of NATO leaders that opened Tuesday at The Hague began beneath a new cloud of war in Iran. Yet among Europe's architects of shared security, a cautious optimism obtains. Also: today's stories, including an Iranian missile attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, America's largest military installation in the Middle East; Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signing a law that would mandate that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school classrooms; and a book review of “Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America” by Sam Tanenhaus. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

If diplomatic efforts fail and President Donald Trump opts for military action in the Israel-Iran conflict, how difficult would it be to use “bunker busting” bombs in Iran? Anna Mulrine Grobe has been reporting on the challenges that could arise should diplomatic efforts fail and President Trump opts to proceed with military action. Also: today's stories: how Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region is bearing the brunt of Russia's summer offensive; how the mayoral race in New York City is polarizing the Democratic electorate; and nearly half a year after the LA wildfires, residents are asking whether they should return. Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.

The US attack on Iran's nuclear sites June 21st brings to mind the last of Donald Rumsfeld's infamous unknowns at the start of the Iraq War the "unknown unknowns" aka blowback. What is it possible to know about what will happen next, or is everything an unknown? In this hour-long FRDH podcast special, recorded the day after the US joined Israel in a war on Iran, Professor Roxane Farmanfarmaian of the University of Cambridge, and Ned Temko, a columnist for the Christian Science Monitor. who have been writing about Iran since the Iranian revolution in 1979 parse through what might happen next and what the blowback will be.

In this episode Derek interviews Tim Sanders. Tim spent most of his early career on the cutting edge of innovation and change. He was an early stage member of Mark Cuban's Broadcast.com, which had the largest opening day IPO in history. After Yahoo acquired the company, Tim was tapped to lead their ValueLab, and by 2001, he rose to Chief Solutions Officer. In 2005, he founded Deeper Media, which provides consulting services for leading brands. Today, he is one of the top-rated speakers on the lecture circuit.Tim is the author of four books, including the New York Times bestseller Love Is the Killer App: How To Win Business & Influence Friends. It's been translated into over a dozen languages and has been featured in Fast Company, USA Today, the New York Times, The Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and on CNN. He's a master storyteller who offers listeners actionable takeaways that produce results right away. That's why he's one of the top speakers on the lecture circuit.

The Trump administration's deportation campaign is starting to be felt in farm fields and factory floors across America. Amid reports of arrests and rumors about impending raids by federal customs agents, even immigrants with legal status are wary of showing up to work. Also: today's stories, including economic worries amidst war in Iran and Israel; this week's Christian Science Monitor Breakfast, which hosted “MAGA influencer” and Trump ally Steve Bannon; and how one village in India combated alcoholism and gambling with chess. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Louis Benjamin, CSB, from Botha's Hill, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaYou can read Louis's article in The Christian Science Journal.Listen to the Christian Science Monitor podcast, Why We Wrote This, as well as a wide range of other audio content, at christianscience.com/audio.

A haunting melody becomes the thread between love, loss, and the mysterious forces that blur the line between life and death.C.S. Fuqua's books include Fatherhood ~ Poems of Parenthood, Walking After Midnight ~ Collected Stories, Big Daddy's Fast-Past Gadget, Native American Flute ~ A Comprehensive Guide, and White Trash & Southern ~ Collected Poems. His work has appeared in publications such as Year's Best Horror Stories XIX, XX and XXI, Pudding, The Horror Show, Pearl, Chiron Review, Christian Science Monitor, The Old Farmer's Almanac, The Writer, and Honolulu Magazine.Photo by Raghavendra V. Konkathi on UnsplashYou can read "Rise Up" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Other stories by C. S. Fuqua featured on the podcast:ObonContritionPhoto by Hashem Al-Hebshi on UnsplashFollow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

As the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, it is worth considering this question: how are civilians on both sides coping in these times of uncertainty? Also: today's stories, including the power struggle between President Donald Trump and the federal judiciary, how the transformation of Mexico's justice system affects its democracy, and a book review of New Yorker writer John Seabrook's "The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of a Family Dynasty." Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

With much to lose, Arab states have emerged as the loudest voices calling for diplomacy to end the Israel-Iran conflict. Led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, they are urging President Donald Trump to seek a return to business-friendly regional stability. Also: today's stories, how U.S. states are now more involved in tracking trends that show where problems need addressing, how U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have reached a trade agreement that may offer a reset in their relationship, and how civilian minivans are being converted into makeshift armored ambulances in Ukraine. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

As the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, it is worth considering this question: how are civilians on both sides coping in these times of uncertainty? Also: today's stories, including the power struggle between President Donald Trump and the federal judiciary, how the transformation of Mexico's justice system affects its democracy, and a book review of New Yorker writer John Seabrook's "The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of a Family Dynasty." Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

