The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case asking whether using race as a factor in congressional maps violates the Constitution. If the justices decide it is, the decision could open the door for Republican politicians to redraw maps to eliminate a number of Black and Hispanic districts. Also: today’s stories, including whether tungsten mining in Yukon might prove influential in mending the U.S.-Canada relations; how an Altadena family navigates the red tape that is hampering recovery after California’s Eaton fire; and how volunteers are reconnecting communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway after mudslides from Hurricane Helene. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.
With harvest under way, China’s response to President Trump’s tariffs has frozen America’s soybean farmers out of the huge Chinese market. A soybean deal could lead to a broader agreement on trade. Also: today’s stories, including how Estonian women are aiding in their country’s defense through volunteer reservist forces, how U.S. immigration enforcement has affected the agriculture industry, and what’s at stake in Tanzania’s election as authoritarianism rises in East Africa. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.
The organization Shakespeare Behind Bars has helped violent offenders rediscover their humanity. In this story, two murderers come to “be wise hereafter / And seek for grace.” Also: today’s stories, including how China’s new climate pledge marks a modest step forward for one of the most populous countries in the world, whether Europe can retain its welfare systems in the face of competing demands, and how author Susan Orlean’s approach to writing involves remaining a perpetual beginner, rather than becoming an expert. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
As Israel and Hamas finalize the first phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, many in the region are focused on what can go wrong after two years of war. Even so, joy is enveloping many Israelis and Palestinians eager for emotional and physical relief. Also: today’s stories, including how airport delays have resurfaced this week because of air traffic controller shortages, why students are saying “no” to AI for school work, and why poet laureate Arthur Sze hopes you’ll take time to read a poem today. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.
California has spent decades trying to extinguish fires. But residents here are embracing the long-held Indigenous practice of coming together to intentionally burn land – to reduce the power of wildfires, help the ecosystem, and to transform fear into healing. Also: today’s stories, including how US President Donald Trump is pushing the US as an investor in for-profit companies; how China’s new climate pledge marks a modest step forward; and how Ukrainian drones are slowing down Russia’s advance in the east. Join the Monitor's Stephanie Hanes for today's news.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Portland, Oregon, is an epicenter of protests and the legal battle over President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard. At the building, the Monitor finds both law enforcement and protesters grappling with security issues and free speech rights. Also: today’s stories, including how one Seoul soup kitchen has been a reliable source of community for more than three decades, how Palestinians are reacting to a new proposed peace deal, and a look at several cases on LGBTQ+ rights that the Supreme Court will hear in its new term. Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.
On the second anniversary of the massacre that ignited the war in Gaza, Dina Kraft, the Monitor’s correspondent in Israel, reflects on how Oct. 7 has exhausted Israelis and changed the society around her, which is experiencing anger, doubts, and concern over internal dissent. Also: today’s stories, including how heated rhetoric is escalating the Trump administration’s efforts to bend both the judicial branch and blue states to its will, Nigeria's reason for using solar power, and how a new generation of students Tuskegee University rise to the standard of their predecessors. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
Federal workers who have experienced previous government shutdowns say the uncertainty is always stressful. But this one already feels worse, multiple federal employees tell the Monitor, coming after months of interagency upheaval and layoffs from the Trump administration. Many feel uneasy about not only the immediate standoff – but what will happen when it ends. Also: today’s stories, including how insurgency has threatened a centuries-old perfume-making tradition in northern Nigeria, how young people have created a wave of social and political protests, and how one family discovers connection through books. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins 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.
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.
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.