News & Values
Behind every news event are the values that drive people and nations. See how they offer a deeper, clearer understanding of the latest stories, or sort through all our stories by the different values beneath them.
LATEST STORIES
ResponsibilityMassachusetts towns ban nicotine for a generation. Public health win or overreach?Who is responsible for the health of young people? Tobacco bans in Massachusetts towns have residents weighing public health concerns against individual freedoms and considering what it means to have a “nicotine-free generation.”
DignityUkrainian chefs rediscover their country’s cuisine – after Soviets tried to destroy itUkrainians are uncovering their country’s culinary history – and how its distinctive features were suppressed during Soviet rule.
JusticeCan Syria heal? For many, Step 1 is learning the difficult truth.As Syrians seek to recover from decades of a brutal dictatorship, they want to learn what happened to missing loved ones. For many, the first stop is a notorious prison.
BALANCE
Why Florida and almost half of US states are enshrining a right to hunt and fishShowing a shift in conservation values, Florida voters recently approved a right-to-hunt amendment on the same ballot where marijuana rights failed.
The Monitor's ViewHailing the innocent in SyriaAs political prisoners are freed and low-level soldiers forgiven, the new leaders have started a long process of reconciliation, driven by a balance between justice and mercy.
The Monitor's ViewOne gavel, two hands in MinnesotaWith an even split of representatives in the state’s House, the two parties are preparing for sharing power. Many American voters may wish for such moderation over polarization.
The Monitor's ViewA guardrail holdsAmid the whirl of Cabinet nominations, senators affirm the civic virtues of wisdom and temperance that bolster American democracy.
Want a less commercial holiday? Gen Z tries ‘underconsumption core.’Americans used to call it being thrifty. Then it was Voluntary Simplicity. Today, Generation Z is exploring “underconsumption core,” with an eye for more meaningful holidays and less stuff.
Good is ‘the strongest gravity,’ says ‘Wicked’ author MaguireFairy tales often present characters as either good or bad. “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire asks readers to let go of binary thinking as they consider morality.
COMMUNITY
- Ukrainian chefs rediscover their country’s cuisine – after Soviets tried to destroy itUkrainians are uncovering their country’s culinary history – and how its distinctive features were suppressed during Soviet rule.
How a California neighborhood’s holiday lights bring a community togetherHomeowner light displays draw California crowds – and create Christmas traditions that brighten dark December nights.
Move over, Vikings. Sweden’s new seafaring heroes are knitting grannies.What better way to tell a true holiday story than with singing – and knitting? In Sweden, an island choir comes together to celebrate community.- Why Florida and almost half of US states are enshrining a right to hunt and fishShowing a shift in conservation values, Florida voters recently approved a right-to-hunt amendment on the same ballot where marijuana rights failed.
Malibu’s wildfire threatens my community. It’s also bringing us together.Our writer reflects on honing priorities as the Franklin Fire in Malibu, California, looms.
The Monitor's ViewLongings for home drove Syria’s liberationThe rebel group that felled a dictatorship found part of its legitimacy in calling on displaced Syrians to return home – not just to a place, but to the generosity that makes home the vital center of spiritual life.
COMPASSION
The Monitor's ViewA shield for Gaza’s innocentThe enclave’s most respected Islamic scholar challenges Hamas for purposely putting innocent people in harm’s way. His religious ruling might hasten peace.
The Monitor's ViewMud boots of empathy in SpainA flood of goodwill from volunteers after a historic rainstorm shows that a society can bond in affection beyond sharp political divisions.
As Israel pounds Lebanon, Gazans empathize, yet feel forgottenGazans know what Lebanon is going through, as Israel attacks Hezbollah and as civilians are killed or forced from their homes. But they worry the world’s attention has been diverted.
The Monitor's ViewThe kindly calm after a stormLike many natural disasters, hurricanes often push communities to respond with a climate of trust and compassion.
‘We’re going to take care of you.’ Marine Corps museum offers veterans respite.A new respite room at the Marine Corps museum lets veterans grapple with wounds of war – a big step for a military branch known for bravado.
The Monitor's ViewA Chinese answer to anti-foreigner hateThe killing of a Japanese boy in China evokes strong reaction to Beijing’s use of anti-Japan propaganda as a tool of control.
