NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (April 20)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, the White House confirming that Labor Secretary Lori Schavez-Veremer has resigned. A replacement has been announced. Meanwhile, President Trump says he's under no pressure to strike a deal with Iran and that any new agreement will be far stronger than the one signed by his predecessors. This come as the president accuses Iran of violating the ceasefire and issues fresh threats against the regime. An investigation into 11 missing or dead scientists has been launched by both the White House and starting today, the House Oversight Committee. Committee Chairman James Comer saying any connection between the incidents could be a quote, grave threat to national security. Jason Blair reports. After a month's long investigation, a rising music artist now facing a murder charge in LA. What prosecutors say happened to a 14-year-old girl. Christina Corona has more on the case. New bombshell documents in California's year-long antitrust case against Amazon. The state claims the company coordinated with vendors to force competitors to raise prices. David Lam brings us the latest. And a recent report identifies a new cyber threat that could potentially give the Chinese communist regime a backdoor into homes, power grids, ports, hospitals, transportation networks, and even shipped short cranes. We're going to speak with a retired CIA senior ops officer for analysis. This is MTV Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. The Trump administration confirming today that Labor Secretary Lori Chavez de Riemer is leaving office. A replacement has been announced. White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung announcing on X that Chavez de Riemer will be taking a position in the private sector. This comes following an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct, including a romantic affair with a security staff member and toxic workplace conditions, a probe that has already prompted multiple people to resign from the agency. Cheung credited Chavez de Riemer for protecting American workers and enacting fair labor practices. He said Keith Sonderling will take on the role of acting Secretary of Labor. And President Trump is threatening to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges after accusing the regime of violating the ceasefire. This as the U.S. prepares for a second round of peace talks in Pakistan. The president says he feels no pressure to reach a deal. NTV's White House correspondent Mari Otsu brings us more. They got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Nobody ever took them on. We took them on. They have no Navy. They have no Air Force. They have no leaders. They have no nothing. President Trump declaring he's winning the war by a lot, saying that the Iranian regime's Navy has been completely wiped out. Their Air Force has gone on to darker runways. They have no anti-missile or anti-airplane equipment. Their former leaders are mostly gone. And he adds, perhaps most important of all, the blockade, which we will not take off until there is a deal, is absolutely destroying Iran. They are losing $500 million a day, an unsustainable number even in the short run. This comes as Vice President J.D. Vance and top U.S. officials are expected to depart for Islamabad, Pakistan, for a second round of peace talks ahead of the Wednesday ceasefire deadline. The outcome of these talks will be incredibly consequential, and as the president has stated, he is prepared to escalate, to de-escalate. He is prepared to actually board and turn around Iranian ships, even as far east as the Pacific Ocean. President Trump saying he's under no pressure whatsoever to make a deal, as he's drawing a distinction between Operation Epic Fury and the length of previous military conflicts, saying, quote, I'm not going to let them rush the United States into making a deal that is not as good as it could have been. This comes as the president threatens to knock out Iran's bridges and power plants after he says the regime violated the ceasefire agreement by firing bullets into the Hormuz Strait. Look, during the conflict, Iran did everything they could to interrupt the flow of everyone's traffic through that. It's the only card they have. But that card is slipping out of their hands, and they know it. So no, right now we are on maximum pressure campaign on Iran. Overnight, CENTCOM announcing that U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it tried to breach the U.S. naval blockade. The Department of War saying, American forces acted in a deliberate, professional and proportional manner to ensure compliance. Since the blockade's commencement, U.S. forces have directed 25 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port. Meanwhile, President Trump declares the deal he's making with Iran will be, quote, far better than the JCPOA, known as the Iran nuclear deal, which he says was a guaranteed road to a nuclear weapon. The president says that this new deal will guarantee peace, security and safety, not only for Israel and the Middle East, but also for Europe and America. Reporting from the White House, Mari Otsu, NTD News. And as the president appears unlikely to extend the ceasefire in Iran, what can we expect from this new round of negotiations? Discussions tonight on Capitol Report at 7 p.m. Eastern. U.S. Central Command today releasing a new video of the Marines boarding a vessel approaching Iran. Data indicates the ship has ties to Beijing and it violated international law in Chinese waters. NTD's international correspondent, Arian Pasdar, has the latest on the Strait of Hormuz, which the Iranian regime closed again. This is United States Warship 115, you are entering the area of a military blockade. Central Command on Monday releasing a video of U.S. Marines boarding an Iranian-flagged vessel approaching Iran. CENTCOM says the ship failed to comply with repeated warnings from U.S. forces over a six-hour period. Any vessel with further intent to enter or exit an Iranian port will be subject to the right of visit and search in accordance with international law. If you attempt to run the blockade, we will compel compliance with force, over. The Marines boarded the vessel after a guided missile destroyer disabled the ship's propulsion system by firing several rounds from a five-inch naval artillery gun. According to Newsweek, the vessel made repeated visits to Chinese ports in the past. It also turned off its transponder while traveling between Chinese ports, which is a violation of international law. