The World and Everything in It: October 24, 2024

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Good morning!

Californians will vote on whether to reverse some of the unintended consequences of reducing criminal penalties on some theft and drug crimes.

STEPHAN: We're kind of spinning our wheels with no real change. That is an unacceptable cost.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Also China continues to stir up tensions in the Pacific. We’ll have a report.

And in the age of online shopping and big box stores, how do small businesses survive?

HANES: We’re not operating from a posture of fear and trembling. We’re confident, we’re good. We got this.

And commentary from Cal Thomas on Florida’s ballot measure that could legalize marijuana.

REICHARD: It’s Thursday, October 24th. This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

BROWN: And I’m Myrna Brown. Good morning!

Up next, Kristen Flavin with today’s news.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, NEWS ANCHOR: North Korea in Russia » North Korean soldiers may be joining Russia's fight against Ukraine.

Yesterday U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin publicly confirmed what leaders of Ukraine and South Korea had already alleged.

AUSTIN: There is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia.

DPRK there referring to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea—the official name of North Korea.

South Korean officials say about 3,000 North Korean soldiers are currently in Russia, and an additional 7,000 are expected to join them by the end of the year.

Austin says if those soldiers intend to take part in the war against Ukraine, it’ll have far reaching effects.

AUSTIN: That is a very, very serious issue and it will have impacts not only in Europe. It will also impact things in the Indo-Pacific as well.

Republican Senator Lindsay Graham wasted no time yesterday in blaming President Biden for the apparent escalation.

GRAHAM: There's no deterrence. Deterrence has been lost everywhere. So North Korea feels comfortable joining Russia trying to destroy Ukraine says all you need to know about lack of deterrence.

South Korean officials say Russia has hired a large number of Korean translators and is teaching the soldiers how to use its standard military equipment, as well as engage in specialized drone warfare.

SOUND: [Large blasts in Beirut]

Israel Update » Large blasts rocked southern Beirut last night, as Israel continued its ongoing bombardment of the Lebanese capital.

Health officials there say more than two dozen people were killed.

Earlier, the Lebanese-based terror group Hezbollah confirmed that one of its top leaders died in an Israeli airstrike. Hashem Safieddine was widely expected to be the group's next leader after its former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, died in a similar strike last month.

But Hezbollah launched attacks of its own yesterday:

SOUND: [Flames from rocket attack]

Flames poured from a building in northern Israel after Israel's military says more than 80 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon.

All of this comes as Israel has promised to retaliate against Iran after Iran launched a barrage of nearly 200 missiles at Israel earlier this month.

GALLANT: [Speaking in Hebrew]

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant telling Israeli Air Force pilots there that their efforts will play a central role in any attack of Iran and that once the attack is done the world will truly understand their skills.

Blinken Middle East tour » Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken was in Israel yesterday hoping to help ease tensions in the region.

Speaking from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv,- he urged Israel and the Gaza-based terror group Hamas to agree to a cease-fire.

He said since the October 7th terror attacks, Israel has dismantled Hamas's military capacity, destroyed much of its arsenal, and eliminated its senior leadership.

BLINKEN: Now is the time to turn those successes into an enduring strategic success. And there really are two things left to do: Get the hostages home and bring the war to an end with an understanding of what will follow.

Hamas is still holding more than 100 hostages taken on October 7th. Many of those hostages are believed to be dead.

Terror attack in Turkey » Five people are dead and nearly two-dozen were wounded in Turkey yesterday after what authorities there are calling a terrorist attack.

Witnesses say they heard gunfire and an explosion at the Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters.

It's believed two suspects were involved in the attack. Both attackers were killed.

To date, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

YERLIKAYA: [Speaking in Turkish]

Turkey's interior minister says the attack was similar to those previously carried out by the Kurdistan Workers Party, a group he characterizes as a terrorist organization.

Yesterday the Biden administration offered its condolences. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby:

KIRBY: Our prayers are with all of those affected and their families, and of course also the people of Turkey at this very difficult time.

