- [Announcer] This is CBN Newswatch.
- And thank you so much forjoining us this Tuesday,
July 20, 2021, I'm Efrem Graham.
Ahead today, did the stockmarket get a case of COVID?
Some analysts blaming COVID for the drop
in the market Mondaywhile others disagree,
all while Democrats inWashington are getting ready
to spend trillions of dollars.
Who are the extra-continentals?
They're illegal migrantsflooding the border
from countries around the world.
And your tax dollars arehelping to bring them here.
As Israel works to reopento international tourism,
many are planning to makethe trip, including one group
that brings Christian universitystudents to the Holy Land.
- We believe it's reallyimportant for Christians today,
young Christians to makeconnections with Israel,
with modern Israel,with the Jewish people.
- [Efrem] We'll hear whatChristian students have to say
about their visits tothe land of the Bible.
And during a time of highanxiety and difficulty due
to COVID-19, a new studyfinds people who turn
to the scriptures have morestrength and resiliency.
- There are a lot of peoplewho are hurting right now
and they're looking for help.
But the good news is thatthose who are deeply connected
to God's Word and to avibrant Christian community,
they're finding hope in themidst of their struggles.
- Those stories and more are ahead
in this edition of CBN Newswatch.
We begin this half hour withconcerns about the economy.
Stocks stabilized todayafter falling sharply Monday.
Some analysts blame thedrop on renewed concerns
over COVID-19, while otherssaid it's simply part
of a normal correction.
All of this as Washington isfocused on trillions of dollars
in new spending and highertaxes, with some experts worrying
will it hurt the economy in the long run?
Jenna Browder is on this story.
- Yesterday stocks skid asvirus fears shook the markets.
The Dow falling 2.1%.
The S&P down 1.6% after settinga record the week before.
In another sign of worry,over the past year,
consumer prices have jumped5.4%, the most since 2008.
- We also know that as oureconomy has come roaring back,
we've seen some price increases.
Our experts believe and the data shows
that most of the price increaseswe've seen were expected
and expected to be temporary.
- [Jenna] At the White House,President Biden hit back at
what he called doom and gloom predictions
and defended his record on the economy.
- Six months into my administration,
the U.S. economy hasexperienced the highest
economic growth rate in nearly 40 years.
- [Jenna] The president called on Congress
to pass a $1.2 trillionbipartisan infrastructure package
aimed at fixing roads,bridges, and broadband.
- We should be united in one thing,
passage of the bipartisaninfrastructure framework,
which we shook hands on.
- [Jenna] On Capitol Hill,Republicans and Democrats
are battling over thedetails of that bill.
They have until Wednesdayto make it happen
before Senate MajorityLeader Chuck Schumer
forces a Senate vote.
- Well, we're still working on it.
Chuck Schumer, with all due respect,
is not writing the bill.
Nor is Mitch McConnell, by the way.
So that's why we shouldn't have
an arbitrary deadline of Wednesday.
- Of greater concern is the $3.5 trillion
social infrastructure plan,which pours federal dollars
into entitlements likechildcare, college tuition,
and green energy initiatives.
Republicans are solidlyopposed to the plan,
and economic experts believeit will harm the economy
in the long run.
Republicans stand unifiedin their opposition
to the social infrastructure plan,
and even some Democrats areexpressing their concerns.
The White House needs every Democrat vote
to bypass the GOP and passit through reconciliation.
In Washington, Jenna Browder, CBN News.
- President Joe Biden iswalking back his criticism
of Facebook.
Friday he said the social mediagiant was "killing people"
because of misinformationabout COVID vaccine
on its platform that was preventing people
from getting the shot.
Monday, he reversed course, saying most
of the misinformation on Facebookcame from just 12 people.
- Facebook isn't killing people.
These 12 people are outthere giving misinformation.
Anyone listening to itis getting hurt by it,
is killing people.
- Facebook had respondedto the president's attack
on Friday, saying, "The fact is that
more than two billion people have viewed
authoritative information about COVID-19
and vaccines on Facebook,which is more than
any other place on the internet."
China today rejecting theaccusation by Washington
and its European alliesthat Beijing is to blame
for a hack of the MicrosoftExchange email system,
and instead complaining the U.S.
is launching cyber attacks in China.
That response coming after the U.S.
and other major world powers joined forces
and confronted China Monday for malicious
state-sponsored cyber attacks.
It is the largest condemnation
of China's cyber activity to date.
CBN News National SecurityCorrespondent Caitlin Burke
has this look at the moveto expose China's tactics.
