We’re back, and we have a small New Year’s gift. We’re adding news briefs to The Christian Science Monitor Daily. The idea is (we hope) obvious, and something many readers have said they’ve wanted. After our lead story, you’ll see a short list of today’s top news.   

If you want to read the full briefs, which are taken from wire services, click on the link below the bulleted list. That takes you to our news briefs page, with all the briefs from recent days as well as links to Monitor stories that offer added depth. Please let us know what you think at editor@csmonitor.com.