- [Announcer] This is CBN Newswatch.

- It is Monday, January27, thank you so much

for joining us, I'm Efrem Graham.

We begin this half hour withshock in the sports world

at the untimely death ofNBA superstar Kobe Bryant.

He died Sunday.

Bryant, his 13 year old daughter Gianna,

and seven others diedin a helicopter crash

near Los Angeles.

Thousands of fans gatheredoutside the L.A. Staple Center

where Bryant played for the Lakers

his entire 20 year career.

- One thing that I really noticed is

for the amount of people thatare out here, it's silent.

Everybody's in grief,everybody's mourning,

everybody has respect for this man

and his family and his daughter.

It's painful, we really lostsomebody legendary today.

- [Efrem] Kobe Bryant, knownfor his fiery, competitiveness

went straight to the Los Angeles Lakers

from high school at just 18 years old.

He won five NBA Championships,two Olympic gold medals,

and was an 18 time All Star.

Bryant is third on the listof all-time NBA scorers,

surpassed by LeBron James thevery night before he died.

James spoke about Kobe's influence

on his life as a young man.

- I remember one thing that he said.

He was like, "If you wannatry to be great at it

"or wanna be one of the greats,you gotta put the work in.

"There's no substitution to work."

And I was a 15 year old kid at that camp.

- Kobe Bryant had difficultiesin his personal life,

facing a sexual assault chargethat was later dismissed

in a settlement with the accuser.

He said that incident andstruggles in his marriages

led him to turn to his Catholic faith

for strength and guidance.

He reportedly attended Mass weekly,

including the morning of theaccident that took his life.

He also founded a foundationto help homeless young people.

Sports Director Shawn Brown joins us now.

He is covering the SuperBowl and joins us now

to talk more about the lifeand death of Kobe Bryant.

Shawn, you're actually inMiami for the Super Bowl,

but I'm sure Kobe's death is, of course,

the subject of a lotof conversation there.

- Yeah, I tell you, man,we arrived here in Miami,

just a regular day like anyone else,

then all of a sudden weget news flashes from TMZ,

and it was like, I mean, a ripple affect.

People started looking at their phones.

We thought it was, wedidn't take it seriously.

It was like, "Is thislegit, is this real?"

And it took a moment, ittook a while for people to,

'cause slowly but surelyother news networks

started reporting the news, and the shock,

I mean, we were in disbelief.

And the tweeting started,hey, is this real?

This can't be real, this can't be right.

And as the day progressed,it started to sink in

that this news is real.

We lost a lot of family members,

obviously Kobe and hisdaughter, just tragic.

For me and the people that I was with,

it just rocked us, man.

It's rocked the sportsworld, it's rocked America,

it's rocked the world becauseof his influence obviously

on the basketball court.

But right now, at this stage of his life,

it was like he was gettingready to start another,

he was already starting to show us more of

who he was off the court,and it was beautiful.

And I think that's, thefact that he was there,

he was with his daughter Gianna,

I think all of that justkind of flooded everyone.

And it's like, man, we were getting to see

another side that we hadn't seen.

And it was just beautiful, man.

So it just rocked us all to our core.

It is such a tragic, it's just a tragedy.

I'm still emotional about it.

Out of all the peoplethat I've interviewed,

he's the one guy that I neverhad an opportunity to see

or speak to, but from afar, just admired

because of the way he carried himself

at this stage of his life.

This is just such a tragedy.

- [Efrem] Indeed,indeed, a big fan myself,

so certainly understand,I was shook as well.

Remind of us his career.

- [Shawn] Man, you know what, Kobe,

when Kobe came aroundit was like all right,

is he the next Jordan?

Obviously they're doingthe same thing to LeBron.

But here's a guy whosework ethic was unmatched.

They did a commercial awhile back that showed

all the things that hewas doing to just try

to get an edge on everyone else.

They called him theBlack Mamba for a reason.

When he got the ball in his hands,

you knew something spectacularwas about to happen.

And he could do it any way he wanted to.

He could take it to the rim,

he could shoot a three-pointer.

He was just unstoppable.

He worked at it, he workedmeticulously at his game.

He could shoot from anywhere on the court.

I just marveled at the way that he played.

And honestly, throughout my, I'm a baller,

I like to play basketball, it was my sport

when I was a kid, that and football,

and I wanted to try to model my game first

after Dr. J, you know,Julius Erving, Dr. J,

and then Michael Jordan, of course.

But then when Kobe came around it was like

he reminds me of somebodythat I would wanna be.

Of course, my skills weren't anywhere near

what his skills were, but the way

that he played the gamewhen he had the ball,

it was like, you're not gonna stop me,

I'm going to the rim, I'm gonna shoot.

