The World and Everything In It

Today on Doubletake: the first episode in a three-part series: The kidnapping of Kayla Mueller.
In August of 2013 Carl and Marsha Mueller received a 10-second video in their email. It was of their daughter Kayla, who had disappeared 24 days earlier in Syria. She was thin and dressed in Islamic garb. “I need your help,” she said. “I’ve been here too long, and I’ve been sick.”
The Islamic terror group ISIS had grabbed her, beginning an ordeal for the Muellers that, in a way, still isn’t over.
So today we have a story about courage, and fear, and faith despite hopeless circumstances. It’s also about finding yourself in a position where you’re forced to negotiate. For the highest stakes imaginable: the life of your daughter. With terrorists. With your own government. With yourself. And, ultimately, with God.

Support WORLD News Group at wng.org/donate
Additional support comes from The Voice of the Martyrs, serving persecuted Christians for almost sixty years. Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was imprisoned a total of 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ. Upon his release, he and his wife, Sabina, founded The Voice of the Martyrs to help the families of imprisoned Christians in Communist nations and other countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Today, VOM works in more than 70 hostile areas and restricted nations. More information is available at vom.org/SaturdaySpecial

Culture Friday: John Stonestreet on whether recent wins for whistleblowers and religious liberty add up to real cultural change, two former NBA players pushing the WNBA to define what a “woman” is, and the University of Michigan’s move away from letter grades. Plus, a review of the new Reagan drama The Brink of War, a preview of WORLD’s new Doubletake series on Kayla Mueller, and the Friday morning news.

Support The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donate.

Additional support comes from Cedarville University. Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is 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.

From Unbound’s Ascend program. Leadership training, like-minded peer community, and career prep for young adults 16 and older. Beunbound.us/world.
And from Covenant College in Georgia. Looking for a Christ-centered education with a deep commitment to academic excellence? Located on top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, Covenant College students thrive in a Christ-centered community and are equipped to pursue their callings through a vibrant liberal arts education. Applications for Fall 2027 are open, and students who visit are eligible to receive a grant of $2,000. More at Covenant.edu/world

Iran's threats force a secret escape for President Trump and bring a wave of cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure, WPATH backtracks on its own standards of care, and Britain's homeless population may be undercounted. Plus, a 102-year-old veteran who isn't ready to slow down, WORLD commentator Janie B. Cheaney on renewal without the church, a snake stowed away in a football helmet, and the Thursday morning news.
Support The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donate.
Additional support comes from Covenant College in Georgia. Looking for a Christ-centered education with a deep commitment to academic excellence? Located on top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, Covenant College students thrive in a Christ-centered community and are equipped to pursue their callings through a vibrant liberal arts education. Applications for Fall 2027 are open, and students who visit are eligible to receive a grant of $2,000. More at Covenant.edu/world.
From Unbound’s Ascend program. Leadership training, like-minded peer community, and career prep for young adults 16 and older. Beunbound.us/world.
And from Cedarville University. Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is 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.

Washington Wednesday on the rise of democratic socialist candidates, the South Carolina Senate runoff, and Massachusetts's new abortion law. Plus, World Tour on Greenland’s growing strategic importance, a rural Mississippi chess program built by a secret donor, WORLD commentator Cal Thomas on America's stubborn dependence on Middle East oil, a giant bull's brief escape in Alabama, and the Wednesday morning news.
Support The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donate.
Additional support comes from Cedarville University. Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is 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.
From Unbound’s Ascend program. Leadership training, like-minded peer community, and career prep for young adults 16 and older. Beunbound.us/world.
And from Covenant College in Georgia. Looking for a Christ-centered education with a deep commitment to academic excellence? Located on top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, Covenant College students thrive in a Christ-centered community and are equipped to pursue their callings through a vibrant liberal arts education. Applications for Fall 2027 are open, and students who visit are eligible to receive a grant of $2,000. More at Covenant.edu/world.

A whistleblower’s fight against Texas Children’s Hospital, neighbors helping neighbors through the Spokane wildfires, and a water rights dispute along the border wall. Plus, the debate over labeling AI-generated music, a 150-year-overdue library book gives a glimpse into another time, WORLD commentator Bethel McGrew on the investigation that shut down an organ donation program, and the Tuesday morning news.
Support The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donate.
Additional support comes from Covenant College in Georgia. Looking for a Christ-centered education with a deep commitment to academic excellence? Located on top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, Covenant College students thrive in a Christ-centered community and are equipped to pursue their callings through a vibrant liberal arts education. Applications for Fall 2027 are open, and students who visit are eligible to receive a grant of $2,000. More at Covenant.edu/world.
From Unbound’s Ascend program. Leadership training, like-minded peer community, and career prep for young adults 16 and older. Beunbound.us/world.
And from Cedarville University. Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is 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.