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Mark Sappenfield
There鈥檚 lots of news today, from the ship that hit a bridge near Baltimore to the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 oral arguments聽in a case that could see federal regulations of a widely used abortion pill tightened. So let鈥檚 get to it.聽
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When a cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, it caused the bridge to collapse and resulted in loss of life, loss of a major commuter highway, and the closing of the Port of Baltimore. It also puts a focus on bridges and their vulnerability.聽
Map data from , Reuters
鈥⒙燡apan sells fighter jets:聽Japan鈥檚 Cabinet approves a plan to sell future next-generation fighter jets 鈥� in development with Britain and Italy 鈥� to other countries. The announcement is the latest move away from the country鈥檚 postwar pacifist principles.
鈥� Truth Social stock launch: Shares of Donald Trump鈥檚 social media company jumped more than 30% in the first day of trading on the Nasdaq, boosting the value of the former president鈥檚 large stake in the company.
鈥⒙燜lorida social media ban:聽Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill that bans children under 14 years old from social media platforms and requires 14- and 15-year-olds to get parental consent.聽
鈥⒙燗ssange extradition:聽A British court says Julian Assange can鈥檛 be extradited to the United States on espionage charges unless U.S. authorities guarantee he won鈥檛 get the death penalty.
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Who has the right to bring a case before the Supreme Court? The justices brought up the question of 鈥渟tanding鈥� repeatedly during Tuesday鈥檚 abortion pill case.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the best polling third-party presidential candidate in 30 years, announced his running mate today. His campaign remains a long shot, yet could have an outsize influence on the election.聽
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Since war erupted in Gaza, U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East have come under fire from allies of Iran. The challenge has been to deter these attacks and prevent the conflict from escalating, but the U.S. record is uneven.
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Aging in rural areas is often a narrative of limitations 鈥� or of being left behind. But a growing share of older rural Americans are choosing to stay because networks of friends, neighbors, and community groups can support them.
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Ultimately, 鈥淴-Men 鈥�97鈥� is a blast from the past that resonates in this time, while retaining its ability to present difference in a humane way.
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Three years ago 鈥� before the wars in Gaza and Ukraine 鈥� the world watched as a military coup in Myanmar triggered a violent civil war that has left more than a third of the population in need of assistance. On March 25, one of the country鈥檚 neighbors finally did something tangible to relieve the suffering and, perhaps, open a door for peace.
Thailand sent trucks of food and other essentials across the border to Myanmar鈥檚 Red Cross to help 20,000 displaced people. The aid delivery, one of many to come, was a small step and somewhat controversial. It remains uncertain if the supplies will be diverted by the ruling junta. Despite that possibility, Thailand鈥檚 move is a signal of a rising concern for innocent people in one of the world鈥檚 worst conflicts as well as for the need to keep Myanmar from splitting apart.
The plan for the aid shipments is 鈥渁bout paving the way for Myanmar to once again reengage and engage constructively with the international community,鈥� Thai Vice Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told Reuters.
Large parts of Myanmar are out of the military鈥檚 control after recent battlefield advances by various rebel groups, such as one that includes the remnants of the elected government ousted in 2021. Also, the junta has further alienated its political base, the majority Burman ethnic group, with a new effort to draft at least 60,000 young men and women into the army over the next year. Thailand is now worried about a surge of asylum-seekers. Many in the Myanmar military have already defected across the border.
The Thais have shifted their thinking on the war. A recent election, in which voters favored the progressive Move Forward Party, has led to a new government in Bangkok trying a different approach toward ending war next door. Or as the Thai vice foreign minister said during the first aid delivery, 鈥淲e want every side, all sides, to overcome their differences so that we can be led to reconciliation and peace in the near future.鈥�
Each weekday, the Monitor includes one clearly labeled religious article offering spiritual insight on contemporary issues, including the news. The publication 鈥� in its various forms 鈥� is produced for anyone who cares about the progress of the human endeavor around the world and seeks news reported with compassion, intelligence, and an essentially constructive lens. For many, that caring has religious roots. For many, it does not. The Monitor has always embraced both audiences. The Monitor is owned by a church 鈥� The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston 鈥� whose founder was concerned with both the state of the world and the quality of available news.
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Recognizing our divine purpose to know and express God鈥檚 goodness brings a fuller clarity and meaning to our lives, as a young woman experienced when she transitioned from college to 鈥渞eal life.鈥�
Thank you for joining us today. Please come back tomorrow, when we look at how one area of Canada, long welcoming to immigrants, is wrestling with issues of trust as new pressures rise.聽