He could perform at will.

And it was just a marvel to watch.

- Indeed, indeed.

We mentioned earlier thatKobe Bryant was Catholic.

What can you share abouthis faith and his family?

- Well, we know that when, obviously,

when he was going throughsome things personally

his faith would come up,he would mention the fact

that he was Catholic,his family was Catholic.

So he had some rooting there.

I don't know how deep that goes,

but he did talk abouthaving that foundation

in his Catholic faith,and that is something

that he wanted to make sure that his wife

and kids practiced as well.

And he was vocal about that.

So there was definitelysome foundation there.

- Indeed, indeed, indeed.

Shawn Brown, thank youso much for your insights

and taking the time to be withus today, much appreciated.

- You got it, man, thebest thing I can do is

just continue to pray for his family.

'Cause we, all of us whowere fans were rocked.

So my prayers go out tohis wife, his children,

and the rest of the Bryant family.

- Indeed, unimaginable grief,thank you so much, Shawn.

I wanna turn now to Washington.

At the Senate impeachmenttrial, the president's attorneys

continue his defense today.

Democrats are hoping that an upcoming book

by former National SecurityAdvisor John Bolton

will contradict PresidentTrump's defense teams' arguments.

Our Dale Hurd is on the story.

- [Dale] The stakes over witness testimony

at President Trump's impeachmenttrial just got higher

with the leak of a new book by former

National Security Advisor John Bolton

that appears to undercuta key defense argument.

In "The Room Where It Happened,A White House Memoir,"

Bolton reportedly writesthat President Trump wanted

to continue freezing $391million in security assistance

to Ukraine until officials there helped

with investigations intoDemocrats, including the Bidens.

But Deputy White HouseCounsel Michael Purpura asked,

how could there have beena quid pro quo with Ukraine

when Ukrainians were not even aware

that the security assistance was paused?

- There can't be a threatwithout the person knowing

he's being threatened.

There can't be a quidpro quo without the quo.

- [Dale] President Trumpflatly denied the new report,

tweeting, "I never toldJohn Bolton that the aid

"to Ukraine was tied toinvestigations into Democrats,

"including the Bidens."

Saturday PresidentTrump's lawyers delivered

opening statements inthe impeachment trial.

- We intend to show overthe next several days

that the evidence isactually really overwhelming

that the President did nothing wrong.

- [Dale] And as for the chargeof obstruction of Congress,

White House Deputy CounselPatrick Philbin said

the subpoenas issued byAdam Schiff's committees

were invalid becausethey were not authorized

by the full House.

- Because under long-settled precedent

there had to be a vote fromthe House to give authority,

and the Administration would not respond

to subpoenas that were invalid.

- [Dale] Meanwhile,President Trump lashed out

at House impeachment managerAdam Schiff, tweeting,

"Shifty Adam Schiff isa corrupt politician,

"and probably a very sick man.

"He has not paid the price yet

"for what he has done to our country."

Schiff called the tweet a threat.

- This is a wrathful andvindictive president.

I don't think there's any doubt about it.

- [Interviewer] Do youtake that as a threat?

- I think it's intended to be.

- [Dale] John Boltonhas said he will testify

if subpoenaed by the Senate.

Democrats say reportsabout his new book show

that Bolton must testify.

Dale Hurd, CBN News.

- The death toll now standsat 80 for the coronavirus,

and the U.S. Consulate in Chinais evacuating its personnel

and some other Americans.

China's Health Minister says the country

is entering a crucialstage, as the virus appears

to be getting strongerand spreading faster.

China's leaders hope travel restrictions

and other measures willhelp to slow it down

during the nation's busiest travel season

for the lunar new year.

The epidemic has revivedmemories of the SARS outbreak

that originated in China and killed

nearly 800 peopleworldwide in 2002 and 2003.

Today is InternationalHolocaust Remembrance Day,

as world leaders mark the 75th anniversary

of the liberation of Auschwitz.

As CBN Middle East CorrespondentJulie Stahl reports,

this historic gatheringcomes against the backdrop

of rising antisemitism.

- [Julie] They called itRemembering the Holocaust,

Fighting Antisemitism.

- The Jewish peoplehave learned the lessons

of the holocaust, always totake seriously the threats

of those who seek our destruction,

to confront threats when they are small,

and above all, even thoughwe deeply, deeply appreciate

the great support of our friends,

to always have the power todefend ourselves by ourselves.

- [Julie] Resulting in thelargest diplomatic event

in Israel's history,leaders, including Britain's

Price Charles, U.S. VicePresident Mike Pence,

Russian President Vladimir Putin,

and German PresidentFrank-Walters Steinmeier came

to Jerusalem to say never again.

