5.8.25 The India-Pakistan conflict, First Amendment battles, and teaching school in Ukraine

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – Episode 5.8.25

Title: The World and Everything In It
Host/Author: WORLD Radio
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Episode: 5.8.25
Description: As a top Apple Podcasts News program, The World and Everything In It delivers essential headlines, field reporting, interviews, and expert analysis. This episode delves into the escalating India-Pakistan conflict, First Amendment legal battles, and the resilience of educational institutions in war-torn Ukraine.

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I. India-Pakistan Conflict: A Nuclear Flashpoint

Overview:
The episode opens with rising tensions between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors, following India’s missile strike on Pakistan in retaliation for an earlier attack in Kashmir. This section explores the potential consequences of this conflict and its implications for global security.

Key Discussions:

• Escalation Risks: Shumit Ganguly, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, emphasizes the catastrophic potential of any miscalculation in this conflict. He warns, “Any miscalculation, any war here can cause” (00:19), highlighting the fragile stability due to both nations' nuclear capabilities.

• Historical Context: The roots of the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir date back to their 1947 independence from British rule, leading to multiple wars and a continued struggle for control. The United Nations' line of control established in 1972 has failed to resolve the underlying tensions.

• U.S. Involvement: Shumit Ganguly discusses the United States' vested interests, including preventing the proliferation of nuclear material from Pakistan and maintaining strategic partnerships with India. He notes, “We rely on Pakistan to a degree of war counterterrorism cooperation” (09:38) and underscores the multifaceted U.S.-India relationship encompassing economic, diplomatic, and people-to-people ties.

• China's Role: The podcast examines China's interest in the conflict, suggesting that while China might benefit from a weakened Indian military, it is wary of an escalatory spiral that could bring nuclear threats closer to its borders. Ganguly states, “China would only be happy in that some of India's military resources would be directed towards the western border” (11:06).

Notable Quotes:

• Shumit Ganguly: “This is one nuclear flashpoint. There's nothing more flashier than this in terms of the impact on a large chunk of humanity that any misadventure, any miscalculation, any war here can cause” (07:18)

Conclusions:
The conflict between India and Pakistan remains one of the most perilous global flashpoints, with significant implications for regional and international stability. Diplomatic efforts and cautious monitoring are crucial to prevent escalation into a full-scale nuclear confrontation.

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II. First Amendment Battles: Parental Rights vs. Free Speech

A. Parental Rights and Free Speech

Case Study:
Two fathers, referred to as "2Dads," engaged in a silent protest against their high school's policy allowing a male student identifying as female to play on their daughters' soccer team. They wore pink wristbands with black X's to symbolize female chromosomes (13:22).

Legal Proceedings:
Attorney Steve West outlines the legal battle, highlighting a federal judge's decision to side with the school, citing potential harassment of the targeted student. The fathers argue this constitutes viewpoint discrimination and are appealing the ruling with support from the U.S. Department of Justice (14:58 - 16:12).

Notable Quotes:

• J.D. Vance: “It's about free speech here. It's not even about noisy disagreement or waving protest signs” (13:45)

B. Custody Disputes Involving Religion

Case Study:
In Maine, a custody dispute arose when a judge stripped a mother of her right to raise her child in the Christian faith by attending Calvary Chapel. The father argued that the church’s teachings were psychologically damaging, leading to the judge's controversial decision. The case is now being appealed to the Supreme Court (16:23 - 18:12).

Legal and Social Implications:
Attorney West discusses the rarity and severity of such rulings, emphasizing the courts' limited role in determining religious upbringing. The case underscores the complexities at the intersection of parental rights and religious freedom.

Notable Quotes:

• J.D. Vance: “Most parents work out who will be responsible for the religious upbringing of the child, or they share it” (17:44)

C. Protections for Religious Families in Foster Care

Legislative Developments:
Following a Supreme Court ruling against the Biden administration’s unilateral student debt forgiveness, the Trump administration has intensified efforts to enforce loan repayments. Concurrently, states like Kansas and Arkansas are enacting laws to protect religious families from being excluded from foster care and adoption processes based on their beliefs (18:16 - 19:23).

