The Pour Over Today - Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Episode Date: April 19, 2023

Today, we’re talking about China’s alleged secret outpost, a shooting in Missouri, Fox News and Dominion’s settlement, and other top news for Wednesday, April 19th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Voice of the Martyrs Sponsored by 1440 - subscribe with one click (no, seriously… one click)

Today we're talking about China's alleged secret outpost, a shooting in Missouri, Fox News and Dominion settlement, and other top news for Wednesday, April 19th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day, I have the choice to be angry at God for what I don't have or be thankful for what I do have. Nick Vujicic. Let's start with some espresso shots. Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reached a reported $787 million settlement yesterday,

just minutes before their trial began. Jurors were already seated in the courtroom and preparing to hear opening remarks when the judge announced the parties had resolved their case. The settlement, which still needs final approval from the judge, avoids what was expected to be a prolonged trial on the bounds of the First Amendment. Dominion was seeking $1.6 billion in damages, alleging the network knowingly aired false claims about its machines being rigged against Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Records produced as part of the lawsuit showed Fox News hosts and executives did not believe the claims but aired them anyway. Fox says the records were cherry-picked and mischaracterized and the claims about rigged voting systems were inherently newsworthy.

Culturally hot topics frequently make people think, speak, and act poorly, including us. We can respect others and represent God better if we are quick to listen and slow to speak. James 1, verse 19-20 says, Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. After several days of protests in Kansas City, Missouri, an arrest has been made in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a black 16-year-old. Yarl's family says he went to the wrong house trying to pick up his younger brothers when the 84-year-old homeowner shot him twice through the glass door,

once in the head and once in the arm. Yarl is recovering at home after being hospitalized. and once in the arm. Jarl is recovering at home after being hospitalized. The homeowner, who is white, was initially released after 24 hours, sparking racially charged protests. On Monday, he was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He turned himself in yesterday afternoon and, if convicted, faces life in prison. Separately, in upstate New York, a 20-year-old woman was shot and killed by a homeowner when her friend accidentally pulled into the wrong driveway. The homeowner has been charged with second-degree murder. Followers of Christ should remember that injury and loss of life are always cause for mourning. Pray for healing for those affected by these shootings and their repercussions.

Psalm 34 verse 18 says, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. He saves those crushed in spirit. The FBI has arrested two alleged Chinese agents and charged dozens of others with working to silence and harass dissidents within the U.S. The two men, who are in their 50s and 60s, face charges of conspiring to act as agents for China and obstruction of justice after allegedly establishing the first overseas undeclared police station in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood. The men, both U.S. citizens, face up to 25 years in prison and will appear in federal court in Brooklyn on Monday. Prosecutors said the men belong to an elite task force known as the

9-1-2 Special Project Working Group, which aims to target Chinese dissidents located throughout the world. China denied the existence of such a group, saying that the arrests were an act of political manipulation. In light of this story, take a moment to pray for followers of Jesus who face persecution in other countries. Pray that they would have the courage and strength to continue to stand for their faith. Pray that God would move powerfully to sustain and protect them. For more information about persecuted Christians worldwide, check out Voice of the Martyrs. We have a link in the show notes. John 15 verse 20 says, if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. verse 20 says, if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. 1440 while also sprinkling in reminders why you should still love the pour over. 1440 is news without motives enjoyed by over 2 million people. They're politically impartial

and trustworthy, but don't point you to Jesus. Point the pour over. Very well written, but rarely funny. Point the pour over. And delivered every Monday through Saturday. They're really one of the best facts-first news sources out there, and if you're looking for more unbiased news, you can subscribe to 1440 in one click. Check out the link in our show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. Yesterday, a Russian court denied bail to American Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia last month on espionage charges. The U.S. also officially declared him wrongfully detained,

a rare designation used in less than 1% of cases of Americans held overseas, allowing the case to be handled by a special office. Might be time to get your VeggieTales DVDs out of storage. Hollywood writers have voted to strike starting May 1st unless a new three-year contract can be agreed upon. They're demanding increases in minimum pay, more residual payments from streaming, and increased health and pension plans. The last time the Writers Guild of America went on strike was 2007. A collab between Drake and The Weeknd called Heart on My Sleeve racked up at least 10 million TikTok views over the weekend before it was taken down because it's fake.

The AI-generated track was released by an anonymous creator called Ghostwriter977 and is sparking heated debate over the legalities of musical deepfakes. Apple's attempting to take a bite out of the banking industry Thank you. Some now top 5%. Hertz so good, and so rich, too. Congratulations are in order for Jalen Hertz and his all-female management team spearheaded by Nicole Lynn. As Hertz agent, Lynn became the first Black woman to represent a player in the Super Bowl. And now she's negotiated the fourth Eagles quarterback a five-year $255 million extension, the NFL's biggest contract by average annual value ever. 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 day. We'll see you on Friday.