- [Announcer] This is CBN Newswatch.

- And thank you so much forjoining us on this Thursday,

July 22, I'm Efrem Graham.

Ahead today, your taxdollars and your pocketbook

in the spotlight as Democratsand Republicans battle

over big spending plans in Washington

while prices keep risingall across the country.

The growing cyber threats toAmericans from gangs in Russia,

and especially from China.

The U.S. is at a critical juncture,

but will the Biden administrationtake the decisive action

it needs to counter thesepower online attacks?

It's a summer camp for young people

to learn how to attack Israel.

- [Translator] We did notcome here to enjoy ourselves

or to play or anything like that.

We came with our souls,our blood, our martyrs,

and our wounded to sacrifice ourselves

for Palestine and for our people.

- Hear how they'repreparing for the next war

against the Jewish state.

And here at home, nearly30,000 men hitting the gridiron

last weekend in Dallas,not to play football,

but to call out to God at aPromise Keepers convention.

All those stories and more are ahead

in today's edition CBN Newswatch.

Want to begin this halfhour with spending battles

on Capitol Hill, whereRepublicans prevented

a bipartisan infrastructurebill from advancing Wednesday.

One concern for manyRepublicans, Democratic plans

for a huge three-and-a-halftrillion dollars in spending.

GOP members worry aboutthe exploding national debt

that is leading to anothermajor spending battle coming up,

increasing the government's debt ceiling

so it can spend more money.

Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell saying

he doesn't believe anyRepublican will vote

to allow Washington to raise it.

So the government could run out of money

in the middle of August.

It's been six months since President Biden

has taken over the White House.

Republicans say his giftto the American people

has been increasedinflation every single month

since he's taken office, with food, gas,

and car prices going up, up and up.

Many economists say it is temporary,

but Republicans plan tokeep up their criticism

of Bidenflation all the way

to the next year's midterm elections,

CBN White House CorrespondentEric Philips is on this story.

- Prices on just abouteverything are soaring,

and consumer patience iswaning as Americans deal

with increased inflation while the economy

makes a comeback from the pandemic.

The White House promisingprices will level off.

The question, how long will that take,

and will Republicans in themeantime be able to ride

what some in the GOPare calling Bidenflation

to a mid-term election victory?

You can't miss it.

Americans are paying morefor the food they eat,

the cars they drive andthe gas that fuels them.

Republicans are pointing thefinger of blame at Democrats

who are in majority power,

especially the chiefDemocrat, President Biden.

- He's continued to cause crisesfor every American family.

Gas prices are up 45.1%.

Used cars and trucks are up 45.2%.

Fruit at the grocery store is up 7.3%.

Milk is up 5.6%.

- [Eric] The president insisting

the increases are temporary.

- Economists call all thesethings transitory effects,

and they account for about60% of the price increases

we've seen over the last few months.

- [Eric] But even if that's true,

people across all socioeconomic lines

are still feeling the pinch right now.

According to arecently-released Fox News poll,

83% of respondents areconcerned about inflation.

- We did notice thedairy stuff is going up.

- I usually spend maybe20% more, 10% more.

- The cost of produce has gone up,

especially, like we shop at Whole Foods,

and anything organic is expensive.

- [Eric] A separate poll being released

by Republican non-profitAmerican Action Network

indicates 88% of voterssay they are worried

about the rising cost of living,

73% about possible tax increases.

- And Joe Biden, by the way, promised

he wouldn't raise taxeson hardworking families.

And yet he already has because inflation

hits the lowest income people the hardest.

- Republicans see an opportunity

with the upcoming midtermsbecause higher prices resonate

with voters across allsocioeconomic levels.

Republicans hope it's their ticket

to regaining power in Congress,

and maybe even convincing someto change political parties

in light of what they callBiden runaway spending.

Case in point, a $3.5 trillionbudget reconciliation package

to fund social programsranging from childcare

to free college tuition toenvironmental initiatives.