COOPERATION
With Iran on the decline, a new axis rises in Mideast. Syria is still key.For years Turkey and Qatar backed what had been written off as the losing side in Syria’s civil war. With the Assad regime’s fall, they are geopolitical winners. The Mideast axis of power is shifting, but it still runs through Syria.
How fall of Assad showcases the Biden-Trump policy divide in the MideastThe fall of Bashar al-Assad has created challenges and opportunities for the United States in Syria. But the dissonance between the current and future U.S. administrations is confusing major players in the Middle East.
On Ukraine’s homefront, a DIY drone industry helps fill military’s needsUkrainians are assembling drones at home to help supply the military with the thousands it uses every month in the war with Russia.
It’s more than money dividing nations at UN climate change conferenceBehind COP29 problems in agreeing on a fund to help developing countries face global warming is a threat to the idea of shared global climate action.
Facing Trump 2.0, Palestinians voice rising concern: What’s our plan?U.S.-Palestinian relations under the first Trump administration ran aground over the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, among other issues. A flurry of diplomacy is not dispelling the notion of postelection Palestinian disarray.
The Trump-Harris worldview divide: Fly solo, or with allies?U.S. foreign policy isn’t a top priority for American voters this year, but it matters a lot around the world. How will the next president treat allies?
COURAGE
Ukraine’s Pokrovsk was about to fall to Russia 2 months ago. It’s hanging on.The story of the grinding Russian-Ukrainian land battle is one of an imbalance of forces and supplies, mostly in Russia’s favor. Yet Ukraine finds ways to defy the odds, at least for a while.
Podcast: Why We Wrote This Fluency, curiosity, and a bike: Letting Taiwan tell its own storyThe story of China and Taiwan is often framed in terms of what China might do next. Our reporter went to Taiwan to report a deep story on Taiwanese perceptions of their collective identity and aims. She joined our podcast to talk about it.
Georgia unveiled a statue of John Lewis. It stands on symbolic ground.A statue of civil rights icon John Lewis now stands in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur, Georgia, on the site of a former Confederate monument.
A different gold medal – for gentile diplomats who quietly saved JewsA bill in Congress, already passed by the House, would honor 60 diplomats who helped Jews secure safe passage out of Nazi-controlled countries.
Cover StoryThe Olympic spirit: 7 athletes share tales of grit and sacrificeAs the 2024 Olympics approach, it can be easy to get caught up in the intensity of competition. These Olympians remind us how joyful sporting can be.
CommentaryFor Martin Luther King Jr., the conversation on political violence was very differentPoliticians united after the Donald Trump assassination attempt to say, “This is not who we are.” America’s racial history asks us to dig deeper.
CREATIVITY
The Monitor's ViewInnovation by failure in GermanyThe ruling coalition willingly falls, partly out of a failure to revive Europe’s biggest economy through tech innovation – and a "dare to fail" culture.
Five-star ‘Flow’ and chatty ‘Moana 2’ offer eye-widening animated delightsTwo new animated films – both centered on water – touch on the power of connection. One is our movie critic’s favorite of the year.- Good is ‘the strongest gravity,’ says ‘Wicked’ author MaguireFairy tales often present characters as either good or bad. “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire asks readers to let go of binary thinking as they consider morality.
Want to hear the latest country music? Try Broadway.“Music City,” which opened off-Broadway this month, is the latest show to embrace the country genre. Can Nashville music make it in New York?
They took up arms to fight Russia. They’ve taken up pens to express themselves.Ukrainian soldier-poets are springing up all along the front lines of their war against Russia, feeding a literary renaissance.
NASA launches its biggest space probe to find if life can exist on Jupiter moonPlanetary geologist Erin Leonard of NASA talks about the Europa Clipper mission – and how to see if the icy moon of Jupiter has conditions required to support life.
DIGNITY
- Ukrainian chefs rediscover their country’s cuisine – after Soviets tried to destroy itUkrainians are uncovering their country’s culinary history – and how its distinctive features were suppressed during Soviet rule.
The Monitor's ViewAfrican art that liberatesAn art festival in Senegal coaxes a youthful continent toward a future no longer defined by a painful past.
The Monitor's ViewA ride for freedom in ChinaMasses of young people taking lengthy bike rides at night express both joy and liberty in public spaces. The ruling party wants them to backpedal.