As Israel launches the heaviest attack on Iranian targets in decades, what is the likelihood that the Islamic government might now see a nuclear bomb as its only real deterrent? Also: today's stories, including a bird poacher who made the switch to serving as a tour guide in Indonesia, Palestinians in Gaza who are struggling to find food, and the conflict in Sudan cutting a student-journalist's college short. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

As the United States Army, the linchpin of the military, celebrates its 250th anniversary Saturday, a long-planned military parade in Washington, D.C., has become a lightning rod for concern about the sweep of a president's power. Also: today's stories, including President Donald Trump's confidence that the chill in U.S. political relations with Africa won't hinder his economic and strategic goals in countries there, how Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has emerged as one of the loudest democratic voices sounding the alarm about what he sees as the authoritarian tendencies of the Trump administration, and our film critic's review of writer-director Celine Song's latest film, "Materialists." Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Immigration is Donald Trump's signature issue. The coverage of the president's deployment of armed forces in Los Angeles after isolated anti-immigration enforcement protests and violence may help push forward his agenda. Also: today's stories, including how college graduates are navigating an increasingly challenging environment, how some in Syria's Druze community are calling on international intervention, and how a man born into slavery daringly stole and commandeered a Confederate ship. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

David Sterritt is a film critic, author, teacher and scholar. He is most notable for his work on Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, and his many years as the Film Critic for The Christian Science Monitor, where, from 1968 until... Read More ›

The story of Hardwick, Vermont, a hamlet in the state's poorest region, is a case study in what it means for a food system to truly “go local” in a world that has leaned on a global supply chain that's now under threat. Today's stories also include a family caught in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack documenting its journey, Coco Gauff finding redemption in Paris, and political parties that were once rivals leading South Africa together. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

In today's newsletter: the shooting of a Colombian senator and the country's struggle for peace; the debate over mask wearing by ICE agents; President Trump's energy strategy; and a Tunisian judge's work to create libraries for kids. Find these stories, and more, in today's issue.

