NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (April 21)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump announcing he's extending the ceasefire with Iran. This, while the president's directing the U.S. military to continue its naval blockade on Iranian ports until a deal is made. Mario Tsu with the latest. Senate Republicans are pushing to reopen the Department of Homeland Security using budget reconciliation. We'll be joined by Congressman Marlon Stutzman for insight into the GOP strategy. Representative Sheila Scherfelis McCormick resigns from Congress. The Florida Democrat's resignation follows a House ethics investigation. Fed nominee Kevin Walsh in the hot seat today, facing tough questions from lawmakers over inflation and political independence. Arlene Richards has the highlights. An investigative journalist has been named best author of the year for his expose on the Chinese Communist Party's horrific crime of forced organ harvesting, how the regime is turning human lives into massive profits. This is NTD Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Good evening and thank you for joining us. I'm Kerry Dunst. President Trump announcing a ceasefire extension with Iran. He says the U.S. has been asked to hold its attack on the regime until they submit a unified proposal. In the meantime, the president is directing the U.S. military to continue its naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. NTD's White House correspondent Mari Otsu brings us the details. President Trump, a day before the ceasefire with Iran was set to expire, is announcing he's extending it, stating, based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so, and upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our military to continue the blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able and will therefore extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded one way or the other. It comes amid disarray in the regime's leadership, with the president saying he thinks Iran can build themselves into a great and legitimate country, rather than one based on, quote, death and horror. It is regime change, no matter what you want to call it, which is not something I said I was going to do, but I've done it, indirectly maybe, but I've done it. And I think we're in a very strong negotiating position to do what other presidents should have done during a 47-year period. Meanwhile, President Trump is calling for the release of eight Iranian women set to be executed, addressing Iranian leaders directly, saying, quote, To the Iranian leaders who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives, I would greatly appreciate the release of these women, adding it would be a great start to our negotiations. He's also condemning Democrats' criticism of Operation Epic Theory, saying their comments hurt negotiations. He's always ranting and raving, oh, this war is so terrible. They shouldn't be saying that when we're in the midst of a negotiation, because it does hurt us somewhat. Meanwhile, the president directing the U.S. military to continue its blockade of Iranian ports in the Hormuz Strait. This comes as he says Iran has violated the ceasefire numerous times. Over the weekend, U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it tried to breach the U.S. naval blockade. According to shipping data, the Iranian-flagged cargo ship has made many visits to Chinese ports. For years, the Chinese regime has kept Iran afloat, buying the vast majority of its oil in defiance of sanctions while supplying critical dual-use components that have strengthened Tehran's missile and drone programs. This ship was included on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control's sanctions list in 2019. Meanwhile, the Department of War announcing intercepting a stateless sanctioned tanker in the Indo-Pacific, vowing to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver. Reporting from the White House, Marjot Suh, NTD News. And U.S. forces boarding a second vessel with ties to Iran in just two days, this time in the Indo-Pacific. NTD's international correspondent, Arjan Pasdar, has the latest on America's maritime blockade against Iranian shipping. The Pentagon on Tuesday publishing a video of troops boarding the MT Tiffany in the Indo-Pacific. The Pentagon says U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless, sanctioned MT Tiffany, adding that the goal is to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran, anywhere they operate. The MT Tiffany might be part of Iran's so-called Shadow Fleet, where crews often use false tracking signals and other means to evade sanctions and sell Iranian oil, often to China. The Wall Street Journal reports that the vessel's flag is currently listed as, quote, not known. The address of the ship's owner is in Suriname, South America, while the commercial manager's address is listed at a WeWork office in Mumbai, India. The operation against the MT Tiffany comes just one day after U.S. forces boarded an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. According to Newsweek, that 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 U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping is expected to be a key point in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Central Command, saying U.S. forces have returned 28 vessels since the start of the blockade against Iran, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains slow on Tuesday. Data shows only three ships passing the waterway in the past 24 hours. And the European Union might bolster its naval mission in the Middle East, which is currently protecting ships from attacks by Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea. The EU already has sweeping sanctions in place on Iran, but today we also reached a political agreement to widen our sanctions regime to also target those responsible for breaches to freedom of navigation. She added that freedom of navigation is non-negotiable. Ariane Pastor, NTD News. And joining us to share his perspectives on the Iran negotiations, as well as the budget reconciliation process about to kick off, is Congressman Marlon Stutzman. