The Pour Over Today - Friday, December 23, 2022

Episode Date: December 23, 2022

Today we’re talking about Ukrainian President Zelensky’s visit to Washington D.C., record-breaking winter weather disrupting travel plans, the Taliban’s education crackdown, and other top news for Friday, December 23rd. We’ll be taking Monday off, but will be back with the news on Wednesday. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Sponsored by charity: water

Today we're talking about Ukrainian President Zelensky's visit to Washington, D.C., record-breaking winter weather-disrupting travel plans, the Taliban's education crackdown, and other top news for Friday, December 23rd. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. We'll be taking Monday off, but we'll be back with other news on Wednesday. Here's the quote of the day. When Christ was born, so was our hope. Max Lucado.

Let's get started with some espresso shots. In his first visit outside Ukraine since the war began, President Zelensky arrived in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, where he addressed a joint session of Congress, thanking the lawmakers and American families for their support. He spoke in English for just over 20 minutes, invoked FDR, and was interrupted multiple times with standing ovations. Your money is not charity, he said.

It's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way. This is becoming a sticking point for some Republicans, who want an audit of how the billions Uncle Sam is giving is being spent. During the visit, President Biden confirmed the U.S. will be sending Ukraine a Patriot system. It's the world's most advanced missile defense system, but it takes months of training to operate. Zelensky returned to Ukraine on Thursday. Continue to pray for everyone affected by war, 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 5.9 says,

Hope you packed a sweater, Dasher. It's a winterful life this Christmas. Yesterday, a bomb cyclone and polar vortex collided over North America in a decidedly unfestive cocktail. The storm's being heralded as once in a generation and has iced out 2,800 flights since Wednesday. And yes, it's cold. Temps in Cheyenne, Wyoming dropped 40 degrees in just 30 minutes, setting a new record. Windy City turkey dinners might taste a little bland since all the salt is on the roads. Chicago deployed 287 salt spreaders

across 9,400 miles of city streets. Even Canadians should expect some unusually chilly eggnog, with heavy snow and gusty winds over 60 miles per hour. Over 100 daily temperature records could be tied or broken over the next few days as the storm moves across the country. Here's a verse to consider when the weather flexes its muscles. Then he got up and rebuked the winds in the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed and asked, what kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him. Matthew 8, 26-27. The Taliban just called all women and girls out of school. It started with the ban on women

attending universities, but a day later was extended to include a ban on girls attending elementary school and women teaching, closing one of the few remaining professions available to women. It's a throwback to Taliban rule in the 1990s, when women couldn't study or work and needed to be accompanied by a male relative to leave the house, and breaks promises the Taliban made when the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan last year. While some younger Taliban members opposed the ban, older hardliners are currently holding the reins. The ban sparked quick international condemnation. The United Nations and U.S. warned forbidding women education will have consequences. Saudi Arabia expressed astonishment and regret, and Turkey called the policies neither Islamic nor humane. 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 work against. Matthew 5.44 says, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. This episode is brought to you by Charity Water. The world's most deadly force isn't a natural disaster. It isn't violence. It isn't even war. It's diseases from dirty drinking water, which take 2,300 lives a day. With access to clean water, everything changes.

Illnesses from waterborne diseases decrease. All the energy that was poured into finding, collecting, and recovering from dirty water can be redirected into new dreams for a brighter future. This holiday season, Charity Water is on a mission to bring clean water to 40,000 people. And you can help. No matter how much you give, 100% directly funds clean water, bringing life's most basic need to people living in some of the world's hardest-to-reach places. Check out the link in the show notes.

need to people living in some of the world's hardest-to-reach places. Check out the link in the show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. Congress is racing to avoid a government shutdown. The $1.7 billion omnibus budget passed the Senate 68-29 yesterday after stalling over an impasse on immigration policy. In addition to normal government budget stuff, the bill includes funding for Ukraine, changes to the Electoral Count Act, and a TikTok ban for government devices. It's expected to pass the House today. A preliminary report shows losses from his real estate business allowed former President Trump to pay very little or nothing in taxes from 2015 to 2020. It also shows that the IRS did not conduct mandatory audits his first two years in office. His biggest tax bill during the period was $999,466 in 2018, or 4% of his income. The lowest was $0 in 2020. Existing home sales continued to sled downhill

in the U.S., falling for a 10 tenth straight month, the longest losing streak since 1999. The slump is driven in part by rising interest rates, which are down from their peak of over 7%, but still double what they were this time last year. Returning to his role as Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu announced a newly formed coalition government, and it comes with a heaping side of controversy. Netanyahu announced a newly formed coalition government, and it comes with a heaping side of controversy. He gained a majority by promising controversial far-right figures important cabinet positions with increased authority. Swearing in is set for next week. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrived in a United States court yesterday after agreeing to be extradited from the Bahamas. He faces a maximum of 115 years in prison if convicted of all eight charges. Meanwhile, two of his top lieutenants, FTX's co-founder and

Alameda Researcher's former CEO, have both pleaded guilty to federal charges and are cooperating with authorities. 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.