3.27.25 Religious persecution worldwide, adoptions from China, and a Ukranian ballet performs Swan Lake

Summary

The World and Everything In It Episode: March 27, 2025 – "Religious Persecution Worldwide, Adoptions from China, and a Ukrainian Ballet Performs Swan Lake"

Overview In this episode of The World and Everything In It, WORLD Radio delves into pressing global and domestic issues, including religious persecution, the complexities of international adoptions from China, and the resilient spirit of Ukrainian artists amidst ongoing conflict. The program features in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and firsthand accounts that provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these multifaceted topics.

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1. Global Religious Persecution

Mary Reichard opens the episode by highlighting a new report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which exposes severe instances of religious persecution worldwide and calls for decisive U.S. action.

Stephen Schneck, Chairman of USCIRF, discusses the commission's findings:

"We identified... more than 1,500 non-governmental organizations were canceled in Nicaragua and last year alone... approximately 4,000 officers to Catholic churches around the country at Easter to block Holy Week processions." (08:46)

Schneck emphasizes the correlation between rising authoritarianism and increased religious repression:

"There's a real correlation between the surge that we're seeing in religious freedom violations and the decay of democracy and the rising of authoritarianism around the world." (14:41)

The commission urges the Trump administration to prioritize religious freedom by potentially designating additional countries like India and Nigeria as countries of particular concern, despite their strategic importance to U.S. interests.

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2. Adoption from China: Families Await Resolution

Myrna Brown and Mary Reichard transition to the emotional story of American families striving to finalize adoptions from China amidst bureaucratic hurdles.

Lauren Canterbury, reporting for WORLD, narrates the plight of Megan and David Briggs, who have been waiting five years to bring their adopted son, Xiaotang, from China:

"We promised this little boy a family, and his country promised him a family. We're asking China to honor their word to their child, and we will certainly honor our word to him as well." (21:17)

Despite initial positive interactions, the Briggs faced significant delays due to China's abrupt termination of its international adoption program in September 2024. Efforts by 105 members of Congress and various governors to intervene have yet to yield results. Ryan Hanlon, CEO of the National Council for Adoption, remains hopeful that the Trump administration can negotiate a resolution:

"These children need a family. We have US Families that want to move forward and adopt them." (20:54)

The segment underscores the emotional toll on families and the unresolved futures of hundreds of children awaiting adoption.

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3. Ukrainian Ballet Troupe Tours Amid War

In a display of cultural resilience, the State Ballet Theater of Ukraine tours the United States, performing Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake amidst the backdrop of ongoing conflict with Russia.

Kristin Flavin and Stephen Schneck provide insights into the significance of this tour:

"They're showing hope. They're showing that there's hope, you know." – Jose Gonzales (28:59)

The troupe, comprising 55 internationally renowned dancers, has conducted 140 performances across 36 states. Despite personal losses, including the deaths of prominent dancers Artem Datchesin and Oleksandr Shopoval, the company continues to perform, symbolizing the unbreakable spirit of Ukrainian culture:

"Dances will go on, choreographers will go on, the work will continue." – Ted Branson, Director of the Dutch National Ballet (28:17)

Audiences have responded enthusiastically, recognizing the performance as a beacon of hope and artistic expression in turbulent times.

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4. U.S. Political Highlights

a. Trump Administration's Vehicle Tariffs

Kent Covington reports on President Trump's decision to impose a 25% tariff on imported vehicles, aiming to rejuvenate U.S. manufacturing:

"This will continue to spur growth like you haven't seen before." – Jose Gonzales (01:18)

The move is projected to generate $100 billion in annual tax revenue and encourage automakers to expand domestic production. However, critics warn it may disrupt global supply chains and exacerbate inflation.

b. National Security Breach and White House Response

A national security breach involving an accidental leak of military strike information on Yemen via an encrypted group chat has sparked tensions between the Trump administration and Democrats.