- We must be prepared to confront

and expose the vile tide of antisemitism

that is fueling hate andviolence all across the world,

and we must stand together.

- The spirits of evil areemerging in a new guise,

presenting their antisemitic, racist,

authoritarian thinking asan answer for the future,

a new solution to the problems of our age.

And I wish I could say thatwe Germans have learned

from history once and for all,

but I cannot say thatwhen hatred is spreading.

- Ahead of the event aspecial European delegation

visited the site where Nazis perpetrated

so much evil and hatred.

The leaders brought thedelegation here to Auschwitz

to emphasize the fact of what happens

when antisemitism goes unchecked.

Born in Poland, formerIsraeli Chief Rabbi,

Israel Meir Lau, is a holocaust survivor.

- Antisemitism issomething you can explain

but you cannot find a reason for it.

It's against dialogue, it's against logic.

It's a spiritual madness.

- [Julie] Before the Red Army liberated

the largest Nazi death camp 75 years ago,

Nazis murdered anestimated 1.1 million Jews

at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

- Combatting antisemitismis not only a question

of politics and statements and whatever

comes out in the media,but it's an actual fight

for our safety in Europe.

- [Julie] Rabbi ShlomoKoves said the Jewish people

need a plan to fight antisemitism

and what he called"mutations of this virus."

- [Shlomo] And we have topartner with those politicians,

opinion leaders, publicfigures, that are ready

to partner with us in ourwar against antisemitism.

It's a war of minds, it's a war of ideas,

and we need a lot ofpartners for this war.

And we have to look at it as a war.

- [Julie] Rabbi MenachemMargolin made clear their goal

must be to put action behindthe words "never again."

- To really measure thesuccess, we need to follow up

and see how many of thosewho mean peace will sign

and promote the draft legislationwe presented yesterday

to ensure the children inEurope will get more education,

that the trade of Nazimemorabilia will be banned,

and the use of any antisemiticstereotypes will be banned.

- [Julie] And banningantisemitism isn't just good

for the Jewish people.

- God told Abraham that "I will bless

"whoever blesses you andcurse whoever curses you,"

and we see that throughout our history

of human civilization.

And whoever persecuted the Jews

later on was devastated and destructed.

- [Julie] Julie Stahl, CBN News, Jerusalem

and Auschwitz, Poland.

(dramatic music)

- [Efrem] Coming up, itwas an historic march

for life in Washingtonwith President Donald Trump

attending and speaking.

What he told the pro-lifemarchers when we come back.

Stay with us.

(dramatic music)

(yawning)

(sighing)

- [Announcer] Life is betterwith a good night's sleep.

Get your free DVD or bookletof Protect Your Sleep.

- [Announcer] As the worldwatches from the outside--

- It's a big diplomatic tug ofwar here in the Middle East.

- [Announcer] Go inside thestory with Jerusalem Dateline.

- Israeli archeologists aretalking about a discovery

that could change the thinkingabout the Temple Mount.

- [Announcer] Join CBNJerusalem Bureau Chief

Chris Mitchell and getthe biblical perspective

on the events shaping the world.

- It's what starts in Israel

then ends up going to other places.

- [Announcer] Watch Jerusalem Dateline,

Friday night at 9:30 onthe CBN News Channel.

(bright music)

- [Announcer] Life, it'smeant to be lived fully.

Jesus said it, "I came to give you life."

Life to the fullest.

Life in your family.

Life in your finances.

Life in your body, mind, and spirit.

Life in your everyday.

(bright music)

At CBN.com, we're takingwhat Jesus said seriously.

(bright music)

We're here to help you discover life.

(bright music)

Life, live it fully.

CBN.com(bright music)

- President Trump wasthe first president ever

to attend the March for Life in person,

and he spoke to the crowdabout their stand for life.

Here's CBN's Paul Strand.

- Presidents for yearshave sent taped messages

to the March for Life, butthis year at this march.

(upbeat music)

March for Life, Donald Trumpshowed up in the flesh.

- Every child brings joy to a family.

Every person is worth protecting.

And above all, we know thatevery human soul is divine

and every human life, born and unborn,

is made in the holy image of Almighty God.

(crowd cheering)

- So why do a hundred thousandpeople or more show up

at these Marches for Life?

Because 62 million babieshave died by abortion,

a number almost too big to conceive of.

Well, there's a graphicthat shows 19 states shaded.

If every person in thosestates was suddenly killed,

that would equal those 62million babies dead by abortion.

