The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

President Donald Trump’s need to end the war quickly and reach a deal he can sell as a win has given Tehran leverage. Amid an impasse over dueling blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, efforts to return to the negotiating table remained in limbo.

Also: today’s stories, including how British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting to keep his job; how Haiti’s longest-running newspaper may be facing its biggest challenge yet with gang violence; and how New Delhi-based groups help couples honor both tradition and the environment on their wedding days.

Join the Monitor's Matthew Bell for today's news.

Economic uncertainty raised the stakes for Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh. Senators also have had questions about the central bank’s independence from political pressure.

Also: today’s stories, including how, throughout its history, Peru has looked west to China as much as it has looked north to the U.S.; how the reconciliation process has become a way for the majority party to sidestep the political opposition; and how melting glaciers in the tropics are reshaping the lives of the people who depend on them.

Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

It’s not a good time to be a small-business owner in Russia. With the financial costs of the war in Ukraine growing, the Kremlin has been raising taxes on and rolling back exemptions for entrepreneurs.

Also: today’s stories, including how a new Israeli occupation zone poses an obstacle for many civilians in Lebanon; why some conservative towns sited for massive immigration detention centers are now pushing back against them; and our reviewers’ top book picks for April.

Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

For decades, perceptions of U.S. power did not rely on the use of America’s unrivaled military might. In the Iran war, a militarily inferior adversary used asymmetric warfare to resist that might, and allies whom President Donald Trump did not consult are voicing concern over the state of U.S. strategic thinking and planning.

Also: today’s stories, including why the ceasefire in Lebanon left some northern Israeli residents saying they felt betrayed; how a new documentary about Lorne Michaels, the creator and producer of “Saturday Night Live,” promises unprecedented access to the legendary TV figure; and how a lone volunteer's effort to save monarch butterflies creates a caring community.

Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

America’s military has choked off shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, hoping to force Iran to negotiate. But the blockade could pose challenges for the U.S., further escalating tensions along the critical transit route.

Also: today’s stories, including how, in the Strait of Hormuz, Washington and Tehran are testing the boundaries of international laws that have managed the seas; our columnist on how some far-right populists in Europe are beginning to see support from the U.S. president as a political liability; and why Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, was recently honored with a statue of her own design in a Massachusetts.

Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Iran’s missile attacks and its closing of the Strait of Hormuz have cost the oil-producing Gulf Arab states untold billions. In response, they are moving to arm themselves against a military threat that hasn’t been erased, and construct workarounds to the Hormuz choke point.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at cracks in support from religious conservatives amid President Donald Trump’s broadsides against the pope; how rising gun ownership among Democrats is reshaping U.S. gun culture; and how rural weavers in Bangladesh are bridging a traditional craft with modern markets.

Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Fallout from the Epstein scandal and a changing media environment might be contributing to a new push for sunlight and accountability on Capitol Hill. This week’s unusual resignations could be followed by even more.

Also: today’s stories, including how Sudan’s civilians are paying an unfathomable price in the country’s brutal civil war; how taxpayers are frustrated over the perception that the wealthy are not paying their fair share; and how some states prone to wildfires are beginning to embrace controlled burns that give fires less fuel when they do start.

Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Even before the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, launched against Gulf Arabs’ advice, sentiment in the region toward Israel was souring over its war in Gaza and policies in the West Bank. But distrust has deepened with the perception Israel instigated the war, and amid growing concerns over Israel’s expanding power.

Also: today’s stories, including how a growing sense of local identity in Taiwan could thwart China-Taiwan diplomatic efforts; how new congressional districting maps may make the next U.S. House even more polarized; and how Viktor Orbán’s electoral defeat in Hungary showed that elections still matter – and that democracies are more resilient than the current era might make them seem.

Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

Tech leaders are scrambling to address risks after Anthropic found its new artificial intelligence tool, Mythos, can both find and exploit software flaws, highlighting a new era of security vulnerability.

Also: today’s stories, including how Peruvians will elect their 10th president in as many years; a look at the colleges that are adding courses and degrees in hip-hop; and one contributor’s Q&A with award-winning author Yann Martel.

Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

As he prepares to lead the U.S. delegation in Pakistan to hash out the terms of a ceasefire with Iran, JD Vance faces the highest stakes test of his vice presidency. His longtime anti-interventionist stance could help build trust with the Iranians. But he also could end up taking the blame if it falls apart.

Also: today’s stories, including how Israel and Lebanon are moving toward possible peace talks; why, in Maine, the fight to secure the Democratic bid for Senate seems to be coming down to experience and style; and our reviewer’s look at “Cosmic Music: The Life, Art, and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane.”

Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.