TONIGHT ON "NEWSWATCH," A

SURPRISED ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE

VATICAN.

LATEST ON WHY THE POPE IS

STEPPING DOWN.

PLUS DIGGING OUT IN THE DARK.

HOW FOLKS ARE TRYING TO GET BACK

TO NORMAL AFTER THIS WEEKEND'S

NORTHEAST BLIZZARD.

AND HOW ONE FORMER CRIMINAL

IS WORKING TO KEEP KIDS AWAY

FROM VIOLENCE IN RUSSIA.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE TONIGHT ON

"NEWSWATCH."

GOOD EVENING I AM MARK MARTIN.

AND I AM WENDY GRIFFITH.

IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN 600 YEAR,

BUT HAPPENED TODAY, POPE

BENEDICT THE 16TH RESIGNED

MAKING HISTORY IN SIX CENTURY.

SHOCKING NEWS TO MORE THAN A

BILLION CATHOLICS AROUND THE

WORLD.

HEATHER SELLS HAS MORE IN

TONIGHT'S TOP STORY.

[ FOREIGN SPEAKING ]

REPORTER: HE IS 85 AND HAS

SLOWED DOWN SIGNIFICANT IN

RECENT YEARS.

VATICAN STRESSED NO SPECIFIC

MEDICAL DECISION PROMPTED THE

DECISION.

THE POPE SAID QUOTE, AFTER

REPEATEDLY EXAMINED MY

CONSCIENCE BEFORE GOD, I HAVE

COME TO THE CERTAINTY THAT MY

STRENGTH DUE TO ADVANCED AGE IS

THE REASON.

NEW YORK CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOYLE

WAS SHOCKED.

I AM TOLD WHEN HE WAS ELECTED

IN 2005 SAID I SURE DON'T HAVE

THE STRENGTH THAT JOHN THE 2ND

HAS HAD.

HE HAS BEEN AWARE OF FRAILTY.

HE INDURED THE SEX ABUSE

CATHOLIC AND MET WITH PEDOPHILE

PRIESTS IN 2008.

CRITICS CHARGE HE WAS NOT

PROGRESSIVE ENOUGH, UPSET THAT

HE CONDEMNED GAY MARRIAGE,

ORDAIN NATION OF WOMEN AND

ALLOWING PRIESTS TO MARRY.

VATICAN WILL HOLD A CONCLAVE

BEFORE EASTER TO ELECT A NEW

POPE.

ARGUMENTS OF A POPE FROM THE

THIRD WORLD ARE EXPECTED GIVEN

HALF OF ALL CATHOLICS NOW LIVE

IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH.

HEATHER SELLS, CBN NEWS.

JOINING US NOW IS DR. BECKER

ORDAINED MINISTER.

WELCOME.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, MARK.

DO YOU THINK CATHOLIC

CHURCHES SUCCESSION PROCEDURES

WILL ALLOW A SMOOTH TRANSITION?

IT IS UNCREDIBLY UNCOMMON.

ALMOST 600 YEARS AGO AND SEVERAL

CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE AND IN

1912 WHEN THIS IDEA OF

APPLICATION OR RESIGNATION WAS

INTRODUCED BACK INTO THE

CATHOLIC CHURCH.

PROCEDURES WILL HELP.

IT WILL BE UNPRECEDENTED FOR THE

CATHOLIC COMMUNITY TO DEAL WITH.

THERE IS A POSSIBLE OF A

COLLEGE OF CARDINALS THAT COULD

ELECT A POPE FROM AFRICA, HOW

LIKELY IS THIS TO HAPPEN?

IT IS QUITE LIKELY.

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS,

EVERYBODY HAS.

THE FORERUNNER WILLING A

CARDINAL.

WHY WOULD IT BE AN IMPORTANT

MOVE TO MAKE.

IT IS TIME FOR THE GREATEST

GROWTH, SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE,

SOUTH AMERICA OR MAYBE EVEN THE

SOOES.

ONGOING SEX ABUSE SCANDAL.

DO YOU THINK THE CHURCH SHOULD

COVER COME THESE CHALLENGES AND

FLOURISH IN THE YEARS AHEAD?

MARK.

I AM SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED WITH

THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND HE DIDN'T

SPEAK OF HIS HOPE AND HOW THE

CHURCH CAN GROW.

IT IS PIVOTAL FOR THE CATHOLIC

LEADERSHIP TO SPEAK WITH WORDS

OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LEGACY

OF POPE BENEDICT.

