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- Thanks for joiningus for "CBN Newswatch."

I'm Mark Martin.

Today, more controversiesover COVID vaccine mandates

and requirements, withthe governor of Texas

shutting down mandates.

That move coming as cases are dropping

and new treatmentscould soon be available.

Imagine no power at all.

That's what happened inLebanon this weekend.

We'll show you what it was like

to be in a country in the dark.

Plus,

he's a former slave fromAfrica with a message

for supporters of critical race theory

and other activists in America.

- United States of America

is the only country that can free you

to the point where you canget a job, a decent job,

and be a free man.

- [Mark] And now he's runningfor president of South Sudan,

trying to unite the countrywith Christian beliefs.

It's the number one causeof pain around the world.

We'll tell you what itis and give you some tips

on how to take care of it.

- We have to actively stretch.

We have to actively do things

to make sure our bodiesremain as limber as possible.

- [Mark] And you can takesteps to ease the pain

in just 15 minutes a day.

Those stories and moretoday on "CBN Newswatch."

- [Announcer] This is "CBN Newswatch."

- We begin with more developments

in the battle against COVID-19,

with Texas Governor GregAbbott taking action

against the vaccine mandates.

That action comes as thereare also new hopeful signs

things are improving.

The FDA could soonapprove an antiviral pill

to treat the virus, and theagency will be looking at a date

on booster shots from Modernaand Johnson & Johnson.

CBN's Jenna Browder bringsus the story from Washington.

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- There's reason to behopeful with COVID-19 cases,

hospitalizations, anddeaths all declining,

including infections among kids.

Add to that new medical advances

and it's welcome news for Americans.

Still, experts warn weare not out of the woods.

- And it's about 50% effective

at preventing hospitalization.

- [Jenna] Among those medical advances,

the first antiviral pilldesigned to fight COVID.

Merck seeking FDA emergency authorization.

The drug maker says, in its trials,

the drug cut the risk ofhospitalization in half

for people at risk for severe disease.

The pill can be taken at home,

four pills every 12 hours for five days.

Still, with transmissionrates high nationwide,

experts continue to encourage the vaccine.

- But remember the vaccineis virtually 99% effective

at preventing hospitalization.

You'd much rather preventgetting the illness

than treating it onceyou've already gotten it.

- [Jenna] Vaccine mandates though

are still unpopular in many places.

In Texas, Governor GregAbbott in an executive order

is now banning mandates by all entities,

including private businesses.

And in California, the man in charge

of the country's largestsheriff's department

says he's not enforcingvaccine requirements

for his employees.

- I'm not forcing anyone.

The issue has become so politicized.

There are entire groups of employees

that are willing to be fired and laid off

rather than get vaccinated.

- [Jenna] Thursday and Friday,the FDA will also review data

on vaccine boosters from Moderna and J&J.

If the agency gives the green light,

they'll go to the CDC forfinal approval next week.

And another symbol of hope

as some aspects of lifebegin to return to normal:

18,000 determined athletesat the first Boston Marathon

in two and a half years.

- Well, we were pumped.

We're excited to finally have it back

and back to the way it used to be.

- And each runner had toshow proof of vaccination

or a negative COVID test.

The same requirements willbe in place later this month

for the Philadelphiaand New York marathons.

In Washington, Jenna Browder, CBN News.

- The Biden Justice Department

urged the courts again Monday night

to step in and suspend a new Texas law

that bans virtually all abortions.

The latest attempt comes three days

after the Fifth Circuit Courtof Appeals reinstated the law

after a district judge suspended it.

The law bans abortions in Texas

once a heartbeat is detected,usually at six weeks

and before some womenknow they are pregnant.

The law's future could bedecided in the upcoming days

and the Supreme Courtmay eventually be forced

to decide whether it's constitutional.

Turning overseas, a mob of200 radical Hindu nationalists

recently attacked worshiperswho were gathering at a church

in northern India.