Elon Musk, the world's richest man with a track record of seemingly impossible feats, came to Washington vowing to bring an ethos of innovation. But even before this week's blowup with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk had become bogged down in political, legal, and bureaucratic battles. Also: today's stories, including the election of left-leaning President Lee Jae-myung in South Korea, Nebraska launching a $100 million program for students with disabilities, and the new government in Syria's plan to rebuild the Hejaz Railway. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Decadeslong suspicion of elite universities has evolved under President Donald Trump into a full-scale war against institutions deemed to have grown overtly political. At Harvard University, where President Trump has canceled major federal research grants and ordered the suspension of visas for foreign students, it's a high-stakes contest that echoes far beyond higher education. Also: today's stories, including how Trump's tariff war will affect relationships with Asian allies; updates on the Trump administration's travel ban; and recent crackdowns on protests in El Salvador. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Lee Jae-myung's victory in South Korea's presidential election on June 3 fills a leadership void that was hobbling Asia's fourth-largest economy. It heralds a liberal shift in South Korea's domestic agenda and efforts by Seoul, a key U.S. ally, to ease tensions with China and North Korea. Also: today's stories, including how antisemitism in the United States is reaching generational highs; how rhetoric is yielding to diplomacy as Iran and the United States prepare for a sixth round of nuclear talks; and a book review on Shaun Walker's “The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission To Infiltrate the West.” Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Recently I was asked to review a forthcoming book for American Scientist magazine. The book was entitled, Sweet and Deadly: How Coca-Cola Spreads Disinformation and Makes us Sick. I did the review, and now that the book has been published, I'm delighted that its author, Murray Carpenter, has agreed to join us. Mr. Carpenter is a journalist and author whose work has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, and the Washington Post, and has been featured in places like NPR's All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Interview Summary So, let's start with your career overall. Your journalism has covered a wide range of topics. But a major focus has been on what people consume. First, with your book Caffeinated and now with Sweet and Deadly. What brought you to this interest? My interest in caffeine is longstanding. Like many of us, I consume caffeine daily in the form of coffee. And I just felt like with caffeine, many of us don't really discuss the fact that it is a drug, and it is at least a mildly addictive drug. And so, I became fascinated with that enough to write a book. And that really led me directly in an organic fashion to this project. Because when I would discuss caffeine with people, mostly they just kind of wanted the cliff notes. Is my habit healthy? You know, how much caffeine should I take? And, and in short, I would tell them, you know, if you don't suffer from anxiety or insomnia and you're consuming your caffeine in a healthy beverage, well, that's fine. But, what I realized, of course, is that by volume, the caffeinated beverage people consume most of is sodas. And so that led me to thinking more about sodas because I got a lot of questions about the caffeine in sodas. And that led me to realize just the degree to which they are unhealthful. We've all known sodas not to be a health food, but I think that the degree to which they are not healthy surprised me. And that's what led me to this book. Yes, there's some very interesting themes aren't there with addiction and manipulation of ingredients in order to get people hooked on things. So let's talk about Coca-Cola a bit. Your book focuses on Coca-Cola. It's right there in the title. And certainly, they're giants in the beverage field. But are there other reasons that led you to focus on them? Other than that, the fact that they're the biggest? They're the biggest and really almost synonymous with sodas worldwide. I mean, many people don't say ‘I want a pop, I want a soda.' They say, ‘I want a Coke.' I quote a source as saying that. You know, what that means is you want a sugar sweetened beverage. And it's not just that they're the most successful at this game, and the biggest. But as I started doing this research, I realized that they have also been the most aggressive and the most successful at this sort of disinformation that's the focus of the book. At generating these health campaigns, these science disinformation campaigns, we should say. This is not to say Pepsi and Dr. Pepper have not been at this game as well, and often through the American Beverage Association. But it is to say that I think Coca-Cola has been the most sophisticated. The most invested in these campaigns. And I would argue the most successful. And so, I really think it's a league apart and that's why I wanted to focus on Coca-Cola. That makes good sense. So, in reading your book, I was struck by the sheer number of ways Coca-Cola protected their business interest at the expense of public health and also the degree to which it was coordinated and calculated. Let's take several examples of such activities and discuss exactly what the company has done. And I'd love your opinion on this. One thing you noted that Coke acted partly through other organizations, one of which you just mentioned, the American Beverage Association. There were others where there was sort of a false sense of scientific credibility. Can you explain more about what Coke did in this area? Yes, and one of the organizations that I think is perhaps the exemplar of this behavior is the International Life Sciences Institute. It's a very successful, very well-funded group that purports to you know, improve the health of people, worldwide. It was founded by a Coca-Cola staffer and has, you know, essentially carried water for Coke for years through a variety of direct and indirect ways. But so front groups, the successful use of front groups: and this is to say groups that don't immediately appear to be associated, say with Coca-Cola. If you hear the International Life Sciences Institute, no one immediately thinks Coca-Cola, except for people who study this a lot. The International Food Information Council, another very closely related front group. This is one of the ways that Coke has done its work is through the use of front groups. And some of them are sort of these more temporary front groups that they'll establish for specific campaigns. For example, to fight soda taxes in specific areas. And they often have very anodyne names, and names again that don't directly link them to Coca-Cola or a beverage, the beverage industry. And the reason that this is so important and the reason this is so effective is journalists know if they were saying, Coca-Cola says soda isn't bad for you, of course that raises red flags. If they say, the International Life Sciences Institute says it's not bad for you, if they say the International Food Information Council says it's not bad for you. The use of front groups has been one of the very effective and persistent, strategies. It almost sounds like the word deception could be written the charter of these organizations, couldn't it? Because it was really meant to disguise Coca-Cola's role in these things from the very get go. That's right. Yes. And the deception runs very deep. One of the things that I happened onto in the course of reporting this book, Sweet and Deadly, is Coca-Cola two different times, organized three-day seminars on obesity in Colorado. These two attendees appeared to be sponsored by a press organization and the University of Colorado. They were funded and structured entirely at the behest of Coca-Cola. And it wasn't until after people had attended these seminars and reported stories based on the findings that they'd learned there. Much, much later did people find out that yes, actually these were Coca-Cola