2.4.25 Freedom for more hostages, Sam Brownback on defending religious liberty worldwide, and the concerns about air traffic control

Summary

The World and Everything In It – Episode 2.4.25 Summary

Release Date: February 4, 2025
Host: WORLD Radio
Title: Freedom for More Hostages, Sam Brownback on Defending Religious Liberty Worldwide, and Concerns About Air Traffic Control

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Introduction

In episode 2.4.25 of The World and Everything In It, WORLD Radio delves into critical global issues ranging from the heartwarming reunions of Israeli hostages to the complexities of international trade negotiations involving the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The episode also features an in-depth interview with Sam Brownback on the United States' efforts to defend religious liberty worldwide and addresses ongoing concerns regarding air traffic control staffing and safety.

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1. Emotional Reunions of Israeli Hostages

Timestamp: 07:12 – 10:57

The episode opens with a poignant report by Travis Kircher on the recent reunions of Israeli hostages held by Hamas since the October 7th attacks. Under a fragile ceasefire initiated on January 19, 2025, a total of 18 hostages have been released, including three young women over the past weekend.

Notable Quotes:

• Sam Brownback (07:53): “After 471 days in Hamas captivity.”
• J.D. Vance (07:58): “Those women, 24-year-old Romy Gonen, 28-year-old Emily Damari, and 31-year-old Doran Steinbrecher, were the first to be freed under the new ceasefire.”
• Sam Brownback (08:45): “I'm delighted to be able to tell you that Emily is in high spirits and on the road to recovery.”

The episode highlights the emotional impact on families, exemplified by Romy Gonen’s heartfelt reunion with her mother, expressing relief with the words, “I made it home alive, Dad.” Additionally, advances in negotiations have seen the release of hostages like 19-year-old Leary Allbag and French Israeli Ofer Calderon, although some hostages, including two young children, remain unaccounted for.

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2. US Border Security and Tariff Negotiations

Timestamp: 00:52 – 02:55

Kent Covington reports on the escalating tensions between the United States, Canada, and Mexico regarding border security and trade tariffs. Just hours before a potential tariff war, Canada and Mexico reached significant concessions with the US, averting immediate economic conflict.

Notable Quotes:

• Travis Kircher (01:20): “He'll keep thinking about himself. What could I have done different?”
• Sam Brownback (02:08): “Mission accomplished means 100% operational control of the border.”
• Travis Kircher (02:46): “We will not fail.”

The US administration, under President Trump’s leadership, has intensified border security by deploying over 1,500 active-duty troops and National Guard personnel. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to Fort Bliss underscores the administration’s commitment, with Sam Brownback emphasizing the achievement of operational control as a “game changer” (02:41).

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3. USAID and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Debate

Timestamp: 02:55 – 04:35

The discussion transitions to the controversial stance of Democrats on Capitol Hill aiming to restrict the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment systems. DOGE, led by Elon Musk, was established to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary Reichert (03:31): “Let’s be very clear, DOGE is not a real government agency.”
• Sam Brownback (04:23): “Look at the 1.5 million they’re spending.”
• J.D. Vance (04:35): “That has nothing to do with what.”

Republicans argue that DOGE's recommendations are vital for government transparency and preventing fraud, while Democrats claim that sensitive information should remain inaccessible to non-governmental entities. This clash reflects broader debates over the efficiency and oversight of federal agencies.

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4. Mid-Air Collision and Air Traffic Control Concerns

Timestamp: 22:14 – 29:55

A tragic mid-air collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport has raised serious concerns about air traffic control staffing. Travis Kircher reports on the emotional and operational repercussions of the crash.

Notable Quotes:

• Gary Steen (25:03): “He'll keep thinking about himself. What could I have done different?”
• Travis Kircher (28:04): “Until somebody stands up and says, we need more controllers, sooner or later, this will happen again. It's inevitable.”
• Sam Brownback (28:30): “The controller did his job before the crash. He did an excellent job.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, with preliminary findings indicating that staffing levels in the control tower were below typical standards. Historical context reveals long-standing FAA struggles with hiring and retaining air traffic controllers, exacerbated by events such as the 1981 air traffic controller strike and subsequent hiring freezes.