WHAT IS HIS LEGACY?

MOST IMPORTANT LEGACY IS

THEOLOGICAL.

HE HAS WRITTEN SEVERAL GREAT

BOOKS THAT HAVE HELPED THE

CHURCH MOVE BACK TO A MORE

BIBLICAL STANCE.

HE HAS STAYED TRUE TO HIS

CONSERVATIVE ROOTS.

HE HAS.

I AM SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED HE

HAS GIVEN UP SO EARLY.

YOU THOUGHT HE WOULD STAY ON

LONGER?

NORMALLY, IDEA OF A POPE IS

MORE THAN LEADING, IT IS AN

EXAMPLE OF HOW TO LIVE AND DIE.

HIGHLY UNUSUAL THE STEP HE IS

TAKING.

INTERESTING, HOW TO LIVE AND

DIE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, WE

APPRECIATE IT.

IN OTHER NEWS A WEATHER

SYSTEM IN THE GULF SPAWNED A

TORNADO SUNDAY NIGHT IN

HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI AND

CAUSED DAMAGE AT THE UNIVERSITY

OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI.

CAMPUS POLICE DECLARED A STATE

OF EMERGENCY AND ASKED ANYONE ON

CAMPUS TO STAY AWAY.

THIS IS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE,

THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER RIGHT

NOW.

NO DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED,

AUTHORITIES SAY AT LEAST 10

TORNADOS STRUCK MISSISSIPPI AND

ANOTHER FIVE TORE THROUGH

ALABAMA INJURING MORE THAN 50

PEOPLE.

INSTEAD OF TORNADOS, NORTHERN

PLAIN STATES ARE SEEING ANOTHER

SNOWSTORM.

PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST

RECEIVED MORE THAN THREE FEET OF

SNOW, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

CONTINUING TO DIG OUT TONIGHT

AND THOUSANDS ARE STILL WITHOUT

POWER.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE STRONG

WINDS WHIPPING HEAVY SNOW IN

MINNESOTA.

LED TO WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AND

TRE

TRE

TREACHEROUS TRAVEL.

THE MONSTER BLIZZARD IN THE

NORTHEAST BROUGHT HIGHEST

ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND BLAMED

FOR 15 DEATHS IN U.S. AND

CANADA.

CLEAN UP CONTINUES.

IT IS GOING TO TAKE DAYS TO

RECOVER.

IT IS HORRIBLE.

WHEN YOU SHOVEL YOUR DRIVEWAY,

CREWS COME AND PUT HIT BACK ON

YOUR DRIVEWAY.

AROUND 180,000 CUSTOMERS

STILL WITHOUT ELECTRICITY IN

HARDEST HIT MASSACHUSETTS.

NO POWER, NO HEAT, NO

NOTHING.

ARMY OF TRUCKS WORKED ON LONG

ISLAND EXPRESSWAY.

AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM SOME

DRIVERS HAD TO ABANDON THEIR

CARS, OTHERS SPENT THEIR NIGHT

ON THE ROADWAY.

I GOT THROUGH THE CAR

STARTING THE CAR EVERY 40

MINUTES GETTING HEATED.

DRIVING BANS HAVE BEEN

LIFTED.

FOR MANY IT DOESN'T MATTER, IT

HAS BURIED CARS.

I HAD TO CALL IN COUPLE DAYS

I CANNOT COME TO WORK.

THE SNOW IS HIGH LIKE A MOUNTAIN

MOUNTAIN.

IN HARD HIT BOSTON, SCHOOL IS

CLOSED.

NORTHEAST AIRPORTS OPERATING

CLOSE TO NORMAL SCHEDULES.

MORE THAN 5,000 FLIGHTS

CANCELLED.

CITY OF BOSTON SENT OUT SNOW

STRIKE TEAMS TO REMOVE MASSIVE

PILES OF SNOW CLOGGING ROADS.

A REPUBLICAN SENATOR WILL

HOLD UP NOMINEES UNTIL THE WHITE

HOUSE PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT THE ATTACK ON BENGHAZI,

LIBYA LAST SEPTEMBER.

GRAHAM ACCUSING THE

ADMINISTRATION OF STONE WALLING

THE PRESS ABOUT THE ATTACK.

THEY PLAN TO PUSH FORWARD ON

CHUCK HAGEL'S NOMINATION.

LAWMAKERS SAY PRESIDENT OBAMA'S

USE OF DEADLY DRONES NEEDS

CLOSER INSPECTION.