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains tense. Iran again closed the passage over the weekend, just one day after announcing a temporary reopening. Data shows only three vessels passing through the Strait over a 12-hour period on Monday. That's down from 18 vessels managing to pass through the Strait during the brief reopening on Friday. Six of those were cruise ships. We saw a rush of vessels heading towards, kind of going from west to east, looking to exit the Strait of Hormuz. An analyst for Maritime Tracking Service Kappler says we are a long way from returning to normal trade through the Strait of Hormuz, even if the fighting stops. If you're trapped within the sort of the Middle East Gulf, you will make a rush for the exit as we saw. But in terms of vessels going back into the region, potentially to load a cargo of crude oil or fertilizer, people be very, very cautious. He added that countries in the region could make long-lasting changes to prevent depending on the risky Strait of Hormuz. They will probably look to diversify their trade routes, so for example, for oil potentially overland pipelines, for something like containers, you know, expanding the ports that are outside of the Strait of Hormuz. The head of the International Energy Agency also supports the idea of a pipeline. He proposes building an oil pipeline linking Iraq's oil fields with Turkey's Mediterranean oil terminal to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. He told a Turkish newspaper, quote, I also believe the financing issue can be overcome. Now is exactly the right time. Ariane Pasdar, NTD News. And in the Middle East, Israeli forces report launching strikes against the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon during their ceasefire. And in another development, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad says Iran-backed terrorist groups are targeting Americans in Iraq. NTD's Jason Perry has the details. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touting the country's military progress during Israel's Memorial Day on Monday. Our pilots control the skies of the region as definitive proof of our superiority over the Iranian axis. We have not yet finished the work, but the world already recognizes our determination to defend ourselves, and not only ourselves, but to defend humanity from barbaric fanaticism. And on the same day, a memorial event was held in Jerusalem commemorating fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks. Israel's top general also speaking on Iran. We embarked on an unprecedented campaign against the Iranian regime, which for years has been building a plan to destroy Israel and developing practical capabilities to achieve it. We will continue to stand guard, will not allow Iran to realize its ambitions, and will ensure the eternity of Israel. Israeli forces are currently abiding by the U.S.-Iran ceasefire as a second round of talks between the U.S. and Iran could happen in Pakistan in the near future. And at the same time, Israel observing another ceasefire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon. However, that does not mean the fighting has stopped. On Monday, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, or the IDF, warned Lebanese residents not to return to the south for safety reasons, despite the ceasefire. And on the same day, the IDF reporting two separate incidents in which they struck terrorists in southern Lebanon who approached Israeli troops in a threatening manner. Israel also reports striking a launcher in Lebanon that was loaded and ready to fire. A displaced resident in Beirut saying there were additional reasons why people shouldn't return to the south. Some people forget quickly and go back to the south and fall into the trap. And how can we go when there is no water, no electricity, and people's financial situation does not allow it? Also on Monday, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said that Iran-backed terrorist groups in Iraq continue to plot against U.S. citizens in that country. And that some elements of the Iraqi government continue to provide financial and operational cover for those terrorist groups. Jason Perry, NTV News. An Iranian woman accused of brokering weapons on behalf of the Iranian government arrested in L.A. Federal authorities arresting Shami Mafi of Woodland Hills, California, at Los Angeles International Airport and charging her with arms trafficking. Prosecutors say the alleged deals included drones, bombs, and ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan. The assistant U.S. attorney says the 44-year-old became a lawful permanent U.S. resident in 2016. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison. She is expected to make her initial court appearance today in the federal court in L.A. And a probe into at least 11 scientists who have turned up missing or dead has been launched by the House Oversight Committee. According to the announcement, one thing these individuals all have in common is that they all had access to sensitive U.S. nuclear or rocket technology. NTV correspondent Jason Blair brings us more. