The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

As a child growing up in South Africa, Makazole Mapimpi walked 7 miles a day to get to school. During Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final, those powerful legs gave Mr. Mapimpi the torque of a cheetah as he helped a racially diverse, underdog South African team defeat England. Also: our five stories, including a conversation between two writers in our Washington bureau about the impeachment inquiry, a window into the protests in Lebanon, and why a Kentucky election has national portent. Join the Monitor's Stephen Humphries and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

In 1998, Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin voted to begin a House impeachment inquiry into President Bill Clinton. Last Thursday he did it again Also: today’s five stories, including the religious source of one woman’s acts of charity, an homage to the real-life heroine Harriet Tubman, and the network of volunteers who help animals find refuge amid disaster. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Riley Robinson for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

So many of us put so much thought into what we consume these days. Also: today’s five stories, including Russia's environmental turn, the gift of books to the homeless, and questions about how we see gangsters on film. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Lindsey McGinnis for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

From Chile to Lebanon, Iraq to South Africa, people are taking to the streets. Their demands vary from country to country, and often from protester to protester. Also: a struggle to restore corporate trust, an effort to make professional growth more attainable, and a tightrope walk between cultural appreciation and appropriation. Join the Monitor's Noelle Swan and Noah Robertson for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Every decade or so, a really big man comes along in the NBA. Tacko Fall may be that player today. He can dunk without jumping. Also: the changing face of political conspiracies, camaraderie among Trump tailgaters, and self-sufficiency on rollerblades in Congo. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Rebecca Asoulin for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

One of Australia’s most iconic natural symbols has entered a new era. Also: fighting California’s fires, engaging with immigrants in a mill town, and reclaiming African American cowboy culture. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Dwight Weingarten for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Representative Cummings’ funeral was today in Baltimore. He’ll be sorely missed in the city where he lived most of his life. Also: the evolution of Rudy Giuliani, how Lebanon's fractured society is uniting to fight corruption, and a possible collision between three black holes. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier andRiley Robinson for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Psychologist Clive Wynne was a reluctant convert. Perhaps dogs had “exceptional gregariousness” or “hypersociability.” But did they love? Also: our five stories, including a look at the fairness of the impeachment inquiry, Russia’s daunting responsibility in Syria, and seeds of a pro-democracy backlash in Hungary. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Could a hug change the narrative on school shootings? Perhaps the answer lies in the embrace of a viral video. Also: the perseverance of a long-shot Democratic presidential hopeful, the buoyancy of an all-women’s rug market in Morocco, and the growth of multicultural churches in the U.S. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Timmy Broderick for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

As Meredith Wills pulled on yarn, she produced the best theories about how major league baseballs were “juiced” to fly farther. Also: today’s five stories, including the changing role of the world’s superpower, parsing the presidential quid pro quo, and innovation under the sea. Join the Monitor's David Clark Scott and Lindsey McGinnis for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.