initiatives. So yes, deception, runs deep and it's a huge part of their public relations strategy. It's like reputation laundering, almost. Well, it is, and, you know, I make frequent analogies to the tobacco industry in the book. And I think one of the things that's important to remember when we're looking at tobacco and when we're looking at Coca-Cola, at the soda industry writ large, is that these are industries that are producing products that science now shows unequivocally are unhelpful. Even at moderate levels of consumption. So, in order for the industry to continue selling this product, to continue leading, they really have to fight back. It's imperative. It's a risk to their business model if they don't do something to fight the emerging health science. And so, yes, it's very important to them. You know, it's easy, I guess, to ascribe this kind of behavior to ill meaning people within these organizations. But it's almost written into the DNA of these organizations. I mean, you said they have to do this. So, it's pretty much be expected, isn't. It is. I think young people when they hear something like this, they often shrug and say capitalism. And, yes, there's something to that. But capitalism thrives also in a regulated environment. I think that's maybe a little bit too simplistic. But the aspect of it that does apply here is that Coca-Cola is in the business of selling sugar water. That's what they're there to do. Granted, they've diversified into other products, but they are in the business of selling sugar water. Anything that threatens that business model is a threat to their bottom line. And so, they are going to fight it tooth and nail. So how did Coca-Cola influence big health organizations like the World Health Organization and any equivalent bodies in the US? Well, so a few different ways. One of the ways that Coca-Cola has really extended its influence is again, through the use of the front groups to carry messages such as, you know, a calorie is a calorie. Calories and calories out. That's, that's one of the strategies. Another is by having allies in high places politically. And sometimes these are political appointees that happen to be associated with Coca-Cola. Other times these are politicians who are getting funding from Coca-Cola. But, yes, they have worked hard. I mean, the WHO is an interesting one because the WHO really has been out a little bit ahead of the more national bodies in terms of wanting soda taxes, et cetera. But there's a subtler way too, I think, that it influences any of these political entities and these science groups, is that Coca-Cola it's such an all-American beverage. I don't think we can overstate this. It's almost more American than apple pie. And I think we still have not sort of made that shift to then seeing it as something that's unhealthful. And I do think that that has, sort of, put the brakes slightly on regulatory actions here in the US. Let's talk about the Global Energy Balance Network, because this was an especially pernicious part of the overall Coca-Cola strategy. Would you tell us about that and how particular scientists, people of note in our field, by the way, were being paid large sums of money and then delivering things that supported industries positions. Yes. This was a Coca-Cola initiative. And we have to be clear on this. This was designed and created at the behest of Coca-Cola staffers. This was an initiative that was really an effort to shift the balance to the calories outside of the equation. So energy balance is one of these, sort of, themes that Coca-Cola and other people have, sort of, made great hay with. And this idea would be just calories and calories out. That's all that matters. If you're just balanced there, everything else is to be okay. We can talk about that later. I think most of your listeners probably understand that, you know, a calorie of Coca-Cola is not nutritionally equivalent to a calorie of kale. But that's what the Global Energy Balance Network was really trying to focus on. And yes, luminaries in the field of obesity science, you know, Stephen Blair at the University of South Carolina, Jim Hill, then at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Center, the Global Energy Balance Network funded their labs with more than a million dollars to specifically focus on this issue of energy balance. Now, what was deceptive here, and I think it's really worth noting, is that Coca-Cola developed this project. But once it developed the project and gave the funding, it did not want to be associated with it. It wasn't the Global Energy Balance Network 'brought to you by Coca-Cola.' It appeared to be a freestanding nonprofit. And it looked like it was going to be a very effective strategy for Coca-Cola, but it didn't turn out that way. So, we'll talk about that in a minute. How much impact did this have? Did it matter that Coke gave money to these several scientists you mentioned? Well, I think yes. I think in the broader scheme of things that every increment of scientific funding towards this side matters. You know, people talk about the science of industrial distraction or industrial selection. And, you know, partly this is this idea that even if you're funding legitimate science, right, but it's focused on this ‘calories outside of the equation,' it's sucking up some of the oxygen in the room. Some of the public conversation is going to be shifted from the harmful effects of a product, say Coca-Cola, to the benefits of exercise. And so, yes, I think all of this kind of funding can make a difference. And it influences public opinion. So how close were the relationships between the Coca-Cola executives and the scientist? I mean, did they just write them a check and say, go do your science and we will let you come up with whatever you will, or were they colluding more than that? And they were colluding much more than that. And I've got a shout out here to the Industry Documents Library at the University of California at San Francisco, which is meticulously archived. A lot of the emails that show all of the interrelationships here. Yes, they were not just chatting cordially - scientists to Coca-Cola Corporation. They were mutually developing strategies. They were often ready at a moment's notice to appear at a press conference on Coca-Cola's behalf. So, yes, it was a very direct, very close relationship that certainly now that we see the conversations, it's unseemly at best. How did this all come to light? Because you said these documents are in this archive at UCSF. How did they come to light in the first place and how did shining light on this, you know, sort of pseudo-organization take place? Well, here we have to credit, New York Times reporter, now at the Washington Post, Anahad O'Connor, who did yeoman's work to investigate the Global Energy Balance Network. And it was his original FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests that got a lot of these emails that are now in the industry document library. He requested these documents and then he built his story in large part off of these documents. And it was a front-page New York Times expose and, Coke had a lot of egg on its face. It's then CEO, even apologized, you know, in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. And you know, the sort of a secondary aspect of this is after this funding was exposed, Coca-Cola was pressured to reveal other health funding that it had been spending money on. And that was, I think over a few years like $133 million. They spread their money around to a lot of different organizations and in some cases the organizations, it was just good will. In other cases, you had organizations that changed their position on key policy initiatives after receiving the funding. But it was a lot of money. So, the Global Energy Balance Network, it is sort of opened a chink in their armor and gave people a view inside the machine. And there's something else that I'd love to mention that I think is really important about the Global Energy Balance Network and about that initiative. As Coca-Cola seems, and this became clear in the reporting of the book over and over again, they seem always to be three moves ahead on the chess board. They're not just putting out a brush fires. They're looking