NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (Jan. 28)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, a federal judge temporarily blocks the Trump administration from freezing more than three trillion dollars in federal funding. The White House calling it a media hoax as concerns grow over a pause in grants to targeted programs. What's impacted and what's not? And what's in the latest executive order that President Trump signed today? House Republicans look for spending cuts to deliver on President Trump's pricey plans. NTD's Louise Martinez reports on day two of their annual retreat in Florida. What are the risks of China's influence at the Panama Canal and has Panama violated its treaty? A Senate committee looks at those concerns. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement on an early morning raid in the Bronx. Chris Spears visited the site. This is NTD Evening News live from our global headquarters in New York City. Here's Tiffany Meyer. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. A group of Democratic state attorneys general today said they plan to ask a court to stop the Trump administration's spending freeze. Our legal correspondent Arlene Richards has more. A federal judge on Tuesday has temporarily blocked the Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans that could total trillions of dollars. The block came minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday. The court's action came after a group of attorneys general led by New York's Leticia James said they will take the Trump administration to court. Later today I am leading and joining with my colleagues, my fellow Democratic attorney generals, in suing this administration to stop this illegal freeze of essential funds for our state. The response comes after the White House budget office released a memo calling for a spending freeze on federal assistance by 5 p.m. Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt clarified the memo's intent. This is not a blanket pause on federal assistance and grant programs from the Trump administration. Individual assistance that includes, I'm not naming everything that's included, but just to give you a few examples, social security benefits, medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause. The freeze could affect a number of entities including non-profits, universities, and state and local governments. A.G. James said the freeze is unconstitutional. The president does not get to decide which laws to enforce and for whom. When Congress dedicates funding for a program, the president cannot pull that funding on a whim. The White House noted that more than three trillion dollars was spent in 2024 on federal assistance programs. Leavitt said the pause is temporary. Arlene Richards, NTD News. The White House seeking to quell concerns as a pause in some federal grants takes effect. It comes as President Trump signed a new executive order today targeting transgender surgeries for children. Joining us now live is NTD's White House correspondent Iris Tao. Good evening, Iris. First, tell us more about the federal grants freeze that's sparking debate. Good evening to you as well, Tiff. So today, the debate over the political consequences and over legal debates are unfolding as the Trump administration announced that it's pausing federal grants as it reviews programs related to what it calls the DEI transgenerism and the Green New Deal. While Democratic lawmakers are criticizing the move, alleging that a move will affect trillions of dollars in funding for schools, hospitals, and American families, the White House is pushing back, saying it's a media hoax, adding that it's not going to directly affect any funding or benefits that American families are getting. Here's Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff and advisor to President Trump, explaining to us this afternoon about what it targets. Watch. For example, something like a contract to a non-governmental organization to teach, say, critical race theory, that there has to be a politically appointed individual in the departments or agencies who simply reviews and approves the expenditure so that we have control, democratic control, over the operations of government. It doesn't affect any federal programs that Americans rely on. And the new White House press secretary, Caroline Leavitt, who held her first briefing at the briefing room today, also emphasized that programs such as Medicaid, Medicare are not going to be affected. Those are off the board. Meanwhile, she also emphasized that the Trump administration will open up a new approach to media access by expanding access to non-traditional media outlets like podcasters, influencers, and new media formats, and to allow them to ask questions more practically in the briefing room. And that, she says, is to follow a, quote, revolutionary approach to media that President Trump has adopted throughout his 2024 campaign. Back to you. And, Iris, President Trump just signed a new executive order. Tell us more about that. Sure. So this just came in late afternoon today. President Trump has signed a new executive order that aims to ban the use of federal spending to support transgender procedures for minor under 19. And those include, for example, puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgeries. And also, as said, it will allow administrations to rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures. So that's, again, of course, President Trump's campaign promise of targeting transgender procedures for children. And now we see a new year targeting just that. Back to you. All right, Iris. Thanks for