Podcast: Why We Wrote This ‘A bridge to humanity’: Behind a Monitor series on an underreported storyYes, the U.S. presidential election will be consequential. And yes, big powers and proxies are being drawn into high-profile conflicts. Our international news editor tells why and how we went deep on Sudan, too, where a civil war has been devastating, but where resilience and agency endure.
The Monitor's ViewTrading up to higher skillsBehind the popularity of career and technical training in education lies a stronger desire among young people to find purpose.
The Monitor's ViewA tribute to Venezuela’s free thinkersThe winners of Europe’s prize for “freedom of thought” are two opposition leaders who create unity among Venezuelans by respecting a diversity of views.
EQUALITY
The Monitor's ViewFreedom in Iran unveiledA bill that would impose new restrictions on women’s rights has rekindled demands for equality – causing even hard-liners to pause.
The Monitor's ViewEquality is on Syria’s agendaThe Islamist group that took the capital makes gestures toward equal rights for women. Yet it may be emboldened women who sway Syria’s future.
Millions in rural America lack reliable internet. How Massachusetts towns got online.Millions of Americans in rural areas lack access to fast, reliable broadband internet. It's an equity problem that communities are starting to solve.
Difference MakerMany Nigerian girls have been forced to leave school. Mentors help them return.The Stand With a Girl Education Project’s “safe space” curriculum is “girl-centered, emphasizing life skills, numeracy, and literacy,” its founder says.
The Monitor's ViewHow China’s women claim freedomThose with good incomes tout their singlehood and economic power in a quiet movement against patriarchal tradition and invasive government.
The Philippines has held out on legalizing divorce. Is it set to call it quits?While activists around the world fight for marriage equality, the Philippines is grappling with “separation equality” – whether, and under what conditions, married couples should be allowed to divorce.
FAIRNESS
Ahead of Tanzania’s election, Maasai fight to stay putWhen Tanzania’s government asked the Maasai to cast their ballots in the November election hundreds of miles from home, many rose up in protest.
Apology but no cash payments: California reparations for slavery start incrementallyA $12 million legislative package of reparations for slavery’s effects is an incremental first step by California, and considered a national model.
Special treatment? How judges are handling Trump ahead of election.Prosecuting a former and would-be leader may be the ultimate stress test of a nation’s justice system. Donald Trump’s criminal cases are all delayed.
Podcast: Why We Wrote This Immigration stories are American stories. How one writer learned to tell them.Our Denver-based Mountain West writer covers such regional issues as water and wolves. She also has built a fast-growing body of work around immigrants and refugees. She joined our podcast to talk about reporting a sprawling story with completeness and compassion.
Two-thirds of Parliament from a third of the votes: Are British elections out of whack?The July 4 U.K. election revealed that the country’s smaller parties are winning a growing share of the popular vote, even as the two big parties dominate Parliament.
These English PhDs helped train Google’s AI bot. Here’s what they think about it now.Half a dozen English Ph.D.s who worked on Google Gemini share their experiences training AI with the Monitor.
FORGIVENESS
The Monitor's ViewThanksgiving as forgivingAn official apology to Native Americans – and a response of forgiveness – can help create the possibility of a mutual feeling of justice.
The Monitor's ViewLook who seeks Ethiopia’s postwar healingLocal communities start the process of justice and reconciliation two years after one of Africa’s worst wars.
This artist turned a forgiveness journey into a film – with the help of Steven SpielbergAs his new movie debuts, artist Titus Kaphar reflects on what it takes to arrive at forgiveness – and to share it with the world.
The Monitor's ViewHistoric grievances, new friendsFrance and Madagascar collaborate to heal colonial-era wounds through contrition and forgiveness.
The Monitor's ViewMercy’s role against human smugglingWhen a criminal transporter of migrants confesses and asks for forgiveness, it opens a new solution for global migration.
The Monitor's ViewHonesty as income in ArgentinaAn amnesty for tax cheats is part of a broad attack on corruption and an attempt to build a culture of integrity.
FREEDOM
- Why Florida and almost half of US states are enshrining a right to hunt and fishShowing a shift in conservation values, Florida voters recently approved a right-to-hunt amendment on the same ballot where marijuana rights failed.
Cover StoryReading, writing, and the Ten Commandments? Why some public schools teach the Bible.As states mandate Bible lessons and posting the Ten Commandments in public schools, religious conservatives challenge separation of church and state.
