NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 5)

Welcome to Entity Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump declaring the U.S. could do anything it wants to Iran as he says the regime wants a deal. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House briefing podium, warning Iran to quote, check themselves before they wreck themselves as Project Freedom reaches its second day. Mario Tsu with the latest. Tonight's Republican primaries are turning into high stakes proxy battles for the GOP's future control of Congress. In Indiana, seven state senators face challengers backed by President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance returns home to Ohio to vote in statewide races shaping the road to November. A fourth charge is added to the indictment against the alleged shooter at the White House correspondence dinner. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress planning to fund $1 billion in security upgrades for the proposed White House ballroom. Department of Education opens an investigation into Smith College and all women's college in Western Massachusetts for admitting men who identify as women. And the World Health Organization now says some human to human transmission may have occurred on board the cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak that has left three dead and several others ill. This is NTD Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. I'm Kerry Dunst. President Trump saying Iran wants a deal as he warns the U.S. could do anything it wants to the regime. That's as Secretary of State Mark Rubio warns Iran of total defeat if they don't agree to no nuclear weapons. We now go live to NTD's White House correspondent Mari Otsu at the North Lawn. Mari, good evening. What's happening? Hey, Kerry. Good evening to you. That's right. And President Trump is declaring the U.S. has all the leverage over the Iranian regime, saying that he could do anything he wants with them. And this is coming as Secretary Rubio is taking the podium in the White House briefing room today. That's as Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt is on maternity leave. Rubio declaring Operation Epic Fury concluded, saying that those goals have been reached while he's clarifying the goals of Project Freedom. That's that new American military operation to open the Strait of Hormuz and break Iran's blockade. Meanwhile, President Trump and the Pentagon today confirming that the ceasefire is holding. Take a look. What do they need to do to violate the ceasefire? Well, you'll find out because I'll let you know. They know what to do and they know what to do. They know what not to do, more importantly, actually. And, you know, they fired them in little boats with pea shooters, you know, the pea shooters, little boat. You know why? Because they don't have any boats anymore. This comes as the Pentagon says the ceasefire is not over. And as the White House declares the blockade alone, it's costing Iran as much as 500 million dollars a day in lost revenue. Our leverage on Iran will continue to increase and their position will continue to weaken, especially as the blockade really begins to divide in conjunction with the sanctions. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarifying the goals of Project Freedom as it's now on its second day. And the goal of it is to frankly, if you want to talk about it, it's to rescue like almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries that are trapped inside of the Gulf and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by this Iranian regime. They're trying to make this some new normal. Under no circumstances can we ever allow them to normalize the fact that they get to blow up commercial ships and put mines in the water. Rubio saying the entire world should join the U.S. in this condemnation and join in doing something about it. He's announcing that the U.S. with Bahrain and Gulf partners has drafted a U.N. Security Council resolution to defend freedom of navigation in the strait, demanding Iran cease attacks, mining and tolling while disclosing and removing sea mines. The resolution also supporting a humanitarian corridor and is expected to be voted on soon with broad international backing. The Secretary of State also echoing the Pentagon, clarifying Project Freedom is separate and This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation. What that means is very simple. There's no shooting unless we're shot at first. We're not attacking them. We're not. But if they are attacking us or they're attacking a ship, you need to respond to that. And as the Trump administration expands sanctions on Cuba's communist regime, Rubio declaring the island's leaders can't fix their economic model, calling it a failed regime and saying he will be addressing it. And the reason that I can't fix it is not just because they're communists. That's bad enough. But they're incompetent communists. The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent one. And that's what so incompetent communists run that country, a failed state that also happens to be friendly territory for some of our adversaries. This coming a week ahead of President Trump's Beijing trip, the secretary of state telling NTD what may be discussed, as he says, it's in China's interest that Iran stop closing the strait. Do you expect human rights concerns to be on the table? We always raise those issues. Those issues remain prominent in our view and in our conversation about these things. And it will continue to raise them. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also warning Iran of economic collapse and, quote, total defeat while threatening the regime that they should, quote, check themselves before they wrap themselves in the direction that they're going. Kerry, back to you. He's quoting Ice Cube now. Thanks for that update, Mari. And the U.S. continues Project Freedom to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian regime attacking its neighbors and even U.S. forces in some cases. NTD's international correspondent Arian Pasdar has the latest on the reopening of the crucial waterway. And the regime led by the IRGC is effectively attempting to hold the entire global economy hostage. General Dan Cain on Tuesday giving details about American efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He showed a map displaying Iranian attacks in the region. Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships. And they've attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point. He added that because of Iran's attacks, there are currently over 20,000 mariners on more than 1,500 commercial vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf. And the Islamic regime continues attacking its neighbors like Oman and the UAE. Cain says Iran launches cruise missiles, drones and even small boats with machine guns, which the U.S. defends against. On the surface, guided missile destroyers and other warships are detecting and defeating Iranian threats. This includes fast boats and one-way attack drones. In the air, more than 100 fighters, attack aircraft and other manned and unmanned aircraft synchronized by the 82nd Airborne Division, are in the air 24 hours a day providing defensive overwatch. He added that in total 15,000 American service members are currently working in the region. And a reporter asking the General and Secretary of War Pete Hexeth about reports saying Iran is using trained dolphins armed with explosives to block the Strait of Hormuz. Both officials gave lighthearted answers after hearing about the reports. I haven't heard the kamikaze dolphin thing. It's like sharks with laser beams, right? And I can't confirm or deny whether we have kamikaze dolphins, but I can confirm they don't. Back in 2000, the BBC reported that Iran bought dolphins that had been trained to kill for the Soviet Navy. So far, there is no confirmation that Iran ever used such a means of attack. Ariane Pastar, MTD News. Next, a new charge has been filed against the suspected shooter in last month's White House Correspondents' Dinner attack. Cole Allen now faces four federal charges after a grand jury in Washington, D.C. officially indicted him today. The new charge is assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Janine Pirro says surveillance video shows Cole Allen firing a shotgun at a Secret Service agent. A pellet from his shotgun was found intertwined with the fibers from the agent's vest. The other three charges Allen faces are attempted assassination of the president, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal transportation of a firearm and ammunition across state lines. Allen has not yet entered a plea. His next court hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 11th. And Republicans in Congress are planning to fund $1 billion for security upgrades at the proposed White House ballroom. The money is part of a larger bill to pay for ICE and Border Patrol. Senate Republicans released the bill late yesterday. It would designate the money for the U.S. Secret Service for, quote, security adjustments and upgrades related to President Trump's ballroom project. The bill says the money would support above ground as well as below ground security features. It also specifies that the money may not be used for non-security elements. The White House has said that the East Wing project would be heavily fortified, including bomb shelters, military installations, and a medical facility underneath the ballroom. The White House says private money would pay for the construction, but public money would be used for the security measures. Democrats have said they will oppose any efforts to pay for the ballroom. The proposed funding comes after a man, of course, as we heard, was charged with trying to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last week. And primary elections across Indiana as well as Ohio are helping define the Republican Party's direction, featuring candidates that are aligned with President Trump's agenda and setting the stage for key midterm battles that could determine control of Congress. And today's Chris Bobb has more as the polls are set to close very shortly in both states. In Indiana, a series of Republican state Senate districts is drawing national attention. This comes after lawmakers last year voted down a proposal to redraw congressional districts, an effort supporters said would have strengthened Republicans' position in the U.S. House. Now seven of the Republican state senators who opposed the plan are on the ballot, facing primary challengers backed by President Trump. Millions have been spent across these races. Among those closely watched, State Senator Spencer Deary is seeking re-election in District 23 against Trump-endorsed Paula Copenhaver, who positions herself as embodying true conservative values. We deserve a state senator who fights for true conservative values. I'm proudly endorsed by President Trump, Senator Banks, and Attorney General Todd Rikeda. Another key contest features former Vice President Mike Pence-endorsed state Senator Jim Buck facing a President Trump-backed challenger, Tracy Powell. President Trump believes in this campaign, and I believe in you. Get to the polls on or before May 5th. In neighboring Ohio, attention is turning to races that will shape competitive general election matchups. Entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, backed by President Trump, is expected to secure the Republican nomination for governor. He is likely to face Democrat Amy Acton in November, as term-limited Governor Mike DeWine