The Pour Over Today - Friday, January 27, 2023

Episode Date: January 27, 2023

Today we’re talking about the U.S. and Germany giving tanks to Ukraine, how the U.S. economy did in Q4, the arrest of 5 officers in the death of Tyre Nichols, and other top news for Friday, January 27th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Sponsored by OneHope TPOpod.com

Today, we're talking about the U.S. and Germany giving tanks to Ukraine, how the U.S. economy did in Q4, the arrest of five officers in the death of Tyree Nichols, and other top news for Friday, January 27th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. When you lie down on your bed to sleep, remember, with thanksgiving, the blessings and the providence of God. Anthony the Great Let's get started with some espresso shots.

The tank logjam finally broke. After months of requests from Ukraine, the U.S. and Germany agreed to send tanks. The U.S. will send 31, and Germany will send 14 of their most advanced tanks to the battlefield. The tanks will not be immediately available as they require training, but are a major show of continued support in Ukraine's fight against Russia. President Zelensky called it an important step to the path to victory. Putin's spokesperson called it blatant provocation, and responded with another massive missile attack and a promise that the U.S. tanks would burn. Ukraine, hoping to capitalize on the given goodwill, is also ramping up requests for fighter jets, including F-16s from the U.S. Meanwhile, Zelensky is facing a different

problem, a corruption scandal. He's fired multiple top government officials this week. Continue to pray for everyone affected by war, both Russians and Ukrainians. Pray for a peaceful end to the conflict and that you can be a person committed to bringing the peace of Christ wherever you go. Matthew chapter 5 verse 9 says, blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. Even as speculation swirls that Uncle Sam won't pass his economics course in 2023, he turned in a better-than-expected report card for 2022's fourth quarter. Yesterday, the Commerce Department reported that Crow's domestic product, the sum of goods and services produced, rose at a 2.9% annualized rate in Q4.

That's slower growth than Q3, but above economists' expectations. While most analysts still predict at least a mild recession in 2023, easing inflation has rekindled some optimism that it may not be as bad as first feared. Elon Musk's electric car side hustle also outperformed Q4 expectations. Analysts had predicted bad earnings and forecasted gloomy demand after Tesla cut vehicle prices by as much as 20% earlier this month, but it reported record revenue and a strong outlook. Tesla's stock jumped 11% in after-hours trading on Wednesday. Even if the economy collapses, God will still be God, and he will remain in control. Everything of eternal importance is always secure, no matter how

uncertain things feel on earth. Psalms chapter 121 verses 1 and 2 say, I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Yesterday, five former Memphis police officers were charged with second-degree murder following the death of Tyree Nichols, a 29-year-old black man. All five of the officers are also black. After being stopped for reckless driving, Nichols ran from police and was subsequently tased, pepper-sprayed, restrained, and arrested. He was taken to the hospital after complaining of shortness of breath and passed away three days later. Two EMTs who treated Nichols following the incident have also been relieved of duty. Officials released partial audio of the incident yesterday, and the video is expected to be released publicly in the coming days.

After viewing the footage, the family's attorney said Nichols suffered nonstop beating, and the Memphis police chief called her officer's behavior a failing of basic humanity. Police departments across the country are preparing for protests once the footage is released. It's easy to become angry and indignant over world events, but much more difficult to live with the tension of desiring change while simultaneously loving everyone involved. Followers of Christ are called to live in that tension, loving the very people they oppose. Matthew chapter 5 verses 44 and 45 say, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his Son to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. This episode is sponsored by One Hope.

We haven't written about it much. Venezuela is having a tough go. They're in the midst of a political and economic crisis marked by an unfathomable 305% inflation. We thought 7% was bad. The silver lining, sharing the gospel with one child costs just 33 cents. No, seriously. So, we're partnering with One Hope and its network of local churches to reach young Venezuelans with the good news during this time of fear and hopelessness. We're giving $1,000, which amazingly represents 3,000 children, and hope you'll join us with a gift of your own.

Every $10 represents 30 children. Let's make a huge kingdom impact. Check out the link in the show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. Will he return? Meta announced on Wednesday that it will restore former President Trump's Instagram and Facebook accounts. Trump hasn't yet announced if he'll come back to his combined 57 million followers, but he is rumored to be planning a return to Twitter in June, when an exclusivity deal with his own social media company, Truth Social, ends.

It's not just a boring board game you never finish. It's also what the Justice Department is calling Google's advertising business. The Department of Justice's recent lawsuit claims that Google could become a be-all and end-all location for all ad serving because it operates on multiple sides of the market. Google maintains that it has plenty of digital ad competitors. On Wednesday, Pope Francis made headlines for saying, being homosexual is not a crime. The Pope reiterated the church's teaching that homosexuality is a sin, but called for homosexual acts to be decriminalized in the roughly 70 countries where currently illegal, stating that LGBTQ people should be included in Catholic life.

The teacher shot by her six-year-old student in Newport News, Virginia is suing the school district, claiming that the school ignored four separate warnings that the boy had a gun before he shot her in the chest later that day. The school board has since terminated the superintendent. Justin Bieber has sold the rights to his 290 pre-2020 songs to Hypnosis, a United Kingdom-based music investment company. The Biebs is following in the footsteps of Sting, Neil Young, and Justin Timberlake, who've recently cashed in on their back catalogs. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. Special shout out to Kyra. She wrote in and said,

I love the pour over, and I literally laughed out loud today. My teenage daughter, a freshman in high school, subscribes to the newsletter and reads it every time. I am so thankful that she is able to read news that focuses on how to love others, share the gospel, and pray for our world. Thank you for your influence that reaches across generations. Help us reach the next generation of newsreaders putting their hope in Jesus, not politics. Go to tpopod.com, that's t-p-o-p-o-d dot com, or find the link in the show notes. 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 weekend. We'll see you on Monday.