Newsmakers

On today's newsmakers: surviving a terror attack, Trump's plans for Israel and Gaza, and the battle between good and evil.

A watchdog is sounding the alarm about increasing anti-Christian persecution in India, the world's most populous nation. Joel Veldkamp, head of international communications at Christian Solidarity International, told CBN News that the intensifying situation comes as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to the U.S. this week to meet with President Donald Trump.   The encounter could offer an o...

The world is celebrating after Marc Fogel's years-long detention in the Russian prison system came to a close this week, with President Donald Trump securing his release. No one is more elated over the freeing of Fogel, 63, than his mother, 95-year-old Malphine Fogel, who has intensely advocated for her son's release. Marc Fogel, an American teacher who taught history in Moscow, was serving a 14-y...

More than a month after Cathy Tenedorio's son, Matthew, was killed during the New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans, she's relying on her faith to get through rapid waves of emotion. On Sunday, Tenedorio and her husband, Louis, were invited to the 2025 Super Bowl along with first responders and other victims' family members to honor the lives of those lost. She told CBN News that the scene w...

Pastor Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, said he was "moved" by President Donald Trump's comments and plans surrounding the Gaza Strip, calling Trump's plans "brilliant." Franklin was referring to Trump's Tuesday announcement while meeting with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, a proclamation that sent shockwaves throughou...

It's been two years since social media influencer Oli London officially detransitioned and embarked on a faith-filled journey toward true peace and joy. "Life has changed very dramatically," he recently told CBN News. "I wake up every day with a sense of purpose, a sense of duty ... I feel a lot happier every single day." London, who has openly spoken about his Christian faith, said it has been "e...

Actress Patricia Heaton is on a mission to stand up for the Israeli people, remaining steadfast in her opposition to Hamas, terror, and negative narratives permeating university students' hearts and minds. "The Everybody Lives Raymond" star told CBN News she decided to take action after going on social media in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attack against Israel and "seeing horrendous videos of...

On today's Newsmakers: a miracle survivor story, raging persecution, and Bible artifacts on display. Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTube channel Download the free CBN News App

Bob and Lori Schrock, farmers from Kiowa, Kansas, are two of the victims of the horrific American Airlines crash in Washington, D.C. Their friend, Michael Simpson, joins "Newsmakers" to tell their story -- and to share how faith was a driving force in their lives. Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTube channel Download the...

Lola Sheen, daughter of actors Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, stunned the entertainment and media world when she recently published photos of her powerful baptism. Lola, 19, shared a candid Instagram post noting she hit "rock bottom" before finding Jesus and embracing Christianity. Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTub...

"I was praising God." That's how pro-life activist Bevelyn Williams reacted when she learned she would be pardoned by President Donald Trump. Williams, who was sentenced to 41 months in prison for an alleged violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), has gone viral in recent days after video footage showed her exiting prison and greeting her 2-year-old child and husband...

An Ohio pastor has been found guilty of a criminal charge surrounding a fire code violation amid his ongoing battle to help the homeless. Pastor Chris Avell of Dad’s Place Church in Bryan, Ohio, has been locked in a year-long battle with authorities and city officials — a dispute that took a turn last week. Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" T...

Stelio Savante joins Billy Hallowell to discuss "Between Borders," a film about a family on a mission for freedom. The description reads, "The incredible true story of an Armenian family forced to flee their home during the collapse of the Soviet Union, and embark on a journey to find a community to call their own." Listen to Savante share the details — as well as the powerful lessons he's learned...

Actress Jen Lilley is a passionate advocate for adoption and foster care who recently shared her powerful and multifaceted journey with CBN News. "The journey for me started as a child," Lilley said. "My parents were kind of what I call unofficial foster parents. My dad was a judge and my mom was a director of a women and children's charity."   Because of these roles, the family couldn't legally f...

A persecution watchdog has released a new report that aims to fill a "gap" when it comes to fully reporting on the Christian persecution raging across the globe. "We found was there needed to be a report that was based entirely on well verified, carefully reviewed sources," Isaac Six, senior director of advocacy for Global Christian Relief (GCF), told CBN News. "These are public sources that are i...

Is part of America's massive mental health malaise actually rooted in a spiritual crisis? That's what Dr. George Barna, co-founder and director of research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, is arguing, noting that some people seeking medication and counseling are actually "treating the wrong problem."   "We're in a situation where the best estimates [are] that we hav...

As wildfires continue to rage, some have claimed the California inferno should be interpreted as God's judgment — while others have fervently pushed back on such a notion. Pastor Shane Idleman discusses the issue and shares his take on both arguments. Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTube channel Download the free CBN New...

On today's Newsmakers: Meta changes course, Christian persecution reports, and a mother's grief. Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTube channel Download the free CBN News App

A popular retelling of the Bible in comic book form just hit a major milestone, selling more than 3 million copies in the U.S. "The Action Bible," which was first released in 2010, continues to dominate the Amazon bookselling charts, remaining in the top 100 among all books. Brock Eastman, senior director of The Action Bible brand at David C. Cook, said he believes the project’s success is rooted...

CBN's Billy Hallowell caught up with Skillet singer John Cooper to talk about a wide range of topics, including what he sees as the ills plaguing America and the solutions to them.  Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTube channel Download the free CBN News App

Matthew Barnett, pastor and CEO of the Dream Center in Los Angeles, California, is seeing incredible spiritual hunger in the wake of devastating California wildfires that have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. Barnett, whose organization is feeding and housing those impacted by the inferno, told CBN News he has seen a massive outpouring of resources and volunteer...

Actor Stelio Savante said he was left "seething" after seeing how some California leaders reacted to deadly wildfires that have been ripping through the Los Angeles area. "[It has been] awful, unfathomable, unrecognizable," Savante said of the dire situation on the ground. "I have friends who've lost homes that they built with their children growing up in them that have burned to the ground. So ma...

Cathy Tenedorio is living a mother's worst nightmare after her son, Matthew, was killed during the New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans. "He just was a happy kid," Tenedorio told CBN News of her son, reflecting on his attributes as a child and adult. "He was very expressive. He was very particular [and] meticulous." She continued, "He was just a wonderful, wonderful person." Tenedorio and h...

As "apocalyptic" sights and sounds continue to take form in California amid ongoing fires, Pastors Steve Wilburn and his son Brentten Wilburn of Core Church LA have been on the ground helping people who have lost everything. The father and son have also been stopping to pray with the victims — and the results have been powerful. Listen to them share the full impact of the fires — and what they're...

Social media giant Meta shocked the tech industry Tuesday by announcing the company will be taking steps to "restore free expression" on its social media platforms, including Facebook. "After Trump first got elected in 2016, the legacy media wrote nonstop about how misinformation was a threat to democracy," Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a video statement, claiming his company tried...