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5. Defending Religious Liberty Worldwide

Timestamp: 13:33 – 21:01

In an insightful interview, Sam Brownback discusses the United States' role in promoting religious freedom globally. As the former Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Brownback outlines the importance of this mission and critiques the current administration’s approach.

Notable Quotes:

• Sam Brownback (14:37): “Entails is using the United States to push for this basic human right.”
• Sam Brownback (16:58): “President Trump did a fabulous job on this his first term.”
• Sam Brownback (20:20): “I pray that the United States would continue to be a restrainer of evil in the world.”

Brownback emphasizes that religious freedom is a fundamental right enshrined in the UN Charter and the US Constitution. He praises the Trump administration’s initiatives, such as the first-ever UN meeting on religious freedom and the expansion of the International Religious Freedom Alliance. However, he expresses concerns over President Biden’s administration not prioritizing religious liberty to the same extent, leading to diminished effectiveness.

Additionally, Brownback addresses the impact of President Trump’s decision to pause foreign aid, questioning how this affects nonprofits engaged in religious freedom work. He advocates for a continued focus on religious liberty as a cornerstone of human rights, urging for a reinvigorated global human rights movement.

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6. Ordered Love: Balancing Family and Universal Compassion

Timestamp: 30:44 – 35:17

Andrew Walker of World Opinions explores the biblical framework for prioritizing love, emphasizing the importance of first loving one’s family before extending compassion to neighbors and the broader community.

Notable Insights:

• The Good Samaritan parable (Luke 10) illustrates that neighborly love transcends cultural and national boundaries.
• Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 5:8 emphasizes the necessity of providing for one’s own household.
• Walker argues that prioritizing familial love does not exclude universal compassion but rather structures it, ensuring that care begins at the closest relationships outward.

Walker addresses recent comments by Vice President J.D. Vance, defending the alignment with biblical teachings. He articulates that an ethic of ordered love, deeply rooted in Christian tradition, maintains that while all individuals are deserving of mercy, those with immediate ties have a greater obligation to receive care.

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Conclusion

Episode 2.4.25 of The World and Everything In It by WORLD Radio presents a comprehensive examination of pressing global issues through a biblically grounded lens. From the emotional reunions of hostages to the strategic maneuvers in international trade and border security, the episode offers insightful analysis and expert perspectives. Sam Brownback’s discussion on defending religious liberty underscores the United States' pivotal role in promoting fundamental human rights worldwide. Meanwhile, concerns about air traffic control staffing highlight the ongoing challenges in maintaining aviation safety. The episode effectively weaves together news reporting, expert interviews, and theological reflections, providing listeners with a rich and engaging understanding of the world’s complexities.

Notable segments include heartfelt reunions of hostages, strategic border security measures to prevent illegal activities, debates over government efficiency and foreign aid, and the critical importance of religious freedom as a human right. Additionally, the episode thoughtfully explores the balance between familial responsibility and universal compassion, reinforcing the message that ordered love is essential to both personal relationships and broader societal well-being.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Mary Reichert [00:05]: “Good morning. Tearful family reunions over the weekend as three more Israeli hostages return home.”
• Sam Brownback [02:53]: “This is a game changer.”
• Mary Reichert [03:43]: “Down or ignore federal law.”
• Sam Brownback [16:58]: “President Trump did a fabulous job on this his first term.”
• Andrew Walker [35:17]: “The Good Samaritan and Paul's teaching in 1 Timothy are not at odds.”

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Final Notes

The episode concludes with a preview of upcoming topics, including further discussions on tariff wars and a special report on the Trump administration's decision to pause U.S. foreign aid. The blend of news, expert interviews, and theological insights makes this episode a valuable resource for listeners seeking a deeper understanding of global affairs through a Christian worldview.

Transcript

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. Tearful family reunions over the weekend as three more Israeli hostages return home.

[Nick Eicher]

Also today, the US Role in promoting religious liberty around the world. And later, an air traffic controller talks about last week's crash.

[Travis Kircher]

He'll keep thinking about himself. What could I have done different?

[Nick Eicher]

Also, Andrew Walker of World Opinions on loving our own and our Neighbor.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, February 4th. This is the world and everything in it from Listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Time for news. Here's Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

Both Canada and Mexico backed down just hours before what would have been the start of a tariff war with the United States. Leaders from the neighboring countries spoke separately with President Trump on Monday and agreed to major concessions on border security. President Trump said of Mexico, they've agreed.