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announces an investigation into reports of missing and dead scientists who had access to sensitive government scientific information. Rep Comer says if true, it, quote, may represent a grave threat to U.S. national security and to U.S. personnel with access to scientific secrets. With 11 mysterious people that were very important to our nuclear program all either mysteriously die or turn up missing, that's a national security concern. The White House also says it's looking into the reports. They all reportedly had access to classified nuclear or aerospace material. Is anybody investigating this to see if these things are connected? If true, of course, that's definitely something I think this government and administration would deem worth looking into. So let me do that for you. As far as the scientists are concerned, we'll probably have a pretty good answer over the next week. Comer says the panel has contacted the FBI, NASA, the Department of Energy and the Department of War for all the information that they have on the scientists because, quote, these four agencies were predominantly the four agencies that the 11 individuals were affiliated with. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, Entity News. The Senate Armed Services Committee is warning that the U.S. is entering a new nuclear threat facing both China and Russia at the same time. Lawmakers say maintaining deterrence will require major investment and rapid monetization. Entity's Chris Bobb reports. This is not a hypothetical future problem. This is a now crisis. China is engaged in a breathtaking and opaque expansion of its nuclear arsenal, while Russia, with the world's largest arsenal, continues to modernize its forces, integrating new kinds of nuclear weapons into its strategy for coercion. That stark warning on Capitol Hill as defense officials tell senators in the Armed Services Committee that the United States is confronting a historic shift, two nuclear peer adversaries at once, China and Russia. I just came from an intelligence briefing and without revealing a thing that's classified, I can say that the Chinese concentration and acceleration of their nuclear armament effort is something to be taken extremely seriously. Officials say that to counter that growing threat, the U.S. strategy of peace through strength will require a renewed focus on nuclear strength. Russia and China are engaged in an unprecedented nuclear buildup that is rapidly eroding America's strategic advantage. The National Nuclear Security Administration's deputy administrator says the U.S. response is already underway, modernizing warheads, rebuilding infrastructure and ramping up production of key materials. That effort comes with a price tag, a 13 percent proposed increase in nuclear weapons funding for fiscal year 2027. We currently have seven stockpile modernization efforts underway. We just completed two. Beyond weapons, concerns are also growing about nuclear fuel production, dormant for more than 30 years. We haven't made fuel for nuclear submarines since 1992, but is it now necessary to begin that process again given the expansion of the submarine fleet, the aircraft carriers and also AUKUS? Our highly enriched uranium is out into the 2050s. Our supply will last us at our current plan. It's absolutely critical that we do start working on the development of enrichment capability. That will first be for the weapons program and then it will be for our program. The commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command says U.S. bombers are already operating at high tempo, even as the next generation of systems is being developed. Over the last year, the command has played pivotal roles in military operations, including Rough Rider, Midnight Hammer, Absolute Resolve, and more recently, Epic Fury. In Operation Epic Fury alone, Air Force Global Strike Command conducted over 150 bomber sorties, 48 of which were round trip from the United States. This is a monumental task that includes the replacement of our aging weapons systems through the Sentinel Program, the fielding of the B-21, the modernization of the B-52, as well as developing and delivering the Survival Airborne Operations Center and the Long Range Standoff Weapon. As lawmakers weigh the defense budget, officials say the U.S. is now surging production of nuclear weapons components to keep pace with China and Russia. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Chris Bobb, NTD News. And coming up, after a months-long investigation, a rising music artist is now facing a murder charge in L.A. What prosecutors say happened to a 14-year-old girl, Christina Corona reports. And new documents drop in California's long-running lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the company worked with vendors to push up prices at rival retailers. David Lamb brings us the details next. The bladder control aisle. You won't shop here again. Your private business is your own. The constant struggle is over. Now there's a better way. It's HGIS. We home deliver bladder control products. We understand how you feel. For over 25 years, we've home delivered to many of the 20 million Americans who deal with incontinence. We offer all brands. We pay shipping and use plain, unmarked boxes. 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He said, Amy, this condition, you'll be fine, fine, fine, and then catastrophic. A few months later, I had an open heart surgery that saved my life, and I owe it to the research and life-saving medical breakthroughs developed by the American Heart Association. That's why I'm asking you to join me and become a monthly donor to the American Heart Association. Please call now or go to helpheart.org for only $19 a month, just 63 cents a day. You can help fund the next medical breakthrough, get the next person trained in CPR, and get the next hospital certified in high-quality cardiovascular care. This could happen to me. It could happen to anybody. Heart disease is America's number one killer, but your support can save your life or the life of someone you love. Give $19 a month with your credit card, and we'll send you this special T-shirt you can wear to show you're part of a community of monthly donors working to help save more lives like mine. I'm grateful for the American Heart Association. Their research gave me more time to do the things I love with the people I love. So listen to your heart. I'm here today because I did. Please call the number on your screen or go to helpheart.org now to become a monthly donor and help save even more lives. Thank you. