The Pour Over Today - Friday, March 25, 2022

Starting point is 00:00:00 Today we're talking about Biden's visit to Brussels, remembering Madeleine Albright, the public hearings of Judge Katonji Brown-Jackson, and other top news for Friday, March 25th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. A man with God is always in the majority. John Knox. Let's get started with some espresso shots. Fed up with Zoom, President Biden met with NATO and EU allies face-to-face in Brussels

Starting point is 00:00:29 to discuss, you guessed it, Russia. A few major takeaways, Biden promised that if Russia uses weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, that NATO would respond, quote, in kind. The president also said he would support an effort to expel Russia from the G20, or the group of the world's 20 largest economies. And the U.S. announced it would commit an additional $1 billion in humanitarian assistance and accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. This comes a day after the U.S. formally accused Russia of war crimes, saying they have evidence that Russia has intentionally targeted civilians. The Kremlin denies this, and it'll be tough to hold them accountable as neither

Starting point is 00:01:03 the U.S. or Russia recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court. As the conflict drags on, we can find comfort that there will be no war in an eternity spent with Jesus. The second half of Isaiah 2-4 says they will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war. Someone better hug Leslie Knope. Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 84. Albright served under President Clinton from 1997 through 2001 and was known for promoting the expansion of NATO, recommending military intervention in Kosovo, and her PIN diplomacy, which was sending diplomatic messages through her brooches. At the time, she was the highest-ranking woman in the

Starting point is 00:01:49 history of the U.S. government, but was not included in the presidential line of succession because she was born in Czechoslovakia. Her family left the country in 1939 when Nazis invaded, and left Europe in 1948 as the Soviet Union expanded. Her passing is prompted in an outpouring of respect from both Democrats and Republicans alike. Flags will be flown at half-mast for five days in her honor. You can see her life in photos in the link in our show notes. A verse to consider when remembering an impressive life. Pay your obligations to everyone. Taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor. Romans 13 7. those you owe respect and honor to those you owe honor. Romans 13 7. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson survived the public hearings, but her seat was hot. Notable moments included Texas Republican

Starting point is 00:02:35 Senator Ted Cruz's viral questioning of Jackson's opinion on critical race theory. Jackson defending her defense of accused terrorists, saying that, quote, public defenders don't get to choose their clients. Also repeated sparring over Jackson's sentencing in child pornography cases, which some Republicans call too lenient, but Jackson said was consistent with precedent. And Senator Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, saying that Jackson inspired him and that she is, quote, worthy, which moved her to tears. With the hearings over, next steps include votes by the Senate Judiciary Committee and then the full Senate. She just needs 50 votes plus Vice President Harris's tiebreaker to be confirmed, which Democrats hope to achieve before April 8th. Contentious topics like SCOTUS confirmation

Starting point is 00:03:13 hearings frequently make people think, speak, and act poorly, and that includes us. We can respect others and represent God better if we're quick to listen and slow to speak. James 1, 19 and 20 says, everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, James 1, 19 and 20 says, everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. Today's podcast is brought to you by Dwell. It's almost Easter, and don't get us wrong, we love oversized bunnies and colorful eggs as much as the next newsletter, but we also want you to get more out of Easter than just chocolate. That's why we're excited to announce that Dwell is offering their Inhabit devotional for free, which pairs with their Inhabit listening plan inside the app. Together, it's a powerful and immersive devotional experience that you won't

Starting point is 00:03:53 want to miss this holy week. So this Easter season, download the Devo for free and sign up for Dwell. TPO readers and listeners get a seven-day free trial plus 25% off a Dwell subscription when you sign up with the link in our show notes. Happy listening! In other brews, we've got a rapid round of updates. Trump vs. Clinton. The Lawsuit. Former President Trump is suing Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director Comey, the DNC, and others claiming that they maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative that his campaign was colluding with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. He's seeking $72 million in damages. Russia is back on the stock market. The Moscow exchange reopened for limited trading yesterday, closing up about 4% and ending

Starting point is 00:04:39 its longest shutdown since the fall of the Soviet Union. Separately, the U.S. stock market rose an impressive 1.4% yesterday, clawing back Wednesday's losses. Moderna says its low-dose COVID vaccine is safe and effective for kids ages six months to six years, and is hoping that the FDA agrees. If authorized, it would be the first vaccine available to that age group. Meanwhile, the CEOs of almost every major airline are requesting that President Biden lift the federal mask mandate for travelers. Let the madness continue. The Sweet 16 round of the NCAA basketball tournament kicked off last night. But let's be honest, your bracket is probably already ruined, and all you really care about is St. Peter's Cinderella Run.

Starting point is 00:05:18 They play Purdue, which is a three seed, tonight. And if they win, they'll be the first 15 seed to ever reach the Elite Eight. Go Peacocks. And if they win, they'll be the first 15 seed to ever reach the Elite Eight. Go Peacocks! Russia announced Wednesday that all the quote, unfriendly countries, which is basically everyone but Belarus, must start paying their energy bills in rubles. Europe is still a major consumer of Russian energy, and the news sent European gas prices soaring.

Starting point is 00:05:41 Thanks so much for listening today. If you found this podcast helpful or informative, we would really appreciate it if you would consider leaving us a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And if you're listening to this podcast somewhere else, we would really appreciate it if you just shared it with a friend. We hope you have a great weekend and we'll see you back here on Monday.

The Pour Over Today - Friday, March 25, 2022

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