The Monitor's ViewBuilding peace by disrupting liesA West African journalist, contracted to spread disinformation, charts a path out of fear and instability through contrition.
Civil rights on the red carpet: Freedom Awards honor 3 iconsFilmmaker Spike Lee, attorney Sherrilyn Ifill, and civil rights advocate Xernona Clayton were honored with the National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Award in Memphis, Tennessee.
Cover Story‘I eat the elite for breakfast!’ Argentina’s Javier Milei wants radical disruption.Libertarian President Javier Milei is trying to radically remake Argentina’s economy. Will people accept the pain and give him time to do it?- The Philippines has held out on legalizing divorce. Is it set to call it quits?While activists around the world fight for marriage equality, the Philippines is grappling with “separation equality” – whether, and under what conditions, married couples should be allowed to divorce.
GENEROSITY
The Monitor's ViewA peek into ‘boundless’ generosityResults from this year’s GivingTuesday help broaden concepts about donating time and treasure to others beyond old models.
The Monitor's ViewThe sound of silent givingGenerous donors who prefer anonymity may have many motives, such as humility. One study finds unobserved altruism can increase giving.
The Monitor's ViewReviving the spirit of givingA major report looks at causes for the drop in charitable giving. One remedy: Look at all ways of giving, especially those driven by spiritual thinking.
The Monitor's ViewWorkers of the world, volunteerMore employees want workplaces in which they can donate their time for a greater good.
The Monitor's ViewAn eternal lift from the 2024 OlympicsBoth fans and competing athletes displayed a warm unity that lives on, making the Games more than a distraction from world woes.
The Monitor's ViewA joyful rise in ‘giving circles’As more Americans gather in small groups to donate modest amounts of money for local needs, they are expanding the idea of charity and community.
GRATITUDE
Podcast: Why We Wrote This Feast mode: Our food writer serves up a complicated holiday’s history and hitsThere are the skirmishes over fresh cranberries or canned, turkey or tofu. There may be conflicting opinions about aspects of the first-Thanksgiving story or the latest political news. But from food culture’s evolution to shifting family dynamics, it all works best when gratitude gets its seat at the table.
The Monitor's ViewThe delights of US democracyLocal celebrations of the election process help remind Americans of democracy’s resiliency while boosting their well-being.
As summer wanes, I'm chasing flickers of nostalgia by the campfireI yearned for my childhood summers by the lake. With my son, I have a chance to revisit that enchantment.
He sought asylum. She was seeking to help. Friday, he graduated from law school.At a time of increasing news avoidance by people who feel depressed by conflicts and calamities, news engagement can have the potential to do something very different: inspire and transform lives.
Kharkiv hails Biden’s OK to strike inside Russia: ‘We’ve been waiting’Throughout the war in Ukraine, a recurring theme has been Kyiv’s gratitude for U.S. military aid tinged with impatience over its timeliness. President Biden’s decision to allow some use of U.S. weapons against targets in Russia fits the pattern.
The Monitor's ViewGratitude as a global change agentUkraine’s leader has learned that being grateful for foreign aid helps bring more aid. On other global issues, appreciation of progress has opened windows.
HONESTY
Difference MakerIn Malawi, sex and mental health can be taboo topics. Not on this radio show.Farm Radio Trust harnesses the power of radio to help the young people of Malawi share their experiences on difficult subjects.
Cover StoryMoody chickens? Playful bumblebees? Science decodes the rich inner lives of animals.New science shows that farm animals and other creatures exhibit signs of conscious experience. How should this make us see them – and ourselves?
The Monitor's ViewThe light in CubaAn acute electricity crisis in the island nation may be stirring accountability and transparency.
The Monitor's ViewWinning elections with voices of truthOne of Europe’s smaller nations finds it can counter a Russian-led "firehose of falsehoods."
The Monitor's ViewSigns of a ‘South Asian Spring’Sri Lanka’s election fits a pattern in the region as more voters expect honesty in leaders and equality in their rule.
The Monitor's ViewClean forestry as a social yardstickA court halts illegal logging in Argentina, citing alleged corruption – and the need for integrity in governance.
HOPE
Waves of joy flood Damascus. But an undercurrent of distrust lingers.The magnitude of the emotions sweeping Damascus cannot be overstated, as our correspondents are witnessing. Unbridled joy is replacing years of terror and unspeakable loss. But the task of restoring order, and faith in a peaceful future, is enormous.
