The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

The Monitor’s Francine Kiefer and her husband have a Sunday afternoon ritual. When they get home from church, they munch on subs and chips and listen to C-SPAN radio’s replay of the morning news talk shows. Also: our five stories, including a look at tensions in Russia, racially tinged campaigns in the US, and the use of music in the military. Join the Monitor's Francine Kiefer and Ken Kaplan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Happy #BuyNothingDay, or #OptOutside Day! Or, yes – as your inbox has relentlessly suggested for weeks – Black Friday. Also: our five stories for your Friday, looking at pushes for needed progress in two states’ voting processes, at another state’s effort to preserve a signature sport, and at a tiny innovation in reading. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Thanksgiving can change the world. Also: why words matter in Europe’s crisis of cooperation, how algorithms could help us beat human biases, and one woman’s determination to turn a dream into a blessing for Flint, Mich. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Noelle Swan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

An American is vying to be the world chess champion, and few in the United States know about it. One reason may be the news coverage, which has been understandably sparse. Also: our five stories of the day, including calls for a “do-over” on Brexit, a look at the incoming class in Congress, and the latest from our Perception Gaps podcast. Join the Monitor's Laurent Belsie and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Remember “Day Zero”? That was the moment earlier this year when the drought-stricken South African city of Cape Town was predicted to become the globe’s first developed city to run out of water. Also: our five stories, including two special reports: one from western China on the embattled Uyghur minority there, and one from a town bordering the Sahara Desert in Niger that is trying to pivot away from the people-smuggling business. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Ken Kaplan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Where is the counterforce to bad news-induced malaise? In real community, some offer. Also: a look at expanding long-held social definitions in the US, at reframing agricultural innovation in Ghana, and at harnessing the power of migration in Canada. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Noelle Swan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Americans are grappling with the role of racism in midterm elections and a recent mass shooting at a synagogue. News this week from the FBI that reports of hate crimes increased by about 17 percent in 2017 adds to concerns. Also: our five stories of the day, including the role of young people in politics, Russia’s impact on neighboring countries, and an innovative way to address sexual assault. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Eoin O’Carroll for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Today, like many days, borders were big in the news. Also: our five stories for today, which include a look at “super cities” and inequality, automation and the future of work, and the surprising optimism of many young Afghans. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

At the height of the deadliest fire in California history, Paradise, Calif., resident Jacob Jones grabbed a few things from his home and jumped into his 1991 Honda Civic. Also: our five selected stories, including a democracy gut-check in the South, why Afghans have stopped fleeing to Europe, and what an American TV sitcom can teach us about ethics. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Civility is a good start to chipping way at the American “industry” of anger. Also: a look at resilience in Florida’s hard-hit Panhandle, what World War I can teach us about our modern reality, and progress in building a more diverse future workforce for the tech sector. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Eva Botkin-Kowacki for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.