Notable Quotes:

• J.D. Vance: “Fifteen states now offer some protection for discrimination against families or faith-based adoption providers” (18:46)

Conclusions:
These cases highlight ongoing tensions between individual rights, religious freedoms, and governmental policies. The outcomes have significant implications for how free speech and parental rights are balanced within the legal system.

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III. Teaching School in Ukraine: Resilience Amid Conflict

Overview:
The podcast shifts focus to Ukraine, where Eric Moore runs a Christian school amidst the ongoing Russian invasion. The narrative highlights the challenges of providing education in a warzone and the innovative measures taken to support traumatized students.

Key Discussions:

• Safety Measures: Moore and his staff guide students to basement safe rooms during air raids, addressing both physical safety and emotional trauma (22:38 - 23:16).

• Educational Continuity: Despite evacuations and a temporary closure, the school adapted by conducting virtual classes, maintaining educational standards amidst chaos (24:05 - 24:37).

• Trauma-Informed Instruction: Teachers implement strategies like calm down corners and emotional identification posters to help students manage stress and anxiety caused by the war (25:38 - 27:19).

• Spiritual Support: Moore emphasizes the importance of faith, using biblical verses to instill hope and resilience in students. He also highlights the broader mission of advancing the gospel in Ukraine despite adversity (27:35 - 28:26).

Notable Quotes:

• Myrna Brown: “We want the kids to try to understand what they're feeling and direct it appropriately” (00:34)
• Eric Moore: “We try to temper that in the presence because we want the kids to try to understand what they're feeling and direct it appropriately” (26:35)

Conclusions:
Eric Moore’s efforts demonstrate the critical role of education and faith-based support in fostering resilience among children in conflict zones. The school serves as a beacon of hope and stability, providing not only academic education but also emotional and spiritual guidance.

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IV. Other News Highlights

A. Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) Anniversary

Cal Thomas commemorates the 80th anniversary of VE Day, celebrating the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. He notes President Trump’s proclamation to officially designate this day for U.S. recognition, emphasizing the nation’s role in achieving victory (01:10 - 01:30).

B. U.S.-China Relations and Ambassadorship

The appointment of former Senator David Perdue as the new U.S. Ambassador to China is discussed, highlighting the timing amid ongoing trade wars. Perdue's confirmation with bipartisan support underscores the importance of navigating complex U.S.-China relations (02:22 - 03:35).

C. U.S.-Iran/Houthi Ceasefire Deal

A new ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran-backed Houthi rebels is analyzed, noting the exclusion of Israel from the agreement. GOP Congressman Brian Mast stresses the intertwined security of the U.S. and Israel (03:35 - 04:24).

D. Federal Reserve’s Monetary Policy

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announces the maintenance of interest rates at 4.3%, foregoing the anticipated rate cuts. The decision reflects the Fed’s cautious approach amid economic uncertainties influenced by presidential trade policies (04:24 - 04:35).

E. Vatican Conclave

The ongoing conclave at the Vatican, with over 130 Catholic cardinals sequestered to elect a new pope, is highlighted. The event symbolizes the Catholic Church’s efforts to ensure continuity and leadership following Pope Francis’s passing (04:35 - 05:57).

F. Tim Friedy’s Antivenom Efforts

Tim Friedy’s remarkable contribution to creating a universal antivenom through self-inflicted snake bites is featured. His dedication aids in combating snakebite-related fatalities, particularly in underserved regions (20:37 - 21:41).

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V. Closing Stories and Future Episodes

Good News Segment:
The episode concludes with positive developments in protecting religious families within foster care systems across multiple states, advocating for religious liberty and safeguarding faith-based participation in child welfare programs (18:16 - 19:23).

Upcoming Features:
Listeners are teased upcoming segments, including Culture Friday with John Stonestreet, music reviews by Arsenio Arteza, and explorations of linguistic phenomena by George Grant (32:29 - 32:49).

Final Remarks:
Hosts Mary Reichert and Myrna Brown sign off with a reminder of the podcast’s mission to provide biblically grounded journalism that informs and inspires, quoting Psalm 117 to encapsulate their vision (32:49 - End).