Sarah Gorman could havebeen among that number

had her parents listened to doctors.

- When my mom was pregnant with me,

they said I was supposed to beborn with a mental disability

and that she should abort me.

And one thing she alwaysremarks on is the pressure

they put on her to have an abortion.

My father and my mother,"No, we're not gonna

"have an abortion, we're gonna have Sarah,

"because God created her to be exactly

"who she's supposed to be.

"And if she is supposed to beborn with a mental disability,

"then that's God's plan andwe're gonna accept that."

- [Paul] And as you can see, Sarah's fine,

going to Father Dave Pivonka'sFranciscan University.

- Every child that isconceived is unlike any other.

Those who are most vulnerable,

the child within the mother's womb,

what does it say to asociety that says that

that's disposable, or becausethe child is inconvenient

that that baby can be aborted?

- [Paul] David Bereit, founder

of the 40 Days for LifeMovement, says abortion

feeds a dark, deadly side of our culture.

- We are a more violent and angry society

than we ever have been.

I would say that this culture of death,

which has spread acrossour land for these 47 years

since Roe versus Wade has ledto a lot of that toxicity,

that caustic nature.

And also we're a culturethat embraces violence

as a so-called solution to a problem.

- [Paul] Brandi Swindell, aprominent pro-life leader,

says abortion goes against thevery nature of who women are.

- Women were never designedto kill our offspring.

It's not who we were created to be.

It's not what we were designed to do.

- [Crowd] Roe v. Wadehas got to go, hey hey!

- [Paul] And so these multitudes march

for the women and for their babies.

- We're not gonna give up this fight

that human life has value, it's sacred,

it should be respected,and those most vulnerable,

I mean the child, the mothers,

the child within the mother'swomb is most vulnerable.

And if we don't speakfor them, who's going to?

- Think about the unborn.

Each one has characteristicslike fingerprints and DNA

that makes them differentfrom every other person

that's ever been, andnew science now shows us

they can feel pain as young as 14 weeks.

These aren't justunfeeling blobs of tissue,

they're unique creationsof God, each and every one.

Paul Strand, CBN News, reportingfrom the March for Life.

- [Announcer] On October1, 1961, history was made

when a tiny station begantransmitting the first signals

of the Christian Broadcasting Network.

- [Radio Announcer] CBN, theChristian Broadcasting Network.

- [Announcer] And now a new era has begun

with the all new CBN News Channel.

- Just moments ago theIron Dome intercepted

an incoming rocket righton the Gaza border.

- In ministering in this area,

spiritual warfare is definitely involved.

- [Announcer] A 24/7 news network,

bringing you the news you wantfrom a source you can trust.

- In Kenya, 40% of the medical services

are actually provided bythese Christian hospitals.

- Let's talk about the economy.

- Believers here are joining together

to win people to Jesus Christ.

- [Announcer] All your favoriteshows now in one place.

Go to CBNnewschannel.com to find out how

to get the CBN News Channelon your TV all day every day.

CBN News.(dramatic music)

(yawning)

- [Announcer] Life is betterwith a good night's sleep.

Get your free DVD or bookletof Protect Your Sleep today.

- [Announcer] Life, it'smeant to be lived fully.

Jesus said it, "I came to give you life."

Life to the fullest.

Life in your family.

Life in your finances.

Life in your body, mind, and spirit.

Life in your everyday.

At CBN.com, we're takingwhat Jesus said seriously.

We're here to help you discover life.

Life, live it fully.

CBN.com.(bright music)

- Here's a headline youmight not expect to see,

"Drag queen warns parents insurprisingly honest rebuke,

"extremely irresponsible toinvolve children in drag."

It's a story gettingattention on Faithwire.com.

Our George Thomas spokewith Faithwire's Dan Andros

about the warning.

- Dan, this warning isdefinitely a surprise.

Tell us about it.

- Yeah, well, it's a surprise, George,

because it comes fromsuch an unlikely source.

It's actually a criticism that comes

from an actual drag queenas opposed to someone

from outside the community looking in,

which is usually the case.

- This person actually says promoting drag

isn't doing the gay community any favors.

- Yeah, that's right.

For years people havesort of raised concerns

about the level of pedophiliaactivity that goes on

within the drag queen community,

so the latest PR push thatwe're seeing is not only

just a push for acceptanceand tolerance, so to speak,

of drag queens in regardsto the LGBT movement

but it also has just beenpushing as we've seen

in heavily with children.

They've been going after libraries

and trying to get into there

for the library children's story hour.

We've seen drag queens visiting schools

and these sorts of things,and this drag queen is saying

that that doesn't do them any favors

with this stigma they already have

of being accused of being pedophiles

or having that interestembedded in their community.