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us this evening. I'd like to start with your assessment of the Iran situation. As we just reported, President Trump extending the ceasefire, but continuing the naval blockade until the fractured Iranian side can come up with a unified proposal. Your reaction to that? Yeah. Good evening. Thanks for having me. Yeah, I think President Trump is making the right decision here by giving the Iranian regime some time to sort this out. But I think there's a real struggle within their own leadership structure. And there's, of course, a vacuum of leadership after the Ayatollah was killed on the very first day of the attacks. And so now there's this skirmish to try to get to the top, and who knows who those people are exactly. You can tell that there's inconsistency in their decision making. And I think that President Trump realizes that, and that he's hoping that he can find someone that can, you know, come to the table and, you know, deliver on what they say they're going to do. One of the things that we know with Iran is that we have to watch what they do. We can't just take the words that they say. These people, you know, have shown over time they can't be trusted. So their actions are going to speak louder than their words. And today, the president also urging Iran to release eight women allegedly scheduled for execution. This, of course, after many Iranians were killed during protests in January, estimates say as high as 40,000. So I want to get your thoughts on the president's appeal to Iran. It seems like he offered some grace, but he's asking for something in return. Yeah. And I think that that's the good negotiations. You know, one thing we know about President Trump, he is the strongest negotiator. He's the strongest diplomat. One of the things that I appreciate about President Trump is that he's using the full force and the weight of the American people, of our country, of our military, of our economic prowess and power. And he's using all of those tools to try to bring this to an end. And it's obviously affecting us. You know, we see that at the gas price, the prices at the pump. But in the long run, this will be a much better situation for all of us, keeping Iran and the brutal regime from having a nuclear weapon that they would use against not only us, but leverage the other countries in Europe and in the Middle East. And so one of the things that I think is important, too, is that we cut off their cash by keeping the blockade in place. If we can cut that cash flow off, that keeps them from paying their military, keeps them paying from any operations and, of course, starts to reduce their ability to fund the Houthis and Hamas and Hezbollah and other proxies that they have there in the Middle East to disrupt and create problems. So President Trump is realizing that this isn't going to just happen overnight. And I think we all need to realize that this is going to take some time. Iran has a they had a large military, they have a lot of money and they have the ability to to carry this out for a while. But I think that shutting the Straits of Hormuz up will really be their Achilles heel. Yeah. And you mentioned the price of gas, and that's a great segue to actually come home and discuss what's happening in Congress, specifically with trying to get the Department of Homeland Security back open. Of course, the funding bills failed to get through the Senate due to the 60 vote threshold of the filibuster. So now your colleagues are intending to go via the budget reconciliation process. Some are dubbing it 2.0. So will this be a sequel to the one big, beautiful bill in your view, or do you expect this to be much more skinny and narrow in its scope just to get DHS open? I hope it's bigger in scope. And I think that's the path that we should follow. We actually had this same conversation a little over a year ago before the one big, beautiful bill. There was a talk over in the Senate that we should have two bills, you know, simultaneously moving through the process between the House and the Senate. And then finally, you know, President Trump said, I just want one big, beautiful bill. And and that was what stuck. And I think that's the path and the model that we use to realize that this is how we're going to get policy passed. The Republican voters in this country voted for Republicans to deliver and to govern. And the fact that they can't pass the Save America Act, which protects our integrity of our election process, shows that there's a problem in the Senate with this filibuster rule and that it's being misused. My hope is that Senate Republicans stand strong and deliver on the important policies that we still need to pass, whether it's funding DHS. Of course, you know, I'd like to see us defund Planned Parenthood in a bill that goes through the Senate. We want to make sure that our military men and women have the tools that they need. And of course, we want to keep the American people safe as we move forward. There's also, you know, fraud attempts at fighting fraud that's being exposed in Minnesota and California and other places. So that's why I think a second big, beautiful bill, maybe it's not as big as the first one, but a second large, beautiful bill is the proper path to be able to get the policies passed the Senate. And of course, the Republicans have a very slim majority in the House. And because of that filibuster, their majority, you know, can't overcome that. So I want to understand if you could take us through the ranks of the Republicans. Why are some calling for the narrower strategy? And how might the Republicans come together, as you say, to, you know, pass everything that are priorities to the president and to members of your party? I think that the divide amongst Senate Republicans is just bigger than what it is amongst this the divide, the divides or the differences that we have in the House Republican conference. You know, and I think that the Republican conference, House Republicans have shown we are sticking together when the votes really matter. We've got a couple of issues that we've got to still find agreements on, whether it's the FISA bill. But moving forward, you know, from what I sense with a lot of people, they want to deliver, especially on the Save America Act through the House, which we passed several times, getting it through the Senate. That's an important piece for our voters back home. They also want to make sure that we're not letting illegals in this country