everyone i am wendy griffith. dramatic stuff taking place in the middle east. international community is preparing for the fall of bashar assad in the wake of a deadly suicide attack that rocked the capital killing four members of assad's inner circle. >> the brother-in-law and chief assad, the men with a a high ranking syrian general killed in arguably the deadliest attack on government officials since the gary lane is traveling in the region. >> damascus has been a bit of a fortress.

it is now being brought to demas kus, the capitol. >> the brigade of islam talk responsibility on the getting worse when iraqis begin fleeing. thousands, mostly christians fled to syria. now the iraqi is telling them to get out. >> we came back from syria. i was worried about the security of my family. bombing and fighting there. where can these iraqi christians go? >> foreign fighters moving into

the country practically everyday this group of snipers recently >> there are 10 other existing cells supporting this cell. >> some 16,000 people have died march 2011. >> the so-called arab spring have made it difficult for christians in the middle east. my good friend carl muller joins us. this is the christians in the civil war, tell us why they are more vulnerable and the difficulties they are facing today. christians have been moreless

as the regime gets more desperate, christians are caught in the middle suffering greatly. between secular or islamic choice. what does that mean for christians? >> that is true. christians are more vulnerable than ever to the extremists as they mold in the rebel form to our concern is enhanced by the fact that christians are being increasingly targeted in these cities. >> we are seeing iraqis that fled to syria who fled muslim persecution in homeland iraq.

the ironny of ironny, the same where can these christians go? >> there is an increasing will smaller amount of areas in middle east where christians are welcome where the destruction of christian communities in iraq, syria, lebanon and many other places around the middle east, we are seeing christian communities destroyed. it is a major concern for the millions of christians in syria. >> uh huh. in fact i was reading the blogs apparatus. listen, this is the beginning of ramadan as viewers know it is a holy month for muslims around the world. muslims pray and fast.

how are you encouraging time? teaching we are praying for the christian community that they would stay strong. islamic extremists use the month of ramadan as the time -- we need to stand with the church and asking the church to pray >> the realities that we are seeing muslim on muslim violence, we want to remember not just the christians, but the innocent muslims caught also as well in the cross fire. carl muller from open doors,

>> thank you, george, god bless. >> egyptian christians refuse to many egyptians angry about the obama administration's ties with newly elected president morsi. constitution makes islam the state religion. christians can support the document so long as protections for them and other religious minorities are included. coptic christians make up the east. as egypt moves towards democratic reforms, the situations deteriorates for the church. as john jessup reports, that is

>> one year later after tahrir square, they have seen their churches burned and community abused. the voice belongs to a young coptic christian woman who came here seeking asylum. >> i kept asking where would i be if this man hadn't saved me. >> she testified to protect her family. >> i was screaming. i had no idea why he was doing this. many times the victims do not. the number of disappearances and abductions of coptic women is on the rise.

>> i don't care who is in the human rights are being abused there should be no partisanship. >> at the hearing, the report was highlighted. against the christians using the women as scapegoats. >> most cases include kidnapping some use love and romance. >> they go, make them fall in love with them, recruits them. same name cited in five separate police reports. >> some believe this is part of a wider campaign. >> forcing conversions on coptic

requests for people like anne. >> i thank god i was saved. i wonder about the others that weren't saved. what happened to them? capitol hill. >> up next, political tensions rising in russia. how are these kinds of activities affecting the church?

>> this week russia's parliament restricted the work of non-government organizations and other groups that receive international support. the bill forces such group to register as foreign agents and file quarterly reports about their activities. failure to comply can result in large fines or jail time.

the law is making it more difficult to intimidate them and even tarnish their images. >> recently i spoke with wally coolacoff about this new law. >> wall y, this law is aimed at political groups, could it effect russian ngo's? >> they will label ngo groups who work in politics and social events and religious activities and then to be labeled is a religious organization as a foreign agent and someone who has the negative taint to it or suggesting they are involved in some kind of spying is

unacceptable in today's terms. >> doesn't the law include an exemption? >> they consider ngo organizations as foreign agents, if they are supported by the west from abroad, then the law includes them as an organization that is involved in something that is non-russian or western influence and that puts a negative taint on all including religious organizations like russian ministries which we call association for spiritual renewal. >> what role does the political situation play in all this? >> the young people today on the streets of russia want to determine the future of russia. they want to experience