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Donst. Michigan is pushing back against the Justice Department over its request to hand over ballots from the 2024 election. The DOJ sent a letter last week to the clerk in Wayne County, which includes Detroit, demanding ballots, ballot receipts, and ballot envelopes. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the request, quote, absurd and baseless in a joint statement with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The DOJ is expecting to receive roughly 865,000 ballots and hundreds of thousands of related election records. It says it will seek a court order if the materials are not turned over within 14 days. Next, singer David made his first court appearance Monday as he faces a murder charge in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl in Los Angeles. Prosecutors say a conviction could carry some of the most serious penalties under California law. NTD's Christina Corona reports. Singer David, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has been charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas-Hernandez. Prosecutors say the 21-year-old was arrested last week at a Hollywood Hills home following a months-long investigation. These charges include the most serious charges that a DA's office can bring. That is first-degree murder with special circumstances. The special circumstances being lying in wait, committing this crime for financial gain, or murdering a witness in an investigation. The witness to the investigation was Celeste, and the investigation was into the lewd and lascivious sexual acts committed by Mr. Burke. Authorities say Hernandez, from Lake Elsinore, had previously been reported as a runaway. On April 23, 2025, Ms. Rivas arrived at Mr. Burke's home in the Hollywood Hills. That's the last time she was known to be alive. On September 28, 2025, investigators reported a disturbing discovery. Her dismembered and decomposed remains were found in two bags inside of a front trunk of a car registered to Mr. Burke. Prosecutors also announcing additional charges. Including continuous sexual acts, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with an individual under 14 years old, and mutilating a human remains of a body. Officials say investigators reviewed extensive digital and forensic evidence as part of the case. Burke's attorneys deny the allegations, saying the evidence will show he did not kill Hernandez and was not responsible for her death. If convicted, Burke could face life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors say a decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later time. Christina Corona, NTD News. And as an update, David Anthony Burke pleaded not guilty today during his first court appearance in that LA courtroom. The victim's parents were also present as the case moves forward. Next, a father shot and killed his seven young children and a cousin and critically wounded his wife and another woman in Louisiana on Sunday. The heartbreaking act of violence marks the nation's deadliest mass shooting in more than two years. Authorities are calling the incident domestic in nature. Here's the latest on how the community is grappling with this horrific crime. The community of Shreveport, Louisiana, is struggling to comprehend the violence that unfolded Sunday morning. It's just heartbreaking. It really is. Police say 31 year old Shamar Elkins shot his wife at a home in the Cedar Grove community before going to another home where he shot his seven young children, a cousin and a second woman. Family of the victim say Elkins and his wife were separating. Probably about a month ago, I seen her and she told me she was filing for a divorce. The Caddo Parish coroner's office says the victims killed range in age from three to eleven. Law enforcement is describing the mass shooting as domestic in nature. It comes on the heels of unveiling the Caddo Sheriff's Office Domestic Violence Unit. I don't believe any of us could have imagined that only days later our community would be shaken by the most heartbreaking tragedies that we have ever witnessed. Some of the children tried to escape the home. A 13 year old boy broke bones jumping from the roof and is expected to recover, according to police. I am asking all of you to keep them lifted, to keep them lifted and pray for them like you've never prayed before. This is what I'm asking of you from them. After the shooting, police say Elkins carjacked a vehicle and led police on a chase before he was ultimately killed by officers. And our deepest sympathies go to that entire Shreveport community. Next, at the Supreme Court, the justices agreeing today to take on a First Amendment case out of Colorado involving a law that requires taxpayer-funded preschools to accept children of same-sex couples. Antithese Arlene Richards has the details. The Supreme Court on Monday stepping into a new legal battle, one that could have nationwide impact. The justices have agreed to hear a challenge from two Catholic parishes in Colorado. At the center of the case, whether religious schools that receive taxpayer funding have to follow state anti-discrimination laws. The parishes, two parents and the archdiocese of Denver, say a state rule conflicts with their religious beliefs because it requires schools to accept children of same-sex couples if they take public funding. Colorado created its universal preschool program in 2020, allowing both public and private