MIKE HUCKABEE TOLD CBN NEWS, IF

THE CONSTITUTION ALLOWS FOR THE

PRESIDENT TO HAVE THE SOLE POWER

TO TAKE THE LIFE OF AN AMERICAN.

QUESTION IS, CAN THAT EVER BE

CONSTITUTIONAL?

BECAUSE IF IT CAN, AND THE

INDIVIDUAL PRESIDENT MAKES THE

DECISION AS TO WHAT THE CRITERIA

IS, IT IS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

IT IS WHY WE HAVE THREE BRANCHES

OF GOVERNMENT, CHECKS, BALANCES,

OVERSIGHTS.

WHEN YOU REMOVE THE OVERSIGHT

AND CHECK AND BALANCE.

YOU HAVE ONE BRANCH OF

GOVERNMENT THAT BECOMES JUDGE,

JURY AND EXECUTION NAR, YOU

BYPASS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES,

WE ARE OPERATING IN VERY, VERY

STRANGE TERRITORY THERE.

SOME LAWMAKERS ARE PROPOSING

A SPECIAL COURT TO REVIEW THE

USE OF DRONE STRIKES.

HEAVY FIGHTING BROUGHT OUT IN

MALI BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS

AND ISLAMIC REBELS.

THOUSANDS OF MALIIANS WILL BE

REMAIN HOMELESS.

OPERATION BLESSING IS THERE

BRINGING THEM HELP IN THEIR TIME

OF CRISIS.

GARY LANE HAS THE LATEST IN THE

CAPITOL CITY OF BOMACOE

REPORTER: THIS WOMAN'S HOPES

DASHED BECAUSE ISLAMIC MILITANTS

BACK FIGHTING MALI TROOPS.

AMINE IS A CHRISTIAN AND SHE

SAYS WHEN THE REBELS CAME, THEY

VANDALIZED HER CHURCH AND BURNED

A BIBLE.

THEY DEFEATED JESUS BUT THAT IS

A LIE.

AMINE AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS

FOUND REFUGE IN THE CAPITAL

CITY.

THEY FLED THE NORTH LAST

SPRING.

EACH HAVE TRAGEDIES TO TELL AND

IN GREAT NEED FOR FOOD AND OTHER

SUPPLY.

THEY ARE PROVIDING REFUGEES

BEANS AND RICE.

THEY FOUND SHELTER AT LOCAL

CHURCHES, THEY STILL NEED

NUTRITIOUS MEALS.

THOUSANDS MORE ARE REFUGEES IN

COUNTRIES.

THIS MAN SAID ISLAMIC MILITANTS

WOULD HAVE KILLED HIM IF HE

DIDN'T LEAVE TIM BUCK TOO.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR PASTOR

JOHN.

WE APPRECIATE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, OPERATION

BLESSING.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

AS THE STRUGGLE TO LIBERATE

MALI, CBN IS HELPING,

DEMONSTRATE THE LOVE OF CHRIST

LIKE LITTLE SARA WHO WON'T BE

RETURNING HOME.

GARY LANE, CBN NEWS, MALI.

COMING UP, WHAT A DECLINE IN

THE AMERICAN BIRTHRATES COULD

MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE

COUNTRY.

PRESIDENT OBAMA AWARDS AN

ARMY WAR VETERAN THE PRESTIGIOUS

METAL OF HONOR DURING A DAY LONG

FIRE FIGHT IN AFGHANISTAN.

OCTOBER 2009 ATTACK HAPPENED IN

THE MOUNTAINS NEAR PAKISTAN

BORDER.

AMELSHAL LED HUNDREDS OF

FIGHTERS AND SERVED TWICE IN

IRAQ AND FOURTH LIVING PERSON TO

RECEIVE METAL OF HONORS IN IRAQ

AND AFGHANISTAN.

AN INFLUKS OF PATIENTS IN

'OBAMACARE,' CALIFORNIA LEADERS

SAY THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH DOCTORS

TO TREAT ALL THE NEWLY INSURED

PATIENTS.

PSA

SOME LAWMAKERS WANT TO REDEFINE

WHO SHOULD PROVIDE CARE.

SOME SAY THE MOVE COULD ENDANGER

PATIENTS AND DRIVE UP HEALTH

CARE COSTS.

BIRTHRATE HIT ALL TIME LOW IN

2011 AT 12.7 BIRTHS PER 1,000

PEOPLE.

NUMBER OF TEEN MOTHERS RECORD

LOW AND WOMEN IN 20S HAD FEWER

BABIES.

