The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

The success of India’s “Cockroach” protests is reinvigorating something that experts say has been lost under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12 years in power – and that’s a sense that dissent matters. This is good news for India’s democracy.

Also: today’s stories, including the launch of the Women’s Professional Baseball League; the changing goals of the U.S. and Iran war; and how the new U.S. military service designed to ensure American space superiority was tested in Iran and Venezuela.

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

Tuesday’s primary for Michigan’s open Senate seat is serving as a proxy battle over the Democratic Party’s future, underscoring racial and generational divisions over everything from healthcare to immigration to aid for Israel. How it all plays out could shape the direction of the party, including the 2028 presidential race.

Also: today’s stories, including how the collapse of a possible compromise to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could expand the conflict in the Middle East; how Japan’s first female prime minister is navigating a challenging first year in office; and how some states are suing the Trump administration for redirecting wind power funding towards fossil fuels.

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

Federal law and Trump administration rules lay out transparency requirements for the U.S. government’s use of artificial intelligence. When the Monitor asked about one tool designed to vet immigrant children’s sponsors, information about it disappeared.

Also: today’s stories, including how some major US firms are rethinking staffing strategies amid a global collapse of entry-level jobs; a look at one woman’s conflicted campaign to expel South Africa’s migrants; and how Seattle is giving city streets back to kids as spaces to play.

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

Europe is dealing with record-breaking wildfires. Some of them are so intense, the authorities are unable to contain them. Climate change is part of the story. But forest management is another factor.

Also: today’s stories, including how despite extensive Iranian retaliation, people in the UAE are coming through the U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran with a new sense of national pride; how the U.S. government is spending well beyond its means at a breathtaking pace; and how an unregulated market for hemp in the Carolinas is raising public safety concerns.

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

The stalemate between the U.S. and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz has created a global economic shock. Now, the conflict is threatening to disrupt international shipping through the Red Sea.

Also: today’s stories, including how Palestinian villagers are facing discrimination by Israeli forces in South Hebron Hills, an explainer outlining how Trump v. Slaughter may impact federal agencies, and how the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center is growing in popularity thanks to social media.

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

There have been three federal government shutdowns during President Donald Trump’s second term. The potential for a fourth this fall is driving Senate Republicans’ political strategy months ahead of the budget deadline.

Also: today’s stories, including how U.S. tariffs rattled allies and rivals, stressed household budgets, failed to boost manufacturing, but also raised big revenue; how long-simmering frustrations with corruption and youth unemployment have bubbled over into India’s streets; and how Ancient Greek, it turns out, is not dead.

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

Two recent killings of immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have raised questions about whether the shootings were justified. Officers wearing body cameras would add a piece of evidence to contested encounters.

Also: today’s stories, including a look at the Trump administration’s expected announcement of a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia; how the recent Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship signals that the national discussion about the topic is not settled; and a review of Andrea Wulf’s biography of 18th century naturalist George Forster, exploring how his globe-trotting youth made him more tolerant of Indigenous peoples and customs.

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

As U.S.-Iran fighting reignites, American ally Jordan, which hosts U.S. forces, has increasingly come under Iranian fire. Dependent on U.S. aid, but eager to avoid angering Iran or creating domestic concerns, it is choosing its words carefully.

Also: today’s stories, including how the killing of a Colombian man by an ICE officer in Biddeford, Maine, has made other immigrants and Latinos feel less secure; how local humanitarian groups in a city near the front lines in Sudan’s civil war have set up Emergency Response Rooms; and how young people are both creating hit content and filling seats for the in-person moviegoing experience.

Join the Monitor's Jingnan Peng for today's news.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dismissal of a popular defense minister, an architect of Ukraine’s effective high-tech warfare, has sparked protests across the country. More than just strategy, youth appears part of his appeal.

Also: today’s stories, including a reflection on how fans were brought together during the World Cup, a dive into why Greeks are using social networks instead of traditional media for their news, and a look at Joplin, Missouri, and how they’ve rebuilt after a devastating tornado 15 years ago.

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

The World Cup final on Sunday is booked. But much focus will be on how the match highlights the changing of the guard at the pinnacle of soccer, between Argentine elder statesman Lionel Messi and Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal.

Also: today’s stories, including how a resurgence of group songs and anthems at World Cup games offers a reminder on how shared music can bridge divides; how one bicentennial class of students reflect a divided yet hopeful America; and how a traveler’s frantic sprint for a seat in Amtrak’s Quiet Car led to a humorous breach of conduct.

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