- The accusation here isthat China has been working
with criminal hackers to profit
from stolen sensitive government material.
That includes intellectual property
as well as military, politicaland economic information.
- No country poses a broader,
more severe intelligencecollection threat than China.
- [Caitlin] Back in March,initial blame for a hack
on Microsoft Exchange email servers went
to a relatively unknownChinese espionage network.
Now, the U.S. and NATOallies point to evidence
that those hackers work directly
with China's Ministry of State Security.
Those countries alsopledging to join forces
to expose China'smalicious cyber activities.
Secretary of State AntonyBlinken blasting the Chinese
in a statement, writing,"Responsible states
do not indiscriminately compromise global
network security nor knowinglyharbor cyber criminals,
let alone sponsor orcollaborate with them."
Meanwhile, the JusticeDepartment is charging
four Chinese nationalsin a hacking offensive
targeting dozens ofcompanies, universities,
and government agencies.
The indictment, made public Friday,
revealing some disturbing details.
Targeted industriesincluded, among others,
aviation, defense, education,government, healthcare,
biopharmaceutical, and maritime.
At research institutes and universities,
the conspiracy targeted infectiousdisease research related
to Ebola, MERS, HIV/AIDS,Marburg, and tularemia.
U.S. intelligence agencies have released
a cybersecurity advisory detailing tactics
and techniques used byChina to exploit networks.
The hope is that exposing this information
will help potential victimsprotect their systems.
Caitlin Burke, CBN News.
- A victory for religiousfreedom in the court system.
An appeals court has ruledthe University of Iowa
discriminated againstChristian student groups
over the methods used toselect members and leaders.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
and InterVarsity GraduateChristian Fellowship
filed a lawsuit against the university
after school administratorsde-registered them.
The group said theuniversity targeted them
for requiring student leadersto sign a statement of faith.
What the university did herewas clearly unconstitutional.
The U.S. Court of Appealfor the Eighth Circuit Court
said it in its ruling.
You can find out more about the story,
including the university'sresponse, at CBNNews.com.
Coming up, they'recalled extra-continental
illegal migrants, coming to the U.S.
from outside thiscontinent around the world.
So who are they, andwhy are U.S. tax dollars
helping to bring them here?
We're gonna find out when we come back.
(dramatic music)
- It's the new Superbook Bible app.
It's packed with games, activities,
and Superbook episodes thatyou can watch for free.
Oh no!
There's trivia, a fun daily devotional,
and answers to your Bible questions.
Plus, an easy-to-understand Bible
the whole family will enjoy.
You can even create your ownSuperbook character, ta da!
It's the new Superbook Bible app.
Free downloads on iTunes,Google Play and Amazon.
- [Announcer] On the Home Front.
- Thanks for joining us forCBN's On the Home Front,
where we highlight what the men and women
of America's military doto defend our country.
CBN honors the men andwomen in our military
with an initiative calledHelping the Home Front.
It partners with churchesacross the country
to meet the needs oftheir military families,
from repairing homes towiping out medical bills
for wounded veterans.
- [Announcer] Wednesday at3:00 on the CBN News Channel.
- [Announcer] Get ProtectYour Sleep and discover how
to improve the quality of your life.
A free DVD or booklet
from the Christian Broadcasting Network.
- If you're not a greatsleeper, you can do things
to make yourself a great sleeper.
If you're already a pretty good sleeper,
you can enhance yoursleep and be even better.
- [Announcer] Five leadingexperts help remove
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- When you don't get arestful night's sleep,
you wake up with anaccumulation of stress.
- [Announcer] Call 1-800-700-7000
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- Everything you do, you do better
with a good night's sleep.
- [Announcer] You'll discoverhow food affects your sleep,
how to put insomnia to rest,
explore effectiveremedies for sleep apnea,
and much more in Protect Your Sleep.
Wake up to your best life andget Protect Your Sleep today.
Call 1-800-700-7000 or go to CBN.com
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- [Announcer] Your newschannel, your shows,
the stories you care about,
anytime you want, anywhere you want.
Download the CBN News app today.
- They're called extra-continentals,
and they are storming our Southern border.
They're illegal migrants invading the U.S.
from all over the world.
So who are they, who is backing them,
and how are tens of millionsof taxpayers' dollars
helping to get them here?
Chuck Holden brings us the story
you won't see anywhere else.
- [Kamala] Good morning,Mr. President, good morning.
- [President] My pleasure,you are very welcome.
- [Chuck] On her June trip to Guatemala,
Vice-President Kamala Harris'message to illegal migrants
was a clear reversal ofthe Biden administration's
previous messaging.
