The Pour Over Today - First Hostages Released, NYC Mayor Accused, & More | 11.27.23

Episode Date: November 27, 2023

Today we’re talking about the first hostages released by Hamas, the New York law that has prompted a wave of sexual assault lawsuits, Sam Altman’s return to OpenAI, and other top news for Monday, November, 27th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today.  TPO’s Christmas Gift Guide Sponsored by Beyond the Crucible

Today we're talking about the first hostages released by Hamas, the New York law that has prompted a wave of sexual assault lawsuits, Sam Altman's return to OpenAI, and other top news for Monday, November 27th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over today. Before we get into the news, we want to announce TPO's Christmas Gift Guide. It includes 36 amazing gift ideas made by the TPO community and our sponsors. Check out the link in our show notes to find great gifts and support fellow TPO listeners' small businesses. Here's the quote of the day. Set goals so big that unless God helps you, you will be a miserable failure.

Bill Bright. Let's get started with some espresso shots. Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce on Friday. Under the Qatar-brokered deal, 50 Israeli women and children will be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners. The pause in fighting will be extended by one day for every additional 10 hostages Hamas releases, with Israel releasing three Palestinians for every Israeli. Releases went smoothly on Friday, but Saturday's exchange was tense. Hamas hesitated, saying Israel didn't deliver the full amount of

aid trucks they promised for northern Gaza. Negotiations resolved the dispute and secured yesterday's wave of releases, which included the first released American, four-year-old American-Israeli Abigail Edan, whose parents were both killed in the October 7th attack. President Biden expressed hopes in extending the truce, and the White House said efforts are underway to return hostages held in Gaza by other groups, like Palestinian Islamic Jihad. As you pray for the restoration of hostages and prisoners, remember that our God is a shepherd who relentlessly searches for lost sheep. He will never tire or give up until the last one comes home to him. John 10, 14-16 says,

I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. Court docs filed Wednesday accused New York City Mayor Eric Adams of sexually assaulting a female New York City co-worker in 1993. The unnamed plaintiff's claim was submitted just before the Adult Survivors Act expired on Friday. The act temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on civil sexual assault complaints, giving victims 12 months to seek restitution from abusers, even if the alleged event took place more than 20 years ago. An estimated 2,500 lawsuits were filed under the law, several accusing high-profile men,

including former President Trump, rapper Sean Diddy Combs, singer Axl Rose, and actor Jamie Foxx of assaults in the 80s and 90s. Adams staunchly denies any wrongdoing, saying it absolutely did not happen. Lawyers for Trump, Diddy, Rose, and Foxx have made similar statements asserting their innocence. Imitating our just and merciful Father, Christians should pursue justice while retaining love for Isaiah 30, 18 says, For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him. In between mouthfuls of can-shaped cranberry sauce, Sam Altman probably shared that he's thankful for his new old job. Altman was fired as CEO of OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, on Friday, November 17th, but was reinstated four days later after 90%

of OpenAI employees threatened to leave. The board of directors that fired him was replaced instead. A new report hints at why Altman may have been booted in the first place. Several OpenAI researchers reportedly sent a letter to the board of directors warning of a powerful artificial intelligence discovery that they said could threaten humanity. A project known as QSTAR. QSTAR was able to solve math problems it had not seen before, a characteristic of Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI. Some fear AGI could replace almost all human jobs or even evade human control. Even if the scariest predictions about AI come to pass, God will remain God and our eternal life

with Christ will remain secure. Be quick to point to God and give him the credit for your hope, strength, and love during times dominated by uncertainty and fear. Job 12.10 says, The life of every living thing is in his hand, as well as the breath of all humanity. Today's episode is sponsored by Beyond the Crucible. Unless you've recently resettled here from Mars, you know what it's like to live in a fallen world. We all face daily setbacks, losses, and heartbreak. But our hardest moments can actually lead to powerful transformations.

Want to know more? Check out the Beyond the Crucible podcast, hosted by Warwick Fairfax, who, at 26 years old, launched a $2.25 billion takeover bid for his family's 150-year-old media business and lost it all. Just like a crucible melts down metal so it can be transformed, our crucible moments can push us from brokenness to breakthrough. The Beyond the Crucible podcast features guests who've endured life-altering traumas and tragedies and bounced back to lead purposeful, significant lives. Subscribe to Beyond the Crucible wherever you get your podcasts. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. Authorities are investigating two explosive disasters from Wednesday.

Police ruled out terrorism at a Niagara Falls, New York border checkpoint where a speeding vehicle went airborne, crashed, and burst into flames, killing both passengers. Later, a train derailed in central Kentucky, causing a chemical fire and prompting evacuations in the small town of Livingston. A knife attack outside of a Dublin, Ireland primary school on Thursday left three children and one woman hospitalized. Bystanders intervened to subdue the suspect, who was reportedly an Algerian-born Irishman with unknown motives. In response to the attack, violent anti-immigration riots broke out in the city, resulting in clashes between police and protesters and over 30 arrests. Black Friday is turning into mostly Cyber Friday. As more shoppers opt for finding deals in their pajamas versus throwing elbows at Macy's,

the day's online sales jumped 7.5% over last year to a record $9.8 billion. Today, Cyber Monday is projected to be even bigger, with U.S. consumers spending another $12 billion online. even bigger, with U.S. consumers spending another $12 billion online. Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, was stabbed and seriously injured by another inmate Friday at the Federal Correctional Institute in Tucson, Arizona, a facility known for security issues. In a statement, the Bureau of Prisons said that employees performed life-saving measures before Chauvin was taken to the hospital for further

treatment. Ukraine reported Saturday that it downed 74 out of 75 drones Russia launched in the biggest drone strike since the war started. Most of the Iranian-made drones targeted Kyiv, injuring five and causing power outages. The West recently answered Zelensky's call for additional air defense systems ahead of a long winter, but a bill for further military aid has stalled in Congress. And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. We appreciate your support and hope you have a great day. We'll see you on Wednesday.