Kirby added that regardless of the motive, the U.S. strongly condemned the act of violence.

SOUND: [APPLAUSE AFTER SIGNING THE ACCORD]

Britain and Germany » After three months of negotiations, Britain and Germany entered into a bilateral defense agreement Wednesday. Britain's Defence Minister John Healey:

HEALEY: We have today signed a landmark defense agreement here at Trinity House in London, an historic deepening of the relations, the defense relations between our two countries.

Healey said the two countries have worked well together for 40 years, but added that their defense efforts have often lacked coordination. He hopes this agreement will change that. 

HEALEY: Today's agreement also sends a signal to our adversaries. We will deter and we will defend against any aggression together.

The defense agreement is the first of its kind between Europe's two biggest defense spenders. The plan includes the development of new armed vehicles, land-based drones, and deep-strike weapons. It also strengthens their ability to conduct military exercises they believe will improve deterrence against Russian aggression.

The Trinity House Agreement is currently only between Germany and Britain, but as both countries have existing defense agreements with France, the three countries may work more closely together in the years ahead.

Boeing losses » Boeing released its latest financial report yesterday…and it’s not looking good for the struggling airplane manufacturer. WORLD’s Paul Butler has more.

PAUL BUTLER: The company reports it lost more than $6 billion dollars in the third quarter ending September 30th. Most of the decline is due to a write-down in aircraft inventory, defense business, and goodwill.

Earlier this month, Boeing announced a 10 percent reduction in its workforce—about 17,000 jobs—as a first step toward turning the company around. The company also said it was going to further delay the launch of its 777X plane, with the first deliveries expected in 2026.

Wednesday’s numbers are the second-worst quarter in the manufacturer’s history. Boeing’s last profitable year was 2018.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Paul Butler.

I'm Kristen Flavin.

Straight ahead: California voters consider a ballot measure meant to curb crime and homelessness, but at what cost? Plus, how small businesses can survive in today’s competitive marketplace.

This is The World and Everything in It.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: It’s Thursday the 24th of October.

We’re so glad to have you along for today’s edition of The World and Everything in It. Good morning, I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard.

Up first: A ballot measure to fight crime.

California’s proponents of Proposition 36 say the measure puts teeth back into fighting crime. It would give local officials the ability to move more people into shelter and addiction treatment.

But opponents warn Prop 36 will reverse helpful criminal justice reforms while costing the state millions of dollars.

BROWN: WORLD talked with local leaders about the measure. Anna Johansen Brown is here with the story.

FRANKLIN: When I walk with deputies and social workers through our encampments, I see a lot of people who are addicted to narcotics.

ANNA JOHANSEN BROWN: John Franklin is the mayor of Vista, a southern California city known for its avocado industry and temperate weather. But the city is also struggling to house a growing number of homeless—despite opening a new shelter in March.

FRANKLIN: We've tried to allow pets. We've tried to solve all the barriers to shelter entry, but still, the problem persists, and it's growing in the county.

Vista’s most recent official count is from January. The annual report recorded 271 residents as homeless. Of those, roughly 170 live on the streets. But despite the city’s efforts, Franklin says many homeless individuals still refuse shelter.

FRANKLIN: On a human level, I’ve gotten to know a lot of the people living on the streets, and I see the impact that, you know, drugs are having on them, depriving them the ability to say yes. We've, on a statistical average, now offered to every homeless person in VISTA to go to our shelter 20 separate times.

Proposition 36—named The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act—adds the threat of serious jail time back into the equation. And Franklin believes that will give him a new strategy to incentivize these individuals to get treatment for the addictions preventing them from coming inside.

Proposition 36 is intended to reform another, decade-old ballot measure in the state. In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47. That measure reclassified simple drug possession and petty theft under $950 as misdemeanors instead of felonies.

And Franklin says that amounts to little more than a slap on the wrist.