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Notable Quotes Compilation:

• Shumit Ganguly: “This is one nuclear flashpoint. There's nothing more flashier than this in terms of the impact on a large chunk of humanity that any misadventure, any miscalculation, any war here can cause” (07:18)
• J.D. Vance: “It's about free speech here. It's not even about noisy disagreement or waving protest signs” (13:45)
• Eric Moore: “We try to temper that in the presence because we want the kids to try to understand what they're feeling and direct it appropriately” (26:35)
• Myrna Brown: “We want the kids to try to understand what they're feeling and direct it appropriately” (00:34)

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This episode of The World and Everything In It offers a comprehensive analysis of geopolitical tensions, legal battles surrounding First Amendment rights, and inspiring stories of resilience in education amidst war, providing listeners with insightful and multifaceted perspectives on current global issues.

Transcript

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. Tensions explode between two nuclear powers after India strikes Pakistan in retaliation. Where do things go from here?

[Myrna Brown]

This is one nuclear flashpoint. There's nothing more flashier than this that.

[Shumit Ganguly]

Any miscalculation, any war here can cause.

[Kent Covington]

Also, the high price some parents are willing to pay to stand up for children and families. And a visit to a school in Ukraine where kids, kids are learning lessons beyond the three Rs.

[Myrna Brown]

We want the kids to try to understand what they're feeling and direct it appropriately.

[Kent Covington]

And world commentator Cal Thomas says it's time college students learned a valuable lesson about paying what they owe.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Thursday, May 8th. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Mary Reichert.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

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

[Cal Thomas]

Today is the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. That's when Nazi Germany surrendered to allied forces in World War II. Cities across Europe and beyond are holding parades and flyovers this week to celebrate. And President Trump has signed a proclamation officially designating this as a day for the US to mark the occasion as well.

[Steve West]

The United States has never joined in with the proper celebration of our own.

[Cal Thomas]

He says it was a victory that would not have happened without the United States. Russia is also celebrating this week, but authorities in Moscow say drone attacks by Ukraine disrupted preparations for the annual Victory Day military parade in Red Square. Russia has said it planned a temporary unilateral cease fire and would halt attacks against Ukraine for 72 hours to coincide with the celebrations. The Kremlin has not accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30 day truce. And Vice President J.D. vance says Moscow will have to be more flexible in negotiations to halt the war.

[J.D. Vance]

Right now, the Russians are asking for.

[Cal Thomas]

A certain set of requirements, a certain.

[J.D. Vance]

Set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they're asking for too much.

[Cal Thomas]

Speaking yesterday at a security conference with European leaders, Vance added that he is not pessimistic about the prospects for a peace deal in Ukraine and that talks will continue. By contrast, President Trump has expressed growing skepticism and frustration with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Former Georgia Republican Senator David Perdue is the new US Ambassador to China after taking the oath of office on Wednesday. The duties of the office.

[Mary Reichert]

The duties of the office on which.

[Myrna Brown]

I am about to enter.

[Mary Reichert]

On which I am about to enter.

[Cal Thomas]

So help me God.

[Kent Covington]

So help me God.

[Myrna Brown]

Congratulations.

[Cal Thomas]

Purdue is also a former business executive with experience in global supply chains, including through Beijing and the Senate confirmed Purdue with some bipartisan support on a vote of 67 to 29. He assumes the role amid a major trade war with China. US And Chinese officials are set to meet this weekend to break the ice on trade talks. A new cease fire deal between the United States and the Iran backed Houthi rebels does not include Israel. That according to Reuters. Citing a chief negotiator for the Houthi terror group. President Trump announced the agreement on Tuesday. And yesterday he said time will tell whether the Houthis live up to their end of the bargain.

[Steve West]

We honor their commitment and they gave us their word that they wouldn't be shooting ships anymore and we honor that.

[Cal Thomas]

However, while the Houthis promised to end attacks against U.S. interests and commercial shipping, attacks on Israel remain fair game. But GOP Congressman Brian Mast says US Security and Israel's security go hand in hand.

[Myrna Brown]

The president's been very clear there needs to be an end to attacks on.