Cal Thomas clarifies the White House's stance:

"No classified material was set on this messaging thread... no war plans discussed." (02:30)

Democratic figures, including Congressman Joaquin Castro, challenge the administration's narrative, expressing concerns over potential leaks to hostile entities.

c. Department of Education Under Scrutiny

Cal Thomas criticizes the Department of Education (DOE), arguing its inefficacy:

"President Trump's stated goal of eliminating the Department of Education... has begun." (29:57)

Thomas cites declining test scores despite increased federal spending and highlights legislative efforts that threaten homeschooling through stringent reporting requirements.

d. House Panel Hearing on NPR and PBS Funding

The House DOGE subcommittee, chaired by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, scrutinizes taxpayer funding for NPR and PBS, labeling them as left-wing echo chambers.

Catherine Maher, NPR CEO, defends the organization's impartiality:

"I have never seen any instance of political bias determining editorial decisions." (04:16)

The hearing highlights the tension between public media entities and political figures questioning their role and funding.

e. Supreme Court Upholds Ghost Gun Regulations

Kristin Flavin reports on the Supreme Court's decision to uphold Biden-era regulations on "ghost guns":

"The high court handed down the 7 to 2 decision..." – Cal Thomas (06:07)

The ruling maintains requirements for serial numbers, age verification, and background checks, despite opposition from gun rights groups.

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5. Light-hearted Segment: Rebranding Dogs for Adoption

In a lighter segment, Myrna Brown and Cal Thomas feature Adrienne Butnok from Nashville’s animal shelter, who has successfully increased dog adoptions by creating unique, whimsical names for the animals:

"It's a teacup werewolf... a Snacklejack." (23:08)

Her creative approach has boosted adoptions by 25%, showcasing how innovative strategies can address animal welfare challenges.

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Closing Remarks The episode concludes with reflections on the day's discussions and a preview of upcoming segments, including Culture Friday and a new mystery series review. Hosts Mary Reichard and Myrna Brown emphasize WORLD Radio’s commitment to biblically grounded journalism, aiming to inform, educate, and inspire their listeners.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Stephen Schneck: "There's a real correlation between the surge that we're seeing in religious freedom violations and the decay of democracy and the rising of authoritarianism around the world." (14:41)
• Megan Briggs: "We promised this little boy a family... We're asking China to honor their word to their child, and we will certainly honor our word to him as well." (21:17)
• Jose Gonzales: "They're showing hope. They're showing that there's hope, you know." (28:59)
• Cal Thomas: "President Trump's stated goal of eliminating the Department of Education... has begun." (29:57)

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Conclusion This episode of The World and Everything In It offers a comprehensive exploration of critical issues affecting both international and domestic spheres. From advocating for religious freedoms and navigating the complexities of international adoptions to celebrating the enduring legacy of Ukrainian artists, WORLD Radio delivers insightful and impactful journalism grounded in a biblical worldview.

Transcript

[Mary Reichard]

Good morning. A new report from the U.S. commission on International Religious Freedom shines a light on global persecution, naming names and urging US Action.

[Myrna Brown]

Also helpful signs for US Families trying to finalize stalled adoptions from China.

[Stephen Schneck]

I think it can be a win win. These children need a family. We have US Families that want to move forward and adopt them.

[Myrna Brown]

And a Ukrainian ballet company is touring the US Highlight the importance of art during a time of war.

[Cal Thomas]

I feel that it actually helps entice.

[Kristin Flavin]

Art and how to express what's happening.

[Myrna Brown]

And world commentator Cal Thomas says the Department of Education has not lived up to its name.

[Mary Reichard]

It's Thursday, March 27th. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Mary Reichert.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Erna Brown. Good morning.

[Mary Reichard]

Time now for the news. Here's Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump says he is placing 25% tariffs on imported vehicles. It's a move he says will bring more jobs and manufacturing back to the.

[Jose Gonzales]

US this will continue to spur growth like you haven't seen before. I was elected, we were losing all of our plants that were being built in Mexico and Canada and other places.

[Kent Covington]

The president predicted that the auto tariff will also generate $100 billion in tax revenue annually. Trump said many automakers already have plants in the United States that are currently underutilized, so they'll be able to expand.

[Jose Gonzales]

Them inexpensively and quickly.

[Kent Covington]

Meantime, in Savannah, Georgia, Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz showed off a new $8 billion electric vehicle plant. He said the company made the decision to build it during Trump's first administration.