prepares to leave office. The Ohio primary brought Vice President J.D. Vance back home, where he cast his ballot Tuesday morning, confirming to reporters that he was voting for Ramaswamy. I'm sorry? Are you voting for the next president? Yes. And in Ohio's U.S. Senate race, the sole Republican on the primary ballot is incumbent Senator John Husted, who was appointed to the seat previously held by Vice President J.D. Vance. Once we win today, we're going to have a challenge over the next six months. We face a 32-year incumbent, Senator Sherrod Brown. Husted expected to face former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in a contest that could help determine control of the chamber. With narrow Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, these primaries are helping shape the candidates, priorities, and momentum heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Chris Bobb, NTD News. And redistricting battles are picking up steam across the country in Tennessee, Alabama, and New York. They're taking action following the Supreme Court's recent Louisiana ruling that limits race-based districts. Meanwhile, the high court stepping in yesterday to allow its decision to take effect immediately, NTD's Arlene Richards brings us more. Redistricting fights are ramping up nationwide, playing out in state houses and meeting rooms after the Supreme Court's ruling last week that limits how race can be used to draw electoral maps. And on Monday, the court made clear the decision takes effect immediately. In Tennessee, lawmakers meeting on Tuesday for a special session to redraw the state's congressional map. They're looking to add a Republican-leaning district. In Alabama, legislators are meeting in a special session considering proposals that could trigger new primary elections if federal courts allow the state to toss out court-ordered maps. 78 members of the answer roll quorum is present and the House is ready to transact business. That effort could wipe out one of the state's two congressional districts currently held by Democrats. And in New York, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries launching a new redistricting initiative Monday called the New York Democracy Project. He's calling on the state to redraw its congressional lines in response to the Supreme Court decision. Governor Kathy Hochul echoing that message Tuesday after meeting with a committee ranking member, Joe Morelli. I know our legislature is prepared to work together with all of us in a concerted effort to fight back with everything we have. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's decision could continue its impact nationwide as states weigh next steps and legal challenges move forward. Arlene Richards, NTD News. Next, the Department of Education has opened a Title IX investigation into Smith College over its admissions policy. Smith is an all-women's college in western Massachusetts. And like most other women's colleges in the U.S., it admits men who identify as women. In a statement released Monday, the Department of Education said it was investigating Smith for admitting, quote, biological men. The department also says Smith granted the transgender students access to, quote, women-only spaces including dormitories, bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams. Smith College says it is fully committed to its institutional values, including compliance with civil rights laws, and does not comment on pending government investigations. And the Education Department is investigating Smith College, as we just heard, for admitting transgender individuals. And that includes access to the bathrooms, to dorms, and to sports. We're going to have a panel discussion tonight on that on Capitol Report with Steve Lance at 7 p.m. Eastern. Next, President Trump revealed a new name and logo for what is now called National Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Redesign comes following a social media post that suggested changing the name of the federal agency so that ICE agents would become NICE agents. The president responded to the post saying, great idea, do it. And coming up, Pennsylvania suing an AI company saying it's illegally practicing medicine in the state. The lawsuit says the company's chatbots pose as real doctors, Jason Perry reports. And new details are emerging about the suspect in the Palisades fire case. What prosecutors say Jonathan Rinder-Necht searched for online weeks before the fire, and how the defense is responding, Christina Corona brings us more. And a New York state congressman is targeting hidden fees in food delivery apps. He's introduced a bill to make pricing show up before checkout and ban the practice known as surveillance pricing. And today, Sean Marshall has more. You are not hidden, there's never been a moment you were forgotten. You are not hopeless, you have been broken, your innocence stolen. I hear your whistle, it's your whistle. I send out an army to find you in the middle of the dark. Tonight it's true, I will rescue you. On streets across America, young people are homeless, abused, in danger. Covenant House is helping young people with nowhere else to turn, but the need is overwhelming. 