The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

The universe probably intends that baked goods and conflict remain diametrically opposed. Yet almost exactly three years after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a Colorado baker who’d refused to make a cake for a gay couple, sweets have again stirred a clash. Also: today’s stories, including New Yor mayoral candidates on policing policy, a new perspective on Latin American immigration, and how Native Americans in New Hampshire are affirming their roots. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Darnella Frazier did not set out to become a citizen journalist. Still, the Pulitzer Prize committee, which honors exceptional journalism, on Friday awarded the Minneapolis teenager a special citation.

Also: today’s stories, including a hard look at Islamophobia in Canada, what the upcoming Biden-Putin summit means for bilateral relations, and the importance of walking tours focused on Black history. Join the Monitor's April Austin and Ken Kaplan for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Anticipation is high – and expectations low – ahead of next Wednesday’s summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin. Also: today’s stories, including a crisis of confidence in Iran, why Europe loves vaccine passports and the U.S. loathes them, and two reviews of “In the Heights.” Join the Monitor's Noelle Swan and Ken Kaplan for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Two days after the Israelis and Palestinians announced their recent cease-fire, Monitor reader Captain Roger Gordon did something he’ll never forget. He baptized four members of the American military in the place where the Bible says Jesus himself was baptized. Also: today’s stories, including President Joe Biden’s European tour, mixed reactions to Nigeria’s Twitter ban, and a call for a third reconstruction. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Molly Jackson for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Major League Baseball has a sticky fingers problem. Pitchers are cheating by using sticky stuff – everything from pine tar to high-tech adhesives. So what are players doing about it? Also: today’s stories, including possible solutions to an uptick in gun violence in the U.S., obstacles to China's desire for a “credible, lovable and respectable” image, and the chaplains helping transit workers cope. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and April Austin for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

How can communities and police departments build trust? If you’ve been reading our Respect Project in recent weeks, you might be anticipating this answer: conversations and listening. Also: today’s stories, including election laws and the future of democracy, obstacles on the road to recovery from war in Gaza, and the ten best books of June. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Jingnan Peng for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Women have long fought for gender equality, but that hasn’t been reflected in language – until recently. A growing number of countries are changing practices and laws around naming to reduce gender assumptions and barriers. Also today’s stories, including: an unprecedented coalition in Israel to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, new thinking on addressing sexual assault in the U.S. military, and brighter job prospects for the class of 2021. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Ken Kaplan for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Sometimes the most powerful messages are not shouted but whispered. They are hinted at, or even left unspoken, yet still conveyed. Hong Kongers proved this today. Also: today’s stories, including the debate on teaching race in US schools, an Indigenous children’s grave found in Canada, and where the hidden homeless get housing vouchers. Join the Monitor's Noelle Swan and Noah Robertson for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Thirty years ago, author James Davison Hunter looked over American politics with foreboding. In his book “Culture Wars,” he lamented how politics was being taken over by cultural issues on which compromise was impossible. Also: today’s stories, including the good business of clean energy, how The Sewing Machine Project stitches lives back together, and a review of ‘Underground Railroad.’ Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Graduating from high school is a major milestone. So when Timothy Harrison asked his boss at the Waffle House in Center Point, Alabama, to get May 27 off to go to his graduation ceremony, “Of course,” Cedric Hampton replied. “It’s your big day!” Also: today’s stories, including a look at a major expansion in gun rights, sports team owners and the call for racial justice, and our weekly point of progress. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Molly Jackson for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.