[Travis Kircher]

To put in 10,000 soldiers permanently, 10,000 soldiers at their side of the border and stop fentanyl and illegal aliens from coming into our country.

[Kent Covington]

And Canada says it is implementing a $1.3 billion border security plan with nearly 10,000 frontline personnel working their side of the U.S. canada border. All three countries have agreed to pump the brakes on imposing 25% tariffs for at least one month. While they hammer out the details, Trump advisor Alina Haba put it this way.

[Mary Reichert]

They are capitulating to the fact that we have strong leadership that says you're not going to be dumping fentanyl, criminals and all kinds of illegal activity into our country anymore.

[Kent Covington]

In the weeks ahead, Canada and Mexico, respectively will engage in further talks with the White House on security and trade. Meantime, at the US Southern border, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paid a visit on Monday, meeting with law enforcement, border patrol and military leaders at Fort Bliss.

[Sam Brownback]

Mission accomplished means 100% operational control of the border.

[Andrew Walker]

Right now.

[Sam Brownback]

That means a surge of manpower. That means you've seen thousands of active duty and National Guard troops come to the border with additional assets and systems that allow us to surveil.

[Kent Covington]

More than 1,500 active duty troops have already been sent to the border following President Trump's orders, and another will soon be deployed on border related missions. Hegseth was joined near El Paso, Texas, by border czar Tom Holman, who touted new cooperation between federal law enforcement agencies.

[Sam Brownback]

This is a game changer.

[Travis Kircher]

We will finally succeed and have an.

[Sam Brownback]

Operational control of our southern border. With this president in charge and my partnership with Pete Hegsett, we're going to make this happen.

[Travis Kircher]

We will not fail.

[Kent Covington]

Holman said the most dangerous illegal immigrants, such as gang members, could be held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The US Is out of migrant detention facility there for decades. Democrats on Capitol Hill want to block the independent Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE for short, from accessing the Treasury Department's payment systems. And they're working on largely symbolic legislation that would do just that. Doge, which is led by business titan Elon Musk, is an independent office commissioned by the Trump administration to identify wasteful spending. But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says.

[Mary Reichert]

Let'S be very clear, DOGE is not a real government agency.

[Gary Steen]

It has no authority to make spending decisions. It has no authority to shut programs.

[Mary Reichert]

Down or ignore federal law.

[Kent Covington]

And indeed, DOGE can only provide recommendations to the government. Democrats, though, say the Treasury Department info is too sensitive for a non government office to access. But Republicans argue that DOGE needs that access to identify waste and fraud and to ensure government transparency. And Doge and Republicans in Congress say an entire government agency is a waste of taxpayer money. That is the U.S. agency for International Development, or USAID. The agency distributes millions of dollars of humanitarian aid overseas. But GOP Congresswoman Beth Van Doone says.

[Sam Brownback]

Look at the 1.5 million they're spending.

[Gary Steen]

In Serbia, you know, on trans stuff and on DEI things.

[J.D. Vance]

And I'm looking at the tens of.

[Kent Covington]

Thousands of dollars that they're spending in.

[J.D. Vance]

Ireland and other places. That has nothing to do with what.

[Sam Brownback]

The fund is for.

[Kent Covington]

The Trump administration says it plans to shut down USAID as an independent agency and merge it into the State Department. Trump says that will streamline its services and cut down on bureaucracy. But Democratic lawmakers gathered outside the agency's Washington headquarters to protest the move. They call it an assault on an agency that saves lives in the nation's capital, a grim task for salvage crews after 67 people died in a mid air collision last week. Assistant Fire Chief Gary Steen we have.

[Sam Brownback]

Positively identified 55 sets of remains. During recovery and salvage operations today, additional human remains were located.

[Nick Eicher]

These remains, as well as remains that.

[Sam Brownback]

Have been recovered previously are in the process of being positively identified.

[Kent Covington]

An army helicopter flew into the path of a commercial jet preparing to land at Washington's Reagan National Airport. The question now investigators are still trying to answer is why the helicopter was flying at the wrong altitude. Colonel Mark Ott is deputy director of aviation for the Army. There are all kinds of reasons that you could deviate from an altitude. You know, something as simple as a flock of birds is in front of.

[Sam Brownback]

You or, or you may deviate if.

