The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

The Trump administration wants to put tougher vetting in place for mail-in voting. Despite a preliminary Supreme Court win this week, it remains to be seen if new rules will go into effect before the midterms, with a number of lawsuits in play.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at Meta’s new rules for minors after a historic legal settlement; why local journalists in Sudan are being targeted by rival military forces; and how one organization in Massachusetts celebrates vintage base ball (yes, two words!).

Join the Monitor's Mackenzie Farkus for today's news.

During Syria’s long civil war, Russia propped up the Assad regime with military and diplomatic support. Now, the new government in Damascus is recalibrating the power dynamic with Moscow.

Also: today’s stories, including how Iowans could elect a Democratic governor for the first time in two decades, how a drought in the western United States has affected food sources for black bears, and a tribute to one of America’s most beloved and iconic performers and songwriters, Dolly Parton.

Join the Monitor's Matthew Bell for today's news.

One key goal for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has been the disarming of Iraqi militias, including those backed by, and serving, Iran. The Trump administration robustly endorses that goal, but its economic pressure on Iran is making it harder to attain.

Also: today’s stories, including how the Russia-Ukraine war is impacting Ukraine’s North Azovian Greek community; why the WNBA is dealing with a string of controversies despite a growing fanbase and increased revenue; and a look at a new documentary on the poet Mary Oliver.

Join the Monitor's Chris Sherman for today's news.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hopes that he can use the collapse of trade talks with Washington to show that Canada and other “middle powers” can navigate geopolitical storms without ceding their sovereignty to nations like the United States.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs and sanctions; why Washington’s curtailing of joint military drills in South Korea could push the country on a path to self-reliance; and how Native Americans along Route 66 are grappling with the highway’s legacy.

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

We’ve got a little something different — and sweet — in today’s Daily. Our reporters traveled the globe to find out more about skyrocketing cocoa prices, taking a look behind the scenes at cocoa farmers and boutique chocolatiers as they grapple with social, economic, and environmental questions.

Join the Monitor's Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news.

The Federal Communications Commission may cut funds for internet access at schools and libraries. Schools and libraries say that cuts could leave them with hard choices.

Also in today’s stories: French parents rethink childhood safety after reports of abuse in after school programs; midterm elections may allow Democrats to put new scrutiny on self-dealing in Washington; and in Africa, a push for more kid-friendly cities. Join the Monitor's Linda Feldmann for today's news.

Among Israelis working to protect West Bank Palestinians from settler attacks, members of the leftist religious group Bnei Avraham are outliers. The group aims to show “another face of Judaism,” one member says.

Also in today’s stories: why milestone diplomatic moments in Iran and Gaza fell flat; why Russia banned an anti-war party from legislative elections; and what the updated Endangered Species Act means for the species it protects. Join the Monitor's Matthew Bell for today's news.

In the United Nations’ 80 years, it has been led by nine secretaries-general, none of them women. But as the U.N. begins the process of electing a successor to António Guterres, pressure is mounting to shatter its glass ceiling. Four top candidates are women.

Also: today’s stories, including how a spate of cyberattacks on water utilities across the United States has spurred calls for increased cybersecurity requirements; a look at the latest Gen Z trend, “Chinamaxxing”; and why the University of Michigan is dropping first-year letter grades.

Join the Monitor's Mackenzie Farkus for today's news.

President Donald Trump’s announcement that he is scaling back U.S. participation in long-standing, joint military drills in South Korea is another example of Washington’s willingness to turn away from traditional allies. It also shows how faraway wars might be reshaping security dynamics in the Pacific.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at the depletion of U.S. missile stockpiles due to the U.S.-Iran war; why growing food in water is providing a green line of defense in Saudi Arabia; and a look at a turtle conservation effort along Kenya’s coast.

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

Human rights advocates say women and girls in Afghanistan have seen most of their basic human rights taken away. These accounts from two Afghan women offer a glimpse of what life is like under Taliban rule.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at the new Women’s Pro Baseball League in the U.S.; how Europeans are considering how waterways shape communities, economies, and sense of place amid recent drought; and a Q&A with an Iraqi American director on her latest film, about a young Muslim woman who moves to a Chaldean Christian neighborhood in Detroit.

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