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 to more than 2,000 young people who sleep at a Covenant House every night. Homeless young people are afraid and alone. Your monthly donation right now will show them they are loved and safe. I have no words to express how Covenant House changed my life. Call or go online now and give just $19 a month. We'll send you this comforting blanket as a reminder of the difference you're making in a young person's life. Call or go online now to safeplacetosleep.org. It's finally here, our second annual mega sale. This sale only comes around once a year, so take advantage of the best offers ever while you can. For example, save 50% on our Giza Dream bedsheets, as low as $29.98. And for the first time ever on TV, MyPillow mattresses and MyPillow mattress stoppers as low as $99.98. And you save 50% on our Luxe Pure six-piece towel sets, regular $69.98, now only $39.98. And our best-selling standard, MyPillows, regular $49.98, on sale for $17.98, mega sale only $14.98. So go to MyPillow.com or call the number on your screen, use this promo code to take advantage of our second annual mega sale. But wait, there's more. To make the mega sale even more special, when you order right now, your order's going to ship absolutely free. Welcome back to Entity Evening News, I'm Cary Dunst. New court filings are revealing more insight into what prosecutors say motivated the suspect in the deadly Palisades fire. Investigators point to Jonathan Rindernext's alleged comments, online activity, and personal struggles leading up to the blaze. Entity's Christina Corona tells us more. Federal prosecutors say the man accused of sparking the deadly Palisades fire in 2025 was fueled by anger, personal turmoil, and what they describe as resentment toward the wealthy. Jonathan Rindernext, a 29-year-old former Uber driver, has pleaded not guilty to starting the January 2025 wildfire that killed 12 people and tore through Pacific Palisades and Malibu. Investigators say he first ignited a smaller fire on New Year's Day known as the Lockman fire, one that burned underground before flaring back up days later into a massive blaze. In new court filings, prosecutors say Rindernext showed signs of growing frustration in the days leading up to the fire. Passengers who rode with Rindernext on New Year's Eve described him as angry, intense, and mad at the world, saying he ranted about capitalism, wealth, and violence. The court filings also claim he referenced Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing healthcare executive Brian Thompson, and search phrases like free Luigi and let's kill all billionaires weeks before the fire. Prosecutors say when asked why someone might target a wealthy area like Palisades, Rindernext allegedly pointed to resentment, saying people feel enslaved by the rich. They argue those comments, along with personal issues including a recent breakup, helped show a possible motive. However, Rindernext's attorney says there's no direct evidence tying him to the fire, no eyewitnesses, no surveillance video, and no physical proof of arson. The defense points to what they say could be failures by the L.A. Fire Department, citing that hotspots from that initial fire may not have been fully put out. The department has now launched an independent review. Rindernext's trial is set to begin June 8th. Christina Corona, NTD News. And a New York lawmaker is turning his focus to hidden fees in food and grocery delivery apps, looking to ban surveillance pricing, as it's called. NTD's Sean Marshall has more. U.S. Representative Dan Goldman of New York believes consumers should know all about the hidden costs up front, before checkout, when using food and grocery delivery apps. He's introduced the Promoting Real-Time Information on Cost Expenditure Bill, or Price Act, legislation. I think the Price Act does a few good things, which is that it requires that I don't need to go to the final step to see what the full price is, right? And this is something similar in other industries. Concert tickets is one that comes to mind, right? There's been a lot of outcry about, why is my concert ticket, like, double the price by the time I get to the point where I have to put my credit card in? I think where this Price Act really falls short is that it doesn't cap the fees. So if delivery apps, you know, are still able to charge you double the price or triple the price and still able to add on, like, five or six fees in the line item pricing, then that doesn't really help consumers or Americans who are looking to use these apps. So I think, really, there should be a cap on the number of fees or on the percentage of fees that these platforms are allowed to charge you. Representative Goldman wants to ban these apps from engaging in exploitative surveillance pricing. His bill says these practices harm consumers by making it virtually impossible to comparison shop and by hindering competitive markets. Surveillance pricing is something that Americans should definitely be concerned about for a variety of reasons. It ultimately really gives the platforms a lot of power, because, like you mentioned, they have access to where you are, what you buy. They can put you into a demographic box if they think that you can pay more, not just because you have more purchasing power, but because you may be in a situation where you're categorized as a desperate user. Hidden fees don't only affect the consumers. They can also have effects on the food businesses in the apps. There can be a distrust between that, where users feel like restaurants are upcharging the food pricing, and sometimes the pricing upcharges, you know, double the price. It can be 30 percent higher, 50 percent higher. Sometimes it's a pretty substantial increase. Ultimately, the restaurants are the ones we're often still losing out. Restaurants are still barely meeting their margin requirements, and restaurants are always – restaurants are already operating on quite thin margins in the United States. The Price Act requires delivery apps to show consumers the total running all-in price of their order as items are added to their carts. It also requires that the apps include, prior to checkout, a clear breakdown that prominently displays the ongoing total purchase amount, along with an explanation of each fee. The bill additionally bans food delivery apps from engaging in surveillance pricing, an exploitative pricing strategy where companies use personal data, including location, browsing history, device type, and shopping habits, to set individualized prices. Sean Marshall, NTD News. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing The New York Times over alleged discrimination in its employment practices. The agency says the newspaper allegedly passed over a qualified white male employee for promotion because of his race and gender. In a federal lawsuit filed in Manhattan today, the agency accuses The Times of illegal discrimination dating back to at least October 2024. The lawsuit cites the paper's annual diversity and inclusion reports, which tracked staff demographics by race and sex and set explicit goals to increase the number of Black, Latino, and female employees. The complaint also references internal slack communications between newsroom executives. The New York Times called the lawsuit, quote, meritless. Next, Elon Musk agreeing to pay the Securities and Exchange Commission over his purchase of Twitter as he settles a civil lawsuit. Here's more on that. Elon Musk has settled the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit against him for a $1.5 million fine. The suit accuses the world's richest person of waiting too long in 2022 to disclose his initial purchases of shares in Twitter, now known as X. Under the settlement disclosed Monday, a trust in Musk's name will pay the fine. The Tesla chief did not admit wrongdoing and won't have to give up any of the $150 million he allegedly saved from the delay. Now, the settlement requires approval by U.S. District Judge Sparkal Subnanan, who in February rejected Musk's bid to dismiss the case. The SEC declined to comment. In its lawsuit, the regulator said Musk's 11-day delay in revealing his initial 5% Twitter stake led him by more than $500 million of shares at artificially low prices before he finally revealed a 9.2% stake. Musk called the delay inadvertent and accused the SEC of violating his free speech rights by targeting him. The case is separate from a civil suit where a San Francisco jury in March held Musk liable And Pennsylvania is suing an AI company saying it's illegally practicing medicine in the state. The lawsuit accuses the company's chatbots as posing as real doctors. And today's Jason Perry brings us more. which is the company behind Character AI, accusing the company of deceiving users into thinking they are getting medical advice from a real doctor. The court documents say an investigator created an account on Character AI and then posed as a patient with depression. And while chatting with a chatbot named Emily, who claimed to be a doctor of psychiatry, the chatbot then said it went to medical school in London and had been practicing medicine for seven years. Emily also claimed to be licensed to practice medicine in the state of Pennsylvania and it provided a license number. However, the number does not appear to be valid. The state of Pennsylvania is now asking Character Technologies to stop its chatbots from quote engaging in the unlawful practice of medicine and surgery. In a statement, a Character AI spokesperson declined to discuss the lawsuit, but said they post disclaimers to inform users that characters on its website are not real people. I think that we do want to show these companies that you are not above the law just because you're not a human being. I spoke with Star Cashman, a founding partner of Cyber Law Firm, and she said she doesn't think posting a disclaimer is enough to protect users from these services because they may have mental health struggles, disabilities or other factors. I'd like to compare it to Google or search engine where there's a difference in Google coming up with resources that might be linked to actual trained professionals, maybe research articles versus putting forth to the public that you yourself are a trained professional. I think that we should not be having chatbots purporting to be mental health professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists or any kind of doctor. And she explained that there are laws in each state that prevent people from practicing medicine without a license because it's a danger to the public. And it should certainly be the same, if not even a higher standard for AI and these tech companies because they do have ulterior motives. And that's something that the average public does not think of. She added that the same way a person who practices medicine without a license would be arrested. She said we should protect the public from AI chatbots doing the same. Jason Perry, NCD News. Next, the World Health Organization now says some human to human transmission may have occurred on board the cruise ship hit by a Hantavirus outbreak. It's left three people dead and several others ill. The ship left Argentina last month on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, stopping off at some of the world's most remote islands. I'm currently on board the MV Hadius and what's happening right now is very real for all of us here. A terrifying reality for almost 150 people, including 17 Americans, stranded on a cruise ship off the coast of West Africa. Strict health and safety procedures are currently in place, including isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring. We're not just a story. We're not just headlines. We're people. The World Health Organization says they have confirmed two cases of Hantavirus with five more suspected. Three people, a Dutch couple and German national, have died. While the disease is commonly transmitted from rodent to human, one variant found in Argentina and Chile does transfer human to human. We do know that some of the cases have had very close contact with each other and certainly human to human transmission can't be ruled out. Right now, health authorities are working to evacuate the two symptomatic crew members so they can receive proper medical care. Contact tracing has also begun to track possible exposure. Based on the current information and what we know about previous outbreaks, WHO assesses the overall risk to the public as low. As for the ship, it will soon sail to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities will conduct a full epidemiological investigation and full disinfection. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity and to get home. I'm Colin Jeffrey reporting. Coming up, the closure of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines left thousands unemployed and many travelers stuck on a current or future trip. We'll speak with economist Jeffrey Tucker for analysis. And separatist organizers in the Canadian province of Alberta say they've gathered enough support to push for a vote on breaking away from Canada. And the Chinese consulate pressuring Vancouver city officials to cancel a dance performance, the latest in the Chinese regime's attempts to stop Shen Yun performing arts in a brazen act of foreign interference. Here you go. Thank you. When I arrived in the U.S. at 19, I struggled to find job opportunities without a high school diploma. My name is Ariel and my entire life changed when I took a chance and I got my high school diploma at age 22. Everything I have, my education, my career, my marriage, I owe to the adult literacy center and my teachers. They were with me every step of the way, helping with my English and math, making sure I pushed through all the challenges. Your achievement has set an example for so many students. Most importantly, your daughter. Education was the key that allowed all my opportunities. When you graduate, they graduate. Visit finishyourdiploma.org to find free and supportive adult education centers near you. Welcome back to Entity Evening News. I'm Kerry Dunst. The abrupt folding of budget airline Spirit left 17,000 workers unemployed and many travelers stranded or in the lurch for upcoming travel plans. Joining us for post-mortem is former Spirit airline customer and fan Jeffrey Tucker, who is also the founder and president of the Brownstone Institute, as well as a senior economic columnist for the Epoch Times. Jeffrey, good evening. Thank you for joining. My condolences to you on the loss of your preferred airline. Why did you love Spirit so much and what, in your view, led to its demise? Well, I'm not a big fan of commercial flying. In any case, between the security checks, the long lines, the unpredictability of security, just everything about it is just kind of miserable. I don't even like airports that much. But the great thing is that Spirit decided to strip away all the pretend luxury and just give you the basics. They gave you the chair to sit in to get you from here to there, and they rewarded you with good prices. So I always chose Spirit over every other airline. It seemed to be more real, just like, take your lumps. You decided to fly. Now you're just going to have to deal with the results. The other thing is I thought they had a really good record on delays and cancellations. I always had great luck with Spirit. So I always chose them over every other airline. Now, the reason they finally went out of business is a real tragedy. There were many factors, including higher fuel prices. The lockdowns during COVID didn't help matters. There's a lot of competition. But back in 2023 and 2024, there was a real chance they could have merged with JetBlue, taking two smaller airlines and making them into one. The Biden administration sued, actually, to prevent that in court, and a judge ruled against the merger, and therefore leaving Spirit to just twist in the wind and finally die. The rationale under which the merger was denied was that this was so amazing. What the Biden administration said and what the judge said was that their prices were so great that they were keeping the airline prices competitive. So we need them in the markets as a single carrier, continuing to drive down prices for consumers. Well, that's a nice thing to say, except they're not in the markets anymore. And now you're going to see airline prices, and they already have gone way up if you've tried to fly in the last couple of weeks. We're seeing a huge difference. So Spirit was competitive. They would have remained competitive if they had just been allowed to simply merge. I completely disagreed with this decision. The Biden administration should have never brought the case, and the judge should have never granted the Biden administration's position that this merger wouldn't have gone through. As a result, fares are going to be higher than ever, and we as consumers have less choice than we've ever had before. And Jeffrey, in your op-ed, you reference economist Hayek. Can you remind our audience who he is and why his economic views can be applied in this instance, as well as the other examples you give in education, as well as health care? Yeah, he was writing about 75 years ago, and his slogan that he sort of popularized within the economics profession is that the market and competition is an ongoing process, not an end state. And it's a big mistake for regulators just to take a snapshot of industrial structure at any one moment. And stand on the outside of it and say, OK, this is competitive. This is not competitive. You can't really do that because in a vibrant marketplace, things are always changing. You can have a single sector with six providers, and then two, and then one, and suddenly 30. You just don't know where the market is going. It's a kind of presumption of knowledge to think that you do. So he pounded this point home. And in my article, I give other examples of how government intervention has