This one is saying that'sjust trying to go too far

with the woke community andit's actually backfiring.

- What do we know about thedanger of exposing children

to these alternative lifestyles?

- You know, I think asidefrom the obvious dangers

of gender confusion andsort of leading them outside

of a lifestyle that wouldbe what God has designed

in the first place, thisdrag queen talked about

the rampant hyper sexualityand sexual behavior

that's going on in thedrag queen community,

on these drag shows, andtalked about the drugs,

the sex, and all that stuff going on,

and made the analogy thatwould you want your kid

being influenced by that?

Would you want your kid being influenced

by a stripper or a porn star?

So why would you therefore want this?

- What do you see playingout in our culture

with this particular issue?

- I think the pendulum'skinda gotta swing back

at some point.

You would think that the pendulum

of all of this pushingand looking for acceptance

and all these differentkind of relationships,

we see this slogan, "Love is love,"

and how does that manifest itself?

And really what it's doneis give a green light

for people to just say everything is okay.

So I think at somepoint we're going to see

someone have to puttheir foot down and say,

no, this is where we draw the line.

Haven't seen that yet,so only can hope and pray

that maybe this pendulumstarts to swing back

in the other directionas more and more things

are trying to be kind of pushed on us

as acceptable behaviors.

- Speaking of our culture, what's up

on the next "Faith Versus Culture"?

- Yeah, we're gonna betalking about Aaron Rodgers

and his comments that hemade when he opened up

and was very honest aboutwhy he left the faith.

And he talked aboutwanting to find something

that he wanted to believe in.

So we're gonna talk aboutwhy theology matters

as it pertains to Aaron's comments

on the episode of "FaithVersus Culture" coming up.

- [George] Terrific, Dan,as always, thank you, sir.

- Thank you.

- [Efrem] And you can catch"Faith Versus Culture" tonight

on the CBN News Channel.

it begins at 9:30 Eastern,be sure to tune in.

Stay with us.(dramatic upbeat music)

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- [Announcer] Life is betterwith a good night's sleep.

Get your free DVD or bookletof Protect Your Sleep today.

- [Efrem] I'm Efrem Graham,and this is "Studio 5."

Cruise with me as I discoverthe good things happening

in the world of music, sports,television, and movies.

- The fact that Ryan Cooglerwas gonna be directing

the film, I knew that somethingspecial was gonna happen.

- [Efrem] We'll chat withartists at the forefront

of entertainment andexplore the connection

between popular culture and faith.

- I asked my pastor, I said,

"Well, does that mean I'msupposed be a preacher?"

He says, "No, you already have a pulpit."

- [Announcer] Watch "Studio5" Wednesday night at 9:30.

- [Announcer] Remember for a moment

what it was like to be a child.

You believed every story you were told.

You saw a world full ofendless possibilities.

What stories will the world's orphaned

and at-risk children believe?

We believe the bible tells the only story

truly worth believing.

We believe that every childshould have the opportunity

to dream, the chance to take challenges

and turn them into possibilities,

the chance to stand onthe promises of God,

to recognize their place inthe greatest story ever told.

They have their whole lives ahead of them.

Theirs is a world ofendless possibilities.

They are looking for a story to believe.

We will tell them that story.

Will you join us?

(children laughing)

- An Iowa woman is being honored

for her tremendous commitmentto care and compassion

after fostering a staggering 600 children.

Linda Herring and her husband Bob

have been providing a stable family home

to children for the pastpart of five decades,

having started taking people in

while living in Oxford, Iowa.

She told reporters her bestfriend was doing foster care

for teenage girls and shethought it would be nice

to do the same, but shewanted little children

and arranged with theDepartment of Human Services

to take children with medical needs.

Herring didn't stop at fostering,

she also volunteered as a first responder

for nearly half a century.

Time now for your Monday Motivation.

I leave you with this thoughtas we begin a new work week.

When facing difficulty, know this,

even when it does not feel good,

God is working it out for my good.

And in doing so, He gets the glory.

Bottom line, it's for mygood, and it is for His glory.

With that word, maketoday a marvelous Monday

and push for a wonderful week.

That is gonna do it for thisedition of CBN News Watch.

Remember, you can find moreof our CBN news programs

on the CBN News Channel at any time.

You can also find themonline at CBNNews.com.

We'd love to know what you think about

the stories you've seen here today.

Email us, the addressis newswatch@cbn.com.

And of course you canreach out and touch us

on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Until then we hope you'll join us again

right here next time.

We'll see you same time tomorrow.

Goodbye, everybody, and God bless.

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