schools to participate. But any school that takes the funding has to follow a non-discrimination rule, giving all eligible children an equal chance to enroll. This is the latest in a series of cases out of Colorado testing anti-discrimination laws under the First Amendment. Just last month, the court's majority ruled the state's ban on so-called conversion therapy violated a Christian counselor's free speech rights. And in 2023, the court found the state couldn't require a Christian designer to provide same-sex wedding websites. Separately, the court declined to take up a parental rights case involving a school that allowed an 11-year-old to use a new name and visit either the boys' or girls' bathroom without the parents' knowledge. The preschool case is expected to be heard this fall, with a decision likely sometime next year. Arlene Richards, NTD News. Up ahead, a recent report says a new cyber threat could potentially give the Chinese Communist regime a backdoor into U.S. homes, power grids, ports, hospitals, and transportation networks. We're going to speak with a retired CIA senior ops officer for analysis. And Apple announcing today that Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO. He's handing the reins to hardware chief John Ternus. That's next. Tired of struggling with that heavy leaf blower? Introducing the Bullseye Power Blower. It delivers a massive blowing force, and yet it's so compact and lightweight. Just lock and load the rechargeable battery for long-lasting runtime. 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We know the value of a free society, and we take seriously the responsibility to preserve it. We are NTD. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. A major leadership shakeup at Apple. The company announced today that Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO, and he's handing the reins to hardware chief John Ternus. Apple says John Ternus will take over as CEO on September 1st, with Cook transitioning to the role of executive chairman. Ternus, currently senior vice president of hardware engineering, will also join the board. This marks the first CEO change at Apple since Tim Cook succeeded Steve Jobs back in 2011. Cook called leading the company the greatest privilege of his life. During his nearly 15-year tenure, Apple's market cap grew from around $350 billion to roughly $4 trillion. He also oversaw the company's major push into wearables, including the Apple Watch, AirPods, and Vision Pro. Cook will remain CEO through the summer to help with the transition. In Mexico, two U.S. embassy personnel are dead, following what officials are calling an accident. Authorities say the victims were among a group of U.S. and Mexican officials returning from a major anti-drug operation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said today she wants explanations about the incident. She added she had been unaware of collaboration between the U.S. and the local government in northern Chihuahua. Mexican authorities said the team had just taken part in dismantling multiple clandestine drug labs in the state of Chihuahua after a months-long investigation. The crash reportedly happened on a highway as the group was heading back from the operation. The director of the state investigation agency and another officer were also killed. Officials say the operation targeted large-scale synthetic drug production, including methamphetamine. Details about the cause of the accident remain unclear at this moment. The ambassador called the incident a reminder of the risks that are faced by those working to combat organized crime. And the military says it carried out another lethal strike, targeting a vessel tied to narco-trafficking in the Caribbean. Southern Command says three narco-terrorists were killed in yesterday's strike. The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear, targeting known drug-trafficking routes. Additional strikes earlier this month, targeting vessels in the eastern Pacific. Last week, Southcom says it conducted three operations killing nine narco-terrorists. And that's in addition to the strikes the week before that killed five. No U.S. service members were harmed in any of the operations. And thousands of U.S. and Philippine troops are taking part in major combat drills across the Philippines near the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. The exercises involve nearly 10,000 U.S. forces. Regardless of the challenges elsewhere in the world, the United States' focus on the Indo-Pacific and our ironclad commitment to the Philippines remains unwavering. And they will include nearly three weeks of live fire drills and simulated combat operations. U.S. officials say the deployment underscores Washington's firm and unwavering commitment to the Indo-Pacific. China has strongly opposed the exercises, saying they are aimed at containing its rise. Manila and Washington say the drills are defensive, and they're focused on preparedness and disaster response. The Philippine military says the exercises are meant to build deterrence and stability amid regional tensions and competing territorial claims. Meanwhile, Taiwan says a Chinese aircraft carrier passed through the Taiwan Strait, with its forces tracking the vessel throughout its transit. And as the world modernizes with automation and AI, from smart appliances in the home to smart factories with cranes and forklifts, a new security risk is emerging. Electronic parts called cellular modules help connect these devices to the internet. In a new report by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, say two Chinese companies control almost half of the global market share for these modules. They say this could potentially give the Chinese communist regime a backdoor into everything from homes, power grids, ports, hospitals, transportation networks, and ship-to-shore cranes. Joining us now to explore the risk, as well as the solutions, is Rick de la Torre. He's