The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

Earlier this year, a reporter went to Denmark to discover why the United Nations judged it the happiest country on earth. The answer she found: trust. Also: a glimpse at the meaning of protests in Iran, a message for foreign students in the United States, and the latest installment in the Monitor’s solutions-journalism collaboration. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Anxiety and anger keep trying to box out humanity. The killing of five journalists yesterday in a Maryland newsroom appears to have been rooted in personal grievance, the suspected shooter’s sense of having been defamed. Also: shifting views of immigration, global sparring over trade, and the emotions of soccer fandom. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Noelle Swan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

Schools may be on break, but the effort to make progress on keeping students safe is not. The Secure Schools Roundtable met on Capitol Hill today, sponsored in part by the two-year-old bipartisan Congressional School Safety Caucus. Also: the role of the Supreme Court, bridging partisan divides, and the impact of role models. Join the Monitor's Kim Campbell and Eoin O’Carroll for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

When it comes to politics, never underestimate your opponent. And don't lose touch with your voters. Those are among the lessons of an epic upset in the Democratic race to represent New York’s 14th District in the US House of Representatives. Also: our five stories, showing aspiration, compassion, and creative compromise at work. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Ken Kaplan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

We’re pondering a couple of relatively small, but telling refusals. Actor Seth Rogen balked at taking a photo with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. And after White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was denied service at a Virginia restaurant, Sen. Cory Booker was asked if that kind of protest tactic should be more widely adopted. Is it no-holds-barred time for Democrats? Also: a look at redefining US leadership and seeking alternatives paths to a high school diploma in France. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Samantha Laine Perfas for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

The New York Times asked an interesting question Sunday: What if you had been told a lie all your life, only for the government that told it to suddenly acknowledge it wasn’t true? In this case, the example was Saudi Arabia. Also: our five stories about the power of perception, sustainable economics, and the life-changing nature of books. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Eva Botkin-Kowacki for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

In a week that seemed to be all about separation, it’s not a mere distraction to think about unity. The United States promotes its own “world championships” in sports, but most of the rest of the world comes together for the World Cup, a truly global showcase for soccer. Also: the need for resilience around democracy and human rights, for workforce pragmatism on American farms, and for political neutrality at an Idaho fiddle fest. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Eva Botkin-Kowacki for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

When people dream of leaving a mark on the world, they probably aren’t thinking of an endless trail of plastic waste. Yet almost everything we use these days seems to be made of, served with, or enshrouded in plastic. Also: an analysis of the emerging partnership between Russia and Saudi Arabia and a look at the latest thinking around who’s history should be taught in world history class. Join the Monitor's Noelle Swan and Eoin O’Carroll for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

In April, staff writer Howard LaFranchi wrote about the dramatic change achieved by a group of teenage girls in India who decided they’d had enough of the alcohol-fueled mismanagement of their rural community. Their story caught the eye of at least one empowerment organization. Also: the pursuit of justice, growing communities of color, and the deeper meaning of a name change. Join the Monitor's Amelia Newcomb and Ken Kaplan for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.

There’s something irresistible about a story that draws a smile. Consider the 2018 Blobfish Basketball Classic: Republican Sen. Ted Cruz versus comedian Jimmy Kimmel. After the talk-show host insulted the Texan, the senator challenged Mr. Kimmel to a half-court duel. Also: stories that illustrate paths to progress for seniors in Spain, for students in Nigeria, and for the bees in Europe. Join the Monitor's Dave Scott and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. For more information, visit csmonitor.com/daily.