The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

When the coronavirus closed schools, seniors saw graduation day snatched away. Yet from Texas to New Hampshire, there’s a rumbling of rebelliousness, a rejection of the vanilla Zoom graduation. Also: our five stories, including the path to reviving global tourism, creativity under lockdown, and a refining of Ramadan. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

As lockdowns lift, public health officials stress that loosening should come with caution. The world will still need an abundance of PPE – not the protective gear that’s been in maddeningly short supply, but the exhibiting of three constructive values: pragmatism, practicality, and empathy. Also: our five stories, including how colleges are rethinking their offerings, U.S.-China relations at the human level, and picture books to enliven the little ones. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

The Monitor’s Linda Feldmann has long been a reader of obituaries, which she sees as celebrations of life, albeit tinged with sadness. There have been far too many lately, but along the way, she’s “met” some amazing people. Also: our five stories, including a look at those experiencing food insecurity for the first time, the Afghan maternity ward massacre, and an Irish outpouring for the Navajo. Join the Monitor's Jessica Mendoza and Peter Grier for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

For many of us sheltering in place, pandemic life is about getting by with whatever is on hand. From makeshift masks to make-do hairdos, we’re all finding ways to tap into our inner MacGyver. That same spirit of innovation is evident all over the world, as nations with varying resources muddle through this crisis. Also in today’s news: European efforts to reopen schools, the use of diversion as a presidential communications tool, and a historical view of nationalism during moments of crisis. Join the Monitor's Noelle Swan and Clay Collins for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

In recent days, faced with twin challenges of a pandemic and a record spike in unemployment, some U.S. senators are offering a “let’s solve both” proposal. They urge an expansion of federally funded national service programs, citing big benefits to society as well as to the individuals employed. Also in today’s news: new challenges facing the world’s refugees, the search for a virus’s origins, and a charitable movement around federal relief checks. Join the Monitor's Mark Trumbull and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

“Lord of the Flies” is a classic, bestselling 1954 novel about what happens when British boys are shipwrecked on an island. It paints a dark image of humanity – but what if that cynical narrative is just plain wrong? Also: our five stories, including the resilience of Arab journalists, a prosthetic path to hope in Afghanistan, and the music that uplifts black Americans during a lockdown. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

You can’t help but be inspired by the many ways people express their determination to sustain their fellow beings in trying times. We explore a few key examples. Also: our five stories, including a look at a Chinese disinformation campaign in Europe, grandmothers taking on Poland's right-wing government, and a grocery worker's account of life in the aisles. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Dave Scott for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

A 1,000-year-old mill in Dorset, England, once inspired Thomas Hardy. Today, it’s supplying flour during the pandemic shortage. Also: stand-your-ground laws and Ahmaud Arbery’s shooters; the struggle to determine how immunity to COVID-19 might work; and when we might see a movie in a theater again. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Jessica Mendoza for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

During the pandemic, people are using windows and yards like a Facebook newsfeed – or bulletin board, for those who remember when every interaction was IRL. Also: lessons on how to handle job insecurity and shortages from Russia’s recent history, the view from New York’s essential small businesses, and the American dream in Guatemala. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Clay Collins for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

In the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and human life need not be in conflict. Also: the different ways Texas and California are handling lockdowns, how the world forgot half its workers, and cooking without flour. (Yes, you can do it!) Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.