Regardless of where inflation stands

when the 2022 elections roll around,

the White House is hopingvoters will remember

its vaccination efforts,as well as the passage

of the American Rescue Plan,

which they say helped keep people afloat,

even though the bill hadno Republican support.

At the White House,Eric Philips, CBN News.

- Partisan tensions explodedon Capitol Hill Wednesday

after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected

two Republicans from a committeeinvestigating the right

on Capitol hill on January 6th.

House Republican LeaderKevin McCarthy called it

an egregious abuse of power.

- Pelosi has created a sham process,

and it shows exactly what I warned

back at the beginning of January,

that Pelosi would play politics with this.

- Pelosi cited the integrity of the probe

in refusing to accept the two Republicans,

Jim Jordan of Ohio andJim Banks of Indiana,

who were allies of formerPresident Donald Trump.

McCarthy says the panelhas lost all credibility.

Republicans will conduct theirown investigation instead.

Could the Justice Departmentinvestigate Dr. Anthony Fauci?

That's what Senator RandPaul would like to see.

In an exclusive interview with CBN News,

he accused Fauci of lying to Congress

about U.S. involvement inthe COVID-19 lab leak theory.

Capitol Hill CorrespondentAbigail Robertson

is on this story.

- Senator Rand Paul claimswhile we may never know

the exact cause of the COVID-19 pandemic,

he wants the JusticeDepartment to investigate

whether Dr. Fauci and the NIH are linked

to gain of functionresearch in Wuhan, China.

- The Chinese would have to admit to it,

and if this virus came from their lab

and they have record of that, my guess is

that record's long ago been burned.

- [Abigail] That's whythe senator is pushing

to uncover any link to the NIH and Fauci.

- Do you wish to retractyour statement of May 11th

where you claimed thatthe NIH never funded

gain of function research in Wuhan?

- Senator Paul, I have neverlied before the Congress,

and I do not retract that statement.

- [Abigail] But Paul claims research

from the lab tells a different story.

- Dr. Shi, who's the onethey call the bat scientist,

she was doing research at that time,

taking viruses that occurin animals, mutating them,

or recombining them with other viruses,

to create viruses thatare not found in nature

that actually can infect humans.

This is the very definitionof what even the NIH says is

gain of function research.

- [Abigail] Fauci disagrees.

- Senator Paul, you do not know

what you are talking about, quite frankly.

And I want to say that officially.

- [Abigail] Paul believes Fauci has reason

to distance himself.

- I think Dr. Fauci hasa conflict of interest.

Because he was in charge of the funding,

if the virus came from the lab,

he has some sort of moral culpability.

- [Abigail] And he fears if wedon't find out what happened,

we could see another global pandemic.

- We still are funding thisresearch in North Carolina

and in Galveston in thatthere's a potential problem

that this could happen againwith an even worse virus.

- [Abigail] Paul believes there's a lot

of evidence supportingthe Wuhan lab leak theory.

- They quit putting their virus' sequence,

their DNA, RNA sequencesonline in the fall of 2019.

Actually, even before weknew this was going on,

they had taken offline their sequences

so people couldn't look at this.

- [Abigail] And he isn'tconvinced it originated naturally.

- They tested 80,000 animalsin the Wuhan wet markets,

and none of them had COVID.

They've taken COVID-19 andtried to infect bats with it,

and it turns out it readilyinfects humans, but not bats,

which makes you suspiciousabout it coming from bats

if it doesn't really readily infect bats.

- Paul would also liketo see an investigation

outside the World HealthOrganization, and thinks the U.S.

should re-institutewithholding funds to the WHO.

Reporting from Virginia,Abigail Robertson, CBN News.

- Former Washington Statehigh school football coach

fired over post-game prayer is headed back

to the Supreme Court.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled

in favor of his former employer,

the Bremerton School District, this week.

The Supreme Court sent thecase back to the lower courts

in 2019, saying more facts were needed.