[Cal Thomas]

United States interests, our vessels and Israel is one of our interests as well. We see that, mask said. Israel is America's, quote, largest vessel in the region. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says the Fed will continue to keep interest rates right where they are for now. He told reporters once again that the central bank will maintain a wait and see approach with President Trump's reset of trade policy and other factors. Depending on the way things play out.

[Steve West]

That could include rate hikes, sorry, rate cuts.

[J.D. Vance]

You know, it could include us holding where we are.

[Cal Thomas]

We just are going to need to.

[Steve West]

See how things play out before we make those decisions.

[Cal Thomas]

The Fed this week kept its rate at 4.3% for the third straight meeting, Powell said. Despite more uncertainty, the economy remains solid. Many economists and Wall street investors still expect that the Fed will reduce rates two or three times this year. More than 130 Catholic cardinals are gathered at the Vatican for day two of the conclave as they work to select a new pope to follow the late Pope Francis ceremonies heard there inside the Sistine Chapel. The conclave officially began Wednesday with Catholic leaders hailing from 70 countries sequestered from the outside world. The cardinals each took a vow of secrecy and gave up their cell phones. They will communicate with no one until they've elected a new leader for the church. On Kent Covington. And straight ahead, India and Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir. Plus how one Christian school in Ukraine is helping students during the war. This is the World and everything in it.

[Kent Covington]

It's Thursday 8th May. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Up first, rising tensions beginning between nuclear powers. On Tuesday, India launched missiles into Pakistan. More than 20 people were killed.

[Kent Covington]

India's defense minister says the casualties were terrorists. Pakistan says they were civilians. In response, Pakistan's prime minister has authorized the army to take corresponding actions. The latest strike by India comes in response to an April attack in Kashmir that killed 26 people. India blames Pakistani nationals. Hot and cold conflict over the region dates back to 1947.

[Shumit Ganguly]

And now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge.

[Mary Reichert]

That's when India gained independence from Great Britain. Pakistan and India were split into separate Muslim and Hindu countries. They fought multiple wars since that time, with the United nations drawing a line of control in 1972. But the dispute continued, and now both.

[Kent Covington]

Nations have nuclear weapons. Pakistan's ambassador to the US has called on President Trump for help.

[Shumit Ganguly]

This is one nuclear flashpoint. There's nothing more flashier than this in terms of the impact on a large chunk of humanity that any misadventure, any miscalculation, any war here can cause.

[Mary Reichert]

Joining us now to talk about it is Shumit Ganguly. He's a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and professor emeritus at Indiana University, Bloomington.

[Kent Covington]

Shumit, good morning.

[Shumit Ganguly]

Thank you.

[Kent Covington]

Well, Shumit, tensions have been simmering for a couple of weeks. India paused a water treaty that Pakistan depends on, and Pakistan blocked its airspace to commercial flights from India. And now shots have been fired. So just how serious is the situation compared to previous standoffs?

[Shumit Ganguly]

Well, this is comparable to certain previous standoffs, but on this occasion, tempers are really frayed in India, particularly because of the sheer cruelty and brutality that was involved in killing the 26 tourists. They separated Hindus and Muslims in the most callous fashion and then systematically shot all the Hindus. And this has really inflamed passions in India, which is forcing the government to some degree to act, that if the government doesn't act and demonstrate some resolve through actions which are visible, which are noticeable, which are measurable, they are going to be faced with an electoral backlash. Pakistan, by the same token, cannot be seen as standing idly by. Its own population will want a pound of flesh. And so we are now locked into the possibility of an escalatory spiral.

[Kent Covington]

Well, what does this mean for the United States? I mean, you know, what ties do we have with Pakistan and India that could be strained if indeed they go.

[Shumit Ganguly]

To war with Pakistan? Our principal interest is that really are twofold. One, that Pakistan does not again return to dispersing nuclear material, particularly nuclear weapons technology. As it has done in the past. And the second is we do rely on Pakistan to some degree of war, counterterrorism cooperation. As far as India is concerned, we have a multifaceted relationship. It's an economic relationship, it's a strategic partnership, it's a diplomatic relationship and also a substantial people to people relationship. For example, it's little known that there are 5 million people of Indian origin in, in the United States, many of whom are citizens. There's a million Americans working in India at the moment. So this is a multifaceted, deep relationship of considerable importance to both parties.

