The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

Federal workers who have experienced previous government shutdowns say the uncertainty is always stressful. But this one already feels worse, multiple federal employees tell the Monitor, coming after months of interagency upheaval and layoffs from the Trump administration. Many feel uneasy about not only the immediate standoff – but what will happen when it ends.

Also: today’s stories, including how insurgency has threatened a centuries-old perfume-making tradition in northern Nigeria, how young people have created a wave of social and political protests, and how one family discovers connection through books.

Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

High-ranking women say they are watching the gains they spent their careers building being erased. Despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech on Tuesday, they are determined to keep serving their country.

Also: today’s stories, including why health care is at the center of the government shutdown, how tough times have led Joseph Arthur to see songwriting as a spiritual practice, and how parallels might be drawn between peace talks in Northern Ireland 30 years ago and the Middle East today.

Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Portland, Oregon, is the latest city where President Donald Trump is activating National Guard troops for novel use in a fight against crime and illegal immigration. Our reporter takes a big-picture look at how the U.S. government has directed the National Guard this year.

Also: today’s stories, including how Ukrainians are fleeing Russia’s scorched-earth tactics on the front lines; a look at the trade offs in Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s energy agenda; and how a Haitian businessman is working to build social bridges toward peace in his home country.

Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Two recent mass-shooting suspects are decorated U.S. combat veterans. The events renew concerns about how America cares for veterans – including in regard to mental health care and meaningful social connections.

Also: today’s stories, including why India is investing in its ports, how self-determination remains a major concern for Gazans as “day after” plans are made for Gaza without their input, and how activists in Liberia are working to successfully end female genital mutilation.

Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had accepted a U.S. plan for Gaza. But prospects for ending the war lean on Arab and Muslim states to deliver Hamas’ agreement to disarm. And a U.S. and Israeli threat hangs heavily.

Also: today’s stories, including how Gen Z women are turning away from motherhood; how a raid by U.S. immigration agents on a Hyundai factory in Georgia amplified South Korean frustration with its American ally; and how tax credits for electric vehicle purchases in the U.S. are changing under the Trump administration.

Join the Monitor's Kurt Shillinger for today's news.

The indictment of former FBI director James Comey, which President Donald Trump demanded on social media, comes amid threats of more prosecutorial action. Critics say it could have a chilling effect across government. Mr. Trump says he is seeking justice, not revenge.

Also: today’s stories, including how repeated incursions of drones and jets into European airspace have reopened debate about how well NATO efforts to deter Moscow are working; a look at North Carolina’s recovery efforts in the one year since Hurricane Helene; and whether Bhutan can hold on to its non-materialist Buddhist values and boost economic growth at the same time.

Join the Monitor's Clay Collins for today's news.

Part of the Trump administration’s immigration clampdown involves encouraging unauthorized immigrants to “self-deport” by offering cash and other incentives. A growing number are deciding to leave the U.S. on their own.

Also: today’s stories, including how a quick look behind the curtain of the United Nations General Assembly finds cooperation, dialogue, and a commitment; how Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy turns to songwriting when faced with a challenging world; and how the effects of more expensive H-1B visas could range from businesses sending jobs offshore to some American workers seeing greater demand for their skills.

Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

More food is reaching Gaza now but barely enough to stave off famine amid the chaos of forced displacement, which was ordered by the Israeli army.

Also: today’s stories, including how one Monitor writer’s new hometown shows resilience amidst federal government cutbacks and other challenges; how current drama around TV host Jimmy Kimmel being taken off air under government pressure bears resemblance to the case of a political satire show in post-Soviet Russia; and a look at one museum in Kentucky celebrates beloved Louisville Slugger baseball bats.

Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

As the United Nations General Assembly opened in New York, President Donald Trump told member states that immigration and green hoaxes are the key threats to international peace and prosperity.

Also: today’s stories, including whether the rebranding of the Defense Department comes alongside other interventionist moves, where money from settlement claims brought by the Trump Administration against universities will end up, and how Venezuelans seeking a haven from their country’s chaos are turning to Spain for safety.

Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Gaza's high school graduation exams are seen as far more than an individual academic accomplishment. They are a step into adulthood, carrying both your dreams and your country's. The war has made that transition nearly impossible.

Also: today’s stories, including how Tamir Rice’s mother wants to provide a cultural map for young people; how Chinese laborers have reshaped the Algiers food scene through noodles; and how Roseville, California turned itself into a model of preparedness and hazard mitigation after destructive floods in the 1980s and ’90s.