Time to go home? Hezbollah ceasefire offers northern Israelis hope.Northern Israel offered residents a relaxed refuge away from the country’s crowded center. Now a ceasefire with Hezbollah, bolstered by the fall of Syria’s government, offers northerners displaced by war hope that they can return home.
For Syrians, Assad is in the past: ‘The thing we all have now is hope’After decades of repression, the pace of political change in Syria over the weekend was stunning. But resetting the country’s institutions and reassuring the public will be painstakingly slow.
Ukraine’s jittery new reality: ‘Work with Trump and hope for the best’Ukrainians followed the U.S. presidential contest almost as if it were their own, nervously expressing the sense that their country’s future hung in the balance of an election in which they had no say.
UN schools in Gaza shaped our reporter’s childhood. She worries for the future.The Israeli parliament’s ban on U.N. Relief and Works Agency operations in Israel threatens humanitarian aid to Gaza and its schools.
A journalist recounts his daughter’s miraculous birth in war-torn SudanA journalist recounts the experience of his daughter’s birth in Sudan amid the country’s brutal civil war.
HUMILITY
The Monitor's ViewThe new stoic ArgentineA people highly dependent on government show unusual patience as a reformist president drives down inflation and opens up the economy.
The Monitor's ViewThe force of contrition this Oct. 7A year of conflict in the Middle East – and beyond – has led many to reflect on their roles in causing friction and on ways to end it.
The Monitor's ViewHumble pivots to a political centerIn three democracies, opponents are trying to forge alliances. In one, civility and respect are winning.
The Monitor's ViewPoland’s moment of conscienceA prime minister asks his officials to admit their failings and rebuild trust. After all, he’s demanding that of opponents from the previous government.
Podcast: Why We Wrote This On a music festival stage, our writer found folk’s deepest-diving scholarMost musicians’ work is in some way derivative of what came before. Folk artist Jake Xerxes Fussell plumbs and recasts Americana music with respect, attribution, and an alchemist’s skill. A Monitor writer who fell into fandom joins our podcast to talk about his story.
The Monitor's ViewBiden’s meekness sustains democracyHis decision to withdraw from the race reflects a humility that has run through nations’ long experiment in self-government.
INNOVATION
Waste not that broken vacuum. Berlin will pay you to repair your stuff.The city of Berlin pays half the cost if you repair electronics and don't throw them away. That sounds better than it worked out in practice.- On Ukraine’s homefront, a DIY drone industry helps fill military’s needsUkrainians are assembling drones at home to help supply the military with the thousands it uses every month in the war with Russia.
The Monitor's ViewSchools get real on artificial intelligenceMore educators are adopting the technology – with care for its potential abuses – as they catch up with students already using AI.
Difference MakerAbandoned ‘ghost gear’ kills sea life. A Myanmar nonprofit is turning the tide.In 2018, Thanda Ko Gyi launched the nonprofit Myanmar Ocean Project, Myanmar’s first registered marine conservation organization.
Crops, cows, and solar panels? Why farmers are harvesting sunlight.As solar grows as a U.S. energy source, some worry it will take too much agricultural land out of production. In Massachusetts, farmers are finding a solution.
Difference MakerThis app developer is giving displaced young Nigerians an educational lifelineYoung people across far-flung, impoverished areas of Nigeria are learning digital skills in their language, thanks to the creator of a novel app.
INTEGRITY
The Monitor's ViewA shield from war for IraqUnder threat of being caught up in the Iran-Israel conflict, Iraqis listen to a revered cleric offering advice on the benefits of integrity.
The Monitor's ViewAntidotes to Venezuela’s election liesAcross Latin America, a popular demand for honesty and equality is compelling leaders to wield truth in defense of democracy.
The Monitor's ViewA vote that straddles Sri Lanka’s dividesParliamentary elections in the South Asian country mark a shift from sectarian politics to respect for individual dignity.
Here’s what it looks like when voting goes rightAs election results came in, one North Carolina county opened its doors to show democracy in action. The election showed how healthy the process is.
The Monitor's ViewMozambique’s turn toward integrityVoters in the southern African nation confirm a wider trend, demanding leaders who put honesty before corruption and self-interest.