FRANKLIN: If you commit a misdemeanor crime, you might be – if you're caught by law enforcement – you might be given a citation, a paper ticket for violating a misdemeanor law. If you do not voluntarily walk into a courtroom on the date and time at which you are given a court date for your arraignment, then you will never be brought to justice.

The 2014 measure aimed to reduce prison overcrowding, and it did save taxpayers nearly $1 billion in corrections expenses. But Franklin and other local officials say those savings are offset with the cycles of crime.

STEPHAN: We're kind of spinning our wheels with no real change. That is an unacceptable cost.

Summer Stephan is the district attorney for San Diego County. She argues this casual attitude toward crime and drug use has made the homelessness crisis worse.

And statistics bear that out. Homelessness has skyrocketed 51 percent in the 10 years since voters approved Proposition 47. Many of these individuals end up homeless due to drug addiction, and hard drug users often sell the proceeds of their shoplifting sprees to obtain their next high.

Proposition 36 aims to interrupt this cycle by creating what’s called a treatment-mandated felony.

STEPHAN: It still gives a first chance and a second chance to be a misdemeanor for those who steal under $950 but on the third time, then you know that you're dealing with more of a habitual repeat offender.

Prosecutors may bring a felony charge on the third shoplifting or drug possession offense. But if the individual completes a court-ordered treatment program, the court will wipe the conviction from their record and connect the individual with job training and shelter if needed.

STEPHAN: A judge tells them you have two doors. One door is treatment that will restore your life and your dignity, and the second door is jail or prison. Then in my experience, people choose treatment – not because they want it initially, but because the alternatives are clear.

On the fourth offense, a judge can opt to send the offender to state prison.

Support for Proposition 36 crosses the political aisle. A survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 7 in 10 likely voters in the state approve, including 85 percent of Republicans and 63 percent of Democrats.

BALDASSARE: It's the measure on the ballot that's getting the most interest and the most support, and people say the outcome is most important to them.

Mark Baldassare directed the survey. He noted that support may fluctuate as the election draws closer and if more well-known political figures endorse or oppose the measure.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who formerly served as California’s attorney general, hasn’t yet weighed in on Proposition 36. California Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes the measure—saying it’s a step backwards—but major Democratic mayors say they support it. Those include San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

MATT MAHAN AUDIO: We have to have accountability for treatment. We have to give judges the tools they need to mandate that people get treatment.

Opponents of the measure say it threatens to undo recent prison reforms.

MATTHEWS: We all deserve safety in our lives and in our communities. The question is, how do we best achieve safety?

Will Matthews is a spokesman for Californians for Safety and Justice. He says law enforcement should do a better job enforcing laws already on the books. He also warned that enforcing Proposition 36 will cost the state millions….money that could be used to fund affordable housing, mental healthcare, and drug treatment programs that prevent crimes from being committed in the first place.

MATTHEWS: But in fact, it is an initiative that would return us to the days where we failed to achieve safety because we were overly reliant on our prisons and on incarceration.

Supporters of the changes in Proposition 36 say funding programs that people take advantage of is not good policy. Mayor Franklin sees Proposition 36 as a way to change the decision process for people on the street who face the judge.

FRANKLIN: Is jail the right place for people to wind up? Nope, it absolutely is not. That is not where we want to send people. But I need to have the option for jail on the table. If they're presented with a choice between going to jail or accepting treatment, there's still a great number of them who will, in fact, accept treatment.

For WORLD, I’m Anna Johansen Brown with reporting from Addie Offereins.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: China edges closer to conflict.

On Tuesday, China’s navy fired off weapons with live ammunition in exercises not far from the island nation of Taiwan.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: This comes after China encircled Taiwan with dozens of air and sea vessels last week, simulating a naval blockade.

AUDIO: [Chinese spokesperson condemning Taiwan]

BROWN: Communist China’s Foreign Ministry says Taiwan’s claims of independence are incompatible with peace…and so warrant the military drills. Earlier this month, Taiwan commemorated Double Ten Day…celebrating the Republic of China’s origins.