[Kent Covington]

You, you see something that's a, an obstacle or other threat to your flight. Salvage crews on Monday pulled the jets fuselage from the Potomac River. Today they will work to recover the cockpit. I'm Kent Covington. And still ahead, emotional reunions as Israeli hostages return home. This is the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Monday the 4th of February. This is World radio and we thank you for listening. Good morning, I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iker. First up on the World and everything in it long awaited reunion. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has now been in place for more than two weeks. Just this past weekend, Hamas released three more of the October 7th hostages, bringing the total number now to 18. Here is World reporter Travis Kircher.

[J.D. Vance]

On October 7th, 2020, members of the terror group Hamas crossed the Israel Gaza border and slaughtered 1200 people, taking another 250 hostage. Since then, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari says the IDF has been focused on one thing.

[Mary Reichert]

Our mission has been bring home all the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

[J.D. Vance]

When the temporary ceasefire was declared on January 19, that mission came a step closer to being reality. Three steps actually.

[Mary Reichert]

Today, as part of these ongoing efforts, we welcomed home three hostages, three young women.

[Sam Brownback]

After 471 days in Hamas captivity.

[J.D. Vance]

Those women, 24 year old Romy Gonen, 28 year old Emily Damari and 31 year old Doran Steinbrecher, were the first to be freed under the new ceasefire. Hamas militants released them into the custody of the Red Cross and the three were flown by helicopter to a hospital near Tel Aviv. Supporters celebrated outside as the chopper landed. Inside the hospital, the three women were reunited with their loved ones. Audio here of Romy Gonan hugging her mother for the first time in more than 15 months. As she weeps, Gonan can be heard saying in Hebrew, I made it home alive, Dad. I made it home alive. All three of the women were in stable condition. Damari's mother spoke with reporters.

[Sam Brownback]

I'm delighted to be able to tell you that Emily is in high spirits and on the road to recovery.

[J.D. Vance]

Less than a week later, on Saturday, January 25, 19 year old Leary Allbag was reunited with her family. Allbag is one of four additional female hostages released by Hamas. The others include Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa and naama Levy, all 20 years old. But last Thursday, when the third group of hostages was released, the ceasefire briefly hit a snag. Hamas released eight hostages, three Israelis and five Thai nationals. The Israelis included 29 year old Arbel Yehud, 19 year old Agam Berger and 80 year old Gadi Moshe. The hostages were shoved by armed and masked Hamas militants through a crowd of thousands of shouting Palestinians speaking here. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the display, calling it shocking and warning that anyone who harms the hostages risks his own blood. Netanyahu briefly threatened to withhold the release of additional Palestinian prisoners, but those releases continued. The free Thai hostages are said to be in fair condition. Here's a Thai government. Although they look to be in good health, they seem to be in good health. They have been in captivity for 15 months. So it really depends on their physical condition. Meanwhile, while Hamas releases its hostages a few at a time, Israel frees hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. A crowd surrounded a Red Cross bus in the West Bank Saturday as it delivered more than two dozen freed prisoners, one of whom was Osama Aseda. Speaking here, Asida says it's indescribable to be back with his friends and family as well as the Palestinian people. He goes on to say that he's praying for the rest of his fellow prisoners to be freed. Back in Israel, as more hostages are released, the family members of those still in captivity hope that their loved ones might be next.

[Sam Brownback]

We don't know anything, nothing about Keith.

[J.D. Vance]

That's Aviva Siegel. World listeners may recall that we spoke with her back in November about her husband, Israeli American Keith Siegel. Keith and Aviva were kidnapped by Hamas from their home on the Kfar Aza Kibbutz during the October 7th attacks. Aviva was released 51 days later. During the brief ceasefire in November of 2023. When she last saw her husband, he was unresponsive. She told World late last year that she yearned to have her husband home.

[Sam Brownback]

And we just can't wait, can't wait to give him a hug and to put him into a clean bed after shower with a good meal, with a good cup of water. I can't wait, I'm telling you, I just can't wait.

[J.D. Vance]

On Saturday, that wait came to an end as Aviva watched video footage of her husband Keith, gaunt but alive, being marched to a Red Cross vehicle for release.

[Sam Brownback]

Eno Inu.