[Stephen Schneck]

And this plant couldn't come at a.

[Jose Gonzales]

Better time than now because all the.

[Stephen Schneck]

Cars we would produce here are going to be exempted from me tariff.

[Kent Covington]

But some say the new auto import tariff could hurt automakers that depend on global supply chains. And critics of Trump's tariff policies in general predict they will fuel inflation. The Trump administration continues to clash with Democrats in the wake of a national security breach. The White House says when a journalist was mistakenly looped in on an encrypted group chat about military strikes in Yemen.

[Cal Thomas]

No classified material was set on this messaging thread. There were no locations, no sources or methods revealed, and there were certainly no war plans discussed.

[Kent Covington]

Press secretary Caroline Levitt. But the editor of the Atlantic said he saw information on the timing of airstrikes against Houthi terrorist targets, as well as information about specific weapons packages. And Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro, who serves on the House Intel Committee, shot back at the White House. The idea that this information, if it was presented to our committee, would not be classified, y'all know is a lie. That's ridiculous. The top Democrat on that committee, Jim Himes, said the Russians or Chinese could have gotten a hold of that information and passed it along to the Houthis.

[Jose Gonzales]

I think that it's by the awesome grace of God that we are not mourning dead pilots right now.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump on Wednesday suggested that the ordeal has been overblown and adding that the military strike was successful, no harm done, and that the error will be rectified. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is leading an investigation into how the breach occurred. On Capitol Hill, a House panel held a hearing to take a hard look at taxpayer funding of NPR and pbs. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene chairs the House DOGE subcommittee.

[Kristin Flavin]

The news that these entities produce is either resented or increasingly tuned out and turned off by most of the hard working Americans who are forced to pay.

[Kent Covington]

For it, greene and other Republicans on the panel said. That's because NPR and PBS have, in their view, increasingly become left wing echo chambers. But National Public Radio CEO Catherine Maher pushed back when questioned by Congressman Jim Jordan.

[Jose Gonzales]

Is NPR biased?

[Stephen Schneck]

Congressman I have never seen any instance of never of political bias determining editorial decisions Now.

[Kent Covington]

NPR receives about 1% of its funding directly from the federal government, but it receives more taxpayer dollars indirectly by way of member stations. PBS receives roughly 15% of its funding directly from Uncle Sam. Alaska Public Media CEO Ed Ullman told the panel that cutting funding to public media would have a devastating impact on small market and rural media stations. A rare sight in northern Gaza, Palestinians demonstrated Wednesday against Hamas, many of them chanting out, out Hamas, get out. One Palestinian protester heard there asks Israel to end the war, but then goes on to tell Hamas he's had enough. He says he's tired, no longer has a home, food, salary and has lost his family. Meantime, in Israel, thousands of Israeli protesters gathered outside the parliament building in Tel Aviv. Many of the demonstrators blasted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his prosecution of the war as well as his proposed changes to the country's judicial system.

[Mary Reichard]

It's a corrupted government, some are literally criminals and for the sake of the people and the country we need to go to election.

[Kent Covington]

Many of the demonstrators called for Israel to end the war, but Netanyahu says that can only happen when all Israeli hostages are freed and Hamas is eliminated from Gaza. The U.S. supreme Court says Biden era regulations on so called ghost guns can stay. World's Kristin Flavin has more.

[Cal Thomas]

The high court handed down the 7 to 2 decision on Wednesday. Justices Thomas and Alito dissenting the ruling upholds regulations on guns that consumers assemble themselves using pre ordered kits. They are very difficult to trace without serial numbers and that's one of the things the rules put in place three years ago require a serial number on each kit. The regulations also require age verification and background checks to purchase the kits. Gun rights groups had argued that the federal government overstepped its authority for World. I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Kent Covington. Straight ahead, countries under scrutiny for their role in religious persecution. Plus a ballet troupe that dances in a time of war. This is the World and Everything in it.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Thursday 27th March. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything in It. Good morning. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Up first, shining a light on religious persecution around the world. This week the US Commission on International Religious Freedom Userf released its annual report. The independent independent watchdog tracks violations in countries like China, Nicaragua and Afghanistan and makes recommendations to the State Department to act. Those recommendations include designating a country of particular concern or restricting foreign aid, among other actions.