those updates. It's day two of the House Republican annual retreat. Our correspondent, Luis Martinez, is in Florida with the latest on this story. On day two of the House Republican annual policy retreat, Republican hardliners have raised alarms over the lack of a budget reconciliation strategy by House Republican leadership. Well, if you heard President Trump's speech last night, he said very clearly he's fine with one bill or two bills, whatever it is, but let's get the agenda done. We still haven't heard from leadership if it's going to be one bill or two bills. And I think that's problematic. President Trump has been very supportive of Speaker Johnson, supportive of Republicans, because we have this very narrow majority. But President Trump is not speaker of the House. We need our speaker. We need our leadership team to start unfolding an entire plan that we can get. Many House Republicans, including fiscal conservatives, are worried that government spending cuts will affect their constituents. And President Trump's freeze on federal grants is already doing that. I've heard from people in my district this morning asking me about it. All I can say right now, I hope it's short-lived. There's no reason for the disruption. I just think he likes a little disruption. We're getting it. And but again, this should be short term, I believe, because it has already been appropriate to sign into law. Other House Republicans are confident that we'll be able to manage non-mandatory spending cuts without affecting their constituents and also deliver on President Trump's campaign promises. Well, the good news is that we have a lot of programs that have, one, never been authorized by Congress that the American people have been paying for. And that's really ripe for scrutiny as well as cuts. So I think the American people have seen this overbearing, overbloated government that absolutely has room to start paring down. You have people that have been doing duplicative services for decades. That is something that we can cut. President Trump has promised to secure the southern border. He has promised no tax and tips, no tax on Social Security or overtime. And he also promised to extend and expand the 2017 tax cuts. House Republicans will have to find trillions of dollars in government spending cuts in order to deliver President Trump's promises. Reporting from Miami, Florida, Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News. A Senate committee examines the national security risks of the Chinese Communist Party's influence at the Panama Canal. As well as the possibility that Panama is violating its treaty with the U.S. NTD correspondent Jason Blair reports. A Senate committee looks at areas of concern involving the Panama Canal. Three main focuses are the national security threats of the Chinese Communist Party's influence at the canal, whether Panama has violated its treaty with the U.S. and the exorbitant cost for using the canal. Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz says that one key issue Trump has highlighted for concern is the danger of China exploiting or blocking passage through the canal. Cruz says that Chinese companies are building a bridge over the canal at a slow pace that will take them nearly a decade to finish. The partially completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning. Cruz says that Chinese companies also control container ports at each end of the canal. And the ports give China ready observation posts to take to time that action. This situation, I believe, poses acute risks to U.S. national security. Cruz also expressed concern that the Chinese Communist Party or CCP could be using coercion tactics against Panama. As the infamous Belt and Road Initiative has come to Panama, China often engages in debt trap diplomacy to enable economic and political coercion. As for whether Panama has violated any of its treaties with the U.S., Cruz says that Trump argues that both CCP control over canal infrastructure and exorbitant fees for traveling through the canal violate the neutrality treaty. I think we heard considerable evidence to that effect, and I think the United States should consider that evidence and take action. Reporting on Capitol Hill, Jason Blair, NTD News. ICE raids continue with high-profile participants from the Trump administration. The president's newly appointed Homeland Security Secretary was in the Bronx for an immigration and customs enforcement raid early this morning. Entity's Chris Beers was at the site where the footage from the raid was reportedly shot. Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem was right here in the Bronx just this morning with ICE. She posted on X announcing the arrest of an illegal alien on kidnapping, assault and burglary charges. Also in that post was a video of a man being led just across this sidewalk in handcuffs by law enforcement to a police vehicle. She also posted, We are doing this right. Doing exactly what President Donald Trump promised the American people. Making our streets safe. In terms of the ICE raids more broadly, ICE posted on X this morning that in the past 24 hours they arrested 969 people, lodging 869 detainers. The Department of Homeland Security is saying yesterday that in the week since Donald Trump was sworn into office, they have removed 7,300 illegal immigrants from this country. Trump's Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller says that we can expect the number of arrests and deportations to continually increase in the days and weeks to come. And here is Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, addressing the basis for these