way down the road. How do we head off the challenge that we're facing in public opinion? How do we head off the challenge we're facing in terms of soda science? And in many cases, they've been very, very effective at this. Were Coca-Cola's efforts mainly to influence policies and things in the US or did they have their eyes outside the US as well? I focused the book, the reporting of the book, really on Coca-Cola in the US. And also, and I just want to mention this tangentially, it's also focused not on non-nutritive sweetened beverages, but the sugary beverages. It's pretty tightly focused. But yes, Coca-Cola, through other organizations, particularly the International Life Sciences Institute, has very much tried to influence policy say in China, for example, which is a huge market. So yes, they've exported this very successful PR strategy globally. So, the corporate activities, like the ones you describe in your book, can be pretty clearly damaging to the public's health. What in the heck can be done? I mean, who will the change agents be? And do you think there's any hope of curtailing this kind of dreadful activity? Well, this is something I thought about a lot. One of the themes of the book is that the balance of public opinion has never tipped against Coca-Cola. And we talked about this earlier, that it's still seen as this all American product. And we see with other industries and other products. So, you know, Philip Morris, smoking, Marlboro. Eventually the balance of public opinion tips against them and people accept that they're unhealthful and that they've been misleading the public. The same thing happened for Exxon and climate change, Purdue pharma and Oxycontin. It's a pattern we see over and over again. With Coca-Cola, it hasn't tipped yet. And I think once it does, it will be easier for public health advocates to make their case. In terms of who the change agents might be, here we have a really interesting conversation, right? Because the foremost change agent right now looks like it's RFK Jr. (Robert F. Kennedy), which is pretty remarkable and generates an awful lot of shall we say, cognitive dissonance, right? Because both the spending of SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds for sodas, he's opposed to that. He has just as recently as the week before last called sugar poison. He said sugar is poison. These are the kinds of very direct, very forceful, high level, initiatives that we really haven't seen at a federal level yet. So, it's possible that he will be nudging the balance. And it puts, of course, everybody who's involved, every public health advocate, I think, who is involved with this issue in a slightly uncomfortable or very uncomfortable position. Yes. You know, as I think about the kind of settings where I've worked and this conflict-of-interest problem with scientists taking money and doing things in favor of industry. And I wonder who the change agents are going to be. It's a pretty interesting picture comes with that. Because if you ask scientists whether money taints research, they'll say yes. But if you ask, would it taint your research, they'll say no. Because of course I am so unbiased and I'm so pure that it really wouldn't affect what I do. So, that's how scientists justify it. Some scientists don't take money from industry and there are no problems with conflicts of interest. But the ones who do can pretty easily justify it along with saying things like, well, I can help change the industry from within if I'm in the door, and things like that. The universities can't really police it because universities are getting corporate funding. Maybe not from that particular company, but overall. Their solution to this is the same as the scientific journals, that you just have to disclose. The kind of problem with disclosure as I see it, is that it - sort of editorializing here and you're the guest, so I apologize for intruding on that - but the problem with disclosure is that why do you need to disclose something in the first place because there's something potentially wrong? Well, the solution then isn't disclose it, it's not to do it. And disclosing is like if I come up and kick you in the leg, it's okay if I disclose it? I mean, it's just, there's something sort of perverse about that whole system. Journals there, you know, they want disclosure. The big scientific association, many of them are getting money from industry as well. So, industry has so permeated the system that it's hard to think about who can have any impact. And I think the press, I think it's journalists like you who can make a difference. You know, it wasn't the scientific organizations or anything else that got in the way of the Global Energy Balance Network. It was Anahad O'Connor writing in the New York Times, and all the people who were involved in exposing that. And you with your book. So that's sort of long-winded way of saying thank you. What you've done is really important and there are precious few change agents out there. And so, we have to rely on talented and passionate people like you to get that work done. So, thank you so much for sharing it with us. Let me just end with one final question. Do you see any reason to be optimistic about where this is all going? I do. And I've got to say maybe you're giving scientists a little bit of short shrift here. Because, as the science develops, as it becomes more compelling and a theme of the book is that soda science really, over the past 15, 20 years has become more compelling. More unequivocal. We know the harms and, you know, you can quantify them and identify them more specifically than say, 15 years ago. So, I think that's one thing that can change. And I think slowly you're seeing, greater public awareness. I think the real challenge, in terms of getting the message out about the health risks, is that you really see like a bifurcated consumption of Coca-Cola. There are many people who are not consuming any Coca-Cola. And then you have a lot of people who are consuming, you know, say 20 ounces regularly. So, there is a big question of how you reach this other group of people who are still high consumers of Coca-Cola. And we know and you know this well from your work, that soda labeling is one thing that works and that soda taxes are another. I think those are things to look out for coming down the pike. I mean, obviously other countries are ahead of us in terms of both of these initiatives. One of the things occurred to me as you were speaking earlier, you mentioned that your book was focused on the sugared beverages. Do you think there's a similar story to be told about deception and deceit with respect to the artificial sweeteners? I suspect so, you know. I haven't done the work, but I don't know why there wouldn't be. And I think artificial sweeteners are in the position that sugary beverages were 10 to 15 years ago. There's a lag time in terms of the research. There is increasing research showing the health risks of these beverages. I think people who are public health advocates have been loath to highlight these because they're also a very effective bridge from sugar sweetened beverages to no sugar sweetened beverages. And I think, a lot of people see them as a good strategy. I do think there probably is a story to tell about the risks of non-nutritive sweeteners. So, yes. I can remind our listeners that we've done a series of podcasts, a cluster of them really, on the impact of the artificial sweeteners. And it's pretty scary when you talk to people who really understand how they're metabolized and what effects they have on the brain, the microbiome, and the rest of the body. Bio Murray Carpenter is a journalist and author whose stories have appeared in the New York Times, Wired, National Geographic, NPR, and PRI's The World. He has also written for the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, and other media outlets. He holds a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Montana, and has worked as a medical lab assistant in Ohio, a cowboy in Colombia, a farmhand in Virginia, and an oil-exploring “juggie” in Wyoming. He lives in Belfast, Maine. He is the author of Caffeinated: How Our Daily Habit Helps, Hurts, and Hooks Us and Sweet and Deadly: How Coca-Cola Spread