Joe Kennedy and his attorneysay the district's order

to and his on-field post-game prayers

violated his First Amendment rights,

and they will continue to fight.

Coming up, taking a stand

against the cyber threats from China.

The U.S. and its allieshave called out the Chinese

and plan to expose theirhacking and cyber attacks.

But will that be enough?

We're gonna hear from a topChina expert on that question

when we come back.(dramatic music)

- [Announcer] Christiansaround the world are standing

with the Israelis, but why?

In CBN's free magazine,"Friends of Israel,"

you'll discover whyChristians are supporting

the Jewish state, how Israelis fulfilling prophecy

as a light to the nations,and ways you can pray

for the people of Israel.

Israel needs the supportof friends like you.

Call now or go to CBN.comto get your free copy

of "Friends of Israel."

(upbeat music)

- Heavenly Father, we do thank you

for the work of your Spirit, Lord God,

with this movement ofgetting the Bible, Lord,

into public schools.(upbeat music)

- [Announcer] Watch The Prayer Link.

Tuesday morning at 7:30on the CBN News Channel.

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

♪ And where there's joy there's action ♪

♪ It's like a great attraction ♪

♪ That starts a chain reaction ♪

♪ But with almost satisfaction ♪

♪ I love the way this joy makes me move ♪

♪ I got the joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

- President Biden and membersof his national security team

plan to meet next monthwith business executives

about cybersecurity asit deals with attacks

from gangs in Russiaand threats from China.

Earlier this week, the WhiteHouse announced the U.S.

and its allies are joining forces

to expose China'smalicious cyber activities.

But will that be enough?

On this week's episode of The Global Lane,

a China analyst talkedabout how America needs

to take tough action.

- Well, this certainly is unusual,

and we haven't seen this in decades, Gary.

Really, it's not only the United States,

it's also the EU, NATO,miscellaneous Western countries.

And an importance hereis that this is not U.S.

versus China, which Beijinglikes to frame everything.

This is China against the world.

So that's an advance.

- Right now the White Houseis saying it's designed

to expose what China is doing,

and it's backing up tough talk with action

by imposing costs and criminal charges

on four Ministry of State security hackers

for their efforts to stealEbola virus vaccine research.

So how likely is it thatthis is a serious effort

against China in the longterm?

- If it were just up tothe Biden administration,

I'm sure it wouldn't be serious,

because the indictment offour hackers is meaningless

in some sense, but what'sgonna start here is a dynamic.

The American people are gonna start

to push the White House.

Also, I think we're gonna see China react.

China is gonna overreact.

That's going to make it clearthat the administration here

has got to do something.

So I believe that thisis starting a process,

which probably the Biden administration

would not like to be in,but unfortunately for them,

they've got no choice right now.

China is not seriousabout an accommodation.

They're willing to makeagreements as a tactical matter.

And they did with the phaseone trade deal last year.

But China is not even honoring

those easy-to-meet commitments.

And that's a real indicationthat Beijing is backtracking

on any sort of deal.

And therefore, I think thatthe Biden administration

shouldn't be looking foran agreement with China,

it should be lookingto impose those costs.

And those costs have to beas severe or more severe

than the benefits thatChina gets from hacking.

And we've got to rememberthat China steals

hundreds of billions of dollars

of U.S. intellectual property each year.

John Ratcliffe, former Directorof National Intelligence,

put that number at almost $500 billion

in his op-ed of last December.

- We constantly hearpoliticians and members

of the media blameRussia for cyber attacks,

but intelligence analysts have told me

that China was actually responsible

for SolarWinds and other cyber attacks.

Do you agree?

Why are government officialsand members of the media

so reluctant to blame China?

- Well, they're reluctantbecause we have had this policy

of engagement up untilthe Trump administration.

That was five decades oftrying to integrate China

into the international system.

Also, many Americans doquite well financially

from their investments or theirtrade relations with China,

so they don't want to disturb the boat.

