The Pour Over Today - U.S./Iran Ceasefire Expires, Natural Disasters Strike, Michigan and Virginia Gun Violence, & More

Episode Date: August 17, 2026

The Pour Over is a Christ-first, politically neutral news podcast. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we cover the day's biggest stories in ~10 minutes, and pair the biggest headlines with brief biblical reminders. Looking to support us? You can choose to pay ⁠here⁠. On today's episode: U.S./Iran Ceasefire Expires Natural Disaster Strike Around the World Shootings in Michigan and Virginia Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty NFL Preseason Kicks Off Israeli Strikes Kill 11 in Lebanon Anthropic Revenue jumps 14x Joshua Báez Makes MLB History Thanks to our sponsors: The Voice of the Martyrs: Give a Village Outreach Kit | vom.org/TPO Wild Alaskan: $35 off your first box | code: TPO Quince: Free shipping | quince.com/tpo AdelFi: Apply for the Harvest Bundle | https://adelfibanking.com/pourover Upside: extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas | code: TPO LMNT: free 8-pack with purchase | https://links.thepourover.org/LMNT_Podcast Mosh: 25% off first variety pack + 20% off subscription | code: TPO25 Serving Orphans Worldwide: Give a gift to feed a child for a month | https://servingorphans.org/thepourover MORE FROM TPO: ⁠Free newsletter⁠ ⁠Watch TPO on YouTube⁠ ⁠Download the TPO App⁠ Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there, this is Joe. And I'm Peter. Today, we're talking about the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, expiring with no path forward, natural disasters striking Hawaii, Indonesia, and Indiana, two shootings in Michigan and Virginia, and other top headlines for Monday, August 17th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with the pourover.

Here's your quote of the day. I have never met the man I could disperse. bear of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God. Oswald Chambers. Let's get started with some espresso shots. Washington and Tehran's 60-day ceasefire expires today with no clear next step. On Friday, President Trump said Iran was being, quote, very badly defeated, and, quote, soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait, a territory of the United States.

Iran responded, saying America must, quote, accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in delusions. Meanwhile, the USS George Washington is en route to replace the USS Lincoln, which is stationed in the Middle East and hasn't been to port in nine months. Recent reports allege that USS Lincoln has experienced food shortages, plumbing problems, and multiple attempts by sailors to go overboard. The Navy acknowledged supply problems, but said there has, has been no uptick in mental health issues or missed meals. Admiral Cooper visited Saturday,

calling Lincoln's deployment, quote, one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era. Here's the verse to consider whether your military is thriving or barely surviving. Some take pride in chariots and others and horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand firm. Psalm 20 versus 6. Natural disasters are striking around the globe. Hawaii's Big Island narrowly avoided its first direct hit from a hurricane in 155 years, but was lashed by heavy winds and rain. At least one person died and tens of thousands lost power as Hurricane Lala skirted the

Big Island's southern tip before weakening to a tropical storm yesterday morning. Forecasters warned that dangerous conditions, including deadly surf, high winds, mudslides, and flash flooding could persist for days. Meanwhile, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, killing at least 53, displacing around 5,000, and injuring over 100. Rescue crews are combing collapsed buildings and landslide debris for survivors. And last week's directo-producing storms, think inland hurricane, caused massive flooding in Indiana, killing at least six people and breaking a 113-year record. Massive weather events and natural disasters remind us that all of the world has been broken by sin. But Christians can look forward to an eternity where there's redemption not just for people,

but for creation itself. Romans 8 20 through 21 says for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of him who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God's children. Gun violence struck rural Michigan and Virginia State University over the weekend. A manhunt overtook Michigan's Misaki County on Friday after a 39-year-old gunman killed a teenage boy and four adults across three locations. The suspect's body was found

in a forest alongside a victim. A 13-year-old girl survived four shots at the first location and identified the shooter whose motive is under investigation. Then Saturday, five people were shot and wounded outside a Virginia State University dorm. Police found a 19-year-old suspect hiding in a closet and didn't say whether they're still searching for others. However, newly released FBI crime data shows violent crimes are becoming less common. The homicide rate dropped 18.1% in 2025 to its lowest rate since 1956,

alongside declines in robbery, 18.5%. And aggravated assault, 7.5%. Psalm 34 verse 18 says, The Lord is near the brokenhearted. He saves those crushed in spirit. Let's pray. God of mercy, draw near to Misaki County and VSU as their sense of order and security has been shattered. Come near to the victim's loved ones as their world rips apart.

Come near to the wounded and heal their herds. Come near to all who witnessed this violence and its effects as they live with new and unwanted memories. In the wake of tragedy and chaos, bring your healing and peace. Amen. Hey, it's Steph, a writer for the poor. over. You know what they say about August. It's the Sunday of summer. Okay, maybe people don't say that, but it's still true, and it's the perfect time to do a little reset before the autumn rush. What better place to start than your wardrobe? That's where Quince comes in. Quince specializes in

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Now available in Canada and the UK, too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com slash T-P-O. In other bruise, here's a rapid round of updates. In a surprise reversal, Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to federal stocking charges Friday. Mangione, motivated by back pain and insurance industry frustration, posed as an investor to locate and shoot United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, saying, quote, I knew what I was doing. Mangione faces up to life in federal prison. His lawyers argue state charges should now be dropped, citing double jeopardy. The NFL's four-week dress rehearsal is underway.

The annual Hall of Fame game kicked off football's preseason on August 6th with a time-expiring touchdown from undrafted rookie Haynes King to push Carolina over Arizona 33 to 30. The Raiders Fernando Mendoza became the first top pick to throw a touchdown in his preseason debut since 2018 during Thursday's 27 to 14 loss to Arizona. In the deadliest raids since June's truce, Israeli strikes killed 11 in southern Lebanon Saturday after a Hezbollah attack seriously wounded three IDF soldiers. Acknowledging civilian casualties, Israel blamed Hezbollah for using women and children as,

quote, human shields. Lebanon condemned Israel's, quote, repeated ceasefire violence. Ukraine also launched one of the largest barrages of its war, killing at least six in Western Russia. Claude is feeling flush. Anthropic, the company behind the chatbot Claude reported its quarter to revenue surged more than 14x compared to last year, jumping from $787 million to $11.5 billion. The revenue rocket ship comes as Claude competes with overhaul. open AI for corporate customers, and as both AI behemoths prepare for potentially blockbuster IPOs this fall.

By the way, Saturday's TPO Explains was all about AI, but don't worry, it was made by humans. Go back and check it out. Joshua Baez came out swinging. The 23-year-old left-fielder made Major League Baseball History Saturday, becoming the first player ever to hit three home runs in his first three career at Baths, launching his first big league pitch over 449 feet into Wrigley Field's bleachers. Baez's blasts led the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs, a moment he called, quote, unreal.

And that's all the headlines for the day. But here's a good word for you as you start your week. May the grace of Christ attend to you, The love of God surround you and the Holy Spirit keep you now and forevermore. As always, thanks for listening, TPOFam. If you're listening on the Apple Podcast 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 new episode. The last word today goes to WCWMMP, who left a humdinger of a review, saying, quote,

while I'm enjoying a pourover in my mug, I'm also receiving one for my soul. The pourover is the perfect morning blend of the earthly and the heavenly. Each episode is steeped in scripture, thoughtfully connecting God's word to today's headlines, and encouraging us to pray over the people and events shaping our world. It's the perfect way to start my day. And that is a perfect place to say goodbye. Thank you to all our lovely listeners, and keep those. reviews coming. They are a joy to read. Have a great Monday. We'll catch you Wednesday.

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