democracy in a very big way like america experienced it and other countries. all of a sudden russia is going to more of dictatorial type of leadership and the upper house determined the future of the land without the voice of the people. this is where russian ministries, we want to become involved in training the next generation, religious leaders, helping them to determine the future of politics and how religion and christianity will go in that part of the world. so today we see a contradiction where the people want to go one way and the government is determining they will rule with an iron fist. >> thanks so much for joining us. >> thank you, wendy. the pleasure is mine. >> just ahead on the broadcast,

controversy over one of the most revered sites o of the wowold, the e u.n. is playining politic witth the c church o of the nat.

>> christians in gaza publically protested what they say are forced conversions to islam. dozens of believers rallied after two christians renounced their faith to become muslim. hamas took over gaza five years ago. since then christians have faced increased pressure to convert. >> israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu thanks thousands of christians meeting in washington, d.c. for supporting israel. the christians united for israel conference by satellite. the group held its seventh annual summit. kufi is the largest organization in this country with more than one million members, pro-israel

lawmakers like michele bachmann who had harsh words for the obama administration. >> without being bipartisan, this is our first administration that our commitment to israel has ever even been questioned. that can't stand because americans stand by israel. >> those of you in this audience who stand in solidarity with israel, give a round of support that can be heard from israel and jerusalem the white house. >> the featured speakers and cbn president michael little mc'd a dinner celebration. >> it was fabulous. >> very important gathering. well bethlehem's church has

become an ongoing pawn. an indangered world heritage site in palestine. >> the move isn't about protecting the landmark, it is about delegitimizing israel. chris mitchell has the story. >> reporter: palestinians celebrated the world heritage sit site. >> we see it as a step in the right direction. >> that is why israel and evangelical christians are angry. >> the church of the nativity is being manipulated by the palestinians. >> foreign ministry spokesman says palestinians arranged this to falsely blame israel for

arranging the church. the world heritage site provides work. >> it follows upon their resolution last year to accept palestine as a member state. >> last year u.s. cut 60 million dollars in funding to unesco. david parsons with international christian international jerusalem says palestinians have a built in u.n. majority for what he calls the flat earth society. >> if they proposed the earth was flat, most nations would vote. they are anti-israel. they are able to pass all sorts of resolutions that delegitimize

israel. >> the church was built over the area of jesus christ birth. some two million terrorists visited there last year. >> this would include more tourists visiting bethlehem. >> the main gauge of that is whether christians, pilgrims in the land feel safe. that is a matter whether the palestinians want to cease terror against israel. >> palestinians have a poor record in taking care of christian and jewish holy sites. experts say the unesco move sets a precedent. chris mitchell, cbn news, jerusalem. >> we would like to hear from you about this story. we invite you to post your comments at our cwn facebook page.

you can find that

evangelical christians marched in brazil. march organized by the reborn in christ church including music and inspirational messages. organizers say the march was the largest event in the world. growing religious sect in bra brazil. >> church leaders are aging and passing on. >> how to keep the revival going? stan tan stan jeter reports. >> from mexico to megachurches,

latin america's evangelicals are more active than ever before growing from one percent in 1900 to nearly 17 percent today. many of the leaders behind that growth like well known radio and tv evangelists pablo have passed on. a new generation of leaders is taken over. growth? passing the torch. challenged the administration. >> we all rest in peace. is that what it will say in are you going to make a difference? are we going to leave something

in the heart of the people. >> is it satisfied and want to keep struggling to see what god can do. >> andrew palou told cbn news, it is important to continue the focus of seasoned leaders like his father luis palou. >> dad had a message he preached a thousand words, god has no grandchildren. >> passing the torch means an overlap. >> there is one thing to carry the church and say take it and go along or like in the olympics

so the new runner continues with even greater speed. >> just how that leadership is passed on to the next generation continue to grow. stan jeter, cbn news. >> it is so encouraging, this global environment. we at "christian world news" get folks, that is it for this wyck. >> hope you enjoyed the show. we sure did. and from all of us at "christian world news," good-bye and god bless you. ory of our nat