The Christian Science Monitor Daily Podcast

What is the Monitor’s approach to coverage of the Israel-Hamas war? Our Middle East editor, Ken Kaplan, says our coverage is distinctive because “we focus on the humanity on both sides.” In today’s stories, we also look at how Israel is restricting freedom of speech for Arab citiznes, why a so-called “honor killing” has Pakistanis outraged, and how Ecuadorians are taking pride in their ice cream. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

The newest installment in our Climate Generation series looks at a student in Barbados who had the innovative idea to use seaweed as a biofuel base to power vehicles. Also: today’s stories, including important conversations taking place at COP28, how the choice to speak Ukrainian – as opposed to Russian – is a statement of identity for many Ukrainians, and the tourists that are breathing new life into Kashmir’s battered border villages. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Ira Porter for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Congress set a new precedent by expelling Rep. George Santos from the House today. The extraordinary step comes as public trust in Congress is at a low ebb. Also: today’s stories, including remembering Sandra Day O’Connor’s legacy, terrorists having new success using cryptocurrency for funding, and Palestinians who are stranded in the West Bank finding comfort in one another. Join the Monitor’s Mark Sappenfield and Jingnan Peng for today’s news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Protesters’ rights are protected by the United States Constitution. Amid pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protests, cities are seeking a balance. New York’s Rockefeller Center tree lighting Wednesday offered a snapshot. Also: today’s stories, including Greek olive farmers adapting to climate change, a rock-’em, sock-’em debate tonight between two governors on opposite political ends, and how 20th-century ‘laws of war’ apply amid 21st-century crises. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Clara Germani for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Forty-one workers were trapped in a collapsed tunnel in the Indian Himalayas for 17 days before finally being pulled out. How were they rescued? Today’s stories also include an analysis of Former President Donald Trump's defensive strategies in his civil fraud trial, the impact of a new child care business on one community in Maine, and how lab grown diamonds are shaping the city of Surat, India. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Kendra Nordin Beato for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Voter IDs were a big deal in the 2020 elections, but lost in the debate was an understanding of how important IDs are for everything from jobs to housing. Can states do better at getting all residents IDs? In today’s stories, we also look at the sustainability of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, how slowing EV sales have automakers at a crossroads, and why exactly Christmas movies make us feel inspired. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Ali Martin for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

How can food create community? Assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University Nevine Abraham hosted a Friendsgiving that had both Arab and Jewish Israeli dishes. What is needed most, she said, is openness. Today’s stories also include a Montana lawsuit that questions whether a safe environment is a human right, journalist Fahad Shah’s release from prison, and how one Israeli farm is operating with the help of volunteers. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Ira Porter for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

Hamas and Israel have agreed on a prisoner swap in the most significant breakthrough so far in a war that has left more than 14,000 dead in Gaza and Israel. Also: today's stories, including what turmoil over a CEO tells us about the future of AI, the transformative power of giving thanks, and delicious meals with less food waste. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Clay Collins for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

For weeks, Ghada Abdulfattah has lived a double life – as a reporter for The Christian Science Monitor in Gaza, and as a refugee in her own land. She has found ways to file her stories without electricity, and after her house was hit by both artillery and tank fire. In today’s stories, we also look at the chances of independent candidates in the 2024 presidential elections, a strategic dialogue happening in the Middle East, and why America’s last lighthouse keeper says that the beacons still have a bright future. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Laurent Belsie for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.

In Bangladesh, climate disruption is already causing mass migration. But a deeply ingrained culture of adaptation is also opening an opportunity for one girl and others like her. Also: today’s stories, including: President Joe Biden’s reelection prospects, Argentina’s new president-elect who is short on experience yet bursting with bold ideas, and Palestinian farmers facing settler attacks in war over land in the West Bank. Join the Monitor's Mark Sappenfield and Ira Porter for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.