[J.D. Vance]

Later on Saturday, Keith finally reunited with Aviva as well as his children, including his three daughters. Also released were 54 year old French Israeli Ofer Calderon and 35 year old Yarden Bibas. After meeting with his family, Calderon wave to well wishers outside. But Bibas reunion was more subdued. Bibas hugs his father and sister but many of his family are missing. His wife Sheree was also kidnapped by Hamas as were his two children. Two year old Kefir and five year old Ariel, the youngest hostages taken on October 7th. They remain unaccounted for. Today is day 16 of the ongoing fragile ceasefire. Thus far, 18 hostages have been freed, with Hamas expected to release a total of 33 by the end of phase one of the ceasefire in early March. Israel has already released nearly 600 Palestinian prisoners. When phase one ends, Israel and Hamas will have the option to resume fighting or negotiate an extension. Many family members are hoping both parties will opt to negotiate, paving the way for more reunions like these to continue. Reporting for WORLD I'm Travis Kercher.

[Mary Reichert]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it. Religious freedom, it's a key US Foreign policy priority. The Office of International Religious Freedom goes back to 1998, when President Bill Clinton signed a law that created an ambassador level position responsible to address violations.

[Nick Eicher]

So how is the US Using its influence to stand up for oppressed religious minority groups around the world? Joining us is Sam Brownback. He served as a US Senator from Texas until he became governor of the state. When he left the Governor's Mansion in 2018, President Trump named him ambassador at large for international religious freedom. He's co chairing that organization's annual summit meeting today and tomorrow in Washington.

[Mary Reichert]

Governor, good morning.

[Sam Brownback]

Good morning, Mary. Great to join you.

[Mary Reichert]

So glad you're here. Well, President Trump has not yet nominated anyone to fill the position of ambassador at large for international religious freedom. You have a deep knowledge of the job, though, so tell us about it and why it's necessary. In today's world, what the job really.

[Sam Brownback]

Entails is using the United States to push for this basic human right. That's in Article 18 of the UN Charter of Human Rights. That's our First Amendment right to free exercise. That's, I think, the human right that God gave us, the human right of the soul to choose whatever you want to do with your own faith, with your own beliefs, with your own eternal soul. Yet many governments around the world stomp on this right, and particularly totalitarians, they hate it. And the Communists absolutely fight with it. China's at war with faith. So it's one of those very key clear things that the United States can stand for as a human right that touches the entire world and that really sets us off against our enemies as being different. We view this as a fundamental right. They view it as an existential threat. And it's clear to me that most of the world sides with us on this ideology and not with China, the Communists and the dictatorial regimes around the world.

[Mary Reichert]

Well after your term as ambassador, President Biden appointed the first Muslim to fill the role. Did that White House do anything differently from the first Trump administration?

[Sam Brownback]

They didn't nullify a lot of the programs that we started. So we started an international religious freedom of belief alliance of nations. And when we started, there were 17 in it. There's over 40 in it now. That continued. So that grew during that period of time. They continued to support religious freedom. It just, it wasn't a top priority issue. They said it's a right of other rights. We would push it as a central right in pursuit of freedom. So I think they continued other things. I didn't think Rashad Hussein, Ambassador Hussein got much top cover. He didn't get much help from the president or the vice president or the Secretary of State. And that really hurts in this role. When you travel around the world, if they don't think you're getting backing from the top people, they just really don't do much. If they think you are getting cover from the top people and they're concerned, they'll listen and they'll do a lot more.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, let's talk about some good news now. Always like to have that in there. Where is the US really helping to protect religious freedom either here or abroad?

[Sam Brownback]

You know, really by standing up for it. President Trump did a fabulous job on this his first term. He held the first ever meeting at the UN on religious freedom with world leaders. Nobody else has ever done that before. We hosted at State Department the first ever religious freedom summits, foreign ministers from around the world to talk about this fundamental right. So I look and I hope for a continuation of that. And my real hope is that the Trump administration will say we're going to relaunch the global human rights movement because it's fallen in such disrepair the last 20 years and it's going down. Human rights have been declining over the last 20 years. We're going to relaunch it around the fundamental rights in the UN Declaration and we're going to make the cornerstone religion religious freedom. It's the freedom of freedoms. You can build your other freedom of assembly and freedom of speech around this one if you can get this one right. And my hope is that you're going to see those sort of actions coming out of the White House, out of the State Department. Marco Rubio has been a strong champion of religious freedom on a going forward.

