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The editors of The Christian Science Monitor take you beyond the headlines with the ideas driving progress in this 15-minute news briefing. The Monitor Daily Podcast is available each Monday through Friday at 6 pm ET. For more information on the Daily or The Christian Science Monitor, visit csmonitor.com. Send your comments, suggestions or thoughts to podcast@csmonitor.com.
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Recent votes on tariffs and blunt public criticisms signal a GOP that’s more willing to defy President Donald Trump – and worried about this fall’s midterm elections.
Also: today’s stories, including a look at community ski hills in New Hampshire; how British politicians are finding no place to hide in the wake of the Epstein files; and why Democrats are pressing for immigration enforcement reform as a Department of Homeland Security shutdown nears.
Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.
As U.S. and European security officials gather for key meetings this week, leaders are taking steps to navigate shifts in the traditional transatlantic alliance.
Also: today’s stories, including: why the Trump administration is rescinding a rule that enables the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases; how a Portuguese election hints at the potential limits of U.S. President Donald Trump’s brand of far-right populism in Europe; and a look at the International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban a Ukrainian Olympian trying to honor those who had lost their lives at home during the Winter Games.
Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.
The release of documents surrounding sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has stirred massive media attention, but it remains unclear if prosecutions will result. Instead of the files providing clarity, one result so far is a frenzy of speculation and conspiracy theories.
Also: today’s stories, including why a positive January jobs report leaves economists uncertain; why women are notably absent from this week’s ballots in Bangladesh; and the importance of this year's location for the Winter Olympics.
Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
As Iran urges attendance at rallies Wednesday marking the anniversary of the revolution, many citizens could not be further estranged. On one side are grieving families and others infuriated by the regime’s brutality, and on the other, officials who voice no expressions of regret.
Also: today’s stories, including how upcoming elections offer a chance for a democratic reset in Bangladesh; how AI-generated music, writing, and images are generating questions about the nature and source of creativity itself; and how joy was the point for skiers flying through the air at the Livigno Snow Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.
The SAVE Act would require Americans to prove citizenship before voting in federal elections, and Republicans are eyeing a new strategy to advance it. Opponents say it would disenfranchise millions.
Also: today’s stories, including how some Olympic athletes want to preserve artistry in the quest for “faster, higher, stronger” maneuvers; whether Brazil’s leftist leader can stay on Donald Trump’s good side; and how thousands of dogs and people convened in Colorado for the “world’s largest unofficial gathering” of golden retrievers.
Join the Monitor's Story Hinckley for today's news.
Prediction markets, where people can bet on outcomes of real-world events, often forecast better than traditional polls. But the evolving markets also raise concerns about cheating and corrosion of trust.
Also: today’s stories, including why Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and her party are expected to sweep in Japan’s upcoming election, what one Monitor correspondent recalls from past Winter Olympics coverage, and why USPS chose poet Phillis Wheatley for the latest stamp in its Black Heritage series.
Join the Monitor's Audrey Thibert for today's news.
U.S.-Iran talks set for Friday were briefly canceled, then revived, at the urging of Arab governments. But the two adversaries’ preferred agendas are very different. Amid reciprocal threats, does each side have a realistic grasp of what is at stake?
Also: today’s stories, including how pricey offerings aimed at the wealthy have changed football fans’ stadium experiences; how the International Olympic Committee is testing an affordable approach for host cities; and our film critic’s take on the Cannes favorite, “The President’s Cake.”
Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.
Reforms following Watergate strengthened the Justice Department’s independence and restored public confidence. Now, amid the Trump administration’s pressure on DOJ norms, polls show that half of Americans doubt that federal law enforcement is fair and impartial.
Also: today’s stories, including why a Reagan-appointed judge resigned over actions by the Trump Administration, why the United States needs to replenish its weapons stockpile, and what role India could play in the emerging global order.
Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
After more than a decade of economic crisis and authoritarian rule in Venezuela, President Donald Trump and Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez are banking on oil for the success of their political futures. But that may not be enough for Venezuelans who want more than just economic relief.
Also: today’s stories, including how Republicans are pushing back as Democrats target Department of Homeland Security funding; how Russian forces have been advancing in Ukraine; and how bipartisan opposition to massive data centers is playing out in Wisconsin.
Join the Monitor's Scott Baldauf for today's news.
In cases that haven’t gotten a national spotlight, U.S. citizens and legal residents say they’ve been injured by federal immigration enforcement personnel. Their lawyers say these cases are part of a rise in the use of excessive force, tied to the administration’s efforts to detain and deport unauthorized immigrants.
Also: today’s stories, including how one bridge challenges President Donald Trump’s view that Canada is freeloading; and how schoolchildren may see food and fitness change through the “Make America Healthy Again” movement; how in at least one part of the city, Cape Town’s gangs face a formidable foe: the neighborhood “aunties.”
Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.