David Sterritt is a film critic, author, teacher and scholar. He is most notable for his work on Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, and his many years as the Film Critic for The Christian Science Monitor, where, from 1968 until... Read More ›

Ukraine's successful drone strike on air bases deep within Russia marked a radical evolution in modern warfare. It's raised hard questions among military analysts about everything from the future of air defense to the nature of nuclear deterrence. Also: today's stories, including how reports from human rights groups indicate that Russia is targeting Ukrainian civilians via drone warfare; how some states and nonprofits are using DOGE layoffs to their advantage; and how Poland's presidential election this week continued a trend of voters endorsing seesawing visions of its future Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

The economic uncertainty caused by the Trump administration's tariffs – many of which were ruled unconstitutional by a federal court in a May 28 ruling that is on hold pending an appeal – has eclipsed any uptick in manufacturing. But some U.S. manufacturing workers are holding onto hope for a domestic manufacturing revival. Also: today's stories, including how the flow of migrants from Latin America to the U.S. is reversing back home, challenging the region's political, economic, and humanitarian crises; how South Korea, experiencing a momentous election, is without any female presidential candidates for the first time in 18 years; and how one Boston bookstore is changing the lives of youth facing social barriers. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

If you're in the thick of a divorce or just thinking about what life would look like after, the big question of "What happens to the house?" probably feels overwhelming. That's precisely what we're digging into this week. I am joined by Jeff Landers, CDFA, CDLP, and the founder of Divorce House Sense®, LLC.Jeff is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and a Certified Divorce Lending Professional. He's worked with nearly a thousand people navigating divorce, written seven books on the subject, and contributed his expertise everywhere from Forbes to Huffington Post. If anyone can demystify the process of keeping or letting go of the family home, it's Jeff.We talk about why the home is way more than just another line on the asset sheet, the emotional issues and hidden financial pitfalls, and why talking to a specialist early on can save you significant stress, money, and heartache. Jeff shares stories of clients who've made tough choices, from those with children trying to keep stability to "gray divorce" couples without kids at home and everyone in between.You'll gain insight into everything from calculating if you can afford to keep the house to what happens when financial plans go sideways. Plus, Jeff shares practical tips on negotiating with your ex, what your divorce lawyer might not know about the mortgage process, and why you definitely don't want to be "house rich and cash poor."So if the thought of the family home is keeping you up at night, or you know someone facing this crossroads, settle in, and get ready for some expert advice that might just change how you approach this big divorce decision. About the Guest:Jeffrey A. Landers, CDFA, CDLP, is the founder of Divorce House Sense®, LLC, whose mission is to help divorcing people who want to keep their marital home. Jeff is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™), Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP™), licensed Real Estate Broker and licensed Mortgage Originator. Jeff has written 6 published books with 18,000+ copies sold nationwide focusing on the financial aspects of divorce for women, as well as contributing articles regularly to Forbes.com, The Huffington Post, DailyWorth, More.com, Lawyers.com, and many other online publications. Jeff's 7th book, Divorce House Sense®: How to Keep Your Marital Home So You Can Move On, Not Out® was recently published. He is a go-to expert for the financial aspects of divorce for women, interviewed extensively by CBS and FOX Television News, as well as The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, The Miami Herald, Smart Money, Consumer Reports, and The Christian Science Monitor. Jeff earned his BA degree in psychology from Columbia University and studied law at Pace University School of Law.For Jeff's gift of a discount on his book, use code TDS when checking out at https://divorcehousesense.com/To connect with Jeff:Website: DivorceHouseSense.com (https://divorcehousesense.com/)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflanders/About the Host: Mardi Winder-Adams is an ICF and BCC Executive and Leadership Coach, Certified Divorce Transition Coach, Certified Divorce Specialist (CDS®) and a Credentialed Distinguished Mediator in Texas. She has worked with women in executive, entrepreneur, and leadership roles, navigating personal, life, and professional transitions. She is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and host of Real Divorce Talks, a quarterly series designed to provide education and inspiration to women at all stages of divorce. Are you interested in learning more about your divorce priorities? Take the quiz "The Divorce Stress Test".Connect with Mardi on Social Media:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4womenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/Youtube:...