BIRTHRATES ROSE FROM WOMEN

35-44.

AUTHOR AND POPULATION EXPERT

JONATHAN LAST CALLS THE TREND A

CALAMITY.

IT WILL LEAD TO AMERICA'S

DEMOGRAPHIC DISASTER.

ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS,

MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

BECAME HARD TO MAINTAIN.

NOT ENOUGH YOUNGER WORKERS

WORKING TO SUPPORT THE SYSTEMS.

IT BECOMES HARD TO SUSTAIN A

DYNAMIC ECONOMY CONSUMPTIONSHIP

AND CAPITAL PULLS BEGIN TO

SHIFT.

NOT ENOUGH YOUNG PEOPLE LOOKING

TO INVEST CAPITAL.

THEN YOU WIND UP, DIFFICULT TO

SUSTAIN NATIONAL DEFENSE.

TO WATCH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW

GO TO CBNNEWS.COM.

MARYLAND MEDICAL EXAMINER ARE

EXAMINING THE DEATH OF A

PREGNANT WOMAN BELIEVED TO BE IN

THE MIDST OF A LATE TERM

ABORTION AT 33 WEEKS.

THEY SPOKE WITH HER SEVERAL

TIMES LAST WEEK AS SHE VISITED

AN ABORTION CLINIC.

PRO-LIFE GROUPS ARE ASKING STATE

BOARD PHYSICIANS TO REVOKE

LICENSE OF DOCTOR LEROY CARD

CARDHARD.

NINE STATES LIMIT ABORTION --

AND SEVEN STATE AT GESTATION.

A LIFE AND VIOLENCE AND WHY

THIS MAN IS RENOUNCING IT.

PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

IS MEETING WITH THE COUNTRY'S

LARGEST MUSLIM REBEL GROUP IN AN

EFFORT TO PUSH THROUGH A PEACE

AGREEMENT.

AGREEMENT WOULD END MORE THAN 40

YEARS OF VIOLENCE.

A FINAL PEACE DEAL COULD BE

SIGNED AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH.

MINORITY MUSLIM POPULATION

GRANTED INDEPENDENCE IN THE

SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES.

NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE ON THE

AMOUNTED OF POWER AND MONEY

GRANTED TO NEW SOUTHERN MUSLIM

REGION.

RADICAL MUSLIMS HAVE BEEN

FIGHTING A BRUTAL REBELLION IN

SOUTHWEST RUSSIA SINCE THE LATE

1990S.

TWO WARS AND DOZENS OF TERRORIST

ATTACKS HAVE KILLED MANY.

NOW ONE MAN IS ON A MISSION

TO BRING PEACE AND THE GOSPEL.

GEORGE THOMAS HAS TONIGHT'S TOP

STORY.

REPORTER: THIS MAN IS NOT

PROUD OF HIS PAST.

I LEFT HOME AT 13 YEARS OLD.

I DID A LOT OF THINGS I AM

ASHAMED OF.

HE IS FROM A RUSSIAN CITY.

HIS LIFE READS LIKE A HOLLYWOOD

MAFIA THRILLER, DRUGS, ARMED

ROBBERY, PROSTITUTION, HIRED

ASSASSIN, MONEY LAUNDERING, YOU

NAME IT, HE DID IT ALL.

IT IS AS IF I BECAME THE

DEVIL'S SLAVE.

I MADE A PACK WITH SATAN TO

SERVE HIM CH

HIS DEEDS CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.

I WAS ARRESTED AND SENTENCED

TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON.

THAT IS THE PAST.

TO WITNESS A LIFE TRANSFORMED BY

GOD, LOOK NO FURTHER.

THE YEAR WAS 1989, SOVIET UNION

MADE HUGE POLITICAL CHANGES AND

A YOUNG TAKOON SAT IN PRISON.

PRISONERS WERE EVEN AFRAID OF

ME.

ONE DAY CHRISTIANS CAME TO

SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS.

HE SAID IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE

HAD HEARD THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

IT TOOK FOUR YEARS FOR IT TO

SINK IN.

IN 1991, I REALIZED ITS TRUE

MEANING.

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND TOLD

GOD I WAS A SINNER.

I WANT FROM SERVING SATAN TO A

SERVANT OF JESUS.

THE PRISON MIRACULOUSLY

SHORTENED HIS PRISON BY FIVE

YEARS AND RELEASED IN 1996.

HE WALKED OUT OF PRISON AND INTO

A BIBLE TRAINING SEMINAR.