The mob barged into thechurch, beating members

and vandalizing church propertieson Sunday, October 3rd,

according to Union of Catholic Asian News.

At least three Christianwomen were seriously injured

and taken to a nearby hospital.

Christian leaders in India are demanding

that authorities take strictaction against the attackers.

Lebanon's electric grid is back online

after the army supplied fuelto two key power stations.

The country suffered amassive blackout Saturday

when the state's powerplants ran out of fuel,

leading to angry protests.

As Chris Mitchell reports,the outage is one more sign

of a nation on the verge ofeconomic and political collapse.

- [Chris] The blackout plunged Beirut,

once known as the Paris of theMiddle East, into the dark.

For a time, car headlightsbecame the main source of light.

- [Interpreter] We usedto have electricity

for an hour daily.

Now it's totally cut.

We're spending our time outside our homes

so our children can have fun.

The situation is getting worse.

May God protect us as we don'tknow where we're heading.

- [Chris] The lack ofpower represents a crisis

for hospitals, essentialservices, and ordinary people

trying to keep their refrigerators running

and food from spoiling.

Last week, Jordan agreed tosupply electricity to Lebanon,

but that deal could takemonths to implement.

The energy crisis as partof a larger political

and economic crisis,where Lebanon's currency

has lost 90% of its value.

Recently, these depositorsstormed this bank

in central Beirut after thebank blocked their money.

(man speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] I'm demandingmy right and my money.

All my years of work were robbed.

They rob people's work

and they put them in the nameof their children abroad.

- [Chris] A new governmenttook office recently,

the first since the massiveexplosion in August 2020

that devastated the city of Beirut.

But Israeli analyst

and retired Brigadier GeneralAssaf Orion told CBN News

Lebanon is not only a failedstate, but a fake state

because the terrorist group Hezbollah

is the real power inside the country.

- They're running the show.

They allow legitimate veneerof Christians, Sunnis,

and others to take part in this facade.

And as long as the worldbuys it and keeps on paying,

it will keep on rolling.

- In the meantime, theLebanese people are suffering

through an economiccrisis the World Bank says

is one of the worst in theworld in the past 150 years.

Chris Mitchell, CBN News, Jerusalem.

(air whooshes)

- [Mark] Coming up, aformer slave from Africa

brings a message to Americafor some of the people raging

in today's culture war.

(dramatic music)

- When I came to Regent University,

it's like the world opened up.

I felt like I needed to advance my career

and go back to school.

Regent was a perfect fit for me.

The Regent professors are world-class.

You are equipped.

The focus of the faculty ison each individual student.

Whether it's online or in-person,

you become a part of Regent's family.

You carry with you not justthe content and the knowledge,

but the confidence to understand

that we can be significant in the world.

- [Announcer] Regent University.

Follow your path.

- [Wendy] Nigerian Christians

are being slaughtered- Christians in Iran

- every day.- are routinely arrested

because of their faith.- Catholic Christians

continue to suffer.

- [Announcer] In timesof trial and affliction,

you need to know the truth.

- One of the fastest growingChristian populations

in the world.

- [Announcer] Join WendyGriffith and George Thomas

for "Christian World News."

- [Woman] Young people are the ones

who are open to the gospel.

- [Announcer] Powerfulstories of suffering and hope

that affect all Christians.

Saturday night at 6:00on the CBN News Channel.

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and discover how to improvethe quality of your life.

A free DVD or booklet

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- A former African slave istelling Black Lives Matter

and critical race theory advocates

that they need to go back to school

to understand what ishappening in Africa today.

Bol Gai Deng, who is also adeclared presidential candidate

in South Sudan, told CBN'sGary Lane how he became a slave

and what BLM activistsneed to know about the USA.

- I was a slave in 1987 asa young boy in my village.

There were the government of Sudan

declared their war against the rebel

of South Sudan Christian,majority Christian.

I become a victim ofthat because they took me

and very much they beat upthe majority of my family.