- And I believe if you come to our border,
you will be turned back.
Do not come, do not come.
- That suggestion doesn'tappear to be working,
especially here on theMexico/Guatemala border,
in a place appropriatelynamed Smuggler's Path.
The Suchiate River isvery high at the moment
because it's rainy season.
And so it's a dangerous trekto come across here on foot,
although people do that allthe time in the dry season.
So now, migrants have to takethese boats across illegally
between the two countries.
And while it's technicallyillegal, it still happens a lot.
Even local people take theseboats to just get to work
or go shopping in onecountry or the other.
The difference is, if they're migrants,
they have to turn themselvesin now on the Mexican side.
Migrants cross this river at a rate
of thousands per day, choking the streets
of Mexico's southernmost city, Tapachula.
Most of these migrants arenot fleeing persecution,
a claim required to qualifyfor asylum in the U.S.
Generally speaking, thegoal is simply the search
for a better job, andthat's where the true
family separation begins.
- I just called my wife,and when I called them,
I was crying because Ihear, my little son told me,
"Dad, come back," but I can't.
- Major drivers behind thiswave are groups dedicated
to streamlining illegalimmigration into the U.S.
That includes the UN-affiliatedInternational Organization
for Migration, which employsmore than 9,000 worldwide,
with an almost $2 billion budget.
Its stated mission is to promote humane
and orderly migration,helped along by tens
of millions of U.S.taxpayer dollars and grants
by the likes of George Soros'Open Society Foundation.
If you look on the walls of the buildings
that are facing the river,what we can see are signs
directed at the migrants.
So this one behind mesays, "If you are in fear
of your life in your country, you can ask
for protection as a refugee in Mexico."
And what they're trying to dois put people into the system.
And that's one of the thingsthat's really changed here
as the migrants move north isthat now there's a process.
Now there's a system.
As I've reported onthis in previous years,
it was just absolute chaos,but now it's pretty organized.
And international criminalorganizations are also getting
in on the action, gleaning large payoffs
every step of the way.
Michael is a 12-year-old Haitian
working his way north from Chile,
where his family hadbeen living for years.
Joe Biden's election convinced them
to head to the United States.
- [Translator] Theyrape many of the women.
They robbed all of us.
Then they wanted money totake us to the refugee camps.
- [Chuck] His 16-year-oldMadeisy was nearly raped herself.
- [Translator] I toldthe thief not to touch me
because I am a virgin.
One of them laugh and toldme, "I am in charge here
and I can do whatever I want."
- [Chuck] Madeisy's mother saved her
by handing over her jewelry.
Other women weren't so lucky.
- [Translator] They rapedmany women in my group.
They hurt some and beatthem, it was very scary.
Some women had husbands or children,
but they raped them anyway.
Some women even died later fromthe stress of what happened.
- [Chuck] As more than 5,000 bore
across the Southern border each day,
changes in U.S. policy arehaving profound effects
through Latin America and beyond.
And the cost in humanmisery is beyond reckoning.
Despite the dangers, it'slikely these migrants
will keep coming as long as they believe
they'll be allowed tostay in the United States.
From Tapachula, Mexico, I'mChuck Holden for CBN News.
- [Efrem] Still ahead, Israel is trying
to restart international tourism,
and many groups want totravel to the Holy Land,
including an American organization
that brings Christian university students
to the land of the Bible.
We've got the story for you.
We're taking you to Jerusalem next.
(dramatic music)
- [Announcer] Too often wecarry baggage from our past.
You know what it's like.
It affects everything andeveryone in our lives.
It's always there weighing us down
and keeping us fromachieving true happiness.
But do you know, God never meant for us
to be trapped in the past?
You can be free of your baggage.
Learn how God's forgivenessleads to changed lives
and new beginnings.
Call The 700 Club.
- [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 to be a preacher?"
He says, "No, you already have a pulpit."
- [Announcer] Wednesday night at 8:30
on the CBN News Channel.
- [Announcer] Tikun Olam.
- [Woman] This is our nature as a country.
- [Announcer] To makethe world a better place.
- Literally we felt the earth shaking.
- [Announcer] The ChristianBroadcasting Network
presents "To Life, how Israeli volunteers
are changing the world."
- This film needs to be seen by everyone.
- I was in tears.
- [Announcer] Now you canown the inspiring documentary
"To Life" on DVD.
- There is blood on our handsif we know and we walk away.
- I'm so grateful that this film was made.
- [Announcer] "To Life" can be yours
for a gift of $10 or more.