RUSSIAN MINISTRIES WAS

INSTRUMENTAL IN MY LIFE.

THEIR CLASSES TAUGHT ME HOW TO

SHARE MY NEW FAITH AND PUT IN MY

HEART TO PLANT CHURCHES.

HE WAS BAPTIZED SHORTLY THERE

AFTER.

FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS HE HAS BEEN

LEAD AGO CHURCH.

I AM CONVINCED IT IS THE LOVE

OF JESUS THAT TURNED ME AROUND.

TWO WARS AND SCORES OF

TERRORIST ATTACKS HAVE KILLED

THOUSANDS AND DISPLACED MANY

MORE.

HIS GOAL, REACH THIS WAR-TORN

REGION WITH MESSAGES OF

RECONCILIATION AND FORGIVENESS.

ONE WAY IS TO REACH YOUNG

PEOPLE.

HE COORDINATES DOZENS OF YOUTH

CAMPS EACH YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP

WITH RUSSIAN MINISTRIES AND

LOCAL CONGREGATIONS.

THIS IS A MEMBER OF HIS CHURCH

AND HELPS WITH THE CAMPS.

THESE KIDS HAVE TO KNOW THERE

IS AN ALTERNATIVE LIVE STYLE TO

VIOLENCE.

IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO

SHARE THE GOSPEL.

MANY PARENTS SAY THE CAMPS

ARE GOD SENT.

NEW I LOVE WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT

PEACE AND GETTING ALONG WITH

OTHER ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS

GROUPS.

THEY ARE HELPING TO BUILD

BRIDGES.

IN ONE CITY THE LOCAL

COMMUNIST PARTY TOOK OUT FULL

PAGE ADS PROMOTING THE CAMPS.

WHEN HE IS NOT COORDINATING

CAMPS OR PREACHING, HE TRAINS

LOCAL BELIEVERS TO BE THE FUTURE

LIED LEADERS.

IT IS NOT WITHOUT ITS

HARDSHIPS.

VOLATILE REGION OF CHECHNYA

WHERE RUSSIAN FORCES HAVE

BATTLED TO CONTROL THE PROVINCE.

ISLAM'S INFLUENCE IS GROWING.

CHECHNYA HAS ERECTED WHAT

COULD BE THE LARGEST MOSQUE IN

EUROPE.

FOR EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS

LIVING IN THIS PROVINCE, LIFE

CAN BE CHALLENGING AND

DANGEROUS.

CBN NEWS AGREED TO CONCEAL

THIS MAN'S IDENTITY FOR

PROTECTION.

I HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY WARNED

TO STOP PREACHING.

I WILL NOT.

I AM A SIMPLE MAN WHOSE LIFE WAS

TOUCHED BY CHRIST.

I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL

OTHERS ABOUT HIM NO MATTER THE

KAUS.

IT IS THE COST THEY THEY ARE

WILLING TO PAY TO BRING LASTING

PEACE.

GOD CHANGED MY LIFE IN PRISON

FOR A REASON.

THIS IS IT TO BRING LOVE AND

HOPE TO THESE REASONS.

GEORGE THOMAS, CBN NEWS IN

CHECHNYA.

UP NEXT A NOVICE INVENTOR

CREATES A LIFE SAVING DEVICE FOR

A YOUNG BOY OVERSEAS.

A WASHINGTON MAN MAYBE YOUR

TYPICAL SUPPLY SALESMAN BY DAY.

PROVEN TO BE QUITE THE

INVENTOR BY NIGHT.

IVAN OWN HAS CREATED CRAZY

THINGS FROM A RAPID FIRE

PING-PONG LAUNCHER TO A REMOTE

CONTROL BOWLER HAT.

IT WAS HIS MECHANICAL HAND THAT

CAUGHT THE ATTENTION.

THIS MOM ASKED HIM TO CREATE ONE

FOR HER FIVE-YEAR-OLD SON THAT

WAS BORN WITHOUT FINGERS.

HE EXCITEDLY SHOUTED IT

COPIES ME.

AWE.

THE LITTLE BOY CAN PICK UP COINS

AND GRASP A BASKETBALL.

IVAN'S INVENTION COST A FRACTION

OF THE $20,000 PROSTHETIC

MODELS.

AMAZING.

INCREDIBLE HOW HIS HOBBY

TURNED INTO AN INCREDIBLE

INVENTION.

THAT IS ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF

"NEWSWATCH."

THANKS FOR WATCHING, HAVE A