The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

Who suffers when AI gets things wrong? In Brazil, where fighting crime is a top priority for citizens, facial-recognition technology is exploding, even though the legislature is still working on laying out clear rules.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at how a rising pragmatic approach to clean energy is slowing Europe's green transition; how AI is rattling the book publishing industry; and a photo essay on climbing in Damascus and its uplifting effect on Syrian life.

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

The AI boom is proving complicated for everyday Americans. It’s raising the cost of living and stopping the Fed from lowering interest rates. It is making some things faster and easier, but it is also changing how we live.

Also: today’s stories, including how Israel’s new left-wing party is not focusing on peace within its campaign; how Kazakhstan is questioning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and how parents are advocating for less screen time in schools.

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

The United States struggles with traffic safety in comparison with the track records of other developed nations. There are some bright spots, such as the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, where use of road safety tools and community engagement has brought success.

Also: today’s stories, including a town’s repurposing of a closed college campus to help foster community; lawmakers' involvement in the new era of revenue-generating college sports; and our Africa editor’s enlightening experience in starting a letter exchange between South African students and students from America and Mexico.

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

The Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani compact is a response to the prolonged Iran war, an Israel seen as seeking hegemony, and the failure of other diplomatic initiatives. It also anticipates a reduced U.S. regional posture. Does that help the United States?

Also: today’s stories, including how Massachusetts students are suing for continued segregation in school districts; how Tulsa is offering incentives to relocate remote workers; and a review of books about AI.

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

As Silicon Valley titans and startups cash in, educators and parents are struggling to decide which artificial intelligence tools help – or harm.

Also: today’s stories, including how President Donald Trump is trying to limit birthright citizenship through executive orders; how a comedy candidate is playing political spoiler in Britain; and how class pets are helping students refine their social skills and learn how to handle emotions.

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

The Trump administration let a contract to provide legal services to tens of thousands of immigrant children lapse. The interruption potentially leaves more children without legal representation in a complex and accelerating immigration court system.

Also: today’s stories, including how the aftermath of the U.S. government’s slashing of two revered national monuments in Utah could determine how vast public lands in the western U.S. are managed; why the clock is ticking on the Trump administration’s ability to complete more of the Project 2025 agenda; and how residents of one Indian village look forward to an annual cleanup and fishing festival.

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

Many soldiers in Ukraine are spending long periods on the front lines, as Ukraine struggles against Russia’s numerical advantage. One infantryman, in the trenches for nearly a year and a half straight, tells us his story.

Also: today’s stories, including how the Trump administration is stepping in as AI models are evading corporate controls; how a bipartisan Truth Commission in New Mexico is aiming to tell the story of what happened at Zorro Ranch, formerly owned by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; and how a new law signed by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey will narrow cooperation between the state and federal immigration authorities.

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

The U.S. intervened in Japan to help steady the yen. A move not taken since the height of the Asian financial crisis, it was motivated as much by American self-interest as it was by a desire to help out a close ally.

Also: today’s stories, including how two Republican senators temporarily withheld approval of President Trump's attorney general nominee over concerns with an administration policy; the big expectations many Syrians have of their new lawmakers, as their country’s Parliament reconvenes with limited amount of leverage over government decisions; and how China’s ancient tradition requiring a month of special postpartum care is evolving and slowly migrating to the West.

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

Wisconsin, a political bellwether, might see a Democratic takeover after 15 years of Republican rule. But having a socialist at the top of the ticket raises questions for some voters.

Also: today’s stories, including how in the wake of the U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal, other countries are asking whether they, too, need to develop nuclear power; how images of thousands of migrants surging from Morocco into the Spanish city of Ceuta, in North Africa, have led EU ministers to try to find new solutions; and how “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” asks what it really means to grow up or to make fresh starts.

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

Cheap, mass-produced drones are changing modern warfare by exposing vulnerabilities in the field. The U.S. military is taking notes, and transforming the way American troops train and fight.

Also: today’s stories, including how Massachusetts’ large Haitian community is navigating the loss of temporary protected status; why Uruguay's decades-old cooperative housing model is gaining new attention; and how India has changed the process for how individuals identify their gender, sparking protests and court challenges.

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