deportations. They're in the country illegally. They got a problem. I mean, it's not okay. Look, it's not okay to enter this country illegally. It's a crime. And that's the way it's supposed to be. I wouldn't feel comfortable if I'm in Switzerland illegally. So we're going to enforce the laws of this country. So, you know, the schools and the churches and essential location was a policy only for ICE, only for immigration, right? But national security threats and public safety threats have no safe haven in this country. And we'll go where we got to go. Kristi Noem addressing the Department of Homeland Security for the first time as secretary around 3 p.m. today. So just know that I am committed to fulfilling our mission with you and walking alongside all of you as you do your work every day to make sure that not only do you accomplish your job and do it with excellence, but that you have the assurance that your families will be safe also, and that we leave this country safe for our kids and our grandkids far into the future. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was confirmed in the Senate this Saturday in a 59 to 34 vote. Here is Democratic Senator Dick Durbin weighing in on her confirmation. As I said before, we need a secure border. That's why we worked for years to pass bipartisan legislation. But we also need to protect millions of non-citizens whom Americans rely on each and every day. Immigrants make up 40% of our agriculture workers and 40% of our home health aides. Based on those remarks by Stephen Miller and the recent numbers reported by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, we can expect to see these deportations and arrests continue and possibly even increase in the coming days and weeks. Chris Beers, NTD News. Coming up, Chinese company DeepSeek's new AI app is causing a stir but appears to have a built-in bias towards the Chinese Communist Party. Microsoft may be in talks to acquire TikTok, according to President Trump. How this could assuage national security threats. Soon, Google Maps will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The move follows Trump's executive action to rename the body of water. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington to meet President Trump. The announcement comes after Trump suggested Arab nations take in more refugees from the Gaza Strip, Jason Perry reports. And Russia says Ukraine's president can't legally sign a ceasefire deal, even if he wanted to. Ariane Posdar has why President Vladimir Putin says his Ukrainian counterpart is not the legitimate president. When we come back. I'm Jonathan Lawson. If you're 50 to 85, please listen closely. The lock I want to talk to you about isn't the one on your door. It's a rate lock for your life insurance that guarantees that once you're insured, your rate can never go up at any time for any reason. Many policies you see don't have one, but you can get a lifetime rate lock from Colonial Pen. 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China's new AI app from DeepSeek is causing ripples in the tech world. And a closer look suggests the bot could be echoing talking points from the Chinese Communist Party. In just three weeks since its launch, DeepSeek's AI chatbot has overtaken chatGBT on the iOS store in the US. It triggered a drop in AI-related stock prices Monday. The startup based in southern China unsettled investors because new open-source AI models it released appeared to be much more cost-effective and energy-efficient than its competitors. Chipmaker NVIDIA's shares plunged about 17% Monday. One of DeepSeek's research papers showed that it had used about 2,000 of NVIDIA's H800 chips. These were designed to comply with US export controls, rules designed to freeze China's development of supercomputers to build nuclear weapons and AI systems. President Trump on Monday said Chinese companies coming up with faster and cheaper AI should spur American companies to do better work. However, a closer look at DeepSeek's AI shows it has a heavy bias in favor of the Chinese Communist Party. An analysis by the Epoch Times showed DeepSeek gave brief, surface-level answers to questions about topics the regime typically avoids, that is, when it gave any answers at all. Analysts presented both chatGBT and DeepSeek with identical questions and compared their responses. These included questions like, what do Chinese people think of Xi Jinping? What's the US Falun Gong Protection Act? And what happened on Beijing on June 4, 1989, the date of the Tiananmen Square Massacre? ChatGBT gave detailed responses to each question. The Chinese app meanwhile left several of them unanswered, saying, sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else. Or, I'm sorry, I cannot answer that question. I am an AI system designed to provide helpful and harmless responses. The Epoch Times said the app also denied allegations of human rights violations against Uighur Muslims in China's Xinjiang region. Alexander Wong, CEO of Scale AI, told CNBC he believes DeepSeek used tens of thousands of more advanced chips. Wong said DeepSeek cannot talk about it since the chips are banned in China due to U.S. expert controls. Elon Musk gave a one-word response to a clip of Wong's statement on X, saying, obviously. President Trump said on Monday that TikTok is in talks to be acquired by Microsoft. How would a potential acquisition mitigate concerns over national security? Here's the story. President Trump says Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, the Chinese video messaging app. Government officials and tech leaders see the app as a threat to national security. A forced