And also, we're just seeingpeople being afraid of Beijing,

which they shouldn't be, becauseChina is much more reliant

on the U.S. than the other way around.

But as with regard to the attribution

for any particular cyberattack, we might not know,

but at least with the MicrosoftExchange cyber attack,

there's clear evidencepointing to Beijing.

- So how concerned should we be

about China's ability tohack critical energy, defense

and corporate computer networks?

And what additional steps need to be taken

to counter the threat?

- Yeah, China is very goodat stealing information

from the U.S., and we've gotto be critically concerned.

We've had a series of administrations

that have not taken robust steps.

And clearly this is not just a question

of China's thievery and criminal activity.

It's more, I think, aquestion of America's failure

to respond to this.

Just to give you an example, in 2014,

North Korea hacked SonyPictures Entertainment.

But those attacks originatedfrom Chinese IP addresses.

And when the FBI was actually asked

was any other countrybesides North Korea involved,

they said, no, but theChinese officials had to know

because they maintain the great firewall.

They could see theattacks going out to Sony.

They could see the hundredsof terabytes of data

that were exfiltrated from that company

coming back into China.

We have just been so reluctantto call the Chinese out.

So, of course, the Chineseare gonna continue to steal.

This has got to stop.

- [Gary] So are theChinese Communist Party's

hacking efforts againstthese critical U.S. public

and private sectorcomputer networks growing?

- Absolutely growing, and part of it is

because we haven't takenthose steps that are necessary

to deter and to stop this.

Remember, our costshave got to be enormous,

because China has enormous benefits

from stealing from the United States.

Not just the monetary valueof the intellectual property

they've stolen, but also thenational security secrets

that they have obtained.

So I believe that we haveto take drastic measures

to protect ourselves.

And if we don't, I don'tknow what our children

and grandchildren aregonna think about us,

because we have the meansto protect ourselves,

and when they find outthat we didn't protect them

and ourselves, I wonderwhat they're gonna think.

- Okay, Gordon Chang, as usual,

we appreciate you taking thetime to provide your analysis.

- Thank you, Gary.

- And for a look at otherimportant trends in the news,

be sure to catch The Global Lane.

You can catch it at 8:30Eastern Standard Time

this evening on the CBN News Channel

or by downloading theCBN News Channel app.

Still ahead, a very differenttype of summer camp.

Young people in Gaza aregathering in killer camps run

by Hamas and Islamic Jihad,

where they're being trained as weapons.

We're gonna tell you aboutthis threat to Israel

right after this.(dramatic music)

- [Announcer] Come home to the sounds

of Southern gospel from CBN Radio.

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.

(upbeat music)

- [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.

Life in your finances.

Life in your body, mind and spirit.

Life in your every day.

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

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Life, live it fully.

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- Welcome back to CBN Newswatch.

Young people in Gaza aregathering in killer camps run

by Hamas and Islamic Jihad,

and they're definitely not playing around.

These boys and young menare equipped with AK-47s,

anti-tank weapons and videosimulations for target practice.

And their goal?

The annihilation of Israel.

Chris Mitchell brings us the story.

He's reporting from Jerusalem.

- [Chris] They call themthe Pioneers of Liberation

and the Sword of Jerusalem Summer Camps,

run by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

These videos posted by MEMRI,

the Middle East Media Research Institute,

show what the youth ofGaza are doing this summer.

- [Translator] We did notcome here to enjoy ourselves

or to play or anything like that.

We came with our souls,our blood, our martyrs,

and our wounded to sacrifice ourselves

for Palestine and for our people.

- [Chris] This promotionalvideo urges students

from primary school, high schooland college to participate.

In the camp, targetpractice involves AK-47s,

anti-tank weapons and video simulations.

- [Translator] So that in thenext phase, Allah willing,

these boys will be able toconfront the plundering enemy

and disfigure its face in the next war.