take advantage of the welfare programs that's costing us as citizens and taxpayers billions and billions of dollars. So there's, you know, there's a housing bill that we still need to find agreement on. So a lot of work needs to be done. And the longer we wait, I think it just shows that we are not sensing the urgency that the American people are sensing right now. They're still coming out of a very tough inflationary period that is causing many people to still live paycheck to paycheck or just to get ahead. And we need to show the same urgency that we're trying to help them as well. We appreciate you joining us and sharing your insights. Marlon Stutzman, thank you, Congressman. Thank you. Thanks for having me. And Representative Sheila Schiffelis McCormick has resigned from Congress. The Florida Democrats resignation follows a House ethics investigation. House Ethics Committee found Schiffelis McCormick committed 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards, including breaking campaign finance laws. Committee members had been considering what punishment to impose ahead of her resignation. Republicans had already called for her expulsion. Schiffelis McCormick is also facing federal criminal charges, accusing her of stealing five million dollars in COVID disaster relief funds. Schiffelis McCormick denies these allegations, and she has pleaded not guilty. The Florida Democrat released a statement this afternoon calling the ethics investigation a witch hunt. And coming up, Fed nominee Kevin Warsh in the hot seat today, facing tough questions from lawmakers over inflation and political independence. Arlene Richards has the highlights. And an investigative journalist named best author of the year for his exposé on the Chinese Communist Party's horrific crime of forced organ harvesting. How the regime turns human lives into massive profits. Kids love it. Parents trust it. Obviously. Explore GJW plus kids series and gone deal 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. Subscribe today at GJW plus kids where learning meets fun. So at the age of five, I was sexually molested. I had my first child at the age of 15 and became homeless at the age of 16. The scariest part about not having a place to live was having a child and not having a place to live and not knowing where our meal was going to come from and where we're going to sleep to be homeless as a teen. I didn't ask for that. No young person should ever have to worry about having a safe place to sleep at night or a warm meal to eat or whether anyone cares about them. One in 10 young adults will experience a form of homelessness this year and that's unacceptable. But the good news is there is an organization making a big difference. Covenant House. Call or go online now for a gift of only $19 a month, just 63 cents a day. You can provide hot meals, safe shelter, medical care, and love to more than 2,000 young people who sleep at a Covenant House every night. For over 50 years, Covenant House has been helping youth in crisis. It was pretty tough, but Covenant House really helped me and really helped mold me into the woman I am today. Call or go online right now to safeplacetosleep.org with your gift of just $19 a month. With your monthly donation, you'll receive this soft, comforting blanket as a reminder of the warmth and safety your gift will provide a young person tonight. I have no words to express how Covenant House changed my life. They gave me the love that I needed. They just really genuinely just wanted to help me succeed and I'm succeeding. Your $19 monthly gift is urgently needed to reach other young people who are facing unimaginable situations. Call or go online to safeplacetosleep.org. Your support makes the work of Covenant House possible. Thank you for caring. Welcome back to Antity Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. Inflation, interest rates, and Fed independence are front and center today as President Trump's nominee for Federal Reserve Chair, Kevin Warsh, faces lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Antity's Arlene Richards has the details. Ms. Kevin Warsh, thank you for being with us today. A key economic voice in the hot seat on Capitol Hill, Kevin Warsh, facing tough questions during a high-stakes confirmation hearing. Once you let inflation take hold in the economy, it's more expensive and harder to bring it down. Hardworking Americans are no doubt feeling it. Warsh saying inflation is less severe than some years ago and calling for broader policy changes to bring costs down. But not everyone is convinced. Senator Elizabeth Warren pushing Warsh on whether he would stay independent from the president. I need to know. I need to measure your independence and your courage. Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago. That's not the question I'm asking. I'm asking, did Donald Trump lose in 2020? And I'm suggesting you in 2020, the Fed made a huge inflation problem, and you certified the election. So let me ask you another question. Others were concerned about interest rate cuts and whether politics could influence those decisions. Reviewing your record, I am concerned that your position on interest rates seems to shift with what's politically convenient rather than based on sound economic judgment. The president of the United States, in that job interview, did not ask you to cut interest rates. He didn't ask for it. He didn't demand it. He didn't require it. And nor would I have ever done so. President Trump weighing in Tuesday addressing interest rates. I've been in favor of interest rate rises to stop inflation. I think it sort of is effective. And praising his nominee. I think Kevin's great. He's really, he's central casting in a true sense. I think he's going to do a great job. Trump added, on the other hand, lower interest rates would reduce borrowing costs for the government, boost economic growth, and ease the burden on American families and businesses. Something he's touted before. Retiring Republican Senator Tom Tillis vowing to block the confirmation. The problem that I have here is that we had some U.S. attorney with a dream or assistant U.S. attorney thinking it would be cute to bring Chair Powell under an investigation. We have got to end this investigation. Big DOJ didn't know about it. The president didn't know about it. Let's get rid of this investigation so I can support your confirmation. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Tillis can prevent Walsh from being approved by the panel for a full confirmation vote, leaving the nomination in limbo and Powell in charge of the Fed. Last week, President Trump acknowledging that Tillis might not confirm Walsh. I know Tom Tillis. He's a good man. I don't think he's going to hurt. I know he said what he said and maybe it's true, in which case I'll have to live with it. If confirmed, Walsh would play a major role in shaping the country's economic policy. Arlene Richards, NTD News. And Walsh says economists need to refocus on the underlying inflation rate. Could we benefit from rethinking how we measure inflation? Analysis tonight on Capitol Report at 7 p.m. Eastern time. In plans to modernize the country's air traffic control system, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy laying out the scale of the overhaul earlier today. This is going to take 10 million labor hours across manufacturing and installation and integration of the system. We're going to use 50 different vendors, dozens of skilled trades from engineers to other trade entities. And we are going to have to work not in one location. We are going to have to work in 4,600 different locations across the country. So that's remarkable. All those vendors manufacturing across the United States. Duffy said his department and the FAA had already made significant progress converting 270 radio sites across the country. According to the Transportation Secretary, the effort has already led to 17 control towers transitioning from paper strips to electronic flight strips to keep track of aircraft. Duffy added that new systems have been installed at 54 airports to track planes on the tarmac. And California's race for governor remains wide open, with Republicans now leading in a new poll. The latest number showed a crowded field just weeks before the ballots are sent out. NDD's Christina Corona has the details and who residents are leaning toward. According to the California Democratic Party's latest voter index, two Republican candidates are at the top of the field for the next governor. Republican Steve Hilton leads at 17 percent, followed by Sheriff Chad Bianco at 14 percent, while Democrat Javier Becerra has jumped to 13 percent, tying with billionaire Tom Steyer and 20 percent of voters still undecided. There are about 60 candidates on the ballot, making this one of the most crowded races in the state. As for priorities, Hilton is focusing on cutting taxes, expanding homeownership and addressing homelessness. Bianco is prioritizing public safety, along with tackling affordability and housing. Javier Becerra jumped in the polls after Swalwell's exit, and he's focusing on health care, affordable housing and lowering costs. And Steyer is campaigning on affordability, education and housing. One resident shares why she is voting for Steve Hilton. I like the fact that he's looking into the economic part of the California and all of the different spending that has been going on. It's just been outrageously, incredibly ridiculous. Another resident said. Tom Steyer, he's made some mistakes in the past by investing with correction, private correction companies. And he immediately pulled his money out. He realized his mistake and he's trying to correct it, so. A governor's debate is set for Wednesday, April 22nd in San Francisco, featuring the six candidates polling above 5 percent. Christina Corona, NTD News. And an expose on the Chinese Communist Party's horrific human rights violations is now receiving widespread attention. Epoch Times senior editor Jan Jekielek has been named best author of the year for his new book, Killed to Order. The book details the Chinese Communist Party's state-sanctioned crime of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. Sam Wong has the details. Congratulations. At the French embassy in D.C. on Monday, the French Quarter magazine awarding his 2026 best author of the year to Jan Jekielek, Epoch Times senior editor and author of the new book, Killed to Order. Through decades of investigation, Killed to Order exposes the Chinese Communist Party's industrial-scale system of forced organ harvesting, a state-backed campaign that takes organs from living prisoners of conscience for profit. I didn't know much about the subject. I heard about it. I read about it. When I started reading the book, then it became an eye-opening for me. So I learned about organ harvesting through Jan when I had interviewed him for Lindell TV. And I had heard about it before, but never really broken down where listening to him speak about it made me really emotional. The whole issue of forced organ harvesting, in a sense, is almost like the forced abortions in China that were happening under the one-child policy, in that it's just so horrific that people don't want to believe it. Jan has done a masterful job at pulling together the evidence to show people that this is absolutely happening. One of the primary victims is Falun Gong, a spiritual practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Since 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in China have faced a brutal nationwide persecution campaign. Many have been arrested, tortured, and even killed for refusing to renounce their faith. This organ harvest, however, serves two purposes. One, obviously, as a form of punishment to the dissidents. On the other hand, there's also a utility of that, because the Communist Party nowadays is trying to make money. They have developed this into a great enterprise on money-making. By the early 2000s, hospitals in China were advertising organ transplant wait times of just two weeks, a timeline that is nearly impossible under ethical, voluntary donation systems. If somebody says they're going to China to get an organ, and they have been promised that they would get a heart or some other organ in two weeks, there's only one way for that to happen, and that is for them to execute a prisoner of conscience. On Capitol Hill, a bipartisan bill was recently introduced in the Senate to sanction those involved in forced organ harvesting. A similar bill has already passed the House and is now awaiting action in the Senate. Some attendees at the event are calling on the United States to take stronger action. I would think President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and a lot of others who should have this on their agenda should move and embrace it. I would be happy if the president brought up this issue when he finally has a summit with Xi. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Sam Wong, NTV News. And the book Killed to Order has hit the New York Times bestseller list. You can pick up a copy at your favorite bookseller, such as Amazon, or simply go to killedtoorder.com. Coming up, lawmakers clash on Capitol Hill over the Arctic Frost investigation. Hi to President Trump. Senators demanding accountability and pushing new limits on surveillance powers. Chris Bobb brings us the key takeaways. Have you heard what's happening at Mathis Home? Our spring style event is going on now. With hundreds of options for your new dining room, this 52-inch table is a great deal. It's just $4.99 in your choice of finishes. Mix and match chairs to complete the look that's just right for you. You can also get it with a marble top or in a larger size for extra seating. We have your style in stock now with fast, free delivery. Get your new dining room and save at your furniture superstore, Mathis Home. Are you sitting at home living in pain? Maybe it's in your hands, maybe your back or your hips. The good news is you don't need to live in pain. Why? Because there is Omega XL. A one-of-a-kind, natural, powerful joint relief supplement created from the green-lipped mussels of New Zealand. Drug-free, non-habit-forming, it's small, easy to swallow. And it's backed by more than 40 years of clinical research. If you're experiencing daily aches and pains due to aging and overuse, try Omega XL. Just ask anybody who uses it. The results are undeniable. I had a lot of joint pain and that slowed me down. I had considerable pain in my back. Really, really felt the pain, I mean, in my ankles and in my heels. I'm telling you about something that's gonna change your life. It has revived me. This works. I'm not a prisoner anymore to my pain. As I was getting older, my joints started to feel that wear and tear. But then I tried Omega XL and it changed my life. Today, I'm here at my ranch exercising some of my polo ponies. So as you get older, it gets tougher. I was starting to suffer some of that business. And then I ran into somebody who said, look, you should try Omega XL. And look what it's done. I feel better than I felt in the last 30 years. Omega XL gave me the ability to get back in the saddle. It works great. If you're in pain, I want you to know that there is real hope out there. I'm living proof. See the difference it can make in your life, just like it did in mine. Call now or order online to receive our special TV offer. Buy one bottle of Omega XL and get a second free. Plus, we'll also include a free bottle of Vitamin XL D3. Two free bottles for the price of one bottle of Omega XL. A total value of $115. You pay only $49.95 and it ships free. Plus, you get a money-back guarantee. Buy one, get two free. Call or go online right now. All day, it's what I do. But there are some things that are undebatable, like your mental health. I was in a dark place when my brother passed away in a car accident. I was depressed in ways I never imagined. I reached out and my sisters came, my pastor, my therapist. They helped me get through it. I found that the more I spoke up, the healthier my mind became. When you love your mind, you can go so much further. Find mental health resources at loveyourmindtoday.org. Welcome back to Antity Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today examining what Republicans call political coordination behind the Arctic Frost investigation that was tied to President Trump. Lawmakers raised concerns about federal agencies, surveillance, tactics, and potential legal violations. Antity's Chris Bobb brings us more. Prosecutor can't remember something 58 times. What does that tell you? I think the inference is that he's not telling the truth. Republican senators opened the hearing titled Arctic Frost, conspiracy and coordination against President Trump and the American right, questioning whether investigators misled the public and whether the probe was politically motivated. Former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark told lawmakers he became a target. There was a pre-dawn raid on your home with 12 agents who ransacked your home for three and a half hours. Is that right? That's also correct. And they took computers that had nothing to do with my legal work. Clark said the investigation led to years of legal battles and millions in legal costs after drafting a memo that was never carried out. Lawmakers also focused on the use of non-disclosure orders to obtain phone records, including from members of Congress. Many have argued those NDOs like violated, likely violated existing federal law. Are there additional steps that we need to take to reform existing law or create new ones to better protect all Americans from NDOs being used in a politicized or an improper manner? You can't force senators to speak, members of the House to speak without their consent. Witnesses rejected claims that politics played no role in the investigation. The entire name of the operation Arctic Frost indicates that it was political. Why? And it was changed to that name? Because it's a type of orange. They also pointed to what they described as a broader web of coordination across agencies and prosecutors. Does this look like some isolated law enforcement effort? Does this look like a coordinated attempt to take down a chief political rival and anybody that had any support for him? The fact that the National Archives was consulting with the White House counsel's office on how to get documents to the FBI, the fact that you had coordination between Bragg's office and the Department of Justice, it was very much tainted by political interests. Democrats pushed back, calling for special counsel Jack Smith to testify directly. All these questions and all these charges about Jack Smith. Where's Jack Smith? Following the hearing, I spoke to a House lawmaker who questioned Jack Smith previously in the House Judiciary Committee. We had Jack Smith before the committee. I was in the depositions as well as in the public testimony. Very difficult individual to really, I think, be able to kind of get him to open up. Fitzgerald says concerns over surveillance tools are now driving legislation in the House. How can we make sure this doesn't happen again? I, myself, being a subject of it as well, I know the net that was cast was way too broad. I have the bill actually myself, and we are hopeful to get that to the floor of the House. A proposal called the Non-Disclosure Order Fairness Act would limit how those orders are used and expand oversight. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Chris Bobb, NTD News. And top military commanders testifying at a Senate Armed Services hearing pointing to the increasing military threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. They also say the U.S. success in the conflict in Iran is actually helping the U.S. to deter China's military aggression. The Indo-Pacific is the defining strategic theater of the 21st century. Our strategy is clear to deny China from achieving its objectives through military aggression, to deter it. China is the leader of the axis of aggressors. The PLA now feels the world's largest navy. Its nuclear triad is growing at a breathtaking pace. In the next five years, I expect China's nuclear arsenal to nearly double. What lessons do you think the Chinese have learned from Operation Epic Fury? I think they're impressed by the operational acumen that's been demonstrated. There's no substitute for prevailing on the battlefield, so I could not be more stronger in favor of the operation that's ongoing in CENTCOM right now. And the success of that is very important for deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Dozens of members of Congress from both parties and both chambers are calling on Taiwan to pass its largest-ever $40 billion special defense budget to counter a potential invasion from China. But the opposition party in Taiwan, the KMT, which is widely seen as more Beijing-friendly and currently controlling parliament, is boycotting sessions so that it cannot pass the defense package. A few months ago, the Trump administration approved a record $11 billion weapons sale to Taiwan. But without the KMT support, that is also stalled. That's while China runs nearly daily military drills around Taiwan. We can't want Taiwan's defense more than they want it itself. And it's not a chicken and the egg, because you're not going to get chicken or eggs if you starve the chicken. So it's very important for them to fund their own defense. We made the case that there were two reasons to pass it. One was to send a message to China, but also send a message to the American Congress, which is very supportive of Taiwan and would like to see this action taken. And Japan today unveiling its biggest overhaul of defense export rules in decades. The move scraps restrictions on overseas arms sales, and it opens the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons. Here's what we know so far. Japan is scrapping restrictions on its exports of weapons. The move marks a big step away from the pacifist restraints that have shaped its post-war security policy. It's also meant to give a big boost to the country's defense industrial base. Companies like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries can build complex weapons systems, including submarines, fighter aircraft and missiles. But for decades they've had to rely on one customer, Japan's self-defense forces. Now overseas sales could help such companies build revenue, cut costs and boost capacity. The changes approved by Prime Minister Sanae Takahichi's government retain a commitment to strict screening, controls on transfers to third countries and a ban on sales to nations involved in conflict. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara set out the changes on Tuesday. Today no country can safeguard its own peace and security on its own. To protect both national and regional peace, it is important to further promote the transfer of defense equipment and strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of allies and like-minded partners. Japan is already taking steps to bolster its military, increasing its spending and buying missiles, jets and drones to deter any threat from China. It's also developing a next-generation jet fighter with Britain and Italy for deployment in the mid-2030s. And as Operation Economic Fury continues, the U.S. has announced new sanctions on entities involved in purchasing weapons for the Iranian regime. In another development, the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group and Israel are now exchanging fire ahead of upcoming talks between Israel and Lebanon. Entity's Jason Perry has the details. During the ceasefire with Iran, the United States launched Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian regime. And one of the goals of Economic Fury is to target the networks that Iran uses to purchase missiles and attack drones. On Tuesday, the United States announcing new sanctions on 14 individuals, entities and aircraft which are based in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. accusing those entities of assisting Iran in purchasing or transporting weapons or weapons components on behalf of the Iranian regime. In a post on X, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said, Under President Trump's leadership as part of Economic Fury, Treasury will continue to follow the money and target the Iranian regime's recklessness and those who enable it. And in another development on Tuesday, the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group reportedly launched several rockets toward Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. Afterward, Israel said they struck the launcher from which the rockets were launched. Israel also reported intercepting an attack drone that was fired from Lebanon, and also striking terrorists who Israel said approached troops in a threatening manner and crossed what Israel calls the forward defense line in southern Lebanon. The fighting continues even though a ceasefire was agreed to between Israel and Lebanon. The United States is expected to host the second round of talks between the two countries on Thursday over the situation with Hezbollah. However, the Iran-backed group has opposed talks between Israel and Lebanon, and Lebanon's prime minister saying on Tuesday