U.S. President Donald Trump has presented a vision of the Western Hemisphere that hearkens back to a 19th-century spheres-of-influence approach to international affairs: the regions of North, Central, and South America should be exclusively the United States' economic, diplomatic, and military domain. This approach disrupts a postwar global order and historical alliances — we looked at historical precedents, and at what's different today. Also: today's stories, including a look at an organization led by Palestinians and Israelis seeking peace; what's to come with Russia-Ukraine peace talks; and how Trump's efforts to end state EV mandates is changing the rules of the road. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Trump's Tariff Tirade. Tariff Chaos Continues. The MAGA Path to Pardons. Putin Plays Trump-Again. Big Beautiful Bill Backlash. Flawed RFK, Jr. Report. Musk's Tragic Legacy. 2028 Democrats. With Linda Feldmann, White House Correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief for The Christian Science Monitor, Phillip Bump, Columnist for the Washington Post and author of the How to Read This Chart Newsletter and Evan McMorris-Santoro, Reporter for NOTUS and writer for NOTUS Reports daily newsletter. Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Karen Neff, CS, from Mystic, Connecticut, USAYou can read Karen's article in The Christian Science Journal.You can find the Christian Science Monitor podcast, Why We Wrote This, as well as a wide range of other audio content, at christianscience.com/audio.

Texas provided a border-enforcement blueprint for President Trump. Now people in the Eagle Pass area, which was once an immigration epicenter, live with a new, quieter reality. Also: today's stories, including how the Trump administration may handle diplomatic efforts to curtail Iran's nuclear program; how some Israelis are reevaluating the moral authority of their home country; and how Zimbabwe is still reckoning with its infamous seizures of white-owned farms 25 years ago. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

David Sterritt is a film critic, author, teacher and scholar. He is most notable for his work on Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, and his many years as the Film Critic for The Christian Science Monitor, where, from 1968 until... Read More ›

In today's issue, we look at the state of humanitarian aid for Gaza, a hidden provision in Trump's 'big bill,' the US-EU trade war, and what it's like being an eighth grader in the post-pandemic world. Join the Monitor's Kurt Schillinger for today's news.

In today's issue, we look at the state of humanitarian aid for Gaza, a hidden provision in Trump's 'big bill,' the US-EU trade war, and what it's like being an eighth grader in the post-pandemic world. Join the Monitor's Kurt Schillinger for today's news.

The Trump administration is seeking to fast-track deportations. One tactic: Lawyers for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement terminate people's cases in immigration court. Then ICE officers arrest them there. Today's stories also include more Filipinas choosing to be child-free, a Nigerian nonprofit bringing former foes together, and U.S. student loan borrowers facing turmoil. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

A new regional alignment of in the Middle East, signalling a shift in power away from Iran's weakened Axis of Resistance. Moderate Sunnis now have friendly governments in Beirut, Damascus, and Baghdad, creating an “Axis of Cooperation.” Also: today's stories, including a look at current strains on and shortages faced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); how USAID cuts have affected governments in Central America; and why some teachers are once again turning to blue books in the classroom. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Aid groups are unloading food and other critical supplies in the Gaza Strip, after a monthslong blockade that has put children at risk of famine. Also: today's stories, including a deadlocked Supreme Court rejecting religious charter schools, the Harvard community rallying despite Trump funding cuts, and the 10 best books of May. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb for today's news.

Fourteen years of civil war and five decades of dictatorship left Syria cut off from the global financial system. The Monitor's Taylor Luck reports on how, as the Middle Eastern country is taking its first meaningful steps toward a more democratic form of governance, an economic spring is starting to bloom. Also: today's stories, including French cinema beginning to reconcile with its decades-long problem of ignoring sexual violence, how the Department of Justice is seeking friendly courtrooms in its pursuit of President Donald Trump's deportation goals, and how the end of the academic year has brought a crescendo of laws in the U.S. aimed at restricting cellphone use in K-12 schools. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

In its newly intensified Gaza operation, is Israel aiming for territorial conquest or to apply political pressure on Hamas? The Monitor's Dina Kraft reports on how the goals of Israel's renewed Gaza offensive are unclear, even to Israelis. Also: today's stories, including how Indigenous groups in Brazil are using virtual reality to reclaim their stories, an interview with George Floyd's family lawyer, and how technology and teamwork are showing promise for the few remaining North Atlantic right whales. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

After George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020, many Americans started to reexamine their communities and themselves. In Kansas City, Missouri, residents still confront a wall of racial separation, but haven't given up on progress. Also: today's stories, including a gang-member-turned-tour-guide in Nairobi, military parents suing over a DEI purge at their kids' schools, and Pakistan's Islamic boarding schools under scrutiny. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb for today's news.

