The World and Everything In It

Wed » Five races may show whether a wave is forming — and whether unhappy Trump backers even vote.
Also: Iran’s shrinking leverage, the power of the purse, Jack Smith, missile stocks, and voter rolls. On World Tour: renewed fighting in Ethiopia. Plus: 59 million American adults have literacy skills at the lowest level, a new account of how the FBI’s anti-Catholic memo came to be, and Austrian yodelers find better acoustics in a parking garage.

EP 3498 · Wed Sep 30, 2026

⏳ TIME’S RUNNING OUT: Today’s the deadline to order your free commemorative sticker celebrating 15 years and 100 million downloads. Request yours today—theworldandeverythinginit.org/sticker.

☀️ Today’s stories
› Wednesday morning news
› Washington Wednesday: A wave forming?
› World Tour: The old war, rearranged
› Kicker: Peak reception, underground
› Adult literacy: Sight was only the start
› Commentary: Then they investigated the priest

Thank you for supporting The World and Everything in It ❤️ wng.org/donate

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Additional support comes from Barnabas Aid, providing help for the suffering and persecuted church around the world. Projects aim to strengthen Christian individuals, churches and their communities by providing material and spiritual support in response to needs identified by local Christian leaders on the ground. We also host the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 1. More at www.barnabasaid.org/idop.
From Asbury University: where students are equipped to grow in Christ, prepare for meaningful careers, and build lifelong relationships. Whether you’re looking for an on-campus experience, an online bachelor's degree, or graduate studies, you’ll find a Christ-centered education rooted in academic excellence and authentic community. Learn more at asbury.edu and follow @asburyuniversity on social media.
And from Dordt University, providing student musicians with opportunities to discover, develop, and share the gift of music and bring glory to God.

Tue » Washington is pushing Iran’s oil exports toward zero—but China may still keep Tehran afloat.
Also: A mother lost access to her daughter’s medical records on her 12th birthday—even though the girl was too young to create the email account needed to log in. Students bring Bibles to public school, while a roommate program builds independence on both sides. Plus: Lola the cat spends five days inside a wall, and WORLD’s Cal Thomas on the Netanyahu argument dozens of delegates walked out before hearing.

EP 3497 · Tue Sep 29, 2026

★ YOUR STICKER IS HERE Get your free commemorative sticker celebrating 15 years and 100 million downloads. Request yours by tomorrow: theworldandeverythinginit.org/sticker

☀️ Today’s stories
› Tuesday morning news
› Iran sanctions: Not quite nothing
› Medical records: Locked out, still exposed
› Bring Your Bible: Out of the backpack
› Kicker: Up a wall
› Shepherd’s Way: The house that teaches
› Cal Thomas: The argument unheard

Thank you for supporting The World and Everything in It ❤️ wng.org/donate

──────────────
Additional support comes from Dordt University, providing student musicians with opportunities to discover, develop, and share the gift of music and bring glory to God.
From Barnabas Aid, providing help for the suffering and persecuted church around the world. Projects aim to strengthen Christian individuals, churches and their communities by providing material and spiritual support in response to needs identified by local Christian leaders on the ground. We also host the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 1. More at www.barnabasaid.org/idop.
And from Asbury University: where students are equipped to grow in Christ, prepare for meaningful careers, and build lifelong relationships. Whether you’re looking for an on-campus experience, an online bachelor's degree, or graduate studies, you’ll find a Christ-centered education rooted in academic excellence and authentic community. Learn more at asbury.edu and follow @asburyuniversity on social media.

Mon » The first U.S. social-media addiction verdict may give thousands of pending cases a path to victory by targeting the platforms themselves.
Also: David Bahnsen explains why today’s housing squeeze will have to ease through home prices rather than mortgage rates, why diesel-export limits could backfire, and how AI is driving new energy demand. Plus: the WORLD History Book on Ana Montes, one of the most damaging spies in American history.