The Monitor's ViewIn Europe, a nod to honest leadersThe story behind a slim victory for Moldova’s vote on joining the European Union reveals a deeper embrace of democratic values.
JOY
Say cheese! Wallace and Gromit return in ‘Vengeance Most Fowl.’“Vengeance Most Fowl” encapsulates everything that makes “Wallace & Gromit” movies such a joy for children and adults.- How a California neighborhood’s holiday lights bring a community togetherHomeowner light displays draw California crowds – and create Christmas traditions that brighten dark December nights.
A reporter hunts for ‘Carol of the Bells’ birthplace – in UkraineOver a century ago, a Ukrainian choirmaster wrote what became known as the “Carol of the Bells.” Our writer sought out its birthplace in Pokrovsk.- Move over, Vikings. Sweden’s new seafaring heroes are knitting grannies.What better way to tell a true holiday story than with singing – and knitting? In Sweden, an island choir comes together to celebrate community.
- Waves of joy flood Damascus. But an undercurrent of distrust lingers.The magnitude of the emotions sweeping Damascus cannot be overstated, as our correspondents are witnessing. Unbridled joy is replacing years of terror and unspeakable loss. But the task of restoring order, and faith in a peaceful future, is enormous.
Five years after fire, a shining Notre Dame is ready to reopen its doorsAfter fire ravaged the Notre Dame cathedral, few believed the Parisian icon could be quickly restored to its former glory. But only five years later, it is set to reopen – lighter, brighter, and better protected from disaster than ever.
JUSTICE
- Can Syria heal? For many, Step 1 is learning the difficult truth.As Syrians seek to recover from decades of a brutal dictatorship, they want to learn what happened to missing loved ones. For many, the first stop is a notorious prison.
As Trump lawsuits unravel, hush money conviction is an exceptionA judge rejected Donald Trump’s challenge to his criminal conviction, saying the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity doesn’t apply.
The Monitor's ViewA questionable pardon’s deeper resonanceThe president’s official mercy toward his son’s past wrongs has many skeptics. But it parallels a trend in better balancing punishment with compassion.
Amid Gaza food shortages, ICC issues arrest warrant for NetanyahuICC issues arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for allegedly depriving Gazans of essential items. Local merchants and gangs worsen the shortages.
Loggers were stealing the forest. These women started stealing their chain saws.As the world’s leaders discuss the planet’s future at COP29, in Nigeria, a group of local women is defending its own forests, vigilante-style.
50 years ago, the UK expelled Chagos Islanders. A court ruling may mean they can go home.Evicted to make way for a U.S. military base in the 1970s, residents of the Chagos Islands may soon return, though many critique the terms of the deal.
PEACE
The Monitor's ViewChristmas in China, the people’s wayDespite the secular trappings of an imported holiday, the Chinese have devised a type of giving that captures the Christmas spirit.
The Monitor's ViewChristmas light for GazaChristian leaders in Jerusalem set a message of light in a region seeking its way out of war.- Time to go home? Hezbollah ceasefire offers northern Israelis hope.Northern Israel offered residents a relaxed refuge away from the country’s crowded center. Now a ceasefire with Hezbollah, bolstered by the fall of Syria’s government, offers northerners displaced by war hope that they can return home.
Trump’s Mideast team: A familiar look for a transformed regionDonald Trump has put together a Mideast team charged with building on his first term’s successes. But in a region shaken by the war in Gaza, can the deal-making president achieve a historic peace agreement with a pro-Israel team?
Why many in Ukraine oppose a ‘land for peace’ formula to end the warShould Ukraine surrender land to Russia to end the war? Opposition had been strong throughout the conflict, but Ukrainians are shifting on whether their territory is inviolate.
Israeli strikes inside Iran cross a threshold. How will Iran respond?In over a year of conflict between Israel and Iran’s militia allies, a key brake on a regional war has been each side’s fear of what the other could do. Does Israel’s latest strike mean that brake is failing?
PROSPERITY
Difference MakerHow young Nigerian women in arranged ‘money marriages’ are getting a new startHer Voice Foundation teaches skills such as tailoring and hairdressing to young women who were wed in the illegal yet long-standing “money marriage” custom.
How a revered starchy side dish helped choose Ghana’s next presidentWant to understand why Ghanaians just elected the opposition candidate, John Mahama, as president? Look no further than their favorite food, kenkey.