acquisition is the U.S. government's latest effort to alleviate national security concerns. Trump joked at the House Republican conference Monday that he had a pro-TikTok bias. Officials and tech experts worry the Chinese regime is using TikTok to spy, collect data and manipulate Americans. The Supreme Court has upheld the law that says TikTok either has to shut down in the U.S. or be acquired by an American company. American ownership is more likely to prevent the CCP from using TikTok against America. It costs money, a lot of money and a lot of resources and people, but it could certainly be done. Tech expert Scott Schober says there will still be security risks no matter who owns it, but that it's safer with an American company. It really involves a large number of individuals that regularly police and maintain the policies and that its careful framework is written out. What's acceptable, what's not acceptable, where that data is held. Back in Trump's first term, Microsoft was already in talks to acquire TikTok. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussed it in 2021. I just sort of have to ask about TikTok. Tell me what happened there. It's the strangest thing I've ever sort of worked on. Nadella said that Trump had a point of view about what was to be done at the time, but then... I just dropped off. I mean, it was interesting. There was a period of time when I felt that the USG had some particular set of requirements and then it just disappeared. Neither Microsoft nor TikTok has responded to the latest news. Google plans to implement President Trump's name changes to Google Maps. The company says it will start using Gulf of America once the name is officially updated in the US geographic name system. The change will be visible for US users, but the name will remain Gulf of Mexico in Mexico. Outside of the two countries, users will see both names on Google Maps. President Donald Trump ordered the name change as part of a flurry of executive actions hours after taking office last week, making good on a campaign promise. America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world. A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The Trump administration's Interior Department officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Friday. Mexicans on the Gulf Coast rejected Trump's bid to rename it last week. Honestly, it's wrong because the Gulf of Mexico will always be the Gulf of Mexico. That's the way it is and it doesn't need to change. Google has applied the same locale-based labeling conventions to other locations subject to geographical naming disputes. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit President Trump soon in Washington. This announcement comes after Trump made a controversial suggestion for Arab nations to take in more refugees from the Gaza Strip. Entities Jason Perry has the story. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon be traveling to the United States to have a face-to-face meeting with President Trump. That's according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's office, which said the meeting will take place on February 4th. The announcement comes just days after Trump made a controversial comment about the future of the Gaza Strip. I'd like Egypt to take people and I'd like Jordan to take people. I mean, you're talking about probably a million and a half people and we just clean out that whole thing. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Jordan's government spokesman acknowledged, quote, deep strategic relations between Jordan and the United States, but said they won't be able to take any Palestinian refugees. The solution to the Palestinian issue is to establish a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. He spoke at a Jordanian airbase and announced that they will resume airlifting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The new Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with the King of Jordan after Trump's comments, but it was not clear whether he brought up Jordan taking in more refugees. A governor in Egypt also addressed possibly taking in more refugees from the Gaza Strip. The answer is very simple, is completely rejected. This is not acceptable because of the Palestinian case. This comes as trucks carrying humanitarian aid were seen lined up in Egypt, waiting to deliver food to the Gaza Strip. And the foreign ministry spokesman for Qatar didn't directly address Trump's idea, but did say that the Palestinian people should have their own state. And he added this. And we have been working very closely with the Trump administration over the regional issues as a whole, including the Palestinian issue. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, residents in the Gaza Strip were still making their way to northern Gaza for the second day since Israeli forces opened the crossings and left the area. Many residents were waiting to have their vehicles inspected, which was being done by Egyptian contractors with the help of a U.S. private security company. But as of Tuesday, there have been no reports of U.S. citizens on the ground. Jason Perry, NTD News. Russia says Ukraine's president can't legally sign a ceasefire agreement, even if he wants to. That's because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained in power since his five-year term ended. NTD's international correspondent Arian Pazdar has the latest on the war, starting with large-scale overnight attacks on Ukraine. Various regions of Ukraine came under intense shelling on Tuesday. A fire broke out at a private business in Kharkiv due to the attack. The attack damaged a