EP 3496 · Mon Sep 28, 2026

⏳ ORDER BY WEDNESDAY! Get your commemorative sticker celebrating 15 years and 100 million downloads. theworldandeverythinginit.org/sticker

☀️ Today’s stories
› Monday morning news
› Legal Docket: #nofilter
› Moneybeat: The price, not the rate
› WORLD History Book: The spy who walked in

Thank you for supporting The World and Everything in It ❤️ wng.org/donate

──────────────

Additional support comes from Asbury University: where students are equipped to grow in Christ, prepare for meaningful careers, and build lifelong relationships. Whether you're looking for an on-campus experience, an online bachelor's degree, or graduate studies, you'll find a Christ-centered education rooted in academic excellence and authentic community. Learn more at asbury.edu and follow @asburyuniversity on social media.
From Barnabas Aid, providing help for the suffering and persecuted church around the world. Projects aim to strengthen Christian individuals, churches and their communities by providing material and spiritual support in response to needs identified by local Christian leaders on the ground. We also host the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 1. More at www.barnabasaid.org/idop.
And from Dordt University, providing student musicians with opportunities to discover, develop, and share the gift of music and bring glory to God.

Fri » An elite journalist sent her daughter to a failing school for the “collective good.” John Stonestreet says the common good is not above those in it. 
Also: Stonestreet weighs the decision to cast Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan—a clear Christ figure in C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories—and whether the choice distorts the world Lewis created. He also considers whether kids’ smartwatches are really an escape from smartphones—or just another screen pulling them away from the real world. Plus: Collin Garbarino finds spiritual endurance and sacrificial love in Heart of the Beast, and listeners get the last word on September’s programs. 

EP 3495 · Fri Sep 25, 2026

☀️ Today’s stories
› Friday morning news
› Culture Friday: The nearer duty
› Movie review: Man’s best comrade
› Listener Feedback: The last word

⏳ 5 DAYS LEFT: Order your commemorative sticker celebrating 15 years and 100 million downloads. theworldandeverythinginit.org/sticker (Order by Wed Sep 30)

Thank you for supporting The World and Everything in It ❤️ wng.org/donate

──────────────

Additional support comes from St. Dunstan’s Academy. Classical education, building arts, and Christian formation. Real Life, No Screens. stdunstansacademy.org
From The Voice of the Martyrs, serving persecuted Christians since 1967. More at VOM.org/theworld
And from Cedarville University located in southwest Ohio, committed to biblical faithfulness and academic excellence, preparing students to serve Christ with conviction in every profession. Every one of its 175+ undergraduate and graduate programs are grounded in a biblical worldview, equipping graduates with the knowledge, skill, and conviction to serve wherever God leads. New online undergraduate degrees through Cedarville Online offer flexible, affordable education rooted in biblical truth and designed for today’s learners. Learn more at cedarville.edu, and explore online programs at cedarville.edu/online.

Thu » President Trump’s rare welcome for Xi Jinping is part of the diplomacy itself. China expert Bonny Lin explains why the reception matters.
Also: Xi is pressing President Trump to reduce U.S. support for Taiwan. In Kyiv, civilians shelter through a deadly daylight barrage, then try to resume ordinary life between strikes. Congress confronts uneven rules in women’s sports, and a father passes to his children the Christian rock that shaped his faith. Plus: Daniel Suhr argues for putting classroom technology back in its place, and Yellowstone turns up a very strange lost-and-found.

EP 3494 · Thu Sep 24, 2026

☀️Today’s stories
› Thursday morning news
› U.S.–China summit: Reading the red carpet
› Ukraine: Between blasts
› Women’s sports: No uniform rule
› Yellowstone: Hot spring cleaning
› Christian rock: Passed down loud
› Commentary: Resetting the default

⏳ 6 DAYS LEFT: Order your commemorative sticker celebrating 15 years and 100 million downloads. theworldandeverythinginit.org/sticker (Order by Wed Sep 30)

Thank you for supporting The World and Everything in It ❤️ wng.org/donate

──────────────

Additional support comes from St. Dunstan's Academy. Classical education, building arts, and Christian formation. Real Life, No Screens. stdunstansacademy.org
From The Voice of the Martyrs, serving persecuted Christians since 1967. More at VOM.org/theworld
And from Cedarville University located in southwest Ohio, committed to biblical faithfulness and academic excellence, preparing students to serve Christ with conviction in every profession. Every one of its 175+ undergraduate and graduate programs are grounded in a biblical worldview, equipping graduates with the knowledge, skill, and conviction to serve wherever God leads. New online undergraduate degrees through Cedarville Online offer flexible, affordable education rooted in biblical truth and designed for today's learners. Learn more at cedarville.edu, and explore online programs at cedarville.edu/online.