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U.S. NEWS

Sentenced

Bryan Kohberger will spend the rest of his life behind bars. 

On Wednesday, a judge sentenced him to four consecutive life sentences, plus 10 years for burglary—with no possibility of parole—for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. Kohberger pleaded guilty earlier this month as part of a deal to avoid the death penalty. 

When asked at sentencing whether he wanted to speak, he responded, “I respectfully decline.”

Kohberger, a former criminology PhD student at Washington State University—8 miles from the murder scene in Moscow, Idaho—was arrested weeks after the November stabbings. Investigators tied him to the crime using surveillance footage of a white sedan and DNA on a knife sheath found at the scene. 

Neither he nor his defense team has publicly shared a motive, leaving victims’ families—who asked for answers in court—still asking why.

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
Christians’ radical love shines in our dark world when we love even those who hate and hurt us. Loving our enemies demonstrates that we belong to our Father, who loved His enemies so much that He allowed them to kill His Son so that He could be close to them.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?” 
Matthew 5:44-46 (CSB) (read full passage)

ECONOMY

Money Moves

The Trump admin’s makin’ trade deals and AI plans. 

President Trump unveiled a “massive” trade deal with Japan, lowering tariffs from 25% to 15% in exchange for Japan’s $550B investment in the U.S., including purchasing 100 Boeing planes and upping defense spending with American firms. Trump says the U.S. will “receive 90% of the profits” from the investment, and that the deal will increase American industries’ market access in Japan.

The markets applauded; the S&P 500 reached an all-time high and Japanese auto stocks (Toyota and Honda) each accelerated by ~12%.

Meanwhile, the White House unveiled its strategy for “winning the AI race” in a 23-page document outlining plans to speed up construction of data centers, mitigate “ideological bias” in chatbots, and remove federal “red tape” (think: environmental regulations).

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Our ultimate purpose is to glorify God—the Creator of the universe, the God who provides, the Great Innovator, and the Inventor of everything. No matter what the state of the economy is or what new technology emerges, remember to use all of your resources to point others to eternal hope in Him. 

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.” 
Colossians 1:15-16 (CSB) (read full passage)

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U.S. NEWS

Allegations

President Trump is accusing former President Obama of treason.

It’s based on a recently declassified report that Director of National Intelligence Gabbard says provides “irrefutable proof” that Obama directed his intelligence officials to say Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help then-candidate Trump, even though “they knew it was false.” 

Obama’s office issued a rare statement denying the “bizarre” allegation, citing a bipartisan Senate report led by Marco Rubio (Trump’s current Secretary of State) that concluded “Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.” 

Democrats allege the Trump admin is attempting to distract from ongoing Epstein-related drama, including the WSJ reporting President Trump was told in May that he was named in the files (which does not indicate any wrongdoing). The White House called it “a fake news story.”

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Verse to consider when you’re tempted to point fingers… “The Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.” 
Isaiah 30:18 (CSB) (read full passage)

Columbia University has agreed to pay a $200M settlement to the federal government, which will restore “a vast majority” of the $400M in funding cut over allegations that it failed to protect Jewish students from harassment. Columbia denied wrongdoing but said “the agreement marks an important step forward,” while President Trump promised similar outcomes from other “unfair and unjust” universities.
 

Ukrainians were protesting on Wednesday, taking to the streets of Kyiv in the largest anti-government rally since the war began. Activists oppose a new law, supported by Zelenskyy, that they say weakens anti-corruption watchdogs—it’s also drawn criticism from the E.U. and rights groups. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine held brief talks in Turkey and agreed to another prisoner exchange.
 

A doctor pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine to the late actor Matthew Perry before his 2023 overdose. The California physician faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2M fine. His attorney says he is “profoundly remorseful” and will voluntarily surrender his medical license, acknowledging he failed to protect a patient who was “especially vulnerable due to addiction.”
 

A plane crashed in Russia’s far east yesterday, killing all 48 people on board. The nearly 50-year-old Antonov An-24 passenger plane was preparing to land when it went down in a densely forested area; rescue teams had to use heavy machinery to reach the remote crash site. Investigators are looking into suspected air traffic violations that may have caused the incident.
 

Hulk Hogan, the shirt-shredding pro wrestler, died yesterday at 71 after suffering cardiac arrest. Born Terry Bollea, the 6’8”, 300-pounder began wrestling in 1977 and took on the moniker “Hulk” after drawing comparisons to the comic book hero. He became the face of professional wrestling—with his blond hair, horseshoe mustache, and bandanas—helping take the sport mainstream.

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