Call 1-800-700-7000 or log on to CBN.com.
- [Man] We know that everyminute counts to save life.
- It'll bless Israel.
It'll also bless allthe friends of Israel.
- [Announcer] Discover the untold story of
how Israeli volunteers aremaking the world a better place.
Call 1-800-700-7000 or log on to CBN.com
to get your copy today.
- Well, now that Israel is trying
to resume internationaltourism, it is seeing a number
of groups ready to take advantage.
As Julie Stahl reports now from Jerusalem,
this includes an American group
that brings Christian universitystudents to the Holy Land.
- [Julie] Passages aimsto help Christian students
discover their roots and more.
- This is the place where ourfaith as Christians was born.
This is our heritage, it'sour spiritual heritage.
- [Julie] Executive DirectorScott Phillips was part
of one of the first groupsallowed back into the country
following the COVID-19 shutdown.
- We believe it's reallyimportant for Christians today,
young Christians, to makeconnections with Israel,
with modern Israel,with the Jewish people.
We've got so much in common.
There's so many shared values.
As Christians, our faith exists
because of the Jewish people.
- [Julie] Passages hasbrought more than 8,000
university students to Israel since 2015.
Now they hope to bringanother 3,000 within a year.
- Passages is an organizationthat it's not just
a nine-day trip to Israel.
It truly, I've been involvedwith many, many organizations
all across the world, andPassages more than any other
invests in their alumni.
It invests in the futureChristians of America.
- [Julie] This wasKennedy Lee's third trip.
- It's the same in thefact that everyone is out
and about in the streets,everything is so lively.
Everything is moving andpeople really feel alive.
You can feel the spiritof the people of Israel.
- [Julie] But there are other things
that have affected Israel, too.
The recent 11-day war withHamas, as well as rioting
in mixed Jewish/Arab cities in Israel.
- Israel, the people ofIsrael have had a really hard
last year-and-a-half.
Of course, the world has.
But on top of that, a month ago
with 4,500 rockets coming out of Gaza
from Hamas into Israel, of course,
all of the domestic conflict happening,
the riots and so forth in Israeli cities
throughout the country.
- We talked to a motherin Lode who tells us
that she moved to this community
specifically to raise her family,
a place where Arabs and Jews live together
in peace and coexistence.
And now it is hard tolook at her neighbors.
That's heartbreaking.
It's just something I never expected.
And that even two years ago it seemed like
it would be hard to hear that in Israel.
So I think that'ssomething that is different
and I maybe wasn't ready for.
- [Julie] Lee said thePassages trips equip her
to speak to people her own age.
- The younger generationdoesn't speak in facts,
and that's true,especially regarding this,
a topic that has so manyjust feelings and emotions.
So for me, going homeand being able to kind of
be an ambassador for thepeople that we have talked to
during this trip and take their emotion,
I've felt emotion, I'veseen it in their eyes,
in their demeanor and in their words,
and to be able to take that back to talk
to my younger friends inAmerica and just tell them
I was there a few weeks after it happened.
I actually know what is going on.
And I'm so happy that Passagesthis year with students
and that we can do that.
- [Julie] Phillips said the Israelis
are glad to see them, too.
- We're just excited to be back,
to be able to provide some kind of joy.
It gives us joy to be withour friends in Israel.
And so we hope that we cangive some joy to others here.
- [Julie] Julie Stahl,CBN News, Jerusalem.
- [Efrem] Coming up, the COVID-19 pandemic
brought difficult timesfor millions of Americans,
but a new survey revealshow people find strength
and hope from the Bible.
We'll hear about thosefindings when we come back.
Stay with us.(dramatic music)
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You'll enjoy a richSouthern blend of bluegrass,
classic gospel, andSouthern gospel favorites
like the Gaithers, the Crabb family,
and bluegrass sounds like Mountain Faith.
So make yourself at home
with the all new CBN Southern Gospel.
Now available at CBNradio.com.
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- [Announcer] It's about the competition.
- I kind of put that pressure on myself,
and I think people had expectations.
- [Announcer] It's about overcoming.
- We use this phrase allthe time, keep chopping,
keep practicing hard.
- [Announcer] It's aboutgoing the distance.
- I think as a father it's my job to lead,
just be the best husbandand father I can be.
- [Announcer] Watch Goingthe Distance with Shawn Brown
Saturday night at 7:30on the CBN News Channel.
- [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.
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Life in your body, mind and spirit.
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To watch the CBN News Channel,
download the app orvisit CBNNewsChannel.com.
