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Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Appeal is Denied for Wall Street Journal Reporter Who is Detained in Russia

Reuters: A Moscow court on Tuesday rejected an appeal from U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich to be freed from pre-trial detention, meaning he will stay in a former KGB prison until at least May 29 while a spying case against him is investigated. Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, denies the espionage charges. He looked calm and smiled as he stood in a glass and metal cage before the ruling (Reuters). Wall Street Journal: Russia’s Federal Security Service, the successor to the KGB, said the journalist “acting on the instructions of the American side, collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex.” Russian authorities haven’t publicly presented evidence to support the allegations against the reporter. A conviction in the case carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Virtually all espionage trials in Russia end in a guilty verdict (Wall Street Journal).

Two Suspects Who Operated Chinese Police Stations in New York Arrested

CBS: The FBI arrested two defendants on charges that they set up and operated an illegal Chinese police station in the middle of New York City in order to influence and intimidate dissidents critical of the Chinese government in the U.S., the Justice Department announced. An FBI agent alleged that the defendants established a secret police station under the direction of China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) in a Manhattan office building. The Justice Department said the two men helped open the outpost in 2022, and deleted their communications with an MPS official once they became aware of the FBI’s investigation (CBS). Rep. Mike Waltz: There are secret Chinese police stations in our country and all over the world, hunting people down and violating U.S. sovereignty. My question is, what is Biden going to do about it (Twitter)?

Fox News Expected to Pay $787 Million in Settlement with Dominion

Bloomberg: Fox News agreed to pay about $787 million to settle a voting machine maker’s defamation lawsuit alleging the network defamed it by airing bogus claims that it rigged the 2020 presidential election against Donald Trump. The network, part of billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, reached the settlement with Dominion Voting Systems Inc. shortly after a jury for the trial in Wilmington, Delaware, was selected on Tuesday and just before opening statements (Bloomberg). Wall Street Journal: Dominion alleged that Fox hosts and guests amplified false claims that its voting technology helped rig the election for Joe Biden. The company sought $1.6 billion in damages. Fox argued that it was covering newsworthy claims by associates of then-President Donald Trump and that its broadcasts should be protected by the First Amendment (Wall Street Journal).

Biden’s ATF Director Fails to Define “Assault Weapon”

Spencer Brown: Steve Dettelbach, the man President Biden chose to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), followed in the footsteps of other Biden administration officials who have been stumped by seemingly straightforward questions from lawmakers, questions that deal with subjects within what is supposed to be their purview. On Tuesday, Director Dettelbach was asked by Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-TX) to give a brief, 15-second definition of the term “assault weapon,” the thing President Biden and Democrats have demanded must be banned within the United States. Dettelbach, however, came up completely empty during his testimony in the House Appropriations Committee’s hearing focused on the ATF’s FY2024 budget (Townhall). RNC Research: Biden says he wants to ban assault weapons, but his own ATF Director Steve Dettelbach can’t even define what they are: “I’m not a firearms expert” (Twitter).

Southwest Airlines Temporarily Halts All Flight Nationwide to Address Technical Issue

Associated Press: Southwest Airlines planes were briefly grounded nationwide Tuesday for what the airline called an intermittent technology issue, leading to more than 1,800 delayed flights just four months after the carrier suffered a much bigger meltdown over the Christmas travel rush. The hold on departures was lifted by late morning, according to Southwest and the Federal Aviation Administration, but not before traffic at airports from Denver to New York City backed up. “Southwest has resumed operations after temporarily pausing flight activity this morning to work through data connection issues resulting from a firewall failure,” the Dallas-based airline said in a prepared statement. “Early this morning, a vendor-supplied firewall went down and connection to some operational data was unexpectedly lost” (Associated Press). MSNBC: All Southwest Airlines departures halted nationwide due to technical issue (Twitter).

Rep. Cori Bush Joins Call to Impeach Justice Thomas

Just the News: Missouri Democratic Rep. Cori Bush, a member of the far-left “Squad,” joined her fellow progressive lawmakers in calling for the impeachment of Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas on Tuesday. Bush’s position follows reports that Thomas did not disclose his lavish vacations with Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. He has insisted he was not required to report them and has denied all wrongdoing. She joins her colleague, New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in demanding his removal from office over the matter (Just the News). Hill: In a statement on Tuesday, Bush said Thomas “holds a complete disregard for law and ethics that is incompatible with the trust and confidence placed in federal judges.” Bush in her statement on Tuesday said Thomas “has made a mockery of his ethical obligations and disgraced himself and the entire judiciary,” and said recent discoveries “are just the latest in a pattern of lawless and shocking behavior that has characterized Justice Thomas’s career” (Hill).

World Renown Pastor Charles Stanley Passes Away at 90

CBN: Prominent pastor, author, and Christian broadcaster Dr. Charles Stanley has passed away. He died on Tuesday morning, April 18, at 90 years old. In 65 years of ministry, Dr. Stanley helped to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world through his Bible-teaching ministry. He had led First Baptist Church Atlanta for 50 years, but he stepped back from that role in 2020. Today, the Atlanta church’s membership includes people from 98 countries of origin, making them among the most ethnically diverse congregations in America (CBN). In Touch Ministries: In Touch Family, this morning, God called our beloved pastor, Dr. Charles Stanley, home to heaven. Dr. Stanley lived a life of obedience and is now receiving the joy of his soul—seeing his Savior face-to-face. Please join us in praying for the Stanley family (Twitter).

Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Fully Cleared to Play

CNN: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been cleared to resume football activities, the team’s general manager said on Tuesday. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle during the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2. The 25-year-old has been at Buffalo’s practice facility participating in voluntary offseason workouts this week (CNN). Buffalo Bills: Per GM Brandon Beane, Damar Hamlin has been cleared to resume full football activities. Hamlin is in Buffalo and in a great headspace (Twitter). ESPN: Hamlin was also recognized alongside the medical and athletic training staff of the Bills and Bengals and some of the staff from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center at the NFL Honors and on the field before Super Bowl LVII (ESPN).

Disney to Host After Dark Pride Night in June

National Review: Hours after Governor Ron DeSantis (R., Fla.) unveiled new legislation that would strip Disney World of its self-granted protections, Disney Land in California announced that it will hold its “first-ever Pride Nite” in mid-June. The announcement comes on the heels of Governor DeSantis confirming that Florida lawmakers were planning to undo Disney’s last-ditch efforts to avoid state oversight on the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a self-governing zone encompassing the theme park (National Review). Disneyland: The first-ever Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite is coming to Disneyland during Pride Month in June! This separately ticketed event celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community & allies will have themed entertainment, Disney characters, specialty menu items & more (Twitter).

10.

Parking Garage Collapse in NYC Claims One Life, Injures Four Others

Daily Mail: At least one person has been killed and four others injured after a parking garage collapsed in Manhattan, leaving cars piled up on crumbled concrete on Tuesday afternoon. The garage collapsed at 4:15pm, resulting in a huge emergency response. A woman was heard screaming ‘get out!’ and images showed the top floor caved in with vehicles falling through crumbled concrete. People were also trapped in the elevator shaft which caved in. City officials said that as a result the floors ‘pancaked’ on top of each other. Residential apartments and businesses on the street have been told to evacuate until further notice (Daily Mail). Breaking News 24/7: Several people injured, others feared trapped after collapse at parking garage in Financial District of Manhattan (Twitter).