gas pipeline, which the enterprise used for its production. As a result, a massive fire broke out. In Odessa, the attacks injured four people and damaged multiple residential buildings and cars. I went outside with the fire extinguisher. I tried to extinguish my car. It is over there. I couldn't do it. Meanwhile in Russia, President Vladimir Putin talks about stopping the war. He says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky can't legally sign a ceasefire deal. That's because Zelensky has stayed in power since his five-year term ended. Everything must be in strict accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine. The President of Ukraine, even under martial law, does not have the right to extend his powers. Ukraine didn't hold elections after Zelensky's term ended because the country is at war with Russia. Putin says Ukrainian law directs that power would have to go to the head of Ukraine's parliament in that case. Putin adds that Zelensky could still conduct the peace talks, just not sign the documents. Everything must be such that lawyers confirm the legitimacy of those people who will be authorized by the Ukrainian state to sign these agreements. But he added that so far, Ukraine is not showing any interest in conducting peace talks. That's partly because Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw from all regions annexed by Moscow in 2022. Ariane Pastar, NTD News. Over to South Korea now, where a passenger plane caught fire last night local time. Flames broke out in the rear of the plane carrying 176 people just before takeoff. The Air Busan flight at Busan's international airport was bound for Hong Kong. All 169 passengers and seven crew members were evacuated using an inflatable slide. Yonhap News Agency reported that three people were injured, but their condition wasn't serious. Atomic scientists today moved their doomsday clock closer to midnight than ever before. They cited nuclear threats, military conflicts and technological advances as factors underlying the risks of global catastrophe. In setting the clock closer to midnight, we send a stark signal. Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, any move towards midnight should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning. Every second of delay in reversing course increases the probability of global disaster. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the clock to 89 seconds before midnight, the theoretical point of annihilation. That is one second closer than it was set last year. Scientists say that countries with nuclear weapons are increasing the size and role of their arsenals, while arms control treaties are in tatters. They also say that advances in disruptive technologies, including biotechnology, AI and in space, have far outpaced policy regulation and a thorough understanding of their consequences. The Chicago-based nonprofit created the clock in 1947 during the Cold War to warn the public about how close humankind was to destroying the world. Coming up, the Trump administration shakes up the media landscape in the press briefing room. A social media professor from the University of Florida joins us to take a look at a new White House policy update. Recovery efforts are gaining momentum in Southern California after a series of devastating wildfires. Governor Gavin Newsom is teaming up with local leaders to launch a major initiative aimed at rebuilding communities. The bird flu is sending egg prices soaring and prices may not come down anytime soon. Grocers say the egg shortage is becoming critical. That and more after the break. Once almost lost, waits, cultures return. Hi friends, Richard Karn here. Now, I'm known as the guy who can fix just about anything, but the technology in most appliances requires very special training to fix. My point is, even I know when I've met my match, and that's why my family has Choice Home Warranty, so we won't get stuck with high-priced repairs. 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The Trump administration issued a pause on federal grants, loans and assistance while the affected programs come under review. A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's order following a lawsuit by non-profit groups. Immigration and Customs Enforcement continued arrests of criminal illegal immigrants in major cities. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in the Bronx to join an ice raid. The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing to look at concerns about the Panama Canal. Witnesses testified on the Chinese regime's activities around the crucial shipping lane, which could pose risks to U.S. trade and national security. White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt held her first briefing. The Trump White House said it's opening its press briefing room to independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers and content creators. And joining us now to discuss the White House decision to welcome new media is Andrew Selipak, social media professor at the University of Florida. Andrew, thank you so much for joining us. Now, first, what do you make of the expansion of the types of media present? Well, I think it makes sense. You know, what the really that old purpose of having the White House Press Secretary there is to answer the people's questions. And for obviously decades now, we've kind of given that role to traditional media, to legacy media, and they have asked the questions that interest them, interest the companies and bosses that they work for and haven't really answered the people's questions. And I think this is really just an opportunity to open