CEO and founder of Tower Strategy, as well as a retired CIA senior ops officer. Rick, it's good to see you. Thank you for joining. How embedded are these two Chinese companies? We have Q-Satel and Fibocom in the U.S. Extremely embedded. See, what we're talking about here are small embedded cellular modules, and these are chips that are built into everyday devices across the United States. Not just phones, but routers, industrial equipment, logistics systems, backup communications. Even parts of our own U.S. critical infrastructure. So, with these modules, what they can do is they connect directly to the cellular networks, the cellular towers, much like our mobile phones do. And that means they can transmit data independently, sometimes without the operator even realizing that it's happening. So, on its face, that sounds like a technical issue, and it's really not. It's a national security issue. Because under Chinese law, companies are required to cooperate with state intelligence services, and that's not theoretical. That's written into their own legal framework. And Rick, I want to understand, is this technology bidirectional in that certainly it sounds like it has the ability to send back a signal, but could it transmit a signal that might render any of those things we were discussing compromised? Right. So, I think you have to accept that when you have Chinese manufactured components embedded inside U.S. systems, you have to assume that those systems could be accessed, they could be monitored, they could be leveraged whenever Beijing decides to do so. And that creates three very real risks. The first one is surveillance, right, where they can collect and transmit data. The second one is access. Those modules can be compromised or designed with hidden capabilities that they can act as entry points into other networks. And the third is disruption. And you can imagine in a crisis scenario, those same components could be used to interfere with communications or infrastructure. And we've already seen warning signs of this with the Chinese. We know that there are Chinese-built equipment that keeps showing up in the U.S. port systems with unexpected communications capabilities. And Rick, I was hoping you could refresh our audience on the situation that happened years ago with Huawei and ZTE. There was bipartisan support to rid those companies from having a substantial presence in the U.S., particularly with any government devices. But how did that come about? And how would you assess the effectiveness of that exercise of removing those two Chinese companies, Huawei and ZTE? Extremely difficult. I mean, Huawei, everyone knows about Huawei, that's certainly one, and to a lesser extent ZTE. But these chips and chip technologies are very persistent, very pervasive throughout the entire supply chain of manufacturers. These chips can be used in everything from toys and toasters to washing machines and then in military and industrial applications that are critical. It's really hard. So sometimes the real challenge isn't what's coming, but it's what's already here. These components are already embedded across these systems. They're in the supply chain. They've been there for years. And when you focus on what's the cost of trying to remove those, it can be rather extensive. But how can you put a cost sometimes on national security? So this is a long term strategic problem, and it's something that we've got to fix and we've got to get done right. How would you propose going about fixing it? Well, I think the administration has been doing a good job through its executive orders and through other legislation, some states too, like the state of Florida is another one, taking a focus on Chinese manufactured goods that do have implications in national security and framing out that not just China, but really no foreign country, especially adversarial countries should have their components, their products built into US critical systems. Very few countries actually follow that path. I can assure you there aren't many American made components in computer systems and cell phones being used in critical structures within China. So why would we want to have that here in our country? So luckily, a lot of the IP and technology that powers the world in this area, not just in cellular communication chips, but in logic chips and passive electromechanical components, most of them are made here or were designed here in the United States. We just need to bring that manufacturing either back here to the United States or near shore them with allied countries where we can have a better control over the supply chain. And Rick, switching from defense to offense, who are the other companies that make these devices? And does the US have any opportunity both from intelligence gathering to even warfare to use this type of technology to our own advantage with our adversaries? Well, I won't go into any specific details regarding the capabilities or methods that we use for either electronic warfare or what we use overseas. Needless to say, electronics, electronic communications, semiconductor products, all those things have advanced so far and do so much so quickly that the days of hacking into something or the days of setting up bugs or speaker systems or microphones to surreptitiously record someone, those days are in the past. We carry that in our pockets and they're called cell phones. Or we have them in our cars when we drive everywhere. Or sometimes we buy them from other electronic companies so we can order supplies and goods or set up timers or ask what the weather is from our kitchen counter. All these electronics with microphones, cameras, they communicate, they're interconnected. Those are systems that we need to make sure are secure because we are dependent on them in the complexity of our lives. Well, thanks for sharing your insights with us, Rick de la Torre. As I tell my kids, don't presume you have privacy if you're using an electronic device. Absolutely correct. 