In the race to attract students, historically Black colleges sprint out frontFreshman enrollment declined at colleges for the first time since 2020. But some historically Black colleges and universities are experiencing record increases. What’s behind their success?
Intel is coming. Ohio community colleges say the state’s workers will be ready.Intel is building two plants at a cost of $20 billion and estimates they will bring 3,000 new jobs to Ohio. To prepare for its arrival, the the company wants to be sure that it has workers ready to go when the new campus opens.
Harris and Trump spar over economic impact of taxes and tariffsThe Trump and Harris campaigns both feature low taxes for average Americans. The similarities largely end there.
What a Tunisian exodus says about the future of global migrationIn an age of global migration, Tunisia offers a window into key stressors driving migrants from their homes.
RESILIENCE
Why Zimbabweans keep watching their money go up in smokeThe Oct. 8 fire at a market in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, highlights the fragility of life for those toiling on the margins of a collapsing economy.
As a post-Assad Syria reopens, Syrians ask: Can we go home?As the barriers to movement into and inside Syria have come down, Syrians are racing to reunite with loved ones and visit their former homes, or what is left of them. It is an emotional time, and the destruction they are finding is often vast.
As Syrian rebels advance, what can Iran and its tired allies do for Assad?What can Iran do to help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad defeat newly energized rebel forces? Its anti-Israel “Axis of Resistance” has been overworked and diminished. Yet even as Iran searches for solutions, there are some suggestions it is not panicking.
The Monitor's ViewSouth Korea’s swift rescue of freedomAn unpopular president’s martial law was no match for a people with an inner strength born of repelling despots and invaders.
In wartime Gaza, turning meager olive harvest into oil is an act of defianceFarming by its nature puts people in touch with their land and their traditions. In besieged Gaza, after more than a year of war, the olive harvest and production of its oil are a source of resilience.
Howard University hoped to make history. Now it’s ready for a different role.Kamala Harris hoped to declare victory at Howard University on election night. Today, students at one of America’s top HBCUs wrestle with the fallout.
RESPECT
Where Nazis first won office, Germans are voting for right-wing extremistsIn the German region of Thuringia, where Nazis had their first electoral wins, the extreme right-wing AfD is now ascendant.
The Monitor's ViewOf dogs and dinWith a little help from their four-footed friends, communities are countering harsh politics with civic activities that evoke kindness and respect.- Podcast: Why We Wrote This Feast mode: Our food writer serves up a complicated holiday’s history and hits
There are the skirmishes over fresh cranberries or canned, turkey or tofu. There may be conflicting opinions about aspects of the first-Thanksgiving story or the latest political news. But from food culture’s evolution to shifting family dynamics, it all works best when gratitude gets its seat at the table.
Podcast: Why We Wrote This How to move past ‘othering,’ and toward mutual respectCan the power of civility help heal deep divides, and ease people out of their ideological corners? In this encore episode, a Monitor culture writer brings a solution-seeker onto our podcast to discuss what’s required: “a disposition of the heart.”
The Monitor's ViewThe election’s other messageIn states and counties, a desire for governing by consensus compels more listening to opponents.
Podcast: Why We Wrote This ‘Sharing the human stories’: What keeps our Gazan reporter goingConnecting readers with a story is the work of all journalists. With access to Gaza available only to those based there, the Monitor has relied on Ghada Abdulfattah to be our readers’ eyes and ears. She spoke with two Monitor staffers – one in the Middle East, another in Boston – about handling that unfathomable assignment for a year, and now more.
RESPONSIBILITY
- FocusMassachusetts towns ban nicotine for a generation. Public health win or overreach?Who is responsible for the health of young people? Tobacco bans in Massachusetts towns have residents weighing public health concerns against individual freedoms and considering what it means to have a “nicotine-free generation.”
- Why Florida and almost half of US states are enshrining a right to hunt and fishShowing a shift in conservation values, Florida voters recently approved a right-to-hunt amendment on the same ballot where marijuana rights failed.
- How fall of Assad showcases the Biden-Trump policy divide in the MideastThe fall of Bashar al-Assad has created challenges and opportunities for the United States in Syria. But the dissonance between the current and future U.S. administrations is confusing major players in the Middle East.
Record drought and blazes? The US Northeast awakens to new wildfire risks.After a record drought this fall, and increased wildfires, in the U.S. Northeast, people in this region are talking about better ways to prepare for threats to forests.