it up to more perspectives, more questions, more people. Now, it doesn't mean that anybody's going to be able to get in there. I mean, it is a bit broad when they say social media influencer, who then makes that qualification is unclear. But the idea of opening up this particular space to where the people have the opportunity to ask the administration questions that matter to them is something that makes sense and really is valuable and really behind the point of having this White House Press Secretary. Now, we did see in this election cycle, both candidates taking to platforms like podcasts versus the traditional legacy media route to reach more voices and people. Do you see this latest expansion a reflection of Trump's success on these platforms? I think you could make the argument that he understands the value of it in terms of reaching an audience that isn't consuming the legacy media of the sort of newspaper, radio, traditional broadcast news. And obviously, the audiences for something like a Joe Rogan podcast is way above any other traditional media outlet. So it does make sense that he does have this appreciation for it. It helped him in the election. It does reach a much larger audience. And again, it goes back to that idea of if the people are consuming it, and this is where they're getting their news and information not from the legacy media, then why not have those people from those outlets asking questions and then providing that answers to the people where they are, not necessarily where you wish they would be. And to your point, there was a break from tradition today where Carolyn Levitt called on Axios' Mike Allen instead of the Associated Press, as has long been tradition, just made it a point to bounce between the newcomers and the legacy media reporters in the room. What kind of impact could this administration have on the media and White House coverage if they do expand their approach? Well, again, if you think about who's covering the White House in the past, it was limited to, especially under the Biden administration, which took away a lot of over 400 journalists, I believe, their opportunity to be there to ask questions. This just opens it up to more outlets, more questions, more reporters, more perspectives, diverse perspectives, diverse questions, and not sort of the minutiae of inter-DC turmoil politics. What the president decides impacts everyone across the United States and the world. And having people from different perspectives ask questions from those perspectives gives us much better insight into what the White House is doing, thinking, the plans and programs that they have in place. And that should be the whole point and purpose of these press conferences. It's not just the sort of inner politics, the inner workings of DC that's limited to kind of a select few who really care about that, but what's really going on in terms of the presidential politics across the world that affects each and every one of us outside of that DC bubble. Now, on that note, the White House Correspondents Association does still determine the briefing room seating chart, but the Trump team has gone around that by giving the front row seats to new media instead of staff who normally sit there. How do you see the relationship between the Trump White House and the White House Correspondents Association going forward? Well, she did kind of point out, this is the seat that we're going to put these new media people in that doesn't have that same control. But I think it goes back to, and it's something that we kind of see anytime there's a Republican in office answering questions or taking questions from some slightly different media outlets. I mean, you did see some conservative or right-wing outlets that would kind of get into a little bit more of a back and forth banter with KJP. I think what we're going to see is this really opening up. You mentioned Axios. The second question was from Breitbart instead of the Associated Press. So again, it's getting into these questions from different reporters and not the same people. And having lived outside of DC and worked in DC in my past, there is a DC bubble that I think people have trouble getting out of recognizing that those of us outside of that bubble have very different questions and very different concerns and different issues that we want addressed. And these people will have a better chance of asking those questions for a larger audience than are consuming the traditional legacy media. And how influential would you say the White House Correspondents Association has been in shaping the coverage of US presidents? Well, they're the ones who kind of pick who has access. You know, you can go and you can be standing and you can be in the back, and that's a little bit different than who they grant these kind of seats to. But it does kind of create this scenario where you have the haves and have nots. Who gets picked? Who gets put up front? Where do they get put up front? How close are they to the podium and more likely to be called? And this is really much more of an egalitarian, much more of an open sort of opportunity for more people to be in there. You know, the press conference today, the rooms packed at the end of the Biden administration, you know, as the Biden administration was kind of scaling down what they were doing, less and less reporters were there, sort of the mundane. This is, you know, especially at the beginning of a new term, a new, you know, new presidency, even if Trump had been in office already, there's a lot of interest in what's going on, the executive orders and what's being decided. And having these new voices in there asking these questions can have a really influential impact because, again, the audience for some of these new people being able to ask questions is so much larger than what you see with the legacy media right now. It's a new, it's a brand new world in terms of the political coverage of the White House than what we've seen in the past. It's really exciting for people. And at the same time, for legacy media, they're kind of seeing, again, not only their audience, but their influence ebb in a way that hasn't been seen before. Andrew Sillifac, thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Southern California is making progress in wildfire recovery with several fires nearing full containment. Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a new initiative to support rebuilding efforts, bringing together key leaders to help the region recover. NTD's Christina Corona tells us more. Southern California is making significant strides in recovery after multiple wildfires that impacted the region earlier this month. On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom launched the Alley Rises initiative, a public-private partnership aimed at speeding up recovery and rebuilding efforts in affected communities. It's around focusing on our sustainable pathway to recovery and rebirth, addressing certainly all the situational challenges that we continue to face as it relates to getting people back into their homes, getting that debris removed, getting those permits processed, and getting those homes rebuilt. The initiative brings together key figures like Dodgers chairman Mark Walter, Lakers legend Magic Johnson, and LA-28 chairman Casey Wasserman. And the Mark Walters Family Foundation, as well as the LA Dodger Foundation, has now put up and donated up to a hundred million dollars to help in the recovery. Johnson shares which area will be his main focus. My focus will be on Altadena because we're going to be left, those people may be left behind. I want to make sure that that doesn't happen. And when asked how the 100 million in aid will support wildfire victims. Community will determine what the community needs. It's our job to eliminate any barriers, our job to eliminate speculators. We have to have community meetings and talk to the community and talk to the pastors of churches who are the leaders of that community as well. And we'll come up with a plan and a strategy. In Pacific Palisades, residents were finally cleared to return home after evacuation orders were lifted early Tuesday morning, providing relief to many who had been displaced for weeks. Residents will still have to check in with the National Guard before entering their neighborhoods. As of Tuesday, most of the wildfires in Southern California are nearly fully contained, with the Pacific Palisades fire at 95 percent, the Eaton fire at 99 percent, the Hughes fire at 98 percent, and the Border 2 fire now at 74 percent containment. Reporting from El Monte, Christina Corona, NTD News. If you've visited the grocery store lately, you've likely noticed one thing. The price of eggs is going through the roof. NTD's Andrew Thomas has more on the bird flu and its impact on this kitchen staple. Eggs are a staple in most American fridges. Now bird flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, driving up prices. For shoppers like Sage Mills, the price of eggs is stunning. So I bought eggs just a few days ago actually. I was making a birthday cake for my boyfriend and they were, I saw they ranged from six to eight dollars for just even like a dozen of them. And that was, I even said to myself, I'm like, this is blasphemy, it's just robbery. U.S. egg prices doubled in the summer of 2023. Today, Minneapolis grocery store owner Mike Vickers gets a dozen eggs for seven dollars and 45 cents. He sells them for $7.59, making just a 14 cent profit. Right now we can't get any organic, we can't get any cage-free, we can't get any brown. At this point we're limited to large eggs, jumbo eggs, and 18-count eggs. And they just went up again. Vickers doesn't want to sell expensive eggs, but it's the only way he can get by. It's the first time in my life that I've ever had to be kind of embarrassed on what I'm selling eggs for, and it's not our fault. Andrew Thomas, NTD News. Coming up in the world of boxing, our brothers Jake and Logan Paul preparing for a match against each other. NTD's Dave Martin joins us to discuss after the break. Kids love it. Parents trust it. Obviously. Obviously. Explore GJW Plus Kids Series and Gone Deon Campus courses led by expert educators. This is spectacular. Children will learn values like respect, responsibility, and knowledge in language, science, and more. Wow. All while having fun. Perfect. Subscribe today at GJW Plus Kids, where learning meets fun. Just like all of you, I had problems sleeping. I had tried every pillow out there and nothing worked. I'd flip-flop all night, use my arm for support, and fall asleep, or I'd wake up with a headache. Well, quality sleep comes from keeping your neck straight at night. 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Puritan Green Vegetable Omega-3 is made from purslane and perilla seeds from Hwangmei Mountain in South Korea. It contains over 90% of omega-3, 6, 7, and 9, the highest concentration possible without chemical additives. The soft gel is made of natural seaweed. It is 100% organic and vegan. Both adults and children can take it with peace of mind. Ancient recipes were passed down from heaven to bring prosperity and longevity. Puritan Green Vegetable Omega-3. Life's daily battles are not meant to be fought alone. We're not powerless, so long as we don't lose sight of what's important. Don't be afraid to seize that moment to talk to your friends. Cloud, you okay? Because checking in on a friend can create a safe space. The first step on our new journey. You coming? Reach out to a friend about their mental health. Seize the awkward. It's totally worth it. Welcome back. