Christian Science Monitor

Israel’s election choices will be felt far beyond its borders

Israelis will vote next week on a new prime minister. While major policy changes are unlikely after the election, the…

As midterms near and Putin beckons, Trump embraces big-power diplomacy

President Donald Trump is signaling a full-on embrace of Vladimir Putin and Russia – and of big-power relations – as he…

Reigniting the joy in reading

Schools and nonprofits have long sought to expand access to books for young people. More and more, they’re emphasizing…

A journalist finds a new beat: His imprisonment

A songwriter asks, ‘What makes a place feel like home?’

Songwriter Kimaya Diggs creates acoustic-based folk music albums with elements of jazz and R&B. Her latest is a love…

As US childcare costs climb, states and other nations offer a road map

With childcare costs soaring, America debates whether to fund universal care or pay parents to stay home, with state…

Trump disinvited international election observers. Here’s what that could mean.

President Trump’s decision not to invite international election observers for the midterms could send a troubling…

Resourceful people

A trot down memory lane

A squishy recollection

Why Israeli recognition has been a double-edged sword for Somaliland

Last year, Israel became the first country in the world to recognize the breakaway state of Somaliland as an…

A simple joy, multiplied: Bakers bring 27,000 cookies to Boston Common

Acclaimed baker Joanne Chang invited Bostonians to a community cookie swap following the release of her new cookbook…

India’s democracy has been backsliding for years. Its youth are drawing a line.

Much has been written about the erosion of Indians’ voting rights and other democratic norms under Prime Minister…

After a ‘no’ to secession in Canada, the next step

Despite political and economic complaints, residents of oil-rich Alberta have affirmed their Canadianness. But this…

AI companies commit to self-regulation, a strategy with a mixed track record

Leading artificial intelligence companies signed an agreement with the White House to regulate themselves. That course…

In these Israeli elections, Arab citizens could be the deciding vote

In Israel, polls show a tight race, with neither of the two major factions likely to win an outright majority. Arab…

M is for Musk, and money: One big donor towers over 2026

Elon Musk might be the largest individual spender behind the midterm elections. He also says he’ll give one share of…

To light Damascus’ future, an artisan draws on its stained-glass past

Having just shared knowledge accrued over 50 years, Fayez Talmasani is no longer the last person in Syria skilled in…

Across Europe, voters are calling out failing government. But they play a role, too.

Protests like those in France show the distrust between voters and governments. Experts say without trust, hard…

In the home of the Arab Spring, democracy’s looking better

Tunisia sparked a regional revolution in 2011 and but then acquiesced to dictatorial rule. Now protests hint at a…

Tariffs, terrorist designations, and chatbots: Is the US meddling in Brazil’s election?

If Brazil elects right-wing presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, it could become the crown jewel in Mr. Trump’s…

Once on the brink of extinction, sand tiger sharks are rebounding in Boston Harbor

Scientists are studying a growing sand tiger shark population that spends summers in Boston Harbor.

The AI industry’s race for influence includes $100 million in campaign cash

Leading AI companies have set up political action committees to support both Republican and Democratic candidates in…

The midterms as a story of power and balance

Making democracy work means navigating questions of power: Who wields it? What are the checks or limits on it? Do…

After violent weekend, France reckons with its frustrated, fractured public

After hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest this weekend, rioters followed with destruction and looting…

Indians reach for an identity beyond caste and creed

The surging “cockroach” youth protest movement is prompting citizens in the world’s most populous nation to unite…

Holding a new constitutional convention: Would that fly?

America amended its Constitution more often in its early years. Some argue it’s time to try that again.

Letter from Mar-a-Lago: How times have changed – and haven’t

A decade after a first visit to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, our White House correspondent returns with the…

Tech firms are building AI-ready data centers in India. But are cities ready?

Google has broken ground on a proposed 1-gigawatt data center in Visakhapatnam, India, but questions about resources…

October’s best books boast indelible characters

Fascinating people – both real and fictitious – abound in our fall roundup.

Our World: The week of Oct. 19, 2026

A global news roundup, compiled by the Monitor’s international team

Reporters on the Job: From Boston to Kamianske, Ukraine

Every week, a selection of Monitor staffers and contributors share their challenges and insights from reporting around…

French police arrest 1,800 after violent clashes and looting mar protests

Demonstrators denounced rising living costs and poor school conditions. Authorities said masked groups set fires and…

Can Democrats win back Christian voters? A Kansas pastor charts a faith-based campaign.

Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in nearly 100 years. But megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton is running…

Riots in Albanian capital enter a fifth day as anti-government protests escalate

Clashes broke out near the prime minister’s office in Albania as riots gripped the capital, Tirana.

Ahead of Brazil's presidential runoff, meet Bolsonaro 2.0

Former President Jair Bolsonaro is under house arrest, but his political movement lives on in his son Flávio. Who is he?