- At a time of high anxietyand despair brought on
by the pandemic, a new study finds people
who engage with scriptureare more hopeful.
The report by AmericanBible Society found people
who read the Bible andare active in church
are more resilient and flourishing.
Dr. John Plake, the Directorof Ministry Intelligence
for the American Bible Society, told CBN's
The Prayer Link programhow Christian can share
their source of hope with others.
- You wrote an op-ed forCBN about the growing number
of Americans who are turning to the Bible.
What kind of numbers are we seeing?
What are we talking about?
- Yeah, recent State ofthe Bible research shows
that over 181 million American adults
opened their Bible last year.
And that's an increase of7% over the previous year.
And one of the numbers thatwe track along these lines is
the percentage of Americanswho say that realistically
they never use the Bible.
As of January, that number stood at 29%,
and that's the lowestproportion since 2016.
So that's good news.
- So Dr. Plake, why are more people
opening the Word of Godand turning to God's Word?
- Over the past year, Americans have faced
what I could only call aonce-in-a-century pandemic,
along with significantpolitical and social unrest.
And two-thirds ofAmericans aren't sleeping
like they want to.
Nearly half of allAmericans have experienced
a significant trauma in their lives.
So our research suggeststhat Americans are turning
to the Bible to find hope and healing
in the midst of their struggles.
- That's amazing.
And this latest study that you guys did
revealed a connection inpeople who engage scripture
and church participationto having more hope.
Talk about that.
- Our State of the Bible2021 national survey
uncovered this epidemic ofstress and trauma in America.
There are a lot of peoplewho are hurting right now
and they're looking for help.
But the good news is thatthose who are deeply connected
to God's Word and to avibrant Christian community,
they're finding hope in themidst of their struggles.
Scripture-engaged adults aresignificantly more hopeful
than all other Americans,especially Americans
who may not consistentlyand meaningfully interact
with the Bible.
And furthermore, thosewho have experienced
a significant trauma in their lives,
they often struggle to forgivethose who've hurt them.
So they're chained to their trauma
and they're kind of unableto get free from that event.
But scripture-engaged adultsare significantly more willing
and able to forgive otherswho've wronged them,
even if their offender neverasks them for forgiveness.
- Dr. Plake, the pandemic has, of course,
exposed life's vulnerabilities.
How important is it forbelievers to help guide people
who are searching for hope,
and what are some waysto practically do that?
- You know, Wendy, the truthis that Christ followers
experience stress and trauma and pain
just as much as everyone else.
But the difference is that wefind hope and we find healing
in God's Word and in acaring community of faith.
In fact, according to Harvard University's
Human Flourishing Index, Bible engagement
is strongly associatedwith holistic wellbeing.
We call that the good life.
Like Jesus said in John10:10, there's a thief.
He comes to steal and kill and destroy.
But He said, "I've comethat you might have life
and have it to the full."
And it's a bit of a myth thatmost Americans are hostile
toward the message of the Bible.
We don't find that to be true at all.
In fact, our research showsthat over three-quarters
of all Americans are curiousto know more about the Bible.
But the problem is they don'treally know how to navigate it
and find the hope thatthey're looking for.
So at this time, when peopleare searching for hope
in the Bible, I thinkit's especially important
for Christ followers tofollow the instructions
of the apostle Peter.
He said, "Always beready to give an answer
when someone asks you thereason for your hope."
And that's what we have.
- And you can receive moreprayer and encouragement
from watching CBN's The Prayer Link.
You can watch it on the CBNNews Channel this evening
at 6:30 Eastern Standard Time.
You can find that onCBN News Channel as well
as the CBN News app.
Before we say goodbye, timefor your Tuesday Tweetable.
Here's the message I pray blesses you.
And I hope you will blessothers by posting, tweeting
and sharing it with those who follow you.
Don't be overwhelmed by that great dream
God has placed in your heart.
Even the longest journeybegins with just one step.
So stop wringing your handsand being frozen in fear.
Take that first step,
no matter how small it may seem to you.
God will honor your faith andHe will move on your behalf.
That is gonna do it for thisedition of CBN Newswatch.
You can always find more of our programs
on the CBN News Channel.
You can find them thereanytime as well as online
at CBNNews.com.
We'd love to know what youthink about the stories
you've seen here today.
You can email us at that addressright there at the bottom
of your screen, Newswatch@CBN.com.
And of course, you canalways reach out and touch us
on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
We'd love to hear from you.
We'll see you right backhere same time tomorrow.
Goodbye, everybody.(dramatic music)