After George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020, many Americans started to reexamine their communities and themselves. In Kansas City, Missouri, residents still confront a wall of racial separation, but haven't given up on progress. Also: today's stories, including a gang-member-turned-tour-guide in Nairobi, military parents suing over a DEI purge at their kids' schools, and Pakistan's Islamic boarding schools under scrutiny. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb for today's news.

Previous presidents have called the military to the southern border of the United States to support immigration agencies. The Monitor's Sarah Matusek and Riley Robinson report on how the Trump administration's expansion of the military's role at the border raises a mixture of hope, distrust, and uncertainty. Also: today's stories, including what could emerge from foreign influence as frustration rises in Syria's Daraa Province, Bangladesh's efforts to protect minority rights amid sectarian divides, and an exploration of Malcolm X's legacy of inspiration ahead of his 100th birthday commemoration. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Today's Monitor episode features a report from President Trump's Mideast trip, a look at how students are helping rebuild Bangladesh, and more. Join Managing Editor Kurt Shillinger for this episode.

On the front lines of the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers have little faith in the diplomatic peace process. Dominique Soguel looks at how they feel it is up to them to safeguard their country. Also: today's stories, including how American universities are increasingly turning to tuition-free models and income-based plans, how Donald Trump's unpredictability is worrying Israel's leadership, and how California inmates are trying to improve mental health, peer-to-peer. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

The scope of abuse at France's Notre-Dame de Bétharram school has shocked the public. But the survivors of the violence are taking the opportunity to reclaim their agency and force change in the private school system. Today's stories also cover Florida's ‘army' of immigration enforcers, South Africa's ‘soccer grannies,' and an environmental crisis in an Alabama county that fought for civil rights. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb for today's news.

A full-on crisis around U.S.-China trade has eased for now, as both sides can proceed to the less spectacular work of negotiating an agreement. Also: how some Congress members are considering new rules barring politicians from using or sponsoring cryptocurrencies; how the German government has opened the door to outlawing the nation's second-most-popular party, the far-right Alternative for Germany; and how some young voters in Senegal feel disillusioned with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's administration. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

It isn't always intentional that the stories we bring together in our daily newsletter draw connections. But here's an interesting commonality between a story by Erika Page about artificial intelligence and the Viewfinder image of pigeons: According to studies from the University of Iowa, the birds that flock our public squares can learn to identify patterns the same way large language models do. Today's stories also include U.S. agencies pushing back on DOGE and whether US students can help solve Florence's tourist problem. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

The Monitor spoke with a dozen experts who have spent their careers studying, and working to defend, democratic institutions, from Hungary to Colombia to El Salvador. They were nearly unanimous that President Donald Trump is making moves characteristic of burgeoning autocracies. Also: today's stories, including a look at what may be a step towards lowering economic tensions between U.S. and China; how Houthi rebels in Yemen remain undeterred despite a ceasefire with the U.S.; and how legal threats to same-sex marriage have spurred some same-sex couples to tie the knot. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb for today's news.

Michelle Nanouche, CSB, from Paris, FranceYou can read Michelle's article in The Christian Science Monitor.Come join us! Register for this year's Annual Meeting, being held June 2nd in person and online.

India and Pakistan are inching toward war. Fahad Shah reports on how this is the worst escalation between the neighboring nuclear powers since 2019. Also: today's stories, including Israel's plan to occupy Gaza indefinitely and the weariness more conflict is causing amongst Israelis, why senior government officials, since Obama's administration, keep using commercial services to transmit highly classified information, and the consequences of the proposed funding cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

Cathy Scott, a Los Angeles Times bestselling author, investigative journalist and blogger for Psychology Today, has written eleven books. Her work has appeared in New York Times Magazine, New York Post, George magazine, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Reuters and Las Vegas Sun. Best known for penning The Killing of Tupac Shakur and Murder of a Mafia Daughter, she taught journalism for five years at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas until she left to report on the largest animal rescue in US history in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, resulting in the book Pawprints of Katrina. Her latest books are Unconditional Honor and The Millionaire's Wife. Recent TV appearances include Dateline NBC, the Today Show and Vanity Fair's crime series.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

Connecting with a human face behind the headlines can bring news home. In today's Daily, you'll meet the family trying to rebuild after being driven from its village last year by M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our stories also cover Canada's leverage in US trade talks, a woman who never made it past fifth grade running a roadside library, and a Chicago crossing guard marking 50 years. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb for today's news.

Bobby Lewis, CS, from Buena Vista, Colorado, USAYou can read Bobby's article in The Christian Science Monitor.Listen to the Christian Science Monitor podcast, Why We Wrote This, as well as a wide range of other audio content, at christianscience.com/audio.