100% correct. Thanks for joining. Good to talk to you. And in a years-long case against Amazon, California's attorney general announces public evidence of alleged price fixing. He accuses Amazon of coordinating with retailers and vendors to strategically raise prices. NTV's David Lam has more. The attorney general leading the lawsuit against Amazon is publicly disclosing evidence in the case. Rob Bonta of California claims that Amazon is price fixing, colluding with vendors and other retailers to raise costs for Americans beyond what the market requires, beyond what is fair. Amazon used vendors as the middleman, directing them to contact retailers and push for price increases so Amazon wouldn't have to compete. The unredacted filing provides concrete examples. In one example, according to the newly released documents, Amazon sent its vendor Levi's website links from Walmart.com that showed lower prices for khaki pants than on Amazon, saying it hoped these can get resolved over the next few days. The next day, Levi's allegedly responded that they quote, talked to Walmart and they have partnered with us to take easy khaki classic fit back up to $29.99 immediately. NTV reached out to Amazon, Levi's, Walmart, as well as Hanes and Target, who were also mentioned in the documents, for comment. A Walmart spokesperson told NTD, we do not comment on litigation in which we are not a party. We will always work hard on behalf of our customers to keep our prices low. One Californian told NTD he hopes an agreement can be reached between the government and the companies. We don't have a lot of choice in the market right now because it's going toward the monopolistic market. So that means the sellers can have a cooperative strategy of marking up the price. Bonta sued Amazon in 2022, claiming the company was blocking out competition with its market power. While the case is ongoing, Bonta is asking the court for an injunction to prohibit Amazon from communicating with vendors about other companies' pricing. The case is set to begin in January 2027, but the hearing on the preliminary injunction begins on July 23rd. David Lam, NTD News, California. Coming up, hands off the wheel in Amsterdam. Tesla's full service driving is now legal in the Netherlands, the first country in Europe to approve it. Could the rest of the continent be next? And in the NBA, while the playoffs are wide open, the MVP race is down to just three finalists. Dave Martin joins us with the details next. I'm Amy Grant, and I want to talk to you from my heart about the heart. I would have been the last person on the list to say this woman has a problem with her heart. So no, there was nothing about my life that said you have a ticking time bomb in your chest. But I did. I wound up in the office of a cardiologist because I was there with my husband. And at the tail end of that, the cardiologist looked at me and said, I want to see you. No one was more surprised than I was to learn I was living with a rare heart condition. He said, Amy, this condition, you'll be fine, fine, fine, and then catastrophic. A few months later, I had an open heart surgery that saved my life. And I owe it to the research and lifesaving medical breakthroughs developed by the American Heart Association. That's why I'm asking you to join me and become a monthly donor to the American Heart Association. Please call now or go to helpheart.org for only $19 a month, just 63 cents a day. You can help fund the next medical breakthrough, get the next person trained in CPR, and get the next hospital certified in high quality cardiovascular care. If this could happen to me, it could happen to anybody. Heart disease is America's number one killer, but your support can save your life or the life of someone you love. Give $19 a month with your credit card and we'll send you this special t-shirt you can wear to show you're part of a community of monthly donors working to help save more lives like mine. I'm grateful for the American Heart Association. Their research gave me more time to do the things I love with the people I love. So listen to your heart. I'm here today because I did. Please call the number on your screen or go to helpheart.org now to become a monthly donor and help save even more lives. Thank you. You are not hidden. There's never been a moment you were forgotten. You are not who you are. On streets across America, homeless young people are cold, abused, in danger. Covenant House is helping young people with nowhere else to turn. Please call or go online now with your gift of $19 a month. You'll help provide hot meals, safe shelter, medical care, and love. We'll send you this comforting blanket as a reminder of the love you're showing a young person this holiday season. Call or go online now to safeplacetosleep.org and your first month's gift will be matched. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. The Netherlands has approved Tesla's full self-driving system. The driver in Amsterdam celebrated by taking his own autonomous electric vehicle out for a spin. Earlier this month, the Dutch government approved the electric carmaker's full self-driving system. I've been waiting for this moment ever since autonomy day in 2019 where Elon said this this is going to come and the moment's finally here. So for me it's like I'm smiling every single time when I'm in the car. The green light in the Netherlands is a first for European city streets. Some remain skeptical about the reliability and safety of full self-driving systems, but drivers like Roeland Schaap are enthusiastic about the new rules of the road. I think this should be approved everywhere in Europe because it will lead to increased safety and that I think that's the most important thing of all. Tesla's full self-driving technology can steer, brake and accelerate without hands on the wheel, but the system still requires a driver to pay attention just in case. The European