Wednesday, August 19, 2026 - The Christian Science Monitor Daily

In the United Nations’ 80 years, it has been led by nine secretaries-general, none of them women. But as the U.N. begins the process of electing a successor to António Guterres, pressure is mounting to shatter its glass ceiling. Four top candidates are women. Also: today’s stories, including how a spate of cyberattacks on water utilities across the United States has spurred calls for increased cybersecurity requirements; a look at the latest Gen Z trend, “Chinamaxxing”; and why the University of Michigan is dropping first-year letter grades. Join the Monitor's Mackenzie Farkus for today's news.