Christian WNBA star attacked for opposing men in women’s sports, Pakistani Supreme Court releases Muslim murderers of Christian couple, Wildfires in France and Spain have displaced 250,000 people

It’s Monday, July 27th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected]) By Adam McManus Pakistani Supreme Court releases Muslim murderers of Christian couple The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered the release of the final three men on death row in the 2014 murder case of a Christian couple, Shahzad Masih and his pregnant wife, Shama, reports International Christian Concern. With this decision, along with the dismissal of a state appeal against the acquittal of 102 other suspects, no one remains convicted or in prison for the attack. Here’s the back story. On November 4, 2014, in a village in the Punjab Province, a violent mob attacked Shahzad and Shama after they were accused of desecrating pages of the Quran, Islam’s misguided book. The mob severely beat the couple before throwing them into a hot brick kiln, where they both died. While five men were sentenced to death and nine others received short prison sentences, they all were released back into society. Let’s pray the prayer of Amos 5:24. Lord, “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Wildfires in France and Spain have displaced 250,000 people France sent a hulking military cargo plane to dump tons of flame retardants as it battled raging wildfires on Saturday and slashed the final stage of the bicycle race, Tour de France, to redeploy security personnel to the blazes that forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, reports the Associated Press. The giant A400M transporter swooped in low, its long plume of ochre-colored retardant trailing over drought-hit woodlands on the ground that fought flames that authorities feared could spread toward the wine region city of Bordeaux in southwest France, 310 miles away from Paris. Wildfires in southern Europe last week have now displaced more than 250,000 people. Former Maine lawmaker replaces Graham Platner on Democratic ticket On Saturday, former state lawmaker and logger Troy Jackson secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine and will face longtime GOP Senator Susan Collins in November in a race that could decide which party controls the Senate, reports The Associated Press. Jackson replaces Graham Platner, who won the Democratic primary in June, but withdrew from the race earlier this month following an allegation of sexual assault that Platner has denied. Maine Democrats met Saturday to choose a new Senate nominee to face Collins. Trump’s CDC nominee commits to abortion data reporting Former Deputy Surgeon General Dr. Erica Schwartz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, testified last week that it is “absolutely critical” for the CDC to gather reliable abortion data upon which policymakers and health analysts can make decisions, reports LifeSiteNews.com. Nominated in April, Schwartz is currently appearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for her confirmation hearings. Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri raised the matter of abortion data collection and analysis which the CDC had paused in November without explanation. HAWLEY: “The CDC collects data on abortions that are committed in the United States of America through a system called the ‘Abortion Reporting System.’ This system is voluntary, and so a number of states, not coincidentally large blue states, do not turn over any data so that it's difficult to get a picture of just how many abortions, and under what circumstances, are committed in this country. We do know the numbers are going up, way up. Since the Dobbs decision -- well over a million abortions last year. “Would you commit to collect the data on the number and circumstances of abortions, as is provided for in this system, and to work with those states that are currently holding out and not giving it to actually get the data so that we can know we can get a picture of what really is going on here? Will you do that? SCHWARTZ: “Senator, you have my commitment. Abortion surveillance is absolutely a critical component of what the CDC is currently doing. I will look into that.” HAWLEY: “Thank you.” SCHWARTZ: “But I also want to make sure that certain states are not conflating emergency services and hiding abortions in that emergency services case definition. We need to make sure we're pulling out true abortions and making sure that we're really having clear case definitions regarding abortions, so the data is actually accurate.” HAWLEY: “Fantastic!” Christian WNBA star attacked for opposing men in women's sports Sophie Cunningham, an eight-season WNBA veteran, got re-baptized earlier this year to reaffirm her Christian faith as an adult, reports The Christian Post. Appearing on “The Travis Hearn” podcast, she was asked about her faith. HEARN: “What's it like being a believer in Jesus Christ, a follower of Jesus, a woman of God, in the WNBA?” CUNNINGHAM: “For me, to be a believer in the W[NBA] … I think there's a lot more believers than you would actually, because a lot of people don't speak out about it. I am loud, I am confident, and I think being actually a woman of God, it's allowed me to walk into rooms with my shoulders back. I have a different type of swag and confidence about me because I know God has me.” Cunningham made headlines in 2022 when she approvingly retweeted an X post by CBS host Josh Prate opposing trans-identified male swimmer Will Thomas, who pretends to be a woman named “Lia,” being allowed on the women's team. As a result, the Left spewed hateful remarks about her on social media. Indeed, 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “All those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” During an interview with ESPN last week, Cunningham asserted that she does not hate transgender-identifying people, but believes in standing up for young girls in their private spaces. CUNNINGHAM: “I think it's really important to protect children, and that's little girls who are also involved in that category. And so, I do have beliefs. I have morals, and I'll always stand on those and be true to who I am. And when it comes just to protecting young girls in sport and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that.” On July 23rd, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the Trump administration's solidarity with Sophie Cunningham. LEAVITT: “This is something the President feels strongly about as well, and the American people do too. Men should not be playing in women's sports. It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that. “It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophia Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports. We want to protect women and girls. “The backlash she is receiving from Democrats is astonishing. They are clearly very out of touch with the American public on this issue, which is an 80/20 issue. It's common sense. It's rooted in basic biological fact that men should not be competing against women on playing fields across the country.” And ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith affirmed Cunningham’s insistence that men, pretending to be women, should not compete against biological women. SMITH: “I can't applaud her enough. This notion that you're hating on the ‘trans community’ because you are not a proponent of them participating in female sports is utterly ridiculous. Sophie Cunningham said every word right on the money. There's no hate involved. There's only love we're talking about. “But what happened to loving girls who are born biologically as girls. What about their rights? What about fairness associated to them? Smith cited the story of Will Thomas, the male swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, who is now pretending to be female as a good case in point revealing how demonstrably unfair it was to let him compete against biological women like Riley Gaines. SMITH: “’Lia Thomas.’ I'm gonna keep bringing that name up: 400+ in the world competing as a male, transitions to female and he was number one. If we're gonna act like transitioning from male to female doesn't involve an advantage for that trans athlete, I have nothing to say to you. You're not exercising common sense.” Pastor Robert Jeffress' ministry surpasses 1 million YouTube subscribers Pastor Robert Jeffress' Pathway to Victory YouTube channel has surpassed 1 million subscribers, reports the Christian Post. Jeffress, who leads the 16,000-strong congregation at First Baptist Dallas, said the YouTube channel's launch was "an amazing opportunity to share the Gospel through our Bible-teaching ministry. We’re grateful for the response.” Amazingly, the church only launched the channel in 2024. Pathway to Victory was launched in 1996 and serves as the broadcast ministry for First Baptist Dallas and airs on 900 radio stations across the United States. Pastor Jeffress said, "Our mission has always been to pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word, and this [1 million subscriber milestone] is a testament to the power of the Gospel to transform lives." Worldview listener in North Carolina: Your news gives me hope! Karen Heyda in Hillsborough, North Carolina wrote me and said, “Mr. McManus, I was just listening to an episode of your tremendously uplifting, edifying and encouraging newscast. I am deeply grateful to you for giving us the world news from a Biblical perspective. “That Biblical perspective gives me hope. Why? Because world news is typically BAD NEWS. It’s often frightening and depressing. Yet when world news is presented from a Christian perspective, there is hope because Christ, our Redeemer, reigns and we are able to pray to Him and trust in Him Who makes all things new. “Reminding us of this truth encourages us to listen to your news program and to get on our knees and unite ourselves in prayer with and for those we’ve just heard about who need our prayers. Thank you for waking me up to a deeper and better way of responding to the world news today and every day.” 17 Worldview listeners gave $6,320.25 And finally, by Saturday night at 7:00pm Central, 17 Worldview listeners stepped up to the plate and invested their treasure to fund the six-member team behind The Worldview for another year. Our thanks to the McVeda Family kiddos in Great Falls, Montana who raised another $42.25 on Friday selling chocolate chip cookies and glasses of tea. This is their third donation. One lady bought 10 cookies for $20, a glass of tea for $5, and then donated an extra $10. Their initial two gifts, which totaled $347, have inspired a growing number of Worldview listeners to donate $347 or make a monthly pledge of $28.92 for a year totaling $347. And that was exactly what 10-year-old Anna McVeda had prayed – that God would somehow use their fundraiser to excite others to contribute. I am so touched by the McVeda kiddos. By the way, Fred and Cathy in Cascade, Montana, the grandparents of the McVeda Family kids, were so inspired by what their grandkids are doing that they contributed $347 themselves last Thursday. McManus is crying again! We appreciate the donations of Edward in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada who gave $50, Logan and Quinn in Manzini, Eswatini, Africa $120, and Eli who is also from Eswatini, Africa and pledged $10/month for 12 months for a gift of $120. We’re grateful to God for Marty in Roseburg, Oregon and an anonymous donor in Phoenix, Arizona – both of whom gave $200, Jason in Seffner, Florida who plans to continue his $25/month pledge for a gift of $300, and Bradley in Damascus, Oregon who gave $300. We were touched by the generosity of the McVeda Family-inspired donations of Frederick in Kennesaw, Georgia who pledged $28.92/month for 12 months for a gift of $347 as well as Rick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Charlene in Wallkill, New York, and Keith in Watrous, Saskatchewan, Canada – each of whom gave $347. And we were touched by the sacrifice of Sam in Fellsmere, Florida, Brian in Dassel, Minnesota, and William in Lee's Summit, Missouri – each of whom gave $500. Plus, as I mentioned on Friday, an anonymous donor in Naples, Florida has just matched those first three gifts of $500 with another $1,500. So, if you are one of the next 9 Worldview listeners to give a one-time gift of $500, the man in Naples, Florida will match your gifts as well. And we are appreciative of Andrew in Calgary, Alberta, Canada who pledged $50/month for 12 months for a gift of $600. Those 17 gifts add up to $6,320.25. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (drum roll sound effect) $62,383 (sound effect of people cheering) We need to raise $61,117 by midnight on Friday, July 31! That means in order to hit our final goal of $123,500 by this Friday, July 31st, God needs to prompt folks to give an astounding $61,117 in order for the 6-member Worldview newscast team to be fully funded for another year. At this newscast, we champion the truth and use the Bible as our plumbline. So, if you have been waiting until the last minute, this … is … it! We could really use your help. The finish line is this Friday! Would you consider being one of 25 people to pledge $100/month for 12 months for a gift of $1,200, one of 26 people to pledge $50/month for 12 months for a gift of $600, or one of 52 people to pledge $25/month for 12 months for a gift of $300? Just go to TheWorldview.com, click on Give, select the dollar amount, and make sure to click on the “recurring” button if that’s your wish. And remember, if you want to continue your monthly pledge to The Worldview that you started in a previous year, please let me know so we can count your generous ongoing gift toward our total. What does God want you to give? Go to TheWorldview.com and click on Give. Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, July 27th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus ([email protected]). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.