Despite cancer threatening his life, Alex Trebek and his wife Jean donated over half a million dollars recently to help open two shelters for the homeless in Los Angeles.

“I’m not one of those people who thinks that we can’t deal with the homeless near my house because that’s bad. I don’t feel that way,” the Jeopardy! host said to ABC 7 News. “I wish more people would react in a positive way to reaching out and trying to help their fellow member of the community.”

The 79-year-old game show host believes that the homeless should not be judged because of unfortunate circumstances. The Alex and Jean Trebek Community Room is part of the San Fernando Valley’s first “A Bridge Home” facility. It will temporarily hold 25 women and 60 men as they transition to permanent living situations. The Trebeks also donated to Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission for a second shelter opening in 2021, as reported by CBN News.

Though COVID-19 continues to disrupt everyday life for many, the new shelter will help the homeless get back on their feet and “become folks who we know are human beings and can feel that humanity again,” according to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. The shelters are part of “A Bridge Home” program, started in 2018.

“The goal of ‘A Bridge Home’ was very simple—to put ‘A Bridge Home’ shelter in every one of LA’s 15…

The United States is currently experiencing a rise in reported cases of COVID-19 while also seeing a decrease in the number of deaths. According to COVID tracking data from The New York Times, the 7-day average for new cases is at its highest peak yet, with an average of over 50,000 new cases being reported a day over the last week. At the same time, the 7- day average for deaths is at its lowest since late March. On average, 479 people died of the coronavirus every day for the first week of July. At one point in mid-April, the United States was averaging over 2,000 deaths per day.

Experts say the declining death rate coupled with the rising number of new cases cannot be explained by one factor. According to the New York Times, medical professionals see three main reasons behind the trend: more testing, better treatment, and a younger population contracting the virus.

The United States has dramatically increased its testing capacity since mid-March, even though it still lags behind what the leading experts have called for. In March, 100,000 were being tested each day while approximately 600,000 are tested each day in July. When testing was limited, many of those tested were exhibiting symptoms where more asymptomatic people are being tested now.

Hospitalizations have dropped by half since April, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project. Fewer people are on invasive ventilators and…

(RNS) — Popular pastor and speaker Tony Campolo, 85, is recovering from a stroke he had on June 20, his family shared publicly in a statement on Monday (July 6). The stroke partially paralyzed the left side of Campolo’s face and body.

He is currently in recovery at the Beaumont Health Center, which is part of the retirement community near Philadelphia where Campolo lives with his wife, Peggy Campolo.

Peggy Campolo is unable to see her husband in person due to COVID-19 restrictions. According to the family’s statement, she visits from outside Campolo’s window while helping supervise his care.

“Obviously this is a difficult situation for everyone, but we are grateful that both our parents’ minds, spirits and determination to serve are still strong, and we are genuinely optimistic about their prospects for getting their lives back on track,” wrote Campolo’s children, Bart Campolo and Lisa Goodheart, in the statement.

This is the second stroke Campolo has suffered. His first occurred in April 2002.

Shane Claiborne, a ministry partner and friend of Campolo, said Campolo is responsive and his mind is still sharp, but he’s experiencing challenges with speech and movement.

Campolo is professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University and co-founder of Red Letter Christians, an evangelical Christian movement also led by Claiborne that focuses on Jesus’ teachings on the…

Television commentator and former NFL coach Tony Dungy sparked a social media debate over the Independence Day weekend after urging Americans to “work to improve” the United States while also celebrating the “blessings” its citizens enjoy.

Dungy, the NBC studio analyst and the former coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, tweeted his initial comment about America on the morning of the Fourth of July. After receiving pushback by some followers, he stood his ground.

“Over the last few weeks we have focused on America’s faults,” Dungy wrote in his first tweet. “We must work to improve those things but today we should celebrate our country’s birthday. We enjoy a lot of blessings and I’m thankful I live in America. I pray that God will show us how to help our country grow!”

Over the last few weeks we have focused on America’s faults. We must work to improve those things but today we should celebrate our country’s birthday. We enjoy a lot of blessings and I’m thankful I live in America. I pray that God will show us how to help our country grow! 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/hS5VPUPOux

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) July 4, 2020

It received 4,500 retweets but also 300-plus comments.

Dungy, who was the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl, responded to several black fans who criticized his viewpoint.

One person wrote, “Coach I love…

Israel’s Defense Ministry has successfully launched a new reconnaissance satellite into space.

“This is another extraordinary achievement for the defense establishment, for the defense industries as a whole, and for Israel Aerospace Industries in particular,” said Israeli Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz.

Added Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “We never stop our security efforts. The success of Ofek 16 enlarging our capabilities to fight Israel’s enemies, close and far, in the sea, on the ground, in the air and in Space.”

According to CBN News, satellite Ofek-16 is working and will undergo a series of tests before becoming fully operational. The launch team included the Space Administration in the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMoD), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

“The fact that Israel is one of the 13 countries in the world with satellite launching capabilities is not a given, and was made possible by the people who have been investing in these systems and advancing breakthrough capabilities over the years. We will continue to strengthen and maintain Israel’s capabilities on every front, in every place,” Gantz said.

The satellite will add to Israel’s other military satellites orbiting in space and will be managed by the Israel Defense Forces.

“Our network of satellites lets us…

Pro-lifers are more likely than pro-choicers to be single-issue voters and say they will only vote for someone who shares their beliefs about abortion, according to a new Gallup survey.

The poll of 1,028 adults found that 30 percent of pro-life adults but 19 percent of pro-choicers say they would “only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion.”

It’s the widest gap between pro-lifers and pro-choicers on the question since 2001. Pro-lifers have led on the question every year.

“The latest findings … show the continuation of a trend seen since 2001 whereby Americans who consider themselves to be pro-life are more likely than those who identify as pro-choice to say abortion is a threshold issue,” Gallup’s Megan Brenan wrote in an analysis.

“While these groups have placed varying degrees of importance on the abortion issue in the past, the gap in their views has widened.”

All total, 24 percent of U.S. adults say they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion.

Although there is a major difference between pro-lifers and pro-choicers on the issue, there is little difference between Republicans and Democrats. A total of 26 percent of Republicans, 27 percent of Democrats and 19 percent of Independents are single-issue voters on abortion. A full 47 percent of Republicans, 47 percent of Independents and 50 percent of Democrats say…