[Myrna Brown]

Where it gets complicated is when strategic partners like India and Nigeria end up on the list. At a press event Tuesday, Oklahoma Senator James Lankford likened hidden persecution to to mold growing behind the walls of a house.

[Cal Thomas]

There are many countries around the world.

[Stephen Schneck]

That keep the Sheetrock up and say don't look at this part. And what this group is doing is they're pulling back what others are covering up and saying that's disastrous inside.

[Mary Reichard]

So what is behind the Sheetrock? Joining us now is Stephen Schneck, political philosopher and current chairman of ucirf. Chairman Schneck, good morning.

[Stephen Schneck]

Good morning, Mary.

[Mary Reichard]

Well, Chairman, the commission was formed in 1998 to make religious freedom a greater priority in US diplomacy. How would you say Youserf's work has influenced how American officials respond to persecution in a country like Nicaragua?

[Stephen Schneck]

Yes, you know, I think that since our formation in 1998, usurf has proven itself to be incredibly valuable to the United States foreign policy. We identified, for example, the government in Nicaragua canceling the legal status of a of a large number of religious organizations. In fact, you know, by our count, more than 1500 non governmental organizations were canceled in Nicaragua and last year alone. And for the most part those were religious in nature, Catholic and Protestant. And if I could add to that a little bit more since we have Easter week coming up not too far down the road. Last year Ortega Maria regime in Nicaragua sent approximately 4,000 officers to Catholic churches around the country at Easter to block Holy Week processions in the country. So identifying instances like that where we see real religious persecution taking place has been the, I think, the invaluable contribution that USURP has offered to the United States government and, frankly, to the world community since its foundation.

[Mary Reichard]

The State department currently designates 12 countries as countries of particular concern. But USURF has for years now urged the addition of other countries, including Nigeria, India, Vietnam. Now, given America's economic ties to those countries, how does that complicate things to hold them accountable?

[Stephen Schneck]

Our job, our legislation, in fact, calls on Youserve to speak unflinchingly about the challenges to religious freedom around the world. And so our job is separate from whatever the foreign policy concerns of the State Department or any particular administration might be. So we call it out as we see it. Now, as you identify with India and Nigeria and Vietnam, the State Department has bilateral concerns, geopolitical concerns that it obviously considers in these circumstances. Nevertheless, our job is, in a sense, to speak truth to power, and that's what we believe that we do in calling out the persecutions that we see taking place in these countries.

[Mary Reichard]

All right, let's talk about Azerbaijan for a moment. Youserf previously recommended it to be listed as a country of particular concern, but now it's on the special watch list. That's a designation. Now, for listeners who may not know, Azerbaijan is a majority Muslim nation just south of Russia, and it's often at odds with Christian majority Armenia. What prompted that change in designation?

[Stephen Schneck]

You know, we remain very concerned about the large number of imprisoned Shia Muslims in the country. In fact, you know, approximately 223 and maybe even more than that were kind of collected off the streets because the government charged them with, you know, a variety of drug crimes. But we think that's entirely spurious. In fact, you know, we're concerned in general about the religion laws in the country. In Azerbaijan, for example, the government is able to monitor and approve sermons in mosques, and it regulates who could be named as imams. So those are our primary concerns. The situation with Armenia, we see as something entirely different here. Obviously, we're very concerned about the situation of the Armenian minority in the country, but we don't see that primarily as a religious concern.

[Mary Reichard]

But then what about Azerbaijan's actions in the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh, where soldiers destroyed churches and tried to erase Christian history from the area?

[Stephen Schneck]

Yes, we're very concerned, particularly about the government's promise to restore the damaged religion sites in the NK region. And, you know, we're very much monitoring the situation and expect them to fulfill their promises in regards to that restoration.

[Mary Reichard]

Now, last year, the Biden administration did not make any updates to the CPC or the watch list. It stuck with the designations from the previous year. What do you hope to see from the Trump administration in the second term?