[Kent Covington]

So we're watching another nation watching closely is China. So I'm wondering what would China stand to gain from Pakistan and India either coming to blows or resolving their differences?

[Shumit Ganguly]

They have little to gain from India and Pakistan going to a war except insofar that it might weaken India's military capabilities. India and China have a long standing border dispute. They see each other as rivals in Asia. And India has a substantial trade deficit with China, like us. So China would only be happy in that some of India's military resources would be directed towards the western border. And if a war does occur, some damage would be done to India's military capabilities. So to that extent, China would be happy. But on the other hand, they do not want to see an escalatory spiral that even leads Pakistan to be tempted to use nuclear weapons because that would be right on China's doorstep.

[Kent Covington]

Final question here, sir. Is there any other aspect of what's going on in India and Pakistan that you think warrants more attention?

[Shumit Ganguly]

What warrants more attention is Pakistan's unwillingness to abandon its use of terrorist proxies to carry out its military strategy against India. During the Afghanistan crisis, during our military presence in Afghanistan, some Pakistani terrorist groups even attacked American forces. So we have a dog in this fight. And in any case, terrorism as a strategy has to be brought to an end, not just in South Asia, but on a global basis. This is unacceptable conduct.

[Kent Covington]

Shamit Ganguly is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution studying Indian relations with the United States. Thank you for your time today.

[Shumit Ganguly]

Thanks very much.

[Kent Covington]

Coming up next on THE World and everything in it, parental rights and free speech Collide.

[Mary Reichert]

That's right. 2Dads wanted to quietly protest a high school's decision to let a male student identifying as female to play on their daughter's soccer team. What happened next raises constitutional questions.

[Kent Covington]

Joining us now with the details is Steve west, attorney, former federal prosecutor and writer on religious liberty for World Digital.

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning, Steve.

[J.D. Vance]

Good Morning, Mary.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, tell us what's going on with this case.

[J.D. Vance]

Well, we've all heard a lot about how unfair it is for males to play on girls teams. Laws and lawsuits trying to rein that in. The Trump administration has even stepped in to oppose this. Yet this is not a case directly about protecting girls sports. It's about something even more basic. You know, the constitutional right to express disagreement with a policy. It's about free speech here. It's not even about noisy disagreement or waving protest signs. It's about two fathers who decided to stage a silent protest after they learned that a male on an opposing team would be playing against their daughters at a high school soccer match. They simply wore pink wristbands decorated with two black X's to symbolize female chromosomes.

[Mary Reichert]

And I take it the school officials did not like that.

[J.D. Vance]

They did not. They intervened and asked a police officer to assist. The two men were directed by the officer to remove the wristbands, and when they refused, the district banned them from games. So then, aided by the Institute for Free Speech, the fathers filed a federal lawsuit last year. And then last month, a federal judge sided with the school and denied a motion by the two parents to block the school's ban.

[Mary Reichert]

I mean, that seems to be a fairly extreme ruling.

[J.D. Vance]

No, I think so. There's a 1969 Supreme Court ruling called Tinker vs. Des Moines that the fathers relied on Tinker, who was a student who was 13 years old at that time, and other students were suspended for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The court ruled for the students, concluding that school officials couldn't censor student speech unless it materially and substantially disrupts the educational process. In other words, it has to be a big deal. And it didn't do that, even though it did get students talking about. Well, the judge here didn't buy that argument, but said the parents targeted the male student and their speech could be viewed as harassment. That's in spite of the fact that adults typically are accorded higher speech rights than our students. And what disruption did occur could be viewed as the result of the intervention by school officials. The parents said that this was viewpoint discrimination. That's the short of it.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, right. That when the school makes a big deal, that's where the disruption occurs. And that was the argument. But I'm guessing the judge didn't buy that. So that's not the end of the story.

[J.D. Vance]

It's not the end. The parents have appealed, and the US Department of Justice has sided with them and will file. A friend of the court brief with the 1st U.S. circuit Court of Appeals. So stay tuned.