President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh to head the Federal Reserve calmed markets, but the former member of the board of governors could also set the Fed on a new course.
Also: today’s stories, including how an electoral victory in Myanmar offers hope to some for the restoration of democratic norms; a theme of resistance from 1960s Mississippi to 2020s Minnesota civil rights protest history, as examined by our cultural commentator; and one essayist’s take that winter has much more to offer than snow and slush.
Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.
Amassing military forces and bolstered by Iran’s perceived vulnerability, President Donald Trump says “time is running out.” Replying with threats of its own, the Islamic Republic is trying to restore its deterrence and survive what it realizes is an existential challenge.
Also: today’s stories, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s appearance at the Monitor Breakfast; how members of the public and lawmakers are investigating use of force by local and federal law enforcement in the U.S.; and whether President Donald Trump’s energy policy cedes the future of energy production to China
Join the Monitor's Audrey Thibert for today's news.
The seizure of Nicolás Maduro has encouraged Venezuelans, especially in terms of economic growth, but they are unsure what it means for the state of democracy in the South American nation.
Also: today’s stories, including how the U.S.’ National Defense Strategy is pledging “more limited” U.S. support to friendly nations and deterring China “through strength, not confrontation”; how, for a group of young musicians in the Republic of Congo, their orchestra is a cherished opportunity of a lifetime; and our immigration reporter offers more information about the roles various federal agencies play in immigration enforcement.
Join the Monitor's Victoria Hoffmann for today's news.
Alex Pretti was a lawful gun owner, and not brandishing his weapon, when he was disarmed and then fatally shot by federal agents. The resulting controversy focuses on an incident that appears to contradict decades of conservatives’ efforts to legitimize public gun carry.
Also: today’s stories, including how despite billions in foreign aid to Haiti, life for most Haitians hasn’t improved; how many in Pakistan worry the government has made a Faustian pact by joining Trump's “Board of Peace"; and how Democrats now say securing Department of Homeland Security reforms is worth the price of a government shutdown.
Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.
Videos of incidents like the recent Minneapolis shootings can be ambiguous, but they can also help determine the narrative most people believe. In the Alex Pretti case, the Trump administration's description of what happened conflicted with what people saw from witness recordings.
Also: today’s stories, including how, despite Beijing’s campaign to encourage women to have more children, new data shows China’s population decline is accelerating; how populism can awaken a nation to concerns ignored by elites, but also unravel institutions; and how, in novelist Val McDermid’s newest book, winter comforts offer a respite from Scotland’s short days and long nights.
Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.
After a lightning military advance in Kurdish-held northeastern Syria, Damascus is demanding that the Kurdish-led SDF, a key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS, agree to integrate into the national army. The United States has thrown its support behind a unified Syria.
Also: today’s stories, including why the Pentagon is changing Stars and Stripes' independent status, one man's journey from a poor Russian village boy to custodian of state secrets, and our essayist's advice for when the world’s worries threaten to weigh you down.
Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.
Former special counsel Jack Smith's efforts to prosecute Donald Trump for trying to overturn the 2020 election results ended more than a year ago. But political partisanship around the issue remains strong – and was on display as Mr. Smith made his first public comments on the case during a House hearing.
Also: today’s stories, including a look at how some voters now disapprove of President Trump's handling of immigration, why winter has been an added hardship for displaced Palestinians, and how the dispute over Greenland generated mistrust between Washington and its European allies.
Join the Monitor's Audrey Thibert for today's news.
Money matters have driven foreign policy throughout history. But President Donald Trump’s oil moves in Venezuela may hint at a new era of unapologetic grabs for economic power, causing growing resentment – even among allies.
Also: today’s stories, including why SCOTUS is skeptical of President Trump’s attempt to remove a member of the Federal Reserve Board, why China is raising its retirement age for the first time in 70 years, and a look at how The Patriotic Citizen Initiatives shelter gives male migrants in Nigeria.
Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.
With President Donald Trump adamant that the U.S. must acquire Greenland, Europe is at a crossroads. The economic tools it has to dissuade Mr. Trump are strong, but slow to roll out. And if Europe does push back, it risks injuring itself, too.
Also: today’s stories, including how five Central Asian nations that all rely on water from regional glaciers appear set to move past bickering and instead share a negotiated usage; how the Trump administration’s cuts and changes to the federal workforce have forced groups to reckon with new norms for outstanding public service; and how Mr. Trump’s focus on Greenland has shaken the NATO alliance and put the entire world on notice.
Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
A brutal Iranian crackdown has appeared to quash most protests, and officials are seeking to portray a sense of “national solidarity.” But images and eyewitness accounts of shocking “atrocities” are accumulating that paint a different picture.
Also: today’s stories, including a look at how U.S. President Donald Trump may respond to protests in Iran; how Ukrainian citizens are being put to the test by Russian air attacks against energy infrastructure; and our review of the Dolly Parton biography, “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool.”
Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.
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