Christian Science Monitor

How the Smithsonian is using AI to connect artifacts from the American Revolution

My life sentence? Diagramming.

Taking clauses apart taught me to appreciate the architecture of language. It also made grammar feel less like homework…

Brazil is regulating AI use in elections. Here’s why it’s been a challenge.

Brazil’s polarized political landscape is rife with disinformation – a challenge that can be turbocharged by artificial…

How rape allegations at Cornell test the college, prosecutors, and media

Prosecutors, college administrators, and the media are working in parallel around the alleged sexual assault at Cornell…

Why an octogenarian’s eviction has sent Spaniards into the streets

The eviction of one particularly vulnerable woman, Maricarmen, has set off street protests in Madrid over predatory…

South Koreans turn museum artifacts into cosplay (video)

Thousands gathered in Seoul to see the final showdown of the “Dress Like a Museum Exhibit” contest.

One of Ukraine’s winning principles

Russia’s expanding attacks on innocent Ukrainians not only show desperation, they draw greater international support…

In Gaza, farmers rescue roots buried under rubble to grow fruit again

Gazan fig and date farmers are replanting crops from roots that survived years of Israeli bombing.

Turning a lens on landscapes

Over the past few months, readers might have noticed a number of photos of the American Southwest in this magazine.…

Supreme Court hits record low approval: What it means for the new term

The next U.S. Supreme Court term begins Oct. 5. Justices return to the bench amid record low public approval, with some…

Republicans are losing support among Latinos. It might cost them the House.

Many of the most competitive House districts this year, in states from Texas to Florida, California to Pennsylvania,…

Morocco welcomes women in leadership

The North African nation names its first woman prime minister. Supported by Islamic scholars, new views of women’s…

Houthi militia now leads Iran’s ‘Axis.’ But how much can Tehran count on it?

Iranian officials and pundits laud the militia group’s gains as their own. At the same time, some media coverage…

Why more young Indians are doubting the value of education

As competition for college seats and postgraduate jobs grows, young Indians are losing confidence in their ability to…

Why Howard Zinn became a ‘people’s historian’

A new biography connects the dots between the professor’s labor-union beginnings and the left-wing outlook that shaped…

In Ohio, Sherrod Brown tests an old model of working-class appeal for Democrats

At a moment when many Democrats are arguing over socialism and Israel, Sherrod Brown is squarely focused on the…

It’s now the EU’s turn to avert a trade conflict with China

The European Union and China hold meetings next week in Beijing for high-stakes trade talks, as the EU tries to steer…

Afrikaners, Trump’s priority refugees, settle into American life

The U.S. government is welcoming members of a small South African racial minority as refugees while continuing its…

When students rise up, integrity might prevail

Waves of youth-led protests worldwide offer a chance to reverse the democratic decline. The latest example: Serbia’s…

Recounting cockpit struggle on FlyDubai flight, Israeli passengers return home

Israeli passengers say one of the pilots on a FlyDubai flight carried out an attempted terrorist attack, and tell of a…

After historic migration wave, Ceuta works to rebuild a better sense of unity

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta saw an unprecedented wave of migration this summer that has since put Spain's immigration…

How a British bookstore has extended its shelf life

Katie Clapham offers warm and witty dispatches about her experiences as the owner of Storytellers, an independent…

At the bookend of summer, here are September’s best reads

Monitor reviewers recommend titles by Emily St. John Mandel, Min Jin Lee, and Paul Theroux.

After Iran war damage, US may close some Middle East bases for good

America’s military footprint in the Middle East is shrinking, as the U.S. assesses its role in Gulf conflicts following…

In Hungary, scaffolding rises for a democratic repair job

The former prime minister spent years stripping wealth – and guardrails – from Hungary. Now, the new government is…

As US drifts, Europe doubles down on its political values

While President Donald Trump breaks through American political guardrails, Europe has generally stuck to its standards…

Innovation’s secret sauce: Less fear, more forgiveness

This week saw two massive moments in space and in underground engineering, showing that Americans not only still think…

This Israeli rabbi is calling on religious Jews to condemn settler violence

An Israeli rabbi from a West Bank settlement says vigilante violence by Jewish settlers toward Palestinians is a…

A push to cut SNAP error rates could threaten food benefits

A Republican law aimed at cutting waste in the food stamp program means states are making changes to comply – but it…

How colleges are responding to Trump administration’s ‘call to action’

The federal government wants U.S. colleges to publicly respond to a list of questions about sensitive issues in higher…

Spiking fuel costs add to burden as Syrians try to rebuild, sparking protests

The Syrian government’s recent decision to raise fuel costs, after an earlier increase in electricity prices, led to…

The Swiss take a stand on neutrality

Voters overwhelmingly reject a strict neutrality in the face of foreign threats in Europe, testing Switzerland’s…

Why island nations are the real winners as UN wraps up

The U.N. hears that a billion people are on the front line as sea levels rise due to climate change.

A windy corner of New Mexico becomes a launchpad for one of America’s fastest-growing jobs

A New Mexico community college is a leader in training for wind technicians, servicing the turbines that are adding…

Our world: The week of Sept. 28, 2026

Our World is a roundup from our weekly print edition of noteworthy happenings, from our global correspondents.

5 arrested near British air base used by US in Iran war on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act

The British base has been used by American bombers for limited strikes against Iran. Iran has said that bases used to…