The Pour Over Today - Friday, June 16, 2023

Episode Date: June 16, 2023

Today, we’re talking about the Federal Reserve’s hiking break, the latest on Ukraine’s counteroffensive, an antitrust lawsuit against Google, and other top news for Friday, June 16th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Sponsored by The End of the Road podcast - available anywhere you listen to podcasts

Today we're talking about the Federal Reserve not raising rates, bringing you the latest from Ukraine, an antitrust suit against Google, and other top news for Friday, June 16th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. You cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. Let's start with some espresso shots. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell finally took off his hiking boots. After 15 months and 10 consecutive votes to raise interest rates, Federal Reserve officials voted unanimously Wednesday to maintain current rates.

The decision was widely expected after recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed annual inflation slowed to 4% in May, marking the 11th consecutive month of decline. Still, the Fed hasn't thrown out the hiking poles altogether, just set them down. Fed officials expect two more hikes by the end of 2023 to hopefully bring inflation down closer to its target of 2%. Even a pause from the rate hikes was the end of 2023 to hopefully bring inflation down closer to its target of 2%. Even a pause from the rate hikes was enough for investors to break out their party hats. Yesterday, the Dow Jones climbed 400 points and the S&P 500 hit a fresh 13-month high. Whether the economy soars or collapses, God will still be God, and he will remain in control.

Jesus is our rock no matter what happens to interest rates or the stock market. Matthew 7 verse 24 says, Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Russia is hard at work at countering Ukraine's counteroffensive. While Kyiv has remained tight-lipped, initial reports say Ukraine has suffered numerous casualties and appears to have made only modest gains against Russian forces, which holds air and artillery superiority on the new battlegrounds.

A series of missile attacks on Ukraine's supply lines have left multiple dead, including three civilians working in a warehouse in the port city of Odessa. Meanwhile, both sides are getting by with a little help from friends. The Biden administration announced an additional $325 million in aid Tuesday, bringing the U.S.'s total military support to $40 billion. total military support to $40 billion. Next door, Belarus received a delivery of tactical Russian nuclear weapons, some of which they claim are three times more powerful than those used in World War II. Our response to things outside of our control, like wars and diplomatic relationships of world powers, should reflect our faith in Christ and be an encouragement to others. In the face of anxiety-inducing news,

seek to reflect the peace of God which surpasses understanding. Job 12, verse 10 says, The life of every living thing is in his hand, as well as the breath of all humanity. The European Union is squaring off against tech this week. First, the EU charged Google with violating antitrust laws, accusing the tech behemoth of unfairly dominating the digital advertising market. These are results Google has seen before. This is the fourth antitrust suit it has faced. If successful, Google could face hefty fines or even be broken into separate companies. Quite disinterested in being chopped up, Google said it will respond accordingly.

Second, the EU Parliament advanced a draft law called the AI Act to its final stage. The law would require anything created by artificial intelligence, from essays to images, to be labeled as AI-generated, would ban AI from using biometric data, think facial recognition, and would generally try to prevent a Terminator situation. The legislation is expected to pass later this year, but is not without critics. Here's a verse to consider when hearing about debate over news laws. First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness

and dignity. 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 1 through 2. Podcast. Visiting a city across the country can be fun. Seeing new landmarks, trying a signature food, finding out if they say soda or pop. But what about places where nearly everything is different? The End of the Road podcast will take you to some of the most challenging and remote places on the planet. Hear firsthand accounts of what life is like and what God is doing in the jungles of Congo, a war-torn city in the Middle East, and other places with cultures you'll likely never get to experience. If you want to hear fascinating stories, experience wild and remote places, and have your heart more inclined towards Christ, listen to the End of the Road podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Available anywhere you listen to podcasts. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. Modelo Especial overtook Bud Light as America's top-selling beer in May, an exclamation point on a two-month-long boycott by conservative beer drinkers following Bud Light's partnership with a transgender influencer, Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light's sales dropped 23% year-over-year in May, while Modelo, whose U.S. division is owned by Constellation Brands, beat out Bud Light's retail share 8.4% to 7.3%. Representatives at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination voted overwhelmingly, 9,437 to 1,212, to uphold the convention's previous decision to expel Saddleback Church, founded by best-selling author Rick Warren and two other churches for

having women teaching pastors, which goes against the SBC's statement of faith. which goes against the SBC's statement of faith. A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy capsized and sank off the Grecian coast Wednesday. Authorities estimate that the boat was carrying around 650 people. 79 are confirmed dead, 104 have been rescued, and the rest of the passengers remain missing. The Central Mediterranean migrant route has seen a 400% year-over-year increase in migrant crossings in 2023. A jury unanimously awarded a former Starbucks manager $25 million after finding that the coffee chain had terminated her because she was white. Shannon Phillips alleged that she was made a scapegoat in the company's damage control efforts after footage of two Black men being arrested in a Philly Starbucks went viral. The jury agreed.

You can keep buying vowels, but you won't be able to get them from Pat. Legendary Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, 76, tweeted that his 41st season, which begins in September, will be his last. Following his retirement, he'll serve as a consultant for the show for three years. 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 weekend.

We'll see you on Monday.