AUDIO: [Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te speaking about resisting Chinese encroachment]

REICHARD: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te heard there saying he upholds the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon Taiwan’s sovereignty.

So why does Taiwan matter to China and the United States?

MARK MONTGOMERY: Taiwan represents a significant threat to China in the sense that it's a clear example of what a successful democratic Chinese government could look like, which does not describe the government of the Chinese Communist Party.

Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery is a senior fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He says the Chinese have two options for pressuring Taiwan to join the People’s Republic of China.

MONTGOMERY: The first one is they could try something large and kinetic, like a significant cross-strait invasion or a comprehensive blockade: The second option he has is to use an increasing level of economic, financial, and cyber coercion in a coordinated campaign that weakens the resilience of the Taiwanese people.

BROWN: Of the two options, Montgomery and other experts think the pressure campaign is more likely.

GORDON CHANG: We have to be prepared for anything at any place, at any time. But I think that when it comes to Taiwan, Xi Jinping knows that he will not start hostilities with an invasion of the main island of Taiwan.

Gordon Chang is a political commentator with two decades of business experience in China and Hong Kong. He’s also the author of a book called Plan Red: China’s Project to Destroy America. Chang spoke with WORLD’s Harrison Watters…and told him that a Chinese blockade of Taiwan would require encircling a nearby Japanese island.

CHANG: That's an act of war against Japan. We have a mutual defense treaty with Japan. So that brings in the United States. And I think just because the region is so tense right now that any act like a quarantine will start a chain of events that will inevitably lead to region-wide conflict.

REICHARD: Chang says President Xi knows the Chinese people are reluctant to fight people they have been indoctrinated to believe are fellow Chinese. And domestic problems with an economy that’s grown too big and is carrying too much debt make the prospect of war more undesirable.

BROWN: But Chang says the Chinese Communist Party can’t stand leaving Taiwan alone, and it also feels threatened by the United States.

CHANG: An insecure regime in Beijing is worried about the inspirational impact of America's values and form of governance on the Chinese people, which means that the party will never feel secure as long as the United States exists.

Montgomery says China is already working to undermine the United States through cyber attacks, influence campaigns to stir up distrust in American institutions, and developing weapons that can threaten the American homeland.

MONTGOMERY: As much as we have poor cyber defenses, we have non-existent missile defenses for the homeland.

REICHARD: Montgomery says China has spent twenty-five years investing in its navy and air force…trying to gain advantage over the United States.

MONTGOMERY: But the last few years of economic growth have not been kind to China. And as a result, they have not kept on that kind of exponential growth curve.

With China’s economy in trouble, Chang says the United States has an opportunity to challenge the Xi regime through economic decoupling.

CHANG: We brought down the Soviet Union through economic means, and we should do the same thing with China, because China cannot afford to attack us without our own money, without our technology. So we need to cut that off.

In the meantime, the United States has options for helping Taiwan keep China at bay.

MONTGOMERY: We have to continue to invest in defeating a cross-strait invasion. We have to continue to invest in countering a blockade. And then we have to invest with Taiwan in making sure we're both in a condition to resist the cyber-enabled warfare.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: An Irishman tried to climb up Mount Rinjani in Indonesia earlier this month. I say try, because Paul Farrel slipped and tumbled 650 feet down a volcano.

Now Myrna, that’s about the height of Trump Tower in New York City!

Get this: despite spotty reception, his phone worked well enough to call for help. Farrel had just about given up hope when a rescue team found him, winching him out using a pulley:

RESCUERS: [Counting in foreign language]

Farrel suffered cuts and bruises but nothing too serious. And he vowed to stick close to his hotel the remainder of his trip.

FARREL: Aaah, thank you brother, thank you.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: PSA here: don’t hike alone!

REICHARD: It’s The World and Everything in It.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Thursday, October 24th.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: mom and pop in a big box world.

Most every business used to be a small business, but as communities became more mobile, corner shops gave way to shopping malls and megastores. Yet, small businesses can—and do—still thrive.

