The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

Beyond wrangling over whether sending thousands of federal troops to Washington, D.C., is needed or even legal, residents and crime experts say real community investment – not a show of force – is the better anti-crime strategy.

Also: today’s stories, including why some Russian observers believe Russia is content to wait out a peace deal with Ukraine; how foreign leaders are adjusting their diplomatic strategies to a more personal approach when dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump; and how one social media influencer tries to shed light on deportation - and showcase the unexpected joys of making a fresh start.

Join the Monitor's April Austin for today's news.

An era of abundant low-cost imports faces a reckoning – but not necessarily an end – as the Trump tariffs take hold. America’s long pivot from thrift toward consumption is deeply engrained. So is the economics of global supply chains.

Also: today’s stories, including how film can bring together India and Pakistan, how two historic Black churches share one vision of freedom and a review of Alix Morris’ book “A Year with the Seals: Unlocking the Secrets of the Sea’s Most Charismatic and Controversial Creatures.”

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

School meal debt has been rising. Now, changes to SNAP and Medicaid could reduce automatic eligibility for free and reduced price meals. How are schools responding to prevent hunger and save their budgets?

Also: today’s stories, including how the demise of USAID has fractured communities, how a female Hindu priest is defying norms, and how the end of Assad’s leadership allows Syrians to read previously banned books.

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

Volodymyr Zelenskyy walked into the Oval Office on Monday to confront an essential question: Will his country, Ukraine, remain Ukrainian?

In today’s stories, we also look into Trump’s crime crackdown in D.C., massive anti-war protests in Israel, and the worries of Afghan asylum seekers in the U.S.

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

Since the fall of Kabul four years ago, about 200,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States, many of whom supported U.S. war efforts. Now, some Afghans are questioning whether their status in the U.S. is secure, while they also try to bring more family here.

Also: today’s stories, including how ‘docufiction’ helped director Kate Beecroft capture wild horses, Denzel Washington and Spike Lee’s reunion in their new film “Highest 2 Lowest,” and our essayist’s birding journey.

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

As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for his summit with President Donald Trump on Friday, his refusal to countenance a ceasefire in Ukraine before peace talks could pose a stumbling block to negotiations.

Also: today’s stories, including how the current political fight in Texas over redistricting is a sign that hard-nosed politics are now the norm; why some Pakistanis aren’t thrilled with a budding U.S.-Pakistan friendship; and how one artist is painting New Orleans’ many contrasts, from struggle to rebirth.

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

As Ukrainians field swarms of destructive Russian drones, the world is watching modern warfare unfold. Here is what Russia’s summer drone blitz in Ukraine says about the future of war.

Also: today’s stories, including an Israeli women’s group protesting war in Gaza; why Democrats' are poorly rated despite President Donald Trump’s similarly low approval ratings; and how Trump can negotiate between Russia and Ukraine.

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

In Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine, a battle is on over national identity, as teens face intense efforts to convince them that their real identity is Russian.

In today’s package, we also explore how schools are bracing for absenteeism among immigrant children, how China is making gains in the AI race, and why France is cracking down on ‘ultrafast’ fashion.

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

President Trump, citing high crime, said Monday that he is placing the District of Columbia police department under federal control and deploying the National Guard. But the move comes as statistics show violent crime in the city at a 30-year low, and is stirring controversy.

Also: today’s stories, including how a new diploma gives Indiana students the option to earn different “seals” depending on whether they want to go straight to work, serve in the military, or head to college; how abductions have become a weapon in Sudan’s civil war; and how one pending federal rule could provide safety guidelines to keep outdoor workers safer in high temperatures.

Join the Monitor's Erika Page for today's news.

While Black Lives Matter protests may not have brought lasting reforms nationwide, in Sanford, Florida, the town where Treyvon Martin was killed in 2012, change has taken root.

Also in today’s stories: the people fighting to keep local news alive, the stand-up comics testing free speech in India, and the role of Monopoly in rescuing POWs from German prison camps.

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