I was just kidnapped, I wastaken with more than 700 kids,

walked 250 mile all theway from the South Sudan

to North Sudan.

And then I realized thatI got sold in the market,

and I did not realize that

because I did not speakArabic at that time.

I used to speak only theAfrica Dinka language.

And then I have to be beat up.

I have to be told what to do.

And then sometime, they usedto put the chain on my legs

to the point where I have become

so disciplined to my master.

And then, he gave me a little assignment

to go and give the cattle water.

Then from that, I escape, I managed

to run to the capital ofSudan, which is Khartoum.

And then I got received by theinternational organization,

which was Catholic Charity at the time.

And then I headed to Khartoum

and then also with another problem

that Khartoum was very muchinformed Osama bin Laden,

the man who mastermind the 9/11.

Lived in Khartoum for six years,

then from there,actually, I went to Egypt.

From Egypt, I got asylum tothe United States in 1999.

- How old were you, Bol,when you became a slave?

- I was around sevenyears old at the time.

I was young.

I was seven years old.

- And how long were you a slave?

- I would been a slave for three years.

- And as a former slave,

I know you have expressed some concerns

about the Black Lives Mattermovement here in the US,

also the teaching of critical race theory.

What are you telling people?

What's your concern?

- My concern is thatthey need to understand

that slavery still exists in Africa.

We are talking aboutthe 21st century slave.

And I believe that BlackLives Matter do not understand

what's going on in Africa.

They don't know what isgoing on around the world.

In fact, the United States isthe only country in the world

that can give a slave freedomto become a congresswoman.

You cannot find that in the world

except in the United States of America.

United States of Americais the only country

that can free you to thepoint where you can get a job,

a decent job, and be a free man

as a black woman, an African woman

and to become an African American.

I think they need to understandthat slavery still exists

and they need educationand they need to listen

to people in my backgroundthat Africa today,

more than 9.2 million arestill in captivity in slavery.

If you go to Libya right now

while I'm talking, North Africa,

slave have to be sold for 400 US dollar.

A woman have to be sold for 400 US dollar

in the market in Libya right now.

So that means that theyneed to open up to the world

and know the crisis ofslavery still exists

in Africa and around the world.

- And many of those people

that are advocating BlackLives Matter here in the US

and CRT have never been to Africa.

There are many divisionsin South Sudan right now,

Dinka and Nuer, others arestill fighting one another.

How do you expect to bringpeople together as president?

- You know, I want to thankyou and your audience,

the Christian organization,

that we in the Christiancommunity, we believe in love.

We believe in peace.

We believe in unity.

And my life in America taught me so much

to the point where if youlive in the United States,

you are an American citizen.

And I believe that the same philosophy

could be taking place inSouth Sudan in my leadership.

I think what they neednow is a good leader

and understand that whatis going on in South Sudan

is the lack of the leadership,and that is tribal line.

And I believe that becausemy leadership right now,

I have more minority tribe

who are very much supportingme today more than ever before.

(air whooshes)

- [Mark] Still ahead,

the leading cause of pain around the world

and what most people can do to cure it.

We'll have that story right after this.

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- [Announcer] Introducingthe CBN Bible from CBN.com.

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The CBN Bible, available at CBN.com/Bible

or the iTunes App Store.

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the stories you care about,

anytime you want,

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- Welcome back to "Newswatch."

Billions of people suffer from back pain.

It's the world's singlelargest cause of disability.

The COVID pandemic has onlycaused the suffering to spike.

So what's the number oneway to prevent back pain

that only takes 15 minutes a day?

CBN's Medical Reporter LorieJohnson brings us the answer.

- We can add one more itemto the list of problems

caused by the pandemic.

Doctors say the shutdownsled to increased back pain

because people stopped going to the gym,

laid on the couch, andate too much junk food.

- We have to actively stretch.

We have to actively do things

to make sure our bodiesremain as limber as possible.