that his government would not allow itself to be intimidated by the terrorist group. However, Israel's ambassador to the U.N. explained that the Lebanese government is under pressure and threats from Iran. I will show you the one example. They decided to expel the Iranian ambassador from Beirut, a very clear decision. The ambassador is still in Beirut, very active there, trying to run the show instead of the Lebanese government. And he gave this message to the Lebanese government on how to deal with the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon. I would advise them, you know, to apply sovereignty, to be strong, and to take advantage of the situation that we created on the ground, that we have weakened Iran and Hezbollah today. Jason Perry, NCD News. And the Department of War announcing a policy change. Annual influenza vaccines are now no longer mandatory. Here's Secretary Pete Hegseth making the announcement on X Today. The notion that a flu vaccine must be mandatory for every service member everywhere in every circumstance at all times is just overly broad and not rational. Our new policy is simple. If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you're free to take it. You should. But we will not force you because your body, your faith and your convictions are not negotiable to your health. And a memorandum has been signed to formalize the change, taking effect immediately. The policy applies to active as well as reserve service members. It also includes civilian personnel in the department. The move follows earlier changes on COVID-19 vaccines, which were required between August 2021 and January of 2023. More than 8,000 service members were discharged for refusing to take the mandatory vaccines. Hegseth says that will not happen again. He says troops were forced to choose between conscience and country, adding that the new approach restores freedom and strength with the goal being to rebuild public trust in the military. Nutrition, vaccines and chronic disease all took center stage as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made his third trip to Capitol Hill in just a week. This time, he testified in back-to-back hearings in both the House and the Senate. NDD correspondent Jason Blair has more on that. We can reverse chronic disease, improve public health and lower costs. I stand ready to work with Congress and this committee. After two hearings last week, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was back on Capitol Hill discussing the 2027 HHS budget, as well as key topics like chronic disease vaccines and nutrition. We're going to identify the cause of chronic disease and how to eliminate the exposures that are generating this giant epidemic. I did not have any nutrition education in medical school. It came in nursing school. There are several bills in Congress for nutrition education in medical school. Would this be something that you'd support? Absolutely. The more that doctors know about the nutrition, the healthier our people are going to be. Now, too often we say that we have a health care system, but I personally believe that we have a sick care system. We have a sick care system where people get compensated more for keeping patients sick. And, you know, Medicare Advantage was supposed to be a template for outcome-based care. Fever services is not a way that we're going to get Americans healthy. Kennedy was also challenged on statements he made on vaccines. In 2000, we said we had eliminated measles in this country. It's back. You acknowledged it. Others have. You're hiring people that are vaccine skeptic health appointees, and they are spreading, quite frankly, lies about vaccine safety. I've always said for 20 years I'm not anti-vaccine. I just want the same kind of testing done for vaccines of safety testing. I don't think this religious belief that you have to say all vaccines are safe for everybody and anybody who disagrees with that is marginalized, vilified, and deplatformed. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, NTD News. And the Southern Poverty Law Center has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Alabama on multiple fraud charges. The Justice Department says the nonprofit paid members of extremist groups to stoke hatred rather than dismantle them, as it told donors. But one troubling example is that the S.P.L.C. was paying a member of the leadership group that planned the Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 that resulted in the death of one person and injured dozens more. This particular person being paid by the S.P.L.C. allegedly received approximately $270,000 over the course of eight years. And the group now faces 11 counts, including wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the group paid at least 3 million to eight individuals over nine years, many linked to the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi organizations. Blanche added that the group lied to its donors by misrepresenting how their money was being spent. In response, the group's CEO, Brian Fair, said the organization had used paid informants in the past to monitor threats of violence, but discontinued the practice. He said the method was kept private to protect the safety of its sources. The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded in 1971 to fight white supremacist groups through civil lawsuits. Critics have long accused the organization of straying from its original mission and unfairly labeling conservative groups as hate organizations. Coming up, Shen Yun Performing Arts takes theater-goers in cities across the U.S. on a journey through 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. We'll have the audience reactions next. Getting prescription glasses from Select Specs is easier than you might think. Select your frames from our six-pound range, in-house brands, or our extensive designer collections. Then enter, upload, or email your latest prescription, and our website will analyze it and help you select the best lenses and options to suit you. Click to place the order, and your new Select Specs glasses are delivered right to your door. Ordering your prescription glasses is as easy as 1, 2, C, with Select Specs at selectspecs.com. 