The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

The coronavirus has forced our editor’s nephew to move his wedding reception online. But love conquers – amid jokes and tales, laughter and tears of joy, there was everything you could want in a wedding. Also: testing democratic boundaries in Israel, a new twist on juvenile justice in New Orleans, and building a sense of community in a Romanian village. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Jessica Mendoza for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

The Olympic cauldron was lit Friday in Japan, but the 2020 summer games may be postponed till next year. Still, the games are a recurring celebration of humankind’s oneness, a spirit deeply needed at this moment. Also: how people are recalibrating capitalism, optimizing governmental (and parental) responses to pandemic, and expanding the climate conversation. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, these were bleak times for local and regional print outlets, increasingly online, that are struggling to stay afloat financially. But at this time of profound need, readers of many publications are now getting paywall-free access to coverage of the pandemic – not only the bad news but also stories of generosity and courage. Also:our five stories, which include a look at the challenge of delivering humanitarian aid amid a pandemic, Seattle’s no-nonsense mayor, and the “must show up” workforce. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann and Peter Grier for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

When was the last time you read a book out loud? Or had one read to you? A staple of grade school classrooms, the read aloud is taking on a new role: balm in a crisis. Also: our five stories, which include efforts to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus around the world, the dilemma that social distancing presents for those who serve the homeless and elderly, and feel-good movies from the Monitor’s film critic. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Mark Sappenfield for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

What if Tom Brady is not who we think he is? Today, we learned that the most successful quarterback in National Football League history is leaving the New England Patriots, with whom he won a record six Super Bowls. The chatter has begun: Who will fare better, Brady or the legendary coach he is leaving behind, Bill Belichick? Also: our five stories, which include how to handle the virus of misinformation, the challenges of one-party rule in Oregon, and the scientific wonders of an prehistoric “chicken.” Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Jessica Mendoza for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

If you are among the millions of people under lockdown, you could binge on all five seasons of “Jane The Virgin.” Or watch Fiona the Hippo on Facebook Live at the Cincinnati Zoo. Or, as actor Rita Wilson did, create a Spotify playlist, “Quarantunes.” Creativity is irrepressible. Also: our five stories, including a trip to obscure Russian territories, a U.S. military effort to address racial inequality, and global points of progress. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Jessica Mendoza for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Reassuring gestures offer balm for anxious times. There are the dramatic ones, as when Italian air force planes took to the skies in a roaring call for national unity, streaming the green, white, and red national colors behind them. Also: our five stories, including trust in government and greater neighborliness amid the coronavirus crisis, deliberative democracy in the U.K., and the connection between Quidditch and more opportunities for women in Uganda. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Clay Collins for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Daily life is being upended on an unprecedented scale to help slow COVID-19 down. Offices, schools, and stadiums are closing. This recalibration is a massive experiment in society adapting new habits. Might it lead to some permanent change? Also: our five stories, which include a look at how closing schools for coronavirus containment affects communities, a piece detailing Guatemala’s role in U.S. asylum law, and a report from South Carolina on ecotourism. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Tony Gonzalez doesn’t know where they all came from, but the “roving bands of volunteers toting chainsaws” were a welcome sight last week, as tornadoes ripped through middle Tennessee. But starting that first day, people flocked in to help clear debris from homes and roads. And over the weekend, some 22,000 volunteers showed up to help. Also: our five stories, which include probing how coronavirus is shaping how Americans think about health care access, the power of presidential messaging in a time of crisis, and the role of transparency in building trust. Join the Monitor's Eva Botkin-Kowacki and Ken Kaplan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

A judge sentenced Harvey Weinstein to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. It was not the maximum 29 years prosecutors had suggested, but it was substantially more than the five proposed by the defense. Quite simply, the women made their case – and were heard. Also in today’s news: the secret of Joe Biden’s success, a women’s uprising in Mexico, and the world’s humblest national archives. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.