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Now for your sports news, we're joined by NTD's Dave Martin. Dave, a lot going on today, but let's start in the NFL as New York Jets owner Woody Johnson said he has to be a better owner while introducing the team's new coach and GM yesterday. What was he referring to? Yeah, I think we'd all like to know that because we kind of have our own ideas. You know, he fired the team's head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start this year. I mean, granted, it was his fourth season. Then he hired, he made defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbricht as their interim head coach, but the Jets went just 3-9 under Ulbricht, and that's despite adding Devontae Adams to the team and seeing Aaron Rodgers really get better as the season went on. So that decision really did not work out. Now, he also fired their general manager a few weeks later despite calling it the best roster he's ever had in his like 25 years. I actually thought it was too. So I know they went 5-12, but the roster talent is up to the general manager. I didn't understand that move either. But he was also asked about a story in The Athletic, this was just like a month ago, that reported some dysfunction in the organization that really mainly came from him, like canceling a trade for a player because his rating in the John Madden video game actually wasn't high enough and generally being too hands-on as an owner. Now, it's important to note, Johnson pushed back against what was said in that report. He said it was called exaggeration and hyperbole. In any case, though, the Jets have not even made the playoffs in 14 straight years. That is not only the longest streak in the NFL, it's the longest streak in North American sports right now. Shifting gears to boxing news, Jake Paul and Logan Paul made social media posts that seemed to suggest the two brothers would be fighting each other, but didn't Conor McGregor say he was in talks for a bout with Logan Paul? Yeah, McGregor announced that last month. He was in preliminary agreements to fight Paul, but McGregor just said this week the UFC would not allow it. But now, back to that Paul brothers fight, ESPN is reporting that what looked like a possible boxing match between the two is actually going to be a reality series instead. That's according to ESPN. So, no boxing match according to them. I guess details have yet to be announced on it, though. Now, Logan Paul, he's a WWE wrestling star, but he has also boxed. I mean, he fought Floyd Mayweather in 2021. Jake Paul recently just fought Mike Tyson. By all accounts, it was a very successful fight, financially speaking, anyway. I think at $18 million. In any case, once we get all the details of whatever this is, reality series or whatever it is, I will definitely let you know. Well, until then, moving to NBA news, the league announced the 28 players will participate in the Rising Stars competition during the All-Star break. Now, how will this mini tournament work? Yeah, the NBA is really trying to mix things up for All-Star weekend and changing up this Rising Stars competition seems to be part of that. The 28 players consist of 10 rookies, 11 sophomores, and 7 G League players. Now, G League players, this is the minor leagues. They'll be split into four teams of seven. The G League players will be on one team. Then those 21 rookies and sophomores will be drafted into three teams of seven. So those four teams will have a mini tournament all taking place on Friday. There'll be three short games. The winner of that mini tournament will be one of the four teams to play in the All-Star game competition two days later. It's another four-team, three-game tournament on one day. Now, this is the first year they're trying this kind of as a way to get a little more interest in the All-Star weekend. I have no idea if it'll work, but I'm certainly more intrigued about this format than what's become a maybe a little more of a lethargic All-Star game in recent years. So, we'll have to see how this actually works out come All-Star weekend. Well, looking at college basketball tonight, we have eight ranked teams in action including your 11th ranked Kansas Jayhawks taking on the UFC. Yeah, Kansas actually moved up a spot in the rankings despite losing Saturday to Houston at home. I mean, granted, it was a double overtime loss and Houston was ranked seventh, but UCF, they beat earlier this season by 50 points. They are double-digit favorites in this one. The big game tonight is actually the 12th ranked Kentucky against number eight, Tennessee. Now, that game starts at the top of the hour. Both teams are in the middle of the pack in a very loaded SEC conference. Elsewhere tonight, we've got number seven, Michigan State. They've got their 12-game winning streak on the line. They're playing Minnesota. 15th ranked St. John's is at Georgetown. That game actually just started. 21st ranked Louisville hosts Wake Forest. Number nine, Marquette plays Butler. And then finally, 13th ranked Texas A&M hosts Oklahoma. So, plenty of college basketball action on tonight. Well, Dave, as always, thanks for joining us. Well, thank you, Tiff. And that's all for today's news. For around-the-clock coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Good night.