- [Lorie] That's becausebodies naturally get stiffer

as we age, increasingthe risk of back injury.

Spinal surgeon, Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo

says maintaining flexibilityis the number one way

to prevent back pain.

He recommends stretchingat least 15 minutes a day,

five days a week.

- If your quads are tight, ifyour hip flexors are tight,

then they won't move in theway that they're designed to

and the stress goes somewhere else.

And the body, for whatever reason,

tends to have the stressgo into the lower back.

- [Lorie] The next bestmove to avoid back pain

is by strengthening your core muscles

by doing exercises like leglifts, planks, and sit-ups.

- So you are strengthening your abs,

you're strengthening yourcore, and that in turn

protects your back andgets your back healthier.

- [Lorie] Whether at home or the office,

strive for an ergonomic workstation.

- So if you're workingat your dining table,

be aware of the height of the table.

Maybe get a chair thatcan adjust to a height

where not as much stressgoes into your lower back.

Another thing that Ilove is a standing desk.

- [Lorie] Extra pounds canstrain bones and muscles

in your back, so try tomaintain a healthy weight.

Also avoid sugar, whichcan lead to inflammation,

the root of most low back pain.

Doctors recommend giving up smoking

because it restrictsblood flow to the spine

and impairs your body's ability to heal.

Also, consider where you sleep.

- If your mattress is too soft

and your back sinks into the mattress,

then your risk of injury becomes higher.

- [Lorie] When getting dressed,

avoid flip-flops andhigh heels when possible,

and take other precautions.

- You want to put your pantson from a seated position

where you're notstressing your lower back.

- [Lorie] Try to bend at theknees when picking things up,

not at the waist.

When back pain does arrive,

doctors say it's better to move around

rather than staying in bed,and proper medication can help.

- A combination of theproper anti-inflammatory

and non-prescription analgesicscan often lessen the pain

and prevent us from goingdown the route of opioids.

- [Lorie] When drugs don't work,

sometimes surgery is an option.

- When patients have whatwe call radicular pain,

so pain that travels downyour arms, that's relentless

and your MRI shows something

that clearly puts pressure onthe nerves, that's surgical.

So if you have progressive weakness

in either your arms or your legs,

if you have issues withbalance and your MRI or CT scan

shows clear pressure on thenerves, that's surgical.

- [Lorie] So while millions of Americans

suffer from back pain, the good news

is it's often preventableor at least controllable.

With a little know-how

and a few important lifestyle changes,

we can age gracefully andavoid this common affliction.

Lorie Johnson, CBN News.

- [Mark] You can catch "HealthyLiving" with Lorie Johnson

tonight at 8:30 Easternon the CBN News Channel,

or you can see it on the CBN News app.

Coming up, one woman's story

of how God took one of thescariest moments of her life

and turned it around as something

she could never have even imagined.

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- [Announcer] Nutrition,

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It's "Healthy Living" with Lorie Johnson.

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- This is fantastic.

- [Announcer] Find outwhat you need to know

to live a healthier life.

Watch "Healthy Living"Tuesday night at 8:30

on the CBN News Channel.

(inspirational 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

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Learn how God's forgivenessleads to changed lives

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Call the 700 Club.

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One place for all of your news,

breaking news alerts,

watch CBN News Channel live.

CBN News. Because truth matters.

Get the CBN News app today.

- Welcome back.

God took an extreme healthscare for one young mom

and created something beautiful out of it.

Brooke Riley's story includesjob stress, a ministroke,

God given talents, prayer, and hard work,

all resulting in a milliondollar home business.

Our Charlene Aaron and WendyGriffith have her story

on this week's "Prayer Link."

- Brooke, listen, you struggledwith anxiety and burnout,

and even suffered a ministroke at 29.

Was that your wake-up call thatsomething needed to change?

What was God saying to you?

- It was definitely my wake-up call

saying things needed to change.

And I believe God works on your heart

leading up to those moments.

