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WORLD NEWS

Under Pressure

Israel is making some changes in their six-month-old conflict with Hamas.

On Friday, Israel’s military dismissed two officers for violating standard procedure in the Gaza airstrike that killed seven humanitarian workers. Israeli defense forces (IDF) mistakenly believed Hamas gunmen were operating the aid vehicles.

The tragedy prompted President Biden to warn Israeli PM Netanyahu that U.S. support is contingent upon humanitarian aid to Gaza. Hours later, Israel announced opening three more aid corridors into Gaza. 

As food flows in, troops are leaving. Sunday, the IDF pulled all but one military brigade from southern Gaza.  

On Israel’s home front, Benny Gantz, a member of the emergency government and (more popular) political rival of Netanyahu, called for early elections in response to mounting public discontent with Netanyahu’s failure to bring hostages home.

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Death is all around us, and the darkness weighs heavily on our hearts and our world. But believers have hope because Emmanuel is present with us in the darkness, and our Living God has removed the sting of death so that it’s powerless against those who love him.

“‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work.”
1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (CSB)

SPORTS

April Madness

South Carolina is the undefeated women’s NCAA basketball champion.

South Carolina beat Iowa in the women’s championship yesterday, ending Caitlin Clark’s storybook career without a storybook ending. The Gamecocks’ win avenged last year’s Final Four loss to Iowa and gave them their 3rd title in eight seasons, a perfect season (38-0), and a 3-year record of 109-3.

Viewership keeps setting records, too. Friday’s Final Four game between Iowa and UConn set a new women’s ratings record (14.2M viewers), which yesterday’s Iowa/South Carolina game likely beat. By comparison, this out-rated every regular season college football game last season, except one (Ohio State - Michigan). 

The men play tonight, with UConn hoping to become the first men’s team to win consecutive titles since Florida in 2006-07 and Purdue hoping to win its first-ever title.

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Verse to consider whether your thing is sports, video games, TV shows, or none of these…”So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 (CSB)

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POLITICS

Green for Red

Republican megadonors made it rain at former President Trump’s Palm Beach fundraiser.

Saturday’s event brought in $50 million — the largest haul from a single political fundraiser ever. The previous record was set last month by President Biden, who raised $26 million at an event alongside former Presidents Clinton and Obama. It came at a good time for Trump's campaign, which had “only” $93 million in cash compared to Biden’s $192 million.

The 117 guests listened to Trump’s remarks on the economy, the southern border, and party unification before donating to the Trump Campaign, Save America (which funds Trump’s legal bills), the RNC, and state Republican parties.

In other political news, the upstart centrist political party “No Labels” has abandoned its attempt to put forth a third-party “unity ticket” after failing to find a candidate.
 
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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Politicians come and go, often disappointing supporters and opponents alike. Put your hope in the Lord, who has no term limit, rules with compassion, and executes justice perfectly. 

“But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for judgment. And he judges the world with righteousness; he executes judgment on the nations with fairness. The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord.”  
Psalm 9:7–10 (CSB)

“Did you feel it?” The U.S. Geological Survey is polling northeasterners after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook New Jersey and NYC Friday morning. The quake’s epicenter was about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia. No major damage has been reported (beyond a few salt shakers and lawn chairs tipping over). 
 

This afternoon, millions of Americans will see the contiguous U.S.’s first total solar eclipse since 2017 (the next one isn’t until 2044). Airbnb and hotel rates in the “path of totality” have soared ahead of the moon’s photobomb, which will start over Mexico and move across the U.S. from Texas to Maine. And don’t forget your glasses!
 

Apple announced it’s slicing off 600 employees from its workforce. While the tech industry has seen lots of “workforce reduction” in recent years, this is Apple’s first round of post-pandemic layoffs. The decision follows news Apple has closed its secretive self-driving car division and plans to shift focus to AI.
 

Grab your oven mitts; the labor market remains hot. The U.S. added a better-than-expected 303,000 jobs in March. Much of the job growth came through an expanding labor market, which created only moderate wage growth—meaning it hasn’t raised any inflation alarm bells at the Federal Reserve. The stock market climbed higher on the news.
 

You’ve heard of the Wet Bandits… but what about the Easter Bandits? On Easter Sunday, thieves broke into an LA money storage facility by cutting a hole in a wall, cracking the safe, and taking $30M. Experts predict the heist (which sounds like a movie plot) involved numerous people and was planned for months.

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