[Stephen Schneck]

You know, we hope to see in the second Trump administration what we saw in the first Trump administration. And that was a real focus on the issue of religious freedom around the world. And so we hope, for example, that they move quickly to put out their own list of countries of particular concern, SWL countries and EPC entities around the world as well. We'd very much like to see the appointment of a new IRF ambassador to the State Department, and we'd very much like to see the Trump administration include a religious freedom expert within the National Security Council. So those are the sorts of things that we're looking for in this new administration.

[Mary Reichard]

Chairman, I want to ask you, while you serv's focus is on international violations, some Americans are concerned about threats to religious freedom here at home. Cases like Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who was dragged through the courts for a dozen years because he didn't want to make a custom cake that violated his religious beliefs. How do you see domestic cases in this broader conversation about religious liberty?

[Stephen Schneck]

You know, in fact, what we've seen from Yusuf's perspective, of course, we are primarily focused, only focused really on the international scene. But what we've seen around the world is a spike in instances of repression on people on the basis of their faith and their beliefs. And, you know, so we're very concerned. And this isn't something that's just, you know, limited to, you know, countries on the periphery of America's attention. It seems to us that religious freedom concerns are evident in almost every country of the planet. And so we watch closely and are very concerned about a larger surge of challenges to the freedom of religion around the world.

[Mary Reichard]

Is there any other aspect of this report that you think warrants more attention?

[Stephen Schneck]

You know, one of the things that I would encourage your listeners to notice is that there's a real correlation between the surge that we're seeing in religious freedom violations and the decay of democracy and the rising of authoritarianism around the world. These things seem to be going hand in hand. And, you know, I think that that's something that your listeners might appreciate keeping an eye on.

[Mary Reichard]

Stephen Schneck is Chairman of the U.S. commission on International Religious Freedom. Thank you so much. Good to talk to you.

[Stephen Schneck]

It's an honor. Thank you, Mary.

[Myrna Brown]

Coming up next on the World and everything in it, American families still fight to bring their adopted children home from China. Nearly five years after the pandemic began, around 300 already matched with US families remain in limbo. China abruptly ended its international adoption program, leaving hundreds of cases unresolved.

[Mary Reichard]

Now, with a new administration in the White House waiting, families are urging President Trump to step in. World's Lauren Canterbury has the story.

[Cal Thomas]

Xiaotong is 10 years old and lives in an orphanage in China. The video is one of many his adoptive parents, Megan and David Briggs, have received. Thanking them for their letters and gifts, he ends by saying he hopes to meet them soon. That was in March 2024. One year later, the Briggs are still waiting to hear from Chinese adoption officials.

[Lauren Canterbury]

We had a really nice rapport with them after September. We've never heard anything from them again.

[Cal Thomas]

Megan and David began the adoption process in 2018. They already had a four year old biological son, but had long desired to adopt. David was adopted from South Korea when he was four years old, and Megan has several adopted cousins. They interviewed several adoption agencies before selecting Living Hope Adoption Agency and applying for their China program.

[Lauren Canterbury]

We just had heard from so many people that China's program was so reliable and so well established. There was a lot of transparency early on with the process, and that helped build our confidence about what to expect.

[Cal Thomas]

By late 2019, the Briggs were approved to begin reviewing the files of children in need of forever families. They were hoping to adopt a child who is preschool age or a bit older. They also knew that adopting a child from China meant preparing to bring home a child with special needs, since most children eligible for international adoption have disabilities and deformities that make domestic adoption unlikely.

[Lauren Canterbury]

We were open to either a boy or a girl. But we were excited when we came across on an advocacy site a little guy who just sort of popped off the page. And when my husband came home from work later, I turned the computer around. I say, I just showed him the picture and he said, oh, wow, that's my son.

[Cal Thomas]

On the first day of Chinese New Year in 2020, they were approved to adopt Xiaotang, who has cerebral palsy. Then the COVID 19 pandemic hit and the family's trip to China was canceled. Between sporadic updates from the Chinese government, the Briggs Adoption Agency coordinated an English teacher for Xiaotang, who also acted as a translator for their zoom calls. He was living with a foster family at the time, and the Briggs received videos of him opening their gifts and reading their letters. In 2023, Xiaotang was unexpectedly called back to his orphanage, and the Briggs's received less frequent updates. Then, last September, China abruptly ended its international adoption program without clarifying what would happen to the 300 or so children already in the adoption process.

