The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

After being canceled in 2020, graduation ceremonies are taking on new meaning this year. Each one offers recognition for hard work, challenges overcome, and hopes for new beginnings. But Latonya Young’s story frankly brought the Monitor’s Yvonne Zipp to tears. Also: today’s stories, including updates on the war in Gaza, the representation of indigenous voices in Chile’s new constitution, and the latest story from our Respect Project. Join the Monitor's Jessica Mendoza and Mark Sappenfield for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

The final report of the 9/11 Commission was an investigative and literary triumph. Could a Jan. 6 commission to probe the attack on the U.S. Capitol produce a similarly high-quality result? Also: today’s stories, including the implications of mob violence in Israel, how the Communist Party treats China’s labor activists, and a renewable energy ethical dilemma in Indonesia. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

When taking a road trip, the Monitor’s Laurent Belsie plays a game. He tries to spot out-of-state license plates. So this past weekend, he was eager to see how many states he could rack up – his unofficial scorecard for recovery from the pandemic. Also: today’s stories, including diplomacy in the Middle East, fairness in both religious and LGBTQ rights, and a reading festival in Toronto. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

There are all sorts of ways to get Americans back to work. Some states are cutting unemployment benefits. But some restaurants are offering tuition assistance programs in a bid to attract workers. Also, in today’s stories: Is politics the new religion in the U.S.? We also look at the Colonial Pipeline ransom hack, what Rep. Liz Cheney’s ouster says about the state of American democracy, and a travelling telescope that inspires children in Kenya. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Molly Jackson for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

President Joe Biden’s bid to establish universal pre-K schooling in the United States has reinvigorated a chronic debate: Does early childhood education make a significant difference? Also: today’s stories, including what it means to be in a “shortage economy,” why Germans value child credit payments so highly, and this week’s progress roundup. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Ken Kaplan for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Portugal’s newly opened, 1,700-foot Arouca pedestrian bridge lets visitors and locals traverse a canyon from 574 feet above the ground. The Monitor is also in the bridge business – building bridges with words and images. In the past week alone, we’ve taken readers to Jerusalem, Tybee Island, a deli in Italy, and a garden in Washington, D.C. Thanks for coming along with us. Also: today’s stories, including extremism in the French military, taxing Big Tech firms, and – wait for it – bridging political divides in Canada. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Jingnan Peng for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

The cicadas are coming. Time to pull out the frying pan? For those excited about the insects that will soon emerge from underground in the eastern United States – a once-every-17-years phenomenon – it’s an opportunity to tantalize the palate. Also: today’s stories, including what happens when a lawmaker’s conscience clashes with the party line, a nationwide labor shortage in the U.S., and the whooping cranes making a comeback. Join the Monitor's April Austin and Ken Kaplan for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

When Joshua Nelson was awarded a full ride to Southeast Missouri State University on a President’s Scholarship, his response turned heads. He announced he would use the $1,000 he’d saved for college to set up a scholarship for one of his classmates. And he’s inviting others to match his gift. Talk about acing the character test. Also: today’s stories, including the GOP’s continued reliance on the Trump loyalty test, innovations in the financial aid application process, and a Japanese artist who wants you to see plants differently. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Molly Jackson for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

In a time of historic partisanship and broad disinformation, respect can seem prohibitively hard. Sometimes it is used to force submission as much as a waypoint to deeper love and understanding. Over the next few weeks, the Monitor will examine the graces and complexities of respect, starting with a look at what respect is and its historical importance to public dialogue. Also: today’s stories, including how schools in Minneapolis are teaching about race and social justice, the recent riots in Jerusalem that have revealed deep fault lines, and an essay about one person’s heart and humanity to fight racism. Join the Monitor’s Mark Sappenfield and Jessica Mendoza for today’s news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

When the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, approached Breonna Taylor’s mother about an exhibition in her daughter’s honor, she was surprised – but decided to help. Could the exhibit help heal a fractured community? Already some signs suggest the answer is yes. Also: today’s stories, including two different exits out of the pandemic for Europe and the United States, the debate over ending the filibuster, and what we can learn from the cicadas. Join the Monitor's April Austin and Noah Robertson for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.