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. If we can help you or someone you care for, call for your free product sample pack and $45 in money-saving coupons. Our counselors will help you choose the right product. And unlike stores, we're always in stock. You'll get what you need. Satisfaction guaranteed. HGIS, the better way. For your free sample pack with your free catalog, $45 in money-saving coupons, and free product samples, call 1-800-701-6159. That's 1-800-701-6159. There's a whirlwind of emotion and activity going on in this painting. And there's chaos all around and threat from below. The wolves surrounding her, and they're anything but unmoved. They're moving all the time, and we sense that. But this little girl remains unmoved. She's in quite a perilous situation. But she's completely strong and serene, and she's actually meditating. It was very, very well-liked because no matter what culture or what sort of walk of life you're from, I think people, they see it and they immediately understand what that energy, what that message is. And they're drawn to it because everybody kind of needs a little bit of that in their own life, of, you know, the steadfast calmness and something to hold on to. It's definitely an inner peace in the midst of something very chaotic. And for a lot of people right now, the whole world is very, very chaotic. So I guess that's another reason why so many people are very drawn to this. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. Shen Yun Performing Arts making their way across the U.S. with simultaneous stops in three U.S. cities over the weekend, bringing traditional Chinese culture to life on stage. NTD, a proud media sponsor for Shen Yun, has been covering audience reactions going back to 2006. Let's take a look at what some of the audiences had to say after watching the show. Shen Yun Performing Arts continuing its 20th anniversary tour in cities across the U.S. on April 19th with performances in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Portland, Oregon, and Baltimore, Maryland. Audience members were mesmerized by the skill and artistry of the dancers. The choreography was something like I've never seen before. And the stories, I understood them, the way they, the dancing, the music, just unbelievable. The performance is just unbelievable. The costumes are just amazing. And I know that it changes every year. I understand that the performers return, but everything, every year it is unique. Beautiful. It is unbelievably acrobatic. The dancing is so precise. The costuming is outstanding. Just remarkable. Shen Yun's mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture from before communism, a culture the Chinese regime has been trying to suppress since 1949. It's really shocking to see what is being conveyed through these stories about what's going on there. And it's, in today's environment here in the United States, it's even more relatable to see when religious belief is suppressed and freedom of speech is suppressed. So it's very sad to see that, but it's heartening to see people express that and to see the audience relate to that. It's really complex. It's not just what we see in the media necessarily, but there's such a rich cultural history behind it. And I've so enjoyed seeing all the different facets from the Monkey King to more contemporary stories and even within the planes towards Mongolia as well. I think there are so many facets to Chinese culture that I've been enjoying to see. Based in New York, Sheng has been touring the world since 2006 and presents themes of spirituality and compassion in each performance, values found at the core of traditional Chinese culture. Well, I think we're all by creation spiritual beings. So to leave that out, I think is a mistake. I think it's great that it's being addressed. I also think that it is still entertaining. It's still incredible, the artistry. So I don't think you have to have one without the other. It's a message of hope and that eternity is something we can all hope for. So I just thought that was such a beautiful message. I didn't expect that. It's that when you are willing to commit to something, it can lead to just such beautiful gifts and influence other people for good. And I think that that's what people would need to need to know is that it's not just all the, you know, the color and the day. There is a message there that builds from the beginning to the end. So I would definitely encourage people to see it. And I'll probably come back next year. I'd like to see that it's going to be different. So I think that'll be exciting to see. Sheng will be performing in Newark, New Jersey on April 29th through May 3rd. NTD News, New York. And California authorities have announced an update on the suspects involved in what was dubbed Operation Bear Claw. Three of four suspects in the L.A. area are now convicted in connection to an insurance fraud scheme. The California Department of Insurance uncovered the plot in 2024. Authorities say the group used a person in a bear suit to stage fake attacks on luxury vehicles. Then the suspects filed fraudulent damage claims, which included home video to sell their story in order to get an insurance check. The victimized insurance companies reported a total loss of nearly $142,000. And two men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentenced to 180 days in jail, along with restitution to be made. Preliminary court hearing for the fourth suspect is in September. And a fire department shares video of an electric wheelchair exploding and cautionary tips on battery safety. Florida homeowner avoided disaster involving a lithium battery, and fire officials want others to know why. The Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety Department shared video of the woman taking a used electric wheelchair she bought from a thrift store outside after she said she heard a clicking sound coming from its lithium battery pack. Moments later, the chair erupts into a huge fireball. Department shared important safety tips about lithium batteries, warning of overheating risks with improper charging devices, and saying small warning signs like hissing, popping, and clicking matter. Yikes. Stay safe out there. And that's all for today's news. But for around the clock original coverage, you can always visit us at ntd.com slash live or even better, use our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Cary Dunst. Good night.