The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

Could President Trump lose Texas in 2020? The state Republican Party is warning he could. Also: we’re covering shifts in the U.S.-Iran confrontation, perceptions of sexual abuse allegations against the wealthy, and what it’s like on-scene at the southern border. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Sarah Matusek for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Diplomacy, by its nature, must be discreet to be effective. So when confidential cables from the British ambassador in Washington were leaked last weekend – revealing his unflattering views of the Trump administration – Sir Kim Darroch had little choice but to resign. Also: the challenges facing the Democrats vying for Latino votes; the inspiring journey of a Sudanese refugee; central European efforts to boost plunging birth rates; and how humorist James Thurber was shaped by his hometown. Join the Monitor's Peter Ford and Molly Jackson for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Can you import workers without changing the social fabric? Japan keeps trying to square that circle. But the door may be opening – ever so slightly – to changes that could benefit newcomers and native-born Japanese alike. Also: we visit one of Louisiana’s last abortion clinics, how a whole community is demanding to be moved together, and how a mayor in West Virginia is tackling the opioid crisis. Join the Monitor's Mark Trumbull and Rebecca Asoulin for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

What happens after a longtime dictator is ousted? Sudan’s experience shows that the path is not straightforward. Also: leadership without leaders in Hong Kong, Democrats for Trump in Kentucky, and empathy through Iraqi music. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Amid a new round of temblors near the second-largest U.S. city stands the stabilizing force that is the “earthquake lady”: Lucy Jones, an unshakeable CalTech seismologist. Also: we look at the EU’s reach for global relevance, where political populism may wane, black chefs reclaiming their culinary heritage, keeping pillow talk nonpartisan, and a famous library’s centennial rose. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Hannah Harn for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Consider this quote: “Fight until the end.” That’s from Rose Lavelle, star midfielder for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Speaking after the Americans beat England to reach Sunday’s World Cup final, she’s talking about her and her teammates’ relentlessness. Also: we look at solutions to the rural housing crisis, the proliferation of spoken languages in one New York borough, how interns could change Congress, and an oasis of hope on the Korean peninsula. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Rebecca Asoulin for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

At one refugee processing center, inhabitants spoke of “cramped rooms, filthy toilets, suicide attempts, and frequent canteen fights, all punctuated with apparently random deportation swoops.” Also: we look at a new front for Chinese propaganda, what missiles tell us about Turkey's view of itself, and a different way to address floods in the developing world. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Sarah Matusek for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Consider a question: “What do you think of Donald Trump?” Just about anywhere in the world, it’s a conversation starter. Also: we look at the quieter moves of the high court’s term, a surprising salmon-habitat solution, Ireland’s rethinking of sexual assault trials, Hawaiians’ take on Independence Day, and a wounded Green Beret’s will to come back stronger. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann and Thomas Shults for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Two parallel and courageous challenges to authoritarian rule are playing out in the streets: in Hong Kong and Sudan. Also: our five selected stories, including a look at leadership in Russia, setting new precedents in cyberwarfare, and redefining home in Alaska and California. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

The Democratic presidential debates highlighted deep divides in the party – and the challenges in finding a unifying figure to lead Democrats in 2020. Also: what outsiders (including diplomats) should know about the people of Iran and South Korea, and the business ethics of the border crisis. Join the Monitor's Peter Grier and Hannah Harn for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.