BROWN: I talked to two “mom and pop operations” about what it takes to survive when they’re not the only store in town.

AUDIO: [DOOR OPENS/ BELL RINGS/CUSTOMER ENTERS] Hello, how you doing…alright how ya’ll doing? [DOOR CLOSES/BELL RINGS]

It’s a busy Friday afternoon on the corner of Pecan and Plum.

AUDIO: [DOOR OPENS, BELL RINGS]

That’s the intersection where Lois Grocery sits. A small, brick one-story building in an inner city community. 55-year-old Eric Thompson was a toddler when his mother, Lois, opened the popular neighborhood store in 1970. But today Thompson says running a small business and competing with much larger stores with the same inventory is challenging.

ERIC THOMPSON: I can’t sell at the same price as the big box simply because they’re larger so they're able to buy larger quantities from vendors and they’re getting better pricing.

And some of the vendors that serviced his mother back in the day have dropped him.

THOMPSON: Their focus was big box. The mom and pops wasn’t their focus.

BARISTA: Caroline… Celeste…Danny…

20 miles southeast of Lois Grocery, dozens of men and women lounge on plush sofas, chit chat around tiny tables and operate their smart devices from bar stools. Provision is a 5,000 square foot hybrid market in an affluent coastal neighborhood.

AUDIO: [COFFEE BEING MADE]

William Hanes and his wife opened Provision in 2020, in the middle of COVID.

WILLIAM HANES: Four months later Hurricane Sally came through which was terrible

Hanes says surviving a global pandemic and a major hurricane seems minor compared to the current challenge he’s facing as a local small business owner.

HANES: I was getting asked on an almost daily basis how I felt about Starbucks coming to town and it felt a bit like people expected me to cower in fear, which I get. But I started thinking how do we flip the script on this because I don’t want to take this posture of oh we’ll see. Give me a year and I’ll tell you how it goes kind-of-a- thing.

CLASSROOM: What we’re going to do next week is we’re going to talk about the market size…

Stacy Wellborn understands the tension small business owners like Hanes and Thompson feel trying to survive in the shadow of big box stores. Wellborn is an assistant professor of business, marketing and entrepreneurship at Spring Hill College. She’s teaching the next generation of business owners how to survive and thrive in that tension.

WELLBORN: I believe being an entrepreneur major prepares you to do anything in business. What I am trying to teach these young people is a way of thinking and a way of problem solving.

She says those skills can be used in any business environment, small or large.

WELLBORN: Recently I’ve been doing some housework. If I want advice, I’m probably going to go to Blankenship's Hardware because they’re locally owned, I know they’re in that business. They know the business, they can answer my questions and give me advice. If I go to Lowe’s, I pretty much can walk in, get what I want, check myself out and leave. I can go to Lowe’s without even talking to a human. Those serve two different purposes for me. So that’s how I think they’ll coexist.

But how do small business owners compete with the big box stores?

WELLBORN: Small businesses have to get behind the idea that they’re not going to compete on price. They’re not going to compete on product selection. What they can compete on is relationships and experience.

That’s encouraging news for both Eric Thompson and William Hanes.

AUDIO: [SOUND THOMPSON ON MEAT CUTTING MACHINE]

CUSTOMER: Let me get uh…four dollars worth of that hog head cheese.”

Back at Lois Grocery, 8x10 photos of Thompson's mother, known as Ms. Lois, line the shop's front walls. Reminders of who she was and what she meant to the community. 47-year-old Tremeka Ellis.

TREMEKA ELLIS: I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl. Ms. Lois was like a second mama. Yes, I still come here. Even though she’s gone. I was so glad they opened back up.

When Ms. Lois died in 2020, a heart-broken Thompson closed the store. It didn’t reopen until 2023. That’s when Thompson’s wife Felecia remembered the meals Ms. Lois prepared and served from the shop’s tiny kitchen.

AUDIO: [FISH FRYING]

Today she’s frying up a plate of fish, shrimp and fries to go. Just like Ms. Lois did.

