The Pour Over Today - Friday, August 11, 2023

Episode Date: August 11, 2023

Today we’re talking about wildfires in Maui, the so-called miracle weight loss drug Wegovy, an Ecuadorian presidential candidate being assassinated, and other top news for Friday, August 11th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Sponsored by TUVU

Today we're talking about wildfires in Maui, the so-called miracle weight loss drug Wagovi, an Ecuadorian presidential candidate being assassinated, and other top news for Friday, August 11th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pullover. Here's the quote of the day. God isn't moved by the quality of our voice, but the condition of our hearts. Chris Tomlin Let's start with some espresso shots. Fire rained down on Paradise this week.

A wildfire broke out on the Hawaiian island of Maui early Wednesday morning, claiming 36 lives and reducing postcard-perfect towns to ash. The fire spread with alarming speed and decimated the historic coastal town of Lahaina, a popular tourist destination which dates back to the 1700s. The Coast Guard has rescued 14 islanders, including two children, who took to the ocean to escape flames and smoke. President Biden has issued an emergency declaration. The Coast Guard and Navy are supporting rescue efforts, while the Marines are providing Black Hawk helicopters to fight the fires.

Flames and high winds have knocked out power and communications, complicating efforts and evacuations. The flames remain uncontamed, fueled by dry vegetation, low humidity, and strong winds from Hurricane Dora, churning 500 miles southward. God has not left us helpless in the face of disasters. He hears the prayers of his people, acting for our good in his glory. James 5, verses 13 and 16 say, Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Drug maker Novo Nordisk says its weight loss drug Wigovi can reduce more than just scale readings. A new study shows that it also cut the risk of suffering heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths by 20%. The study is adding to Wigovi's

reputation as a miracle drug. Wigovi and its sister drug Ozempic have surged in popularity, especially among celebrities looking to shed weight, which has reignited debates over unhealthy body image standards. While there has been a rise in reports of quote-unquote stomach paralysis, most users report few negative side effects. One thing is holding Wigovy back. It's $1,350 a month price tag. Most insurers, including Medicare, don't cover weight loss drugs. Novo Nordisk hopes that studies

showing increased benefits, like the reduction of heart attacks and strokes, will lead to expanded coverage and is lobbying for Medicare coverage. Here's a verse to consider when you're not sure if someone else is footing the bill or you have to. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content. Whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need, I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4 verses 12-13. Ecuador has declared a 60-day state of emergency after one of its presidential candidates was assassinated. Fernando Villavicencio was not a frontrunner in a pack of eight presidential hopefuls but was known for being outspoken against corruption and organized crime.

He was assassinated at a political rally in Ecuador's capital, Quito, on Wednesday. He was assassinated at a political rally in Ecuador's capital, Quito, on Wednesday. Six related arrests have been made so far and extra military personnel have been deployed. Ecuador will observe three days of mourning in response to the death. Sitting President Guillermo Lasso implied a connection between the killing and the country's organized crime crisis. Gang violence in Ecuador has been on the rise, a major issue his successor will have to tackle. Lasso called the assassination an attempt to sabotage the electoral process, but said democracy has to be strengthened, and August 20th's election should proceed. We live in a world marred by sin. Even while we work to promote accountability and redemption

here on earth, we can rest in the knowledge that a day is coming where sin will be impossible and regret a distant memory. Psalms 23 verse 4 says, Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. This episode is sponsored by Tuvu. Social media is broken, but it has potential. Tuvu is trying to do it right. First, there are no ads. It's paid, but the pour-over subscribers get one year free. Second, posts are shown chronologically, not curated to drive you deeper into your political ideology. And third, it's AI-moderated with the whole family in mind. There's no technically okay, but definitely questionable photos. Tuvu is a social media platform designed for connection, not addiction. See what family and

friends are up to, then hop off and carry on with your day. Claim your free one-year subscription go at tuvu.com slash tpo. That's t-u-v-u dot com slash t-p-o. Or find the link in our show notes. TPO, or find the link in our show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. A new court filing shows special counsel Jack Smith obtained a search warrant for former President Trump's abandoned Twitter account early this year. Twitter, now X, allegedly delayed handing over account info, including DMs, unpublished drafts, and location data. The company was held in contempt, fined $350,000, and lost a request to inform Trump that his info was subpoenaed. The FBI shot and killed a Utah man who was approximately 70-75

years old while trying to serve arrest and search warrants at a residence. The man was wanted for threatening to murder Joe Biden hours before the president was set to visit Salt Lake City and found to own multiple firearms, including a sniper rifle. The shooting is under review by the FBI. The U.S. has reached a deal with Iran to free five imprisoned Iranian Americans. In return for their freedom, the U.S. will free several jailed Iranians and unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds being held in South Korea. Iran took the first step of moving the five Americans from prison to house arrest yesterday, but the situation remains delicate. The Supremes ruled 5-4 to temporarily reinstate restrictions on ghost guns while legal challenges continue.

Ghost guns are assembled from kits or 3D printed, meaning they may not have serial numbers and don't require background checks. Last year, the Biden administration introduced rules to make ghost guns less, um, translucent, which gun rights groups have challenged. It was worth the weightlessness. After purchasing his ticket back in 2005, an 80-year-old former Olympian flew on Virgin Galactic's first customer flight yesterday alongside the first mother-daughter duo to visit space. After the space plane's smooth landing, he called the trip by far the most awesome thing I've ever done. And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a 5-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 sincerely appreciate your support and we hope you have a great weekend. We'll see you on Monday.