[Mary Reichert]

Basis while speaking of President Trump when his first actions was to order a 90 day pause in foreign aid payments. The plan is for federal agencies to do A review on how organizations are spending that money around the world and make sure American dollars actually are doing good and not harm. I do wonder, though, what this pause means for nonprofits that do religious freedom work internationally. What do you think?

[Sam Brownback]

It's had some impact. There's no, there's no question about it. We're hearing from different groups. But I also, I tell people say, look, this is early on. This is not an unusual thing for a new administration to come in and say, look, wait, we want to review everything and, you know, let's hope that these groups that do human rights work get supported. But, you know, President Trump was brought in to really shake Washington up. That's if there's one message he ran on that people heard, it was that, you know, I'm going to shake the swamp up and they expect it to happen. And I think that's some of what you're seeing.

[Mary Reichert]

Are there any programs, though, that you think the US should permanently stop funding based on what? You know?

[Sam Brownback]

Oh, there was any number of federal grants that I looked at, even while I was in State Department going, why are we doing this? And, you know, somebody would say, well, this group has worked with us on this for a long period of time. And you're just kind of going, if you tried to explain that in the coffee shop in Topeka, Kansas to people, good luck on getting out of there alive, you know, because they just look at that and say, that is a complete waste of my money. It'd be far better to bring it back and say, okay, what are you really after? We're really after religious freedom. We're really after clean water. We're really after basic health issues. We're after supporting children. And then all the other stuff just say, you know, what may be nice might be good for somebody to do it. We're not doing it and we're out of here.

[Mary Reichert]

I'm wondering, Governor, world's listeners are praying people, is there a prayer that you hope we would offer up?

[Sam Brownback]

You know, my prayer and mine has often been that the United States would use its power and influence to open these gates of religious freedom around the world. I mean, you talk about a gift that the United States can give to the world. It would be to allow people of faith to freely pursue what their heart directs them to do. I also pray often that the United States would continue to be a restrainer of evil in the world.

[Mary Reichert]

Sam Brownback is the former ambassador at large for international religious freedom and is co chair of the IRF Summit in Washington this week. Governor thank you for your time.

[Sam Brownback]

Thank you, Mary.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Pensacola Christian College Academic Excellence Biblical Worldview Affordable cost. Go pcci. Edu World from Ridge Haven Camp and.

[J.D. Vance]

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[Kent Covington]

[e-mail] and from Dort University offer offering.

[J.D. Vance]

Thoughtful reflections on engaging with the modern.

[Kent Covington]

World through a Christian lens. Dort eduinallthings.

[Nick Eicher]

You know, we humans are a competitive bunch. We'll even compete over who can sound the most like an animal. Case in point, the national Stag Calling Championship in Germany. This is audio from a trade fair in Dortmund where hunters impersonate red deer. They're using ox horns and snail shells to do it, even hollow plant stems. The fascinating thing is to play with.

[Sam Brownback]

The stags in the rut and look.

[Nick Eicher]

If they are coming, if they are not coming and what they do and.

[Mary Reichert]

What they will do.

[Nick Eicher]

And here is your stagnificent winner, Fabian Wenzel, making sure he didn't stagnate, claiming his fifth straight title and punching his ticket to the European championships.

[Mary Reichert]

Hey, it's a good thing he didn't go all deer in the headlights.

[Nick Eicher]

Oh yeah, he never gets stuck in a rut. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Tuesday, February 4th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Nick Iker.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. A quick note of correction. Yesterday we commemorated the anniversary of the 1960 Woolworth's lunch counter. Sit in. And we got the math wrong. It was 65 years ago this week. Sorry about that.

[Nick Eicher]

Coming next on the World and everything in it. More now on the plane and helicopter crash in Washington. The New York Times reported that a preliminary Federal Aviation Administration report found staffing in the control tower during the crash was not at typical levels over the weekend. At a briefing by the National Transportation Safety Board, board member Todd Inman said it was too early to say.

[Sam Brownback]

The question was the staffing at the time of the actual accident with the five individuals. I have not gotten an update from the air traffic control people.

[Gary Steen]

I know the primary thing we wanted.

[Sam Brownback]

To get was exactly that and there's been discussions because again, typical is can change based on the day of the week, the time, the weather.

[Gary Steen]

So I we will not categorize anything.

