Thursday, July 9, 2026 - The Christian Science Monitor Daily

The back-and-forth talk of strikes and ceasefires in the Iran conflict at the NATO summit this week risks straining the alliance's renewed efforts at partnership and unity, a cornerstone of Western defense for decades. Also: today’s stories, including how the Iran war’s cost to Americans has already climbed well beyond early estimates; how Venezuela’s earthquakes have created a new test for the exiled political opposition; and how aboard the train to Kashmir, a Monitor writer sees a region at a crossroads. Join the Monitor's Matthew Bell for today's news.