[Lauren Canterbury]

We understand and we respect any country has, has, you know, they're well within their rights to close a program down if they choose to do so. But there was a lot of unfinished business. Children had been told families were coming for them, and then suddenly that wasn't happening.

[Cal Thomas]

The Chinese government did not formally communicate it was closing adoptions. Instead, the news trickled down from the U.S. department of State to adoption agencies and families. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign affairs on September 5 acknowledged the policy change and confirmed that the country would not send children abroad for adoption. Beijing says international adoption is no longer needed because Chinese families are more capable of caring for orphans and child abandonment has declined. Since the late 1990s, the country has been shifting away from an institutional care system to a family care model in which orphans are placed with foster families while they wait for adoption. U.S. senator Chuck Grassley.

[Jose Gonzales]

Well, that's good news for those orphans. The country's made a commitment to American families that's not being kept.

[Cal Thomas]

In November, 103 members of Congress urged then President Joe Biden to speak with Chinese officials to resolve the incomplete adoption. That same month, then Senator Marco Rubio condemned Beijing's decision and called on President Xi Jinping to allow the adoptions to be finalized. In December, a coalition of 33 governors sent a letter to the White House asking Biden to intervene. Earlier this month, 105 members of Congress sent a similar letter to President Donald Trump asking him to step in waiting. Families told World that days after the letter reached his desk, the Department of State asked each family to submit updated information about their cases and their waiting children.

[Stephen Schneck]

What we want is for the President and his team to reach out to the highest levels of government in China to say, let's make this happen.

[Cal Thomas]

Ryan Hanlon is president and CEO of the National Council for Adoption. While advocates have spent years reaching out to Chinese authorities without seeing any movement, Hanlon is hopeful that the Trump administration can get a deal on this.

[Stephen Schneck]

I think it can be a win win. These children need a family. We have US Families that want to move forward and adopt them. This doesn't have to get caught up in bigger issues with tariffs or, you know, other, you know, world stage issues.

[Cal Thomas]

While the Briggs wait to see what might come from Washington, their adoption agency encourages them to send letters to China.

[Lauren Canterbury]

We send both a Mandarin Chinese and an English copy together so that he can read it in his own language, but also has handwriting, which is far more personal coming from dad. So that's what we have done. And we usually include a photograph or two. We have no idea if those are delivered at this point or if they're just tossed when they arrive at the front door. We don't know.

[Cal Thomas]

The family continues to pray for Xiaotang and hopes he knows they are waiting for him, as eager today as five years ago when they first met.

[Lauren Canterbury]

We are not going anywhere. And as long as we are allowed to wait, we will. You know, we. We promised this little boy a family, and his country promised him a family. We have the letter with their red seal on it saying that this was supposed to move forward. We're asking China to honor their word to their child, and we will certainly honor our word to him as well.

[Cal Thomas]

Reporting for world. I'm Lauren Canterbury.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Letourneau University, the Christian Polytechnic University.

[Jose Gonzales]

More at letu.

[Stephen Schneck]

Edu.

[Myrna Brown]

At Nashville's animal shelter, volunteer Adrienne Butnok isn't just naming dogs. She's rebranding them.

[Lauren Canterbury]

Shelters only have pit bulls.

[Stephen Schneck]

What's this, then?

[Cal Thomas]

A Himalayan fur goblin. That's right.

[Myrna Brown]

Her online videos exploded. Overlooked pups turned into viral stars under hashtag what's this then? An answer to people who say shelters only have pit bulls.

[Cal Thomas]

It's a teacup werewolf.

[Myrna Brown]

We got those, too.

[Cal Thomas]

It's a tater tot terrier.

[Stephen Schneck]

Yep.

[Cal Thomas]

What's this?

[Stephen Schneck]

Listen.

[Lauren Canterbury]

It's a Snacklejack.

[Myrna Brown]

Her pretend dog breeds have boosted adoptions by 25% and counting.

[Cal Thomas]

20,000 followers to over 100,000 in the last four months.