You don't necessarily see it,

but I know looking that Hehad been prompting my heart

in other ways and I was resistant.

And then when that happened,

it was like, "I hear you, okay.

I'm gonna take action now."

Like, this is bad.

I'm 29 years old,

they're telling me my heart's

looking like an 80-year-old woman,

and everything was just, you know, scary.

But it was the best thing

that ever happened to me looking back

because it put me where I am today,

and I may have nevertaken that leap of faith

if it hadn't been for that.

- That's amazing, Brooke.

And you started Re-FabbedDIY craft blog six years ago

because of your passionfor decorating on a budget

and redecorating homes.

How did you turn that unpaid labor of love

into not one but twomillion-dollar businesses?

- Oh, it's so crazy even tohear you say that. (laughs)

Even though I know it, it'sjust still, it's still so wild.

But yes, I believe Godgives all of us talents

and passions and sometimeswe tap into those

and we can use them,and sometimes we don't.

I'd always known I love decorating.

I'd always known I lovemaking things pretty,

taking something from the thrift store

and making it fit my decor in my home.

You know, we were like most families,

even though we both had goodjobs before I quit mine.

We were still living somewhatpaycheck to paycheck.

So budget decorating,

it wasn't a question ifI was gonna decorate.

It was just how I was gonna get it done.

(Wendy laughs)So that was,

that was definitely a passion.

And so, just being able to do that

and marry my passionand my purpose together

and move forward with thatin a career was just really,

I don't know, it was justa match made in heaven

and I'm so thankful thatGod orchestrated that

and let that happen theway it did, for sure.

- So your boss told youthat no one would ever take

a cute little girl like you seriously,

yet your Re-Fabbed blogand boutique was named

2020 Boutique of the Year in Kentucky

and you were recently nameda top entrepreneur by Forbes.

Do you ever want to justsay, "Look at me now."?

(Charlene laughs)

- Oh, am I even allowed to say that?

- Yes you are.

(Brooke laughs)

No, yeah, honestly yes.

You know, your human naturewants to say, "I showed you."

But once again, and I have tosay this 'cause it's so true,

it was one of those momentswhere I felt this big,

I felt defeated, I felt all the things

that you would think you would feel.

I was going in for a job thatI thought I was a shoe-in for

and the comment was, youknow, just like you said,

"Who do you think's gonnaever take you serious?"

You're a little, cute,five-foot-tall girl walking in,

and this was for likea communications job.

And I just, was blown away.

But you know, looking back,

if that had not happened,I wouldn't be here.

I'd be in that job.- That's right, yes.

- God bless him.- And also-

- God bless her

or God bless him, right?- God bless him

because what God,- God bless him, yes.

- what God had for Brooke was for Brooke

and nothing could stop that.

Brooke, how can otherpeople walk in their purpose

and passion like you do andmake a living at doing it?

I think a lot of people want to know this.

- Yeah.- That's very true.

Well, I think first ofall is acknowledging

what your passions and your gifts are.

A lot of times we want to downplay

everything about ourselves.

Well, I have anything to offer,

I'm not good enough for this or that,

and we will push ourselves down

and we will second guesseverything that we're good at,

we won't give it enough credit.

But if you will truly look at your life

and where God's blessed you

and the things that youare most excited about

in your life and what Hehas given you talents to do,

and you will take thoseand you will see, okay,

how can I share thiswith the world in a way

that I can also provide for my family,

that I can help inspire

and that I can just makea difference for Jesus.

- Great advice.

Well, you can catch thefull interview with Brooke

on "Prayer Link" on the CBN News Channel

tonight at 6:30 Easternor on the CBN News app.

Well, that's gonna do it

for this edition of "CBN Newswatch."

Remember, you can findmore of our news programs

on the CBN News Channel anytimeor online with CBNNews.com.

Also, tell us what you thinkabout the stories you've seen

by emailing newswatch@cbn.com,

or talk to us on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.

Hope you'll join us next time.

Have a great day.

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