What’s engaging these high schoolers? Classes about the election.An unusual election year is providing teachers with something they need: engaged students. Here’s why some high school civics classes keep teens coming back for more.
In a gun-friendly state, parental liability looms following school shootingThe arrest of the father of a 14-year-old school shooting suspect in Georgia may suggest a shift in thinking about responsibility.
SAFETY
FocusTracing fentanyl’s path into the US starts at this port. It doesn’t end there.Fentanyl is an urgent U.S. drug threat. People from port staff to IRS agents are tracing how the synthetic opioid gets into the country – and tracking it down once inside.
Difference MakerFloods are battering South Sudan. This aid worker helps villagers plan for the worst.People with disabilities who live in this flood-prone area of South Sudan have a champion in Daniel Anyang. He delivers support and inclusion to vulnerable residents.
Assad’s fall has rewards for Israel. It’s focused on the risks.Invoking its security, Israel moved quickly to seize border positions and smash Syrian military equipment after the fall of the Assad regime. But can it translate its strategic advantage into diplomatic achievements?
The ExplainerBoston broke a record last year for fewest homicides. It’s on track to do it again.As of Dec. 10, Boston has reported just 22 homicides – a little over half of the 40 it had just two years ago.
Points of ProgressSaving lives with reduced pollution, fewer pesticides, and less worker exploitationProgress roundup: Governments around the world protect workers from exploitation, poor air quality, and pesticides that harm people.
When Hezbollah rockets are incoming, and you can’t reach the shelterHezbollah’s intensified rocket barrages against northern Israeli communities have created conflicting impulses among residents: supporting war, yet eager to end it.
TRANSFORMATION
- With Iran on the decline, a new axis rises in Mideast. Syria is still key.For years Turkey and Qatar backed what had been written off as the losing side in Syria’s civil war. With the Assad regime’s fall, they are geopolitical winners. The Mideast axis of power is shifting, but it still runs through Syria.
- As a post-Assad Syria reopens, Syrians ask: Can we go home?As the barriers to movement into and inside Syria have come down, Syrians are racing to reunite with loved ones and visit their former homes, or what is left of them. It is an emotional time, and the destruction they are finding is often vast.
The Monitor's ViewThe genial core of Jane Austen’s artShe captured romantic love’s foolery, but the humor of Britain’s beloved author rests on spiritual conviction. That trait should not be missed during next year's celebration of her work.- Waves of joy flood Damascus. But an undercurrent of distrust lingers.The magnitude of the emotions sweeping Damascus cannot be overstated, as our correspondents are witnessing. Unbridled joy is replacing years of terror and unspeakable loss. But the task of restoring order, and faith in a peaceful future, is enormous.
- For Syrians, Assad is in the past: ‘The thing we all have now is hope’After decades of repression, the pace of political change in Syria over the weekend was stunning. But resetting the country’s institutions and reassuring the public will be painstakingly slow.
Musician Fantastic Negrito wants to spread the light. He first had to face his past.With “Son of a Broken Man,” Grammy winner Fantastic Negrito tackles his relationship with his father, and considers how to overcome the darkness in our lives.
TRUST
Post Office scandal, the musical? In the UK, news and entertainment blur.Recent dramatizations about the British Post Office scandal are making it seem that entertainment is a better way to relay news than reported stories.
The Monitor's ViewThe role model for Syria’s unityThe public’s post-liberation praise for a famed rescue outfit called The White Helmets reflects a desire for impartial leaders who save all and don’t play to divisions.- Where Nazis first won office, Germans are voting for right-wing extremistsIn the German region of Thuringia, where Nazis had their first electoral wins, the extreme right-wing AfD is now ascendant.
High-profile scandals lead to high-profile local reforms in CaliforniaDriven by political scandals, Californian voters course-corrected – overhauling local government in LA and voting out tainted politicians statewide.- Why many in Ukraine oppose a ‘land for peace’ formula to end the warShould Ukraine surrender land to Russia to end the war? Opposition had been strong throughout the conflict, but Ukrainians are shifting on whether their territory is inviolate.
CommentaryJames Madison foresaw the big question worrying voters. What did he say?Many Election 2024 voters say they’re feeling anxious about who wins. How do you protect the rights of the losing side? James Madison has an answer.