[Lauren Canterbury]

Maybe it's a wild ride. It's really helping these animals get seen.

[Myrna Brown]

Wild butt. Nick's bottom line.

[Lauren Canterbury]

It's working. And if that works for your shelter, too, do it.

[Myrna Brown]

Good girl.

[Stephen Schneck]

Good girl. Girl.

[Myrna Brown]

It's the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichard]

Today is Thursday, March 27th. Thank you for turning to world radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on the World and everything in it. Ballet. It's a cherished part of Ukrainian culture. But when Russia invaded in 2022, it turned the lives and careers of many dancers upside down. Still, for some, the show goes on even far from home. World senior writer Kim Henderson has their story.

[Kristin Flavin]

It's Saturday night at the Dothan, Alabama, Civic Center. Director Clay Dempsey is watching ticket holders pour into the auditorium.

[Stephen Schneck]

First time the Professional ballet has ever been at the Dotha Civic center in.

[Kent Covington]

Its 50 year history.

[Kristin Flavin]

This is the State Ballet Theater of Ukraine.

[Kent Covington]

You know, we try to do a.

[Stephen Schneck]

Lot of things to shift the culture here, and this is definitely something different.

[Kent Covington]

I mean, I was honestly, I didn't.

[Mary Reichard]

Know how well it would go over.

[Stephen Schneck]

But it's going over well enough that.

[Kent Covington]

They'Re coming back January 6th.

[Kristin Flavin]

So a second performance is scheduled for next year. But for tonight's grand event, the State Ballet Theater of Ukraine has brought 55 internationally renowned dancers to Dothan. They're performing Swan Lake. The company is on tour until May with 140 shows spread across 36 states in the US and Canada. William Ward is just glad they came to Alabama.

[Stephen Schneck]

Oh, we were just really interested in the ballet. We drove down from Birmingham and wanted to see the Ukrainian Ballet in particular.

[Kristin Flavin]

Ward says he's not surprised a Ukrainian ballet company is touring during the war.

[Stephen Schneck]

I don't know, it kind of gets them out of the country, doesn't it? And it preserves that for after it's over.

[Kent Covington]

They can go back.

[Kristin Flavin]

Samantha Walden brought her two granddaughters to see the performance.

[Mary Reichard]

Always make memories.

[Kristin Flavin]

They won't remember what you bought them.

[Mary Reichard]

For Christmas, but they'll remember this.

[Kristin Flavin]

She's probably right. It's quite a production. 200 costumes, hand painted sets, the dancing. So on point. Christina Hardy is here with 12 of her students from an area dance studio. Hardy says the Ukrainian ballerina. Ballerinas have matchless style and expression. She believes that's due in part to the war raging in their home country.

[Cal Thomas]

I feel that it actually helps entice.

[Kristin Flavin]

Art and how to express what's happening. During intermission, a ballerina comes to the lobby and poses for a Price with admirers. The ballet company's photographer snaps away. Her name is Anastasia and she's Ukrainian. She describes their tour schedule.

[Myrna Brown]

We have three months from November to January. Then we have like three weeks at.

[Stephen Schneck]

Home and now we're back and have three months more.

[Kristin Flavin]

I ask whether the ballet company is touring because of the war.

[Stephen Schneck]

No, it's not since the war.

[Myrna Brown]

I think it's like already 10 anniversary.

[Cal Thomas]

Of the 2 Wing.

[Kristin Flavin]

But she's not very talkative when pressed about the war. No one in the company is okay. Has the war changed anything as far as the company?

[Stephen Schneck]

Oh, it's a hard question for me.

[Kristin Flavin]

Ballet dancers have not escaped the ravages of the war. One of Ukraine's leading dancers, Artem Datchesin, died after being injured in Russian shelling in Kyiv. Another Oleksandr Shopoval died while fighting with the military in the Donetsk region. Still, despite Russian missile attacks, ballet performances have continued in Kyiv at the National Opera House in the theater's bomb shelter. History underscores the unbreakable spirit of the arts. Here's Ted Branson, director of the Dutch National Ballet, in an interview with with 60 Minutes.

