News Items

Justice Department Targeting Abortion Protestors

DENVER - Conservatives and business groups often complain about the government's growing numbers of regulations. Now CBN News has learned that government officials are using lawsuits to go after American citizens.

One target can be found outside abortion clinics.

For decades, pro-life protestors have lined up outside abortion clinics, trying to convince women to save the lives of their unborn children.

A variety of laws have put restrictions on these protests. A major one is the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE. Convicted protestors can face thousands of dollars in fines as well as jail time. Just the legal costs can exceed $100,000.

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Blame Game Begins as Fiscal Cliff Draws Near

WASHINGTON -- As the clock ticks toward America's potential fall off the fiscal cliff, lawmakers and the president are blaming each other for the delay in reaching an agreement.

President Obama spent much of the week appealing to the pocketbooks of the middle class.

"Tell members of Congress what a $2,000-tax hike would mean to you. Call your members of Congress, write them an email, post it on their Facebook walls," the president said.

On Friday, he's scheduled to visit a toy manufacturer in Pennsylvania to make his case again for raising tax rates on high-income Americans to help resolve the "fiscal cliff" budget talks.

But Republicans say...

Big Victory for Small Business Against HHS Mandate

A federal appeals court issued an injunction on Wednesday that temporarily blocks President Obama's Health and Human Services from implementing the contraception mandate on a St. Louis, Mo. Company.

The Obamacare mandate would have forced the small company to pay for health insurance including coverage for contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs -- all in violation of the owner's religious beliefs.

The Missouri business owner and practicing Catholic, Frank O'Brien, employs 87 people.  O'Brien Industrial Holdings runs a number of businesses that explore, mine and process refractory and ceramic raw materials.

On its website, the company states its mission as "to make...

Senator Graham: Obama Misleading Public on Benghazi

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has accused the Obama administration of misleading Americans over the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

On this week's Brody File Show the South Carolina lawmaker said he's determined to get to the bottom of it.

"I think fog of war is present a little bit because I think war is a hard thing to figure out," he told the Brody File.

"Incompetence is rampant," he added. "And there's some definite manipulation and misleading in my view and I can tell you that if George W. Bush were president this would be front page news every day."

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Entitlement Reform Gums Up Fiscal Cliff Talks

Lawmakers in Washington are no closer to a deal on avoiding the fiscal cliff than they were before Thanksgiving when both parties strongly hinted a deal was in reach after a meeting at the White House.

Congressional aides are busy trying to work out the nitty gritty details and they're finding there are major hurdles.

Chief among the hurdles are entitlement reform and tax increases. Republicans are showing signs of cutting a deal to raise taxes on high-income earners, but Democrats are divided over making cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

President Barack Obama has insisted repeatedly that tax increases on the wealthy must be part of any deal, even as...

Some Republicans Open to Rice as Secretary of State

Some key Republicans say they may not stand in the way of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice becoming the next secretary of state if President Obama nominates her.

Republicans have been highly critical of Rice's early explanation of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya when she blamed it on an anti-Islamic video rather than terrorism.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Rice should be able to tell her side of the story and that the real question is why the attack happened at all.

"But, the biggest aspect of the whole thing is, it has to be really looked into is, why there was such a failure on the part of the administration in light of events, the attack -- the two...

Egyptians Protest Morsi's Power Play, Stocks Plunge

Egyptians protesting a move by the country's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi aren't backing down.

They are clashing with riot police, determined to make their voices heard.

They are upset with Morsi issuing decrees last week giving himself, basically, unlimited power.

He gave himself powers that make him unaccountable to the legislative and judicial branches of the newly formed government.

He gave the same privileges to two other Islamist groups in the government. One is a panel drafting a new constitution. The other is parliament's upper chamber.

Morsi said he did it to "protect the revolution." The protestors see it...

Hobby Lobby Not Exempt from Contraception Mandate

A federal judge rejected a request by arts and crafts giant Hobby Lobby for exemption from the health care law's contraception coverage mandate.

The Christian-owned chain will be required to provide contraception or pay fines totaling up to $1.3 million each day.

Kyle Duncan, general counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, disagreed with the decision.

"Every American, including family business owners like the Greens, should be free to live and do business according to their religious beliefs," he said.

Attorneys for Hobby Lobby argue that the decision violates the company's religious beliefs. The court, however, ruled the mandate...

GOP Demands Answers on Altered CIA Libya Account

Members of Congress want to know who helped create the Obama administration's "talking points" on the deadly attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11.

The inquiry comes after hearings on Capitol Hill revealed the CIA concluded early on that terrorists were to blame for the deadly 9/11 assault.

Lawmakers now want to know who took that critical information out of the White House's early statements about the attack.

The answer could explain why U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice kept describing the incident as a spontaneous protest that was sparked by an anti-Islam video.

Democrats said the CIA signed off on the final talking points...

Hamas Military Commander Killed in Israeli Airstrike

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Ahmed Jabari, head of the military wing of Hamas, was killed Wednesday afternoon in a surgical air strike in Gaza by the Israel Air Force. Three others, including his son, were reportedly killed in the strike.

A senior commander with the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Jabari helped plan the June 2006 kidnapping of former IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Following Shalit's release, Jabari vowed to abduct more soldiers to use as bargaining chips in prisoner swaps.

IDF Maj. Gen. (ret.) Israel Ziv, former head of IDF operations, told journalists Jabari was in charge of coordinating relations between Hamas, Iran, al Qaeda and Islamic Jihad and he was also behind the...