[Sam Brownback]

As typical right now until we can present it in a better fashion.

[Nick Eicher]

World's Lindsay Mast has the story of how the FAA has historically struggled with staffing shortages.

[Gary Steen]

Dan Brandt has a lot of sympathy for air traffic controllers I feel sorry for the guy.

[Travis Kircher]

To go through that is not good.

[Gary Steen]

When he heard the news about the crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military Black Hawk helicopter last week, he thought immediately of the controller on duty.

[Travis Kircher]

That's tough on him. He was doing his job. He'll keep thinking about himself. What could I have done different?

[Gary Steen]

Brant worked in the industry for the better part of four decades. He served as an Air Force controller in the 70s and then wanted to work for the Federal Aviation Administration. He got a perfect score on the required test along with extra points for his military service. But the FAA was fully staffed at the time and didn't need him. Just a couple of years later, that changed. In 1981, nearly 13,000 members of the air traffic controllers union walked off the job. They wanted a hefty pay raise and a 32 hour work week. They'd already rejected a lesser deal. President Ronald Reagan. On the morning of the strike this.

[Sam Brownback]

Morning at 7:00am the union representing those who man America's air traffic control facilities called a strike. This was the culmination of seven months.

[Kent Covington]

Of of negotiations between the Federal Aviation.

[Sam Brownback]

Administration and the union.

[Gary Steen]

Reagan declared the strike illegal and told workers if they weren't back on the job within 48 hours, they would be fired. Then he made good on the threat, firing about 90% of them. That became Brandt's opportunity to get in at the faa. But he says hiring a lot of new controllers all at once started a cascade of problems for the administration. There are age rules. You have to be hired by age 31 with mandatory retirement at 56. So a lot of hirees around the same time later meant a lot of retirees around the same time.

[Travis Kircher]

20 or 25 years down the road, we all start retiring and FDA doesn't have anybody to fill in for us. So that has hit them time after time because they were never able to prepare to fill in all the people that were going to leave in 20 to 25 years.

[Gary Steen]

In 2008, the U.S. general Accountability Office reported the FAA needed to hire and train 17,000 controllers over the next decade to replace retirees. But training is a long process. From the time a controller gets hired until they are talking to airplanes, it can be years. They continue airport specific training after that. Since that 2008 report, a prolonged hiring freeze, a government shutdown and Covid all contributed to the continued shortage.

[J.D. Vance]

Right now we have a controller shortage in this nation.

[Sam Brownback]

10,000.

[Gary Steen]

Mike Daniels, the current president of the air controllers union, told CBS last week there are currently just under 11,000 controllers, about 3,500 fewer than optimal.

[Andrew Walker]

But it is not uncommon for us.

[J.D. Vance]

To routinely combine positions, decombine positions.

[Gary Steen]

He said doubling up on jobs in a tower isn't abnormal and that if there aren't enough controllers, flight numbers may also be reduced in order to maintain safety. But Brandt says more controllers would keep Americans safer in the air.

[Travis Kircher]

Until somebody stands up and says, we need more controllers, sooner or later, this will happen again. It's inevitable.

[Gary Steen]

Aviation experts say it's important to note the overall safety of commercial air travel. Before Wednesday, it had been almost 15 years since a major commercial airline crash in the U.S. i played Brandt the audio of the control tower during the crash. He says the tape demonstrates the controller did his job before the crash. He pointed out the jet and got confirmation from the Blackhawk pilot that the crew had the plane in sight.

[Andrew Walker]

432 Blackjack 3, can you return to base?

[Nick Eicher]

Blackjack 3, proceed directly to gleave.

[Travis Kircher]

I need to land one thing right off the bat. The controller is doing an excellent job. He's doing what he was trained to do. Something like that happens, you can't lose it. You got to take care of whatever's there unless there's somebody to come and get you out right away. He did a really good job.

[Gary Steen]

But Brandt says if the controller had been manning only helicopters or only planes, what became a crash might have just been a close call.

[Travis Kircher]

To me listening to that. There's no way that could have ever happened if you had a controller monitoring just that situation. I mean, if that helicopter was too high, they would have seen it, you know, and maybe when he said he had somebody in sight, you'd reconfirm it. You do that a lot.

[Gary Steen]

Brandt says he prays for controllers in the tower during a crash. They struggle with the weight of it long afterward.