[Stephen Schneck]

Dances will go on, choreographers will go on, the work will continue. Theaters, ballet companies, they have survived worse, they have survived famines, revolutions, two world wars. I think they will survive this.

[Kristin Flavin]

Back in Dauphin, the ballet is drawing to an end. Prince Siegfried and the lovely Swan Princess Odette are center stage. It's ironic that Swan Lake is the work of a Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The storyline is based on Russian folk tales. But as Jose Gonzales watched the Ukrainian dancers perform Swan Lake, he decided the choice makes perfect sense.

[Jose Gonzales]

They're showing hope. They're showing that there's hope, you know.

[Stephen Schneck]

And it's beautiful what they're doing.

[Kristin Flavin]

Reporting for World I'm Kim Henderson in Dothan, Alabama.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Thursday, March 27th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Before the Department of Education even existed, Americans managed to get a good basic education. Some people will ask, why do we need a federal agency at all? President Trump is dismantling it, but it's going to take a lot more than that. Here's WORLD commentator Cal Thomas.

[Jose Gonzales]

How did I, my parents, grandparents and ancestors going back to the founding of the nation, manage to get a decent education before Jimmy Carter created the federal Department of Education? Quite well, thank you. I went to a public school where the basics were taught, math, reading, U.S. history and science without a political agenda. And I graduated from college without help from the government. I paid back my student loan, small by today's standards. Tuition was cheaper then, partly because the government wasn't involved in education to the extent it is today. President Trump's stated goal of eliminating the Department of Education, or doe, has begun. His executive orders downsize the bureaucratic population and federal grants. But he'll need Congress to approve its complete demolition. The failure of the DOE to improve test scores in what was once considered the basics is well known, but it bears repeating. Federal spending on K12 public schools has tripled just in the last two decades. At the same time, proficiency in reading and math declined. If tumultuous meetings at school boards across the country are any indication, parents are increasingly fed up. According to a new Gallup poll, the percentage of adults who report being dissatisfied with public education has steadily increased from 62% in 2019 to 73% today. Just how desperate the establishment is to preserve this failing education system can be seen in a bill under consideration by the Illinois Legislature. If passed, it would severely harm the growing homeschool movement. The bill would require homeschool families to submit forms each year to their local public school that include names, birth dates, grade levels and home addresses of their children. Families who fail to submit the forms would be subject to criminal truancy penalties. Never mind that fewer than 1 in 3 Chicago Public Students can't read at grade level. According to the Education Data Initiative, federal, state and local governments provide nearly $880 billion, or $17,700 per pupil to fund K12 public education. Clearly, the return on this investment is not advancing education achievement. A Wall Street Journal editorial doesn't let Republicans off the hook when it comes to education misspending at all levels. It says, quote, republicans in recent decades have helped Democrats expand the Education Bureau, Democracy and balance sheet. Its $1.6 trillion in student debt would make it the fifth largest US bank. The DOE doles out 270 billion a year, which it can use to promote a president's agenda and please parochial interests in Congress, unquote. That last part is where much of the challenge lies when it comes to reform political agendas, not only in the DoA but in so many other programs and legislation where members vote according to their own interests, not the general welfare. Whatever good the DOE might do can be rolled into other government agencies. Let's lease its current building to private companies and help reduce the national debt. I was not an A student in my public schools, but the quality of education I received prompted me later in life to pursue knowledge in history and other subjects. When Ronald Reagan was running for president in 1980, he told a PBS interview the federal government had usurped education and had proven to be incapable of operating it. No one could have said it better. I'm Cal Thomas.

[Mary Reichard]

Tomorrow John Stonestreet is here for Culture Friday plus a review of a new mystery series and your listener feedback. Now, just a quick reminder that tomorrow is is the application deadline for our next World Journalism institute, held from May 15 through May 31. If you have a young person in your life interested in journalism from a biblical worldview who is currently in college or a recent graduate, it's not too late. Visit WJI World and fill out the application today. That's WJI World.

[Myrna Brown]

I'm Mary Reichard and I'm Myrna Brown. The world and everything in it comes comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible records Peter's sermon at Pentecost saying, men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst. As you yourselves know this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. You crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Verses 22 through 24 of Acts chapter 2 go now in grace and peace.