[Mary Reichert]

All right, well, let's move on to a second case now out of Maine. This one involves a custody dispute, and that is not generally a First Amendment concern. So what's going on there?

[J.D. Vance]

Well, you're right, and we're not used to religious liberty concerns coming up in custody battles, but this case attracted the attention of Florida based Liberty Counsel after a Maine state court judge stripped a mother, Emily, of her right to bring up her child in her Christian faith by taking her to church at a local Calvary Chapel. That's a church most will recognize as evangelical in nature and part of a loose affiliation of churches that grew out of the original Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California. That one was pastored by Chuck Smith and featured in the film Jesus Revolution. So no one would contend that the church is a cult. No one, perhaps saved the judge in this case. But the father, Matt, after watching some sermons online, didn't like what he heard. Biblical teaching on heaven, hell, spiritual warfare, and Christ's second coming. He said all this was psychologically damaging to his daughter. And so after hearing, the judge agreed.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, that seems a bit extreme. What reason did the judge give?

[J.D. Vance]

She relied on the testimony of an expert on cults who said that because of the way the church was organized, because of its teachings, and the charisma of its pastor attending the church was damaging to the daughter. She said it was teaching fear mongering, paranoia, and anxiety, and that was it. No more Calvary Chapel. So now it's being appealed to the main Supreme Court, and in the meantime, the dad is in charge of the daughter's religious upbringing.

[Mary Reichert]

Now, this isn't how things typically go, is it?

[J.D. Vance]

Not at all. As contentious as custody issues can be, most parents work out who will be responsible for the religious upbringing of the child, or they share it. Courts are really ill equipped to do that, and this case demonstrates that. You know, at best, the ruling shows a deep misunderstanding of church and religion, and at worst, it demonstrates hostility to religion that offends what a judge believes is an enlightened morality.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, all right, now let's move on to some good news.

[J.D. Vance]

Well, right. I'm always thankful for that. You know, the Supreme Court ruled a couple of years ago that Philadelphia couldn't condition the participation of Catholic Social Services in foster care on its agreement to work with same sex couples. Yet some states interested in pushing an LGBTQ agenda have tried another tactic, and that's finding foster or adoptive parents who won't support a child's gender identity or same sex attraction unfit for parenting. That's the battle Oregon mom Jessica Bates continues to fight.

[Mary Reichert]

I'm still waiting to hear good news in that one.

[J.D. Vance]

Yes, both Kansas and Arkansas recently passed legislation that protects religious families rights to participate in state and foster care adoption programs. Both state laws guard against exactly what happened in Oregon, shutting religious parents out of the child welfare system. These laws are a welcome attempt to preempt such moves by state social service agencies, even as lawyers continue to argue that such discrimination is unconstitutional. And these two Midwest states are not the only ones protecting religious families. Fifteen states now offer some protection for discrimination against families or faith based adoption providers.

[Mary Reichert]

That is the good news. Steve west writes about religious liberties for World Digital and you can read his [e-mail] you can also subscribe to his free weekly newsletter on First Amendment issues called Liberties. Steve, always good to have you on. Thanks so much.

[J.D. Vance]

Thanks Mary.

[Cal Thomas]

Additional support comes from Asbury University, where summer for teens can be an epic adventure. Asbury Edu camps from Eyewitness, an immersive audio drama exploring stories of faith and transformation on podcast apps or at the letter I witnesspod.com and from the Joshua Program at St. Dunstan's Academy in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Work, prayer and adventure for young men. St. Dunstansacademy.org.

[Mary Reichert]

Okay, Myrna, you might want to step away for this one, but a man in Wisconsin opens a cage in his house, pulls out a deadly snake and lets it bite him.

[Steve West]

No, black mamba.

[Mary Reichert]

A black mamba. And then he does it again with another species.

[J.D. Vance]

PNG taipan.