Union is set to discuss approving the technology next month. NTD News. And now for your sports news, we're joined by NTD's Dave Martin. Dave, we've got some hockey and some baseball, but let's start with what I like to talk about the NBA playoffs and the NBA in general with the MVP candidate race. Yeah, we got a lot here. We got a triple header of game twos tonight starting just at the top of the hour in a few minutes here. Cleveland hosting Toronto. Now the Cavs already won game one in this series to take a 1-0 lead there. And then right after that, Kerry, we got two of your favorite teams here. The New York Knicks hosting the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks won Saturday. Jalen Brunson had a big first half in that one. Knicks have a 1-0 lead there. And then finally, we got Nuggets versus the Timberwolves. Nikola Jokic and company beat Denver as well on Saturday there to take a 1-0 lead in that series as well. Now elsewhere in the NBA, the finalists for MVP award were announced over the weekend with Victor Wembenyama of San Antonio as well as Shea Gilgis-Alexander of Oklahoma City and Nikola Jokic making the final cut there. Now if you remember last year, Shea Gilgis-Alexander edged out Jokic for the award. But Wembenyama, who's not really the favorite to win over these two though, won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award by unanimous vote. First ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year. So they're going to start handing out these awards over the next couple weeks. Probably the MVP will be the last one. So we'll see who wins. I think clearly between Jokic, Shea Gilgis-Alexander, if you ask me. I don't know who's going to go one or two though. I prefer Jokic, but you know, it doesn't mean anything. He's like a double machine. He led the league in rebounds and assists per game this year. No one's ever done that. It's just amazing. A guy seven-footer that big is such a great passer. He passes like Magic did. It's so awesome to watch. It's so funny. You watch him run around. He doesn't seem the most agile, but man does. He produces. Yeah, he produces. Pretty incredible. Let's jump to the NHL. I don't want to run out of time because we got so much to discuss. It's this time of year, right? The spring. So much. Yeah, exactly. The NHL tonight, we've got four NHL playoff games on including game one between the Oilers and the Anaheim Ducks. Now the big question tonight, will Oilers foiler Leon Dreisaitl suit up? Now he's been out since March 15 with what has been termed as a lower body injury. Now Dreisaitl and the Oilers have made it to the NHL Stanley Cup Finals each of the last two years. This year though, they did not have the best regular season record. This is the worst actually regular season since 2020. So maybe not prime for another Finals run. We'll have to see. But any team with Conor McDavid, of course, has a chance there. Now besides that game, we've got three others here starting with Pittsburgh hosting Philadelphia at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Flyers have a 1-0 lead in that series. Then at 7 30 Eastern Time, Carolina hosts Ottawa Hurricanes have a 1-0 lead in that one. And then at 9 30, Dallas plays Minnesota after the Stars took game one in that series. Well, I want to jump to baseball. I want to know what's happening with the Mets over at Citi Field. The other team here in New York, the one I actually prefer though, but you know, I like them both. All right, well, you know, clearly not a true fan because I like them both. But yeah, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna warn you, not many good things are happening with the Mets, at least with their offense. You know, they're, they're mired in an 11 game losing streak, folks. That's their longest since 2004. Now the big news is, of course, they do not have one Soto right now. Soto has been out since April 3rd with a, I think it's a lower body injury. I'm sorry, I can't remember. Oh, it's a calf strain. He's got a calf strain. He's been out since April 3rd. Now he's one of the best young hitters in baseball. During this 11 game losing streak, they have definitely missed his hitting. They've scored just 19 runs during those 11 games. They've fallen to a 7-15 record. That's tied for the worst record in baseball with, coincidentally, my Kansas City Royals. So it's never a good, it's never a good thing to be tied with my Royals. I can, I can tell you that. They did make the playoffs two years ago, so we had that going on. But the Mets, of course, they have the highest key role in all of baseball. Surely hoping for better than a last place. Surely hoping for a postseason run, especially after missing out on last year. So they do expect Soto was going to come back sometime during the upcoming homestand, which starts tomorrow night and ends on April 30th. So if you ask when he's going to be back, the answer is soon. All right, soon. There's a lot of season left, right? We're just getting underway. It's only April. We've got like six more months of baseball. It just, it's not looking great for them right now. But, you know, they could turn around. They can, they kind of switch things up in the offseason. Trade away some players, broaden a few players in. So sometimes, you know, it takes, takes a little bit to mesh, maybe, the pieces together. I'm just, I'm trying to help them out here because they don't, they don't have much going on for them right now, unfortunately. They've got Dave Martin in their collection. They've got me trying to help them. Yeah. Which is nice. Which I try to do with the Jets sometimes and the Royals, my team, sometimes you're beyond help though. Thanks, Dave. Appreciate it. Yeah, you're welcome. And that is all the time we have for today's news. But for around the clock original coverage, you can visit us at ntd.com slash live or better yet, use our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Cary Dunst. Good night.