The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

Fuel shortages are speeding a shift toward green energy and nuclear power across many countries, as the Iran conflict creates new urgency around energy security.

Also: today’s stories, including what’s behind the global push to ban social media for kids; how in the southern U.S., the arrival of newcomers — mostly from the midwest — are changing how locals speak and live; and how a professor's unconventional solution to texting in class turns discipline into something tender.

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

President Donald Trump is urging a 15-point proposal for ending hostilities with Iran. But with the two sides far apart, he is also seeking leverage through threats against power plants, or the potential seizure of strategic Kharg Island with U.S. troops who are heading to the region.

Also: today’s stories, including how, under the cover of the Iran war, settler extremists have increased violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank; how taking care of those who can't afford essentials has become the core of Maine Needs organization; and our reviewers’ favorite books of March.

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

Keeping quiet about foiled plots that threaten Americans’ safety could prevent unnecessary worry. Or it could make the public more vulnerable.

Also: today’s stories, including how Beijing's muted response to the war reveals a degree of disillusionment with Iran; commentary on the arrival of the MLB’s Opening Day; and a look at the upcoming return of shellfishing to Boston Harbor.

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

If Iran's regime falls, it might be only a temporary setback as the country tries to outlast attacks by the U.S. and Israel, then emerge emboldened.

Also: today’s stories, including what Iran’s military’s destructive capacity means for ending the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and its aftermath; why legal sports gambling is flooding broadcasts with ads during major sporting events like March Madness; and how AI is developing so quickly that it’s raising questions of safety and control.

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

While markets welcomed the possibility of talks to end the Iran war, Asian nations are set to bear the brunt of what might be the worst oil crisis in more than 50 years.

Also: today’s stories, including how Germany is handling energy shocks in the wake of the Iran war; a look at the U.S. Supreme Court case that could affect late-arriving mail-in ballots; and how activists and experts in Mexico have restored local monarch butterfly populations.

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

The U.S. military is the most powerful and best-funded in the world, but sea-mine defense has become an example of how key capabilities can be lost or neglected. Now, the Navy must scramble to address minesweeping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also: today’s stories, including why more than 2,000 U.S. Marines are headed toward Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf; how six states are considering legislative proposals that protect the First Amendment rights of student journalists; and how our essayist practices birding as a way to slow down and notice the natural world.

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

After decades of conflict, Iraqis have enjoyed increased political stability and a promising future, even embracing a unified national identity. But attacks by Iran, the United States, and homegrown militias are tugging at the divides that had held Iraq back.

Also: today’s stories, including how MAGA voters are throwing their support behind the Iran war, despite strident criticism from some conservative commentators; how government UFO records and films exploring out-of-this-world connections are renewing attention on the question of whether humankind is truly alone in the universe; and how Haiti's 'Resistance Artists' believe in new beginnings.

Join the Monitor's Audrey Thibert for today's news.

President Donald Trump has been pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. But the Iran war and surging oil prices are complicating the economic picture, prompting the U.S. central bank to hold rates steady.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at how U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are seeking relief during another funding shutdown; how U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is assessing the Iran war; and how a growing court backlog is delaying justice in India.

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

Israel’s claim to have killed Ali Larijani, a pivotal Iranian leader, served only to escalate the crisis atmosphere that Iranians are feeling: How to cope and envision a future, while facing crushing U.S.-Israeli attacks and a rigid regime that sees protesters as “just like the enemy”?

Also: today’s stories, including how Israelis acknowledge war fatigue’s toll even as they want arch foe Iran to be defeated; how U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran have had wide impacts on the Middle East — and the U.S. budget; and how in Nigeria, Hoomsen Women Farmers Shepwan Cooperative Society are helping women obtain ownership of land plots.

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

Iran has shown they can do a lot of damage to United States and Israeli assets – and regional allies in the Gulf – via missile and drone attacks. But one country can offer its deep experience on how to counter such a blitz: Ukraine.

Also: today’s stories, including why President Donald Trump’s appeal for assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz has not been well-received by allies; how a leadership change is underway at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at a critical time for the agency; and how, despite economic insecurity and a violent conflict fueled by the resurgence of the M23, in the Congo, children there have found a lifeline in dance.

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