[Mary Reichert]

P& G. Taipan. Now kids, don't try this at home, but meet Tim Friedy. He has voluntarily taken more than 200 bites from 16 of the deadliest snakes on the planet, all to help create a universal antivenom. Audio from cnn I'm helping humanity. Friedi's immune system is a scientific marvel and he's working with scientists who use his antibodies to create an antivenom. It's a really big deal because every year snake bites kill around 120,000 people, mostly in areas without access to treatment. After one of his self inflicted snake bites, Freddy looked into the camera and said very calmly, thanks for watching.

[Kent Covington]

Well, thank you sir, but I didn't think so.

[Mary Reichert]

It's the world and everything in.

[J.D. Vance]

Today.

[Mary Reichert]

Is Thursday, May 8th. Thank you for listening to World Radio. Good morning, I'm Mary Reichert.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on the World and everything in it. Supporting missionaries on the front lines now not everyone is called to go overseas, but many are called to it in Ukraine. One man lives out that calling by running a school for missionary faith families. It's his way of advancing the gospel, and it's not been easy.

[Mary Reichert]

Here's World Features executive editor Lee Jones with his story.

[Lee Jones]

When air raid sirens go off outside Kiev Christian Academy, Eric Moore and his staff usher children down to the basement safe room. Then they prepare for the likely fallout.

[Myrna Brown]

If we have an air alert during lunchtime, then by the afternoon, kids may be more hyper or they might be less likely to engage with work.

[Lee Jones]

It's a common problem these days, but it's not the kind of classroom challenge Moore imagined he'd be dealing with as he was growing up in South Dakota. He was in high school when he first felt the call to foreign missions.

[Myrna Brown]

I went on three different missions trips overseas where I really felt like God grew me in terms of developing in my life spiritually.

[Lee Jones]

But he planned to become a teacher and spend his summers leading short term mission trips. God flipped that script.

[Myrna Brown]

Instead of teaching kids and taking them on missions, I went to the mission field to teach the children of missionaries.

[Lee Jones]

In 2007, Moore moved to Ukraine to teach math and science at Kiev Christian Academy. Four years later, he met Victoria, a Kiev native. They married, had two boys, and settled into serving families at the school. Things were just beginning to return to normal after the pandemic when rumors of a possible Russian invasion began to circulate.

[Myrna Brown]

Some mission organizations began relocating their families outside of Ukraine, or at least getting them set up temporarily in cities closer to the border, like Lviv or Uzhgorod.

[Lee Jones]

In the fall of 2021, the school had 150 students. By the time Russian tanks rolled across the border, about half the school's families, including the Moors, had already evacuated. They finished the school year online, with students connecting for virtual classes from all over the world.

[Myrna Brown]

We had kids in, I mean, time zones from Korea to California, the long way around the world.

[Lee Jones]

The lessons they learned during COVID came in handy. But with so many staff and students out of the country, the school made the difficult decision not to reopen its Kiev campus in the fall of 2022.

[Myrna Brown]

On the one hand, it seemed like the right thing to do for a variety of reasons, financially and other reasons. But you're taking on the risk of not being able to restart it or not knowing when you could.

[Lee Jones]

For months, the school sat empty. Then several groups approached Moore with requests to rent or share parts of the building. A Ukrainian language school needed classrooms. A church wanted the Auditorium. A soccer league needed the field. Those partnerships allowed the school to reopen in 2023 with just 10 students, some of them from missionary families.

[Myrna Brown]

And so it's been really, really encouraging to me that already, even before the war is over, the school is serving missionary families again.

[Lee Jones]

This year, the school has 35 students and a different set of challenges.

[Myrna Brown]

If the night before there was a missile attack or drone attack and it just was really loud around that child's house at night, woke them up at night, in the morning, it may take them a lot longer before they're ready to engage and they're able to focus.

[Lee Jones]

They might not be able to focus at all that day.

[Myrna Brown]

So we began trying to implement the ideas of trauma, informed instruction into our, you know, into our classrooms.

[Lee Jones]

Teachers are more understanding when a student acts out. And if they need a break, they have a place to go. Moore calls it the calm down corner.

[Myrna Brown]

Like by my office, we have a chair with some different things. There's some posters that help them to identify their emotions, Some things that they can just put in their hand to distract them, to help them to calm down.

[Lee Jones]

Moore says, everyone feels the strain of war.