[Travis Kircher]

You know, they need the crutch of God to lean on when things like this happen. Control controllers will blame themselves until they retire, and then they will blame themselves after they retire.

[Gary Steen]

The National Transportation Safety Board says it may have a preliminary report in 30 days. A full investigation can sometimes take a year or more. Regardless of the findings, the grief and frustration felt by many since last week is certain to last much longer. Reporting for World, I'm Lindsay Master.

[Nick Eicher]

Today is Tuesday, February 4th. Good morning. This is the World and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Up next, ordered love. The Bible says we are called to show mercy to strangers and prioritize providing for our own households, world Opinion's managing editor Andrew Walker says. This is a framework that reflects the heart of God. We begin with the comment that sparked thousands of comments.

[Andrew Walker]

You love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country. And then after that you can focus.

[Kent Covington]

And prioritize the rest of the world.

[Andrew Walker]

Vice President J.D. vance's recent comments have sparked a lot of discussion, particularly regarding how they align with biblical teachings. Some critics argue that such an approach narrows the scope of Christian love, making it exclusive rather than expansive. However, a proper understanding of Scripture reveals that prioritizing one's own household does not negate universal mercy. Rather, it structures it in a way that mirrors God's design for human relationships. Two passages seem to stand in tension that explain the debate concerning Mance's remarks. On the one hand, Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke chapter 10. On the other, Paul's instruction in 1 Timothy 5, 8 that says, Anyone who does not provide for their relatives and especially for their own household has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. The Good Samaritan exemplifies the radical love of Christ. In response to the question, who is my neighbor? Jesus tells a story where the hero is an outcast, one who crosses ethnic and social boundaries to show mercy to a wounded stranger. This parable establishes that neighborly love extends beyond cultural or national identity. The Samaritan did not ask, is this man part of my community? Before helping him, he simply saw the need and responded with mercy, while those who thought of themselves as superiors to the Samaritan avoided rendering care. At the same time, one of the reasons the Samaritan stands out is because those who should have cared for the man didn't. Paul's command in 1 Timothy establishes that there are levels of responsibility in care. He is writing to a church that was grappling with issues of neglect, urging Christians to take responsibility for their own family members first. This does not contradict the Good Samaritan's actions. Rather, it ensures that Christian love is practiced faithfully at every relationship level. Scripture does not contradict itself, nor does it demand that we choose between family responsibility and universal charity. Instead, it teaches an ethic of ordered love. In practical terms, this means three things. First, every person is our neighbor. Christian love does not discriminate. The Good Samaritan reminds us that mercy is not confined by borders, ethnicity, or familiarity. When someone is in urgent need and we have the means to help, we should. Second, some neighbors have a greater claim on our care. While we are called to love, all Scripture acknowledges that we have unique obligations to those closest to us. Parents have a special duty to their children, spouses to each other, and members of a church to fellow believers. As we read in Galatians 6:10, this prioritization does not diminish the value of others, but acknowledges that care begins in concentric circles, moving outward from my family to community to the broader world. Third, radical hospitality and responsibility are not mutually exclusive. Prioritizing our family and immediate community does not mean ignoring others. The Good Samaritan acted because he had both the proximity and the means to help. Likewise, when we encounter those in dire need, we are called to respond in love, regardless of their background. The criticism that Vance's comments reflect an exclusionary or narrow minded ethic misunderstands a fundamental aspect of Christian teaching. It also betrays the long tradition of Christian thought, from Augustine to John Calvin, teaching that Christians have a special obligation to care for those with whom they have deeper ties. The Christian tradition has long held that love must be rightly ordered. This is not a rejection of universal compassion, but rather a reflection of how God has structured human relationships. Ultimately, the Good Samaritan and Paul's teaching in 1 Timothy are not at odds. Rather, they together paint a picture of holistic Christian love, one that begins at home, remains open to the need of others, and refuses to be bound by tribalism or prejudice. This is the ethic that has shaped Christian thought for centuries, and it remains just as relevant today, I'm Andrew Walker.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow the tariff wars. They do seem to be working as a bargaining tactic, but at what cost? And a world tour special report on the Trump administration decision to pause U.S. foreign aid. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Icker.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. The world and everything in it comes from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The psalmist writes, Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. The first two verses of Psalm 32 go now in grace and peace.

[J.D. Vance]

It.