- [Chris] In May, Hamas and Islamic Jihad

called the 11-day war withIsrael the Sword of Jerusalem.

Their goal, preparing the nextgeneration for the next war.

- [Translator] We say to the enemy,

these children picked up theseweapons and we train them

how to use them as well ashow to take security measures

so that they will follow inthe footsteps of their fathers

and take up arms, Allah willing.

- [Translator] I choseto spend my vacation

at Pioneers of Liberation Summer Camp

in order to continuethe path of my father,

the martyred commandWalid Shamaleh Abu Bilal,

and in order to strengthenour determination

and to liberate Jerusalem, Allah willing.

- [Chris] These young menand boys learn antisemitism

at an early age.

- [Translator] We asked Hitler

why he left some of you alive.

He did so in order to showus how wicked you are.

We will come to you from under the ground

and hammer fear into your hearts.

And above the ground wewill tear your bodies apart

with our rockets.

Scram into the shelters, you mice,

you sons of a Jewish women.

- [Chris] MEMRI has beenmonitoring these summer camps

for 10 years.

- [Woman] The videos and imagesfrom those camps illustrate

and reflect the waythat Hamas is operating

and deepening its control.

In 10, 15 years from now,the kids will be adults

or parents, and maybeeven officials in Gaza

and decision makers, sothe extremism in Gaza

will be even worse.

- [Chris] Hamas took overthe Gaza strip 13 years ago

in a bloody battle withthe Palestinian Authority.

- [Woman] So since birth, thisgeneration has been raised

only on the values ofthese terrorist movements.

This is, of course, onlydeepening the crisis there,

forfeiting any chance for a dignified,

peaceful life for the kids

and for all the residents of Gaza.

- [Chris] She feels theinternational community needs

to speak up about these camps.

While these kids are in camp,Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh

is visiting nations like Mauritania,

pledging to continuethe war against Israel.

- [Translator] Let me tellyou, my brothers and sisters,

the Sword of Jerusalemwill not be sheathed

until the blessed Al-AqsaMosque is liberated.

- [Chris] Given these summer camps,

it appears clear thegoal is that the battle

for Jerusalem will continueinto the next generation.

Chris Mitchell, CBN News, Jerusalem.

- [Efrem] Coming up,thousands hit the gridiron

to worship God.

See how this popular Texasstadium is transformed

into a sanctuary, when we come back.

Stay with us.(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

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- [Man] We know that everyminute counts to save life.

- It'll bless Israel.

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- [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

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CBN News, because truth matters.

Go to CBNNewsapp.com to get the app today.

- Nearly 30,000 men metfor a time of reflection

and transformation inDallas this past weekend.

Husbands, fathers, brothers all attended

this year's PromiseKeepers men's conference

with a goal of becomingstronger Christian leaders.

- [Man] His grace is sufficient for you.

That's the promise of God, andmy God, the God of Abraham,

Isaac and Jacob is the promise keeper.

- The two-day conferencewas held at AT&T Stadium,

home to the Dallas Cowboys.

You can read more about this big event,

including some of the messagesdelivered at CBNNews.com.

Time now for your Thursday Thankful.

And today I want to leave youwith this prayer of gratitude.

God, I thank you for beinga God of rest and rescue.

You are my God and youare my good shepherd.

I want for nothing.

With that prayer I encourage you

to make today a Thursdayfilled with thanks.

You can do it on purpose and with purpose.

Well, that will do it forthis edition of CBN Newswatch.

Thank you so much for watching.

You can always find more of our programs

on the CBN News Channel at any time

as well as the CBN News appor online at CBNNews.com.

We'd love to know what you think

about the stories you'veseen here today or any day.

You can email us, Newswatch@CBN.com.

You can also reach out and touch us

on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We certainly would love to hear from you.

Again, I encourage you tomake today a Thursday thankful

and join us right backhere same time tomorrow.

Make it a thankful Thursday,we'll see you tomorrow.

Goodbye and God bless.

(dramatic music)