[Myrna Brown]

We also feel it as adults. And so we try to temper that in the presence because we want the kids to try to understand what they're feeling and direct it appropriately.

[Lee Jones]

More sometimes counsel students who are angry about what's happening.

[Myrna Brown]

We have an error alert, and someone says, I hate the Russians. And you say, yeah, this is frustrating. I am frustrated, too. This is not fair and it's not right.

[Lee Jones]

He reminds them that not all Russians are responsible for the war, just the leaders. And he reminds them that God loves the people who live in Russia, too. Every day, Moore prays for safety and for peace. And he leans on God's promises.

[Myrna Brown]

You know, there's quite a few verses that mention hope. Jeremiah 29, God has plans for you. He's given you a hope and a future hope.

[Lee Jones]

For more and for the school means continuing to follow God's call to support gospel work in Ukraine.

[Myrna Brown]

And after this war, when those missionary families are able to come back, the school will be here again. And part of that expansion of missionary efforts, Missionary presence here, that's really what gives me hope. That as Ukraine recovers and redevelops after this war, that KCA will be a beacon of Christian education in the international community, that it will be an example of God's faithfulness for world.

[Lee Jones]

I'm Lee Jones.

[Kent Covington]

Today is Thursday, May 8th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. It used to mean something when an individual had good credit. Here's World commentator Cal Thomas.

[Steve West]

Back in the day of telephone books, the Washington, D.C. yellow pages contained more than a dozen pages of associations. A code word for lobbyists. They included associations for tort reform, one for buses, and even an association for snack food. I don't recall an association that would lobby for students who refused to pay back their college loans, but there's one now. It's called the Student Borrower Protection Center. Its goal is what the name implies, protecting students from an obligation to repay their part of an estimated $1.7 trillion in student loan debt. After a five year suspension initiated by President Trump during COVID The second Trump administration has restarted the requirement that loans be repaid. The administration is also pressuring colleges and universities to persuade graduates and former students to repay their loans, saying if they don't, future students might not receive any loans. The Wall Street Journal reports a far bigger group of schools is now at risk because so many students never resume paying back their loans after a pandemic pause. The Education department says nearly 10 million borrowers are either already in default or on the cusp. Within a few months, roughly a quarter of borrowers nationwide could be in default, meaning they're at least nine months behind on payments. If you're in default on a car payment, you risk repossession of the car. It's the same with a mortgage payment. If you're late paying the irs, it levies penalties, including wage garnishments and the seizure of property. Only when it comes to student loans are some people lobbying for so called forgiveness. The Supreme Court rules 6 to 3 that the Biden administration did not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally forgive students student debt. He tried anyway. The Journal also reports the Education Department has begun putting defaulted student loans in collections. It says that almost 200,000 defaulted student loan borrowers have begun getting notices that tax refunds and federal benefits could be withheld to pay back their debt as soon as a month from now. Presumably, graduates are now working at jobs that pay enough for them to contribute at least token amounts to their debt. They could possibly work out a payment deal with the government. Even the IRS allows for such things, though it charges interest and penalties. As the Trump administration and the Education Department get serious about student loans, many families are exploring non traditional options for their high school graduates. The high cost of higher education, along with the all too common one sided liberal worldview are two other reasons more are considering online courses. Distance learning programs spiked during the pandemic but remain high. It's safe to predict that those numbers could continue to rise. Good credit used to mean paying bills on time, meeting obligations and living within one's means. It was an important measure of someone's character. In our entitlement age, people who sign agreements when taking out a loan are effectively being told they shouldn't be expected to keep their promises. What other responsibilities do they think they should be able to shirk? This is what happens when standards no longer matter. I'm Cal Thomas.

[Mary Reichert]

Tomorrow, John Stonestreet returns for Culture Friday, and World's Music reviewer Arsenio Arteza is back with a hearing of standout second albums, sophomore efforts that don't disappoint, and the inimitable George Grant takes on the perils of plurals in this week's wordplay. That and more tomorrow. I'm Mary Reinkert.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Myrna Brown. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The psalmist writes, praise the Lord, all nations extol him, all peoples, for great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Psalm 117 Go now in grace and peace.