AUDIO: So we’ll have the plates on the table….

Back at Provision, William Hanes is also seeing a relational return on investment in his community.

COMMERCIAL: Hey guys I wanted to jump on here and answer a question I’ve been getting on an almost daily basis for months, which is, what do you think about Starbucks coming to town? To be honest, I think David is greater than Goliath…

Earlier this month, Hanes launched the David is Greater Than Goliath social media campaign. Local customers were encouraged to visit the competition and make a purchase. Then use their receipt to redeem a free coffee from Provision and post about it on social media. And the response?

WILLIAM HANES: It’s been unbelievable. Not so much in terms of people bringing in receipts to get free drinks, but more the community just rallying around us and saying, we’re going to support them. It always feels good to have a rallying cry and that’s what I wanted for our team and for our town was like we’re not going to just sit back and be scared and be victims. We’re going to do something about it.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Myrna Brown in Mobile and Fairhope, Alabama

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Thursday, October 24th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next, WORLD commentator Cal Thomas on Florida’s Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment that will legalize marrijuana if enough Floridians vote for it.

CAL THOMAS, COMMENTATOR: As in most presidential election years, state ballot measures are usually overlooked or downplayed by the national media. One is in Florida where a proposal would legalize cannabis to be administered by the state. Marijuana has been made legal in 24 states, three U.S. territories, and Washington D.C.

According to its supporters, Florida’s Amendment 3 would “allow adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.” The measure needs 60% voter support to pass.

The legalization campaign is being bankrolled almost entirely by one company: Trulieve. Since 2022, the major medical cannabis distributor has contributed over $92 million dollars to the Smart & Safe Florida political committee. According to the latest state campaign finance reports, those donations make up the lion’s share of the over $100 million dollars the group has raised. As of August 30th, the committee has spent more than $76 million dollars on passing the recreational marijuana constitutional proposal.

If Trulieve’s bid for victory in Florida is successful, the company will expand its massive influence in the state, where it already has 156 dispensaries. Last year Trulieve reported revenue of $1.13 billion dollars.

This is about money, big money.

The Florida Police Chiefs Association is against the amendment saying it’ll open the door for more crime, homelessness and traffic deaths. But pro-legalization forces are using a county sheriff in TV ads. He claims allowing people to use marijuana will free-up law enforcement to focus on dangerous criminals and drugs.

What the ads don’t say is the effects marijuana has. Not only in the potential for distracted driving, but causing severe mental health issues. Marijuana has been promoted as a “safe” drug, but a New York Times investigation found otherwise.

Times reporters discovered that nationwide psychiatrists are treating a rising number of marijuana users for “delusions, paranoia and other symptoms of psychosis.” The story also reports that hospital emergency departments are encountering many patients with severe vomiting induced by the drug—a once rare condition that the article says is now common. One doctor describes them as: “writhing around in pain.”

It’s a myth that people can’t become addicted to marijuana. As the Times reported: “About 18 million people — nearly a third of all users ages 18 and up — have reported symptoms of cannabis use disorder.” That would mean they continue to use the drug despite significant negative effects on their lives. Of those, about three million people are considered addicted.

What happens when marijuana users get behind the wheel of a car and are as incapacitated as they might be had they consumed more than the legal limit of alcohol? Should someone be killed, those promoting legalization of the drug will be partially responsible.

One of the purposes of the law is to restrain people from causing harm to themselves and society. It’s why Amendment 3 and similar ballot measures should be defeated.

I’m Cal Thomas.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Tomorrow: John Stonestreet is back on Culture Friday. We’ll talk more about what’s at stake with Florida’s Amendment 3…plus, when humor isn’t funny.

And, Collin Garbarino reviews “Conclave,” a political thriller set in the heart of the Vatican.

That and more tomorrow.

I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard.

The World and Everything in It comes to you from WORLD Radio.

WORLD’s mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires.

The Bible records the Lord saying: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet! But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’ Jeremiah 6:16-17.

Go now in grace and peace.

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