Nancy Pelosi to Stay on as House Minority Leader

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced her plans Wednesday to stay on in her current role for the next session of Congress.

"My colleagues made it very clear: 'Don't even think of leaving,'" Pelosi, surrounded by the entire delegation of women in the Democratic caucus, told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

Many observers had questioned the future of the 13-term California congresswoman after Republicans managed to hold onto their majority in the House.

During the press conference, NBC's Luke Russert asked Pelosi whether remaining as leader prevents new and younger leaders from rising up the ranks.

"You, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Clyburn...

Several Democrats Propose Driving Off Fiscal Cliff

Congress is back in session and some Democrats are pushing the unorthodox idea of doing nothing to stop the looming "fiscal cliff."

They say if the tax hikes and spending cuts are allowed to take effect Jan. 1, Republicans would have a weaker hand at the bargaining table.

"We will reach a point at the end of this year where all the tax cuts expire and we'll start over next year. And whatever we do will be a tax cut for whatever package we put together. That may be the way to get past this," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told ABC's "This Week."

The White House, however, says it wants a deal without falling off that "fiscal cliff."

President...

Happy Birthday! Billy Graham Turns 94

Beloved evangelist Billy Graham turns 94 years old Wednesday.

Graham's daughter, Ann Graham Lotz, credits his long life to prayer and said she hopes people continue to pray for her father.

Preparations are underway for a Billy Graham evangelistic broadcast next year when Rev. Graham turns 95.

Graham, who continues to write books, is celebrating his birthday with about 20 family members at his home in Montreat, N.C.

His daughters say he asked for a birthday menu of hot dogs and apple pie.

Obama on Re-Election: 'The Best is Yet to Come'

The long and fierce battle for the White House ended Tuesday night, with Americans re-electing President Barack Obama to a second term.

The president's victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney comes despite a weak economy and criticism of his policies at home and abroad.

"Tonight in this election you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come," Obama told supporters in his acceptance speech.

"We are and forever will be the United States of America," Obama...

Americans Elect a Divided Congress

The same voters who gave President Obama another four years also elected a divided Congress. Democrats retained control of the Senate while Republicans renewed their majority in the House of Representatives.

Republicans took a bad bruising in Senate races across the country.

The GOP needed to gain four seats to take control -- instead they lost seats.

Evangelicals did their part and showed up big at the polls.

But there was a strong showing by minority and women voters, including a large number of Hispanics.
That large Democrat voter turnout was key to the president's re-election and Democrats holding onto the Senate.

"What has surprised me is President Obama and the Democrats to turn out such a huge vote," Fred Barnes, executive...

Court to Hear Arizona 20-Week Abortion Ban Case

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges in San Francisco are set to hear arguments Monday in the fight to overturn Arizona's ban on abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Opponents say the regulation is unconstitutional because it prevents some women from having abortions before viability, the time that a fetus can survive outside the womb, about 23-24 weeks.

On July 30, U.S. District Judge James Teilborg refused to block the ban, saying it's a regulation and not a flat prohibition.

He ruled the law did not block a woman from choosing to have an abortion.

Nine other states also have 20-week abortion bans.

However,...

Waiting Game Begins after Candidates' Closing Cases

Republican challenger Mitt Romney will cast his ballot with the rest of the nation Tuesday as he heads to Boston for the last night of the campain.

President Obama, who voted early, arrived in Chicago last night, while Romney made one last stop in his bid to take the White House.

Romney's 24-Hour Finale

The past 24 hours have been a wild ride for Romney. He campaigned in four battleground states, including New Hampshire, where the former governor took the stage before 10,000 enthusiastic supporters.

"You hoped President Obama would live up to his promise to bring people together to solve the big problems. He hasn't. I...

Four States Holding Key to Marriage Future?

Picking the president isn't the only decision voters will have to make Tuesday. Voters in four deep blue states are also weighing in on marriage and how it should be defined.

In Washington, Minnesota, Maine, and Maryland, voters will decide on marriage and what kind of history they want to make.

If all four states vote for traditional marriage, they'll extend an unbroken record where voters in 32 states have supported the traditional institution.

In Washington, voters will decide whether to let stand a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers and the governor. Supporters of the law include major employers like Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft.

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Most Americans Trust Romney to Break Gridlock

More Americans believe Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be able to work with Congress to end gridlock in Washington.

A new Associated Press-GFK poll shows 47 percent think the Republican challenger will be able to work with Democrats to move the country forward.

Only 37 percent believe President Barack Obama is capable of doing the same with Republicans.

While Leigh Westholm of Pensacola, Fla., supports Obama's re-election, she wasn't optimistic he'd be able to work with Republicans.

"It takes two to tango and he has tried and tried for four years," Westholm said. "It might be better for Romney, but I don't agree...

Christians, Israeli Jews Fight Persecution Together

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Christians and Jews in Israel are banding together to stamp out what they say could become a trend of Christian persecution in the Holy Land.

Last February, vandals spray painted blasphemous and anti-Christian graffiti on the Narkis Street Baptist House in Jerusalem. It's not the first attack there. Five years ago, someone set fire to the sanctuary, and in 1982, the previous wooden structure was burned to the ground.

"There are many other Christian institutions across the land that have also been attacked, and we feel we should show solidarity with them and with Israeli leaders that have spoken out," Chuck Kopp, senior pastor of the Narkis Street Congregation, told...