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Wednesday, February 04, 2026 5:53 PM ET

Christian Science Monitor - World

With US-Russia nuclear arms pact expiring, new players like China pose challenges -- As a key nuclear arms agreement is set to expire, the world ponders what kind of arms-control architecture needs to be built to address the geopolitical challenges of the 21st century.

32 minutes ago

2026 Winter Olympics are set to soar. Here are the faces to watch. -- For the first time in 20 years, the Winter Olympics are back in the Alps. At the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, there will be other firsts – from near gender parity to the debut of ski mountaineering.

32 minutes ago

As global trade splinters, India finds leverage -- At a time when U.S. trade policy has alienated traditional allies and drawn middle powers closer together, what do India's recent trade deals tell us about its position in the emerging global order?

2 hours ago

In southeastern Ukraine's bitter cold, troops try to halt relentless Russian advance -- Russia and Ukraine might be negotiating elsewhere. But along the battlefront in Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, where Russian forces have been advancing under cover of drones and glide bombs, peace talks seem far away.

4 hours ago

Venezuela hopes oil revival will ease economic woes. People want political change, too. -- President Donald Trump and Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez are banking on oil for the success of their political futures. But that may not be enough for Venezuelans who want more than just economic relief.

1 day ago

By building a bridge to Detroit, Canada eyes a future less dependent on US -- The Gordie Howe International Bridge will link an American auto city to a Canadian one, even as the United States and Canada are at loggerheads over trade.

2 days ago

Why I love the Winter Olympics -- After covering four Winter Games, our correspondent relishes the moments of "weak-kneed awe" that skiers, skaters, lugers, and snowboarders have inspired.

2 days ago

An Olympic spirit of discipline – and love -- The Monitor's editor-in-chief made a bid for the 2002 Olympics and came away with an essential lesson. In the Olympics, as in journalism, humanity is prized above all else.

2 days ago

Casting disappointed gazes, Cape Town 'aunties' patrol gang strongholds -- In the Cape Flats, a working-class area on the edge of Cape Town, a group of mothers and grandmothers patrols the streets to stop gang violence.

2 days ago

Gaza's Rafah crossing prepares for partial opening -- The announcement came a day after Israeli strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians, according to hospital officials, yet the ceasefire is moving ahead.

3 days ago

Why Myanmar's 'smoke screen' elections could still matter -- Myanmar's junta-backed party has secured an overwhelming victory in the country's first elections since the military seized power in 2021. While the exercise was widely denounced as a sham, some in Myanmar hope it will inch the war-torn country closer toward democratic norms.

8 hours ago

US immigration crackdown has Europeans rethinking 'America' -- The immigration crackdown in Minnesota is hastening the erosion of Europeans' esteem for their long-time ally under President Donald Trump.

5 days ago

The toppling of General Zhang is 'a Shakespearean moment' for China -- For years, China has been working to tackle widespread corruption within its massive army. But with the toppling of a popular general and former ally, Chinese leader Xi Jinping may be sacrificing military readiness to bolster his own power.

5 days ago

As US forces build in Middle East, Trump and Iran are locked in a staredown -- Amassing military forces and bolstered by Iran's perceived vulnerability, President Donald Trump says "time is running out." Replying with threats of its own, the Islamic Republic is trying to restore its deterrence.

6 days ago