actually, in the name of preserving competition, has actually harmed competition. I give the example of the education sector. And another one that we face today is the health care sector, which is getting ever more consolidated and with ever less competition, all in the name of preserving competition. So the more government gets involved in these kind of industrial structures, the worse it becomes for consumers. I would say that's just nearly a universal rule. At least I can't right offhand think of any exception to it. I think government needs to stop involving itself in these kinds of interventions that prevent mergers and acquisitions and just let the market take care of it. They'll always give you better results than central planners from the outside. Yeah, you mentioned Mabel and you also mentioned standard oil. Are there no examples of a good government intervention that prevented a complete price-fixing monopoly, in your view? Yeah, you know, all the examples I can think of are things you come up with in your head. Like, you can imagine circumstances under which such and such sector could become better under the right conditions. The problem is, in every real-world case, it always turns out that the industry itself exercises the lion's share of influence over what the FTC and the Justice Department does with regard to antitrust. And that's been true ever since the 1906 meatpacking case, which was brought by the meatpackers themselves. So quite often, industry puts its hand on the scales and takes away the objectivity from regulators. This is a kind of a constant critique of antitrust policy that we've seen all the way back to the work of Judge Bork. And it seems universally true. As far back as we can look in time, it's never really worked out to the benefit of the market process or consumers in the long run. I can just rattle off so many cases. I mean, the Microsoft case would be a good one by the time it was settled. The technology that they were litigating over didn't hardly matter anymore. This is typically the way government goes about things. The Spirit case makes me particularly sad because you had an easy merger here that would have created a viable airline that would have continued to price things in a good way for consumers, offering people like me no-frills options. I don't like frills, and I don't like to pay money. So I like the no-frills option. But now you're paying more money for frills. Then what is the future of budget air travel in your view with this major player now off the table? I'm afraid it doesn't look good right now. We're going to see more and more consolidation, ever higher prices. It's pretty sad. We have fewer options than we've ever had before. It's such a difficult industry to get in, so capital intensive. Now, there was a moment here that Trump administration tried to work out a deal. They could not get the liquidity providers, the lenders to the airline to agree with the government's plan. What Trump wanted to do was say that if the airline becomes profitable again, that the profit should flow to the taxpayers. But the people who were lending money to the airline for expansion would not agree to that. Well, it's certainly a loss. We did see it work out with the Intel case, preserving an iconic American brand. In this case, it doesn't look like that was able to save it in the 11th hour. Jeffrey Tucker, thank you so much for sharing your insights and joining us this evening. Thank you for having me. And next, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says it's in China's best interest to tell Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. This while President Trump's trip to China appears to still be on track. Trump says he plans to bring up Jimmy Lai during his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Lai is, of course, the founder of pro-democracy media company Apple Daily, and has been imprisoned by the Chinese regime since 2020. NTD correspondent Jason Blair brings us more on that. It is in China's interest that Iran stop closing the straits. It's harming China as well. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he hopes that China can tell Iran that they should stop, quote, trying to hold hostage the global economy by keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed. China is an export driven economy. That means they depend on other countries to buy from them. Well, you can't buy from them if you can't ship it there, and you can't buy from them if your economy is being destroyed by what Iran is doing. And U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant also urges China to persuade Iran to open the strait to international shipping. Let's see them step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait. Besant went on to say that China is a large financer of Iran. Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism, and China has been buying 90% of their energy, so they are funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism. President Trump says he will bring up China's political prisoner, Jimmy Lai, when he meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China. There's a little bitterness, I would say, with him and Jimmy Lai. You know, Hong Kong was not as easy, but I will be bringing him up. Lai is the founder of the former media outlet Apple Daily. Apple Daily operated in Hong Kong, where Lai lived, and was often critical of the Chinese regime. Lai was arrested in 2020 after the CCP violated its agreement with the UK and took back control of Hong Kong. Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2025. Despite an earlier postponement, it appears that the president's trip to China to meet with Xi is going to happen. And I'm going to go see President Xi in two weeks. I look forward to that. It'll be a very important trip. This will be President Trump's second visit to China since 2017 during his first presidential term, and Trump's second in-person meeting with Xi during this term. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, NTD News. And next, officials from the Chinese consulate met with Vancouver city officials last month to pressure them not to allow Shen Yun to perform. The attempts were unsuccessful and the performance went ahead as planned, but it's just a snapshot of China's attempts to stop a dance company from performing in free countries. NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley brings us more on that. This goes directly against national and international law. Officials from the Chinese consulate pressured a Vancouver city official last month to not allow Shen Yun to perform at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, a city-owned venue. It's the latest attempt by the Chinese Communist Party to interfere with the New York-based dance company that performs under the tagline China before communism. Now, there was never a doubt in our minds that theatres here in Canada were being pressured by the Chinese Communist Party to cancel Shen Yun. But now we have the smoking gun. The report was first made known by Global News, citing anonymous sources, but a spokesperson for the city later confirmed this to our sister media, the Epoch Times. Chinese and city officials discussed a range of cultural topics, including Shen Yun. The spokesperson wouldn't say what Chinese officials were asking for specifically regarding Shen Yun, but sources who spoke to the Global News said that the consulate wanted the shows canceled. The former mayor of Vancouver says he's never seen this kind of foreign interference in his city. Taking potshots at politicians is one thing, but starting to infiltrate within the civil service and directly intimidating civil servants is, I haven't heard of that before. So this is perhaps an emboldened move by the consulate. Now, this fits a years-long global pattern. Chinese consulates in Chicago, London, Madrid, Thailand and elsewhere have issued demands and letters to venues and local governments to block Shen Yun. Other tactics include hundreds of hoax bomb and death threats, some traced to China, slashed tour bus tires, smear campaigns and even bribery attempts. In 2024, two Chinese agents were sentenced to prison for attempting to bribe an IRS agent to investigate Shen Yun. Vancouver police traced a recent bomb threat to a China-based number, but the shows went ahead as planned. Toronto canceled six shows, later rescheduling, over similar threats from the same email address in which the sender called the Chinese Communist Party his motherland. Shen Yun was formed in 2006 to revive traditional Chinese culture, a culture diminished under communist rule. Why is a self-called global power afraid of a dance company? Because Shen Yun showcases a wonderful China before communism and exposes human rights abuses that the Communist Party has spent decades hiding from the world. And despite this growing pressure, Shen Yun continues to perform for audiences worldwide. Reporting by Jack Bradley, NTD News. Next, separatist organizers in the Canadian province of Alberta say they've gathered enough support to push for a vote on breaking away from Canada. A petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures was delivered on Monday to elections officials with the Canadian province. The Stay Free Alberta petitioners claim they have more than 300,000 names. That's well above the threshold needed to trigger consideration of a referendum on separation. Supporters rallied outside, calling it a clear signal the issue should be put on the ballot this fall. Premier Daniel Smith has said she would allow a referendum if enough signatures are verified. But the process is now on hold after a judge paused validation. That's a middle legal challenge from an indigenous peoples group that argues the petition violates treaty rights. Election officials say they'll review signatures for accuracy and possible fraud once the courts allow it. And coming up, President Trump signed a proclamation today reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test Award. What do people think of the move? Find out more after the break. 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If my parents waited just one more hour to drive me to the hospital, I would not be here today. But thanks to research funded by the American Heart Association, I had heart surgery that saved my life. But not every kid is as lucky as me, which is why we need your help. Just call the number on the screen or go to helpheart.org. For only $19 a month, just 63 cents a day, you can help get people trained in CPR, get more hospitals certified in high quality cardiovascular care, and help fund the next medical breakthroughs to help safe kids like me. When you donate to the American Heart Association, you're helping save lives like my son. And now my son is happy and healthy thanks to the support of people like you. When you call with your $19 a month, you'll get this really cool t-shirt as a thank you. Many children die from congenital heart defects. I can't wait to grow up to become a heart surgeon and fix baby's hearts. But until then, I'll keep helping the American Heart Association. So please join me. Just call the number on your screen or go to helpheart.org to become a monthly donor and help save lives. Being a cowboy, I don't know anything different. I had a very successful career. Life is fast. I was preparing physically. I wasn't doing anything mentally. And then I got hurt. I dug into mental health. I wanted to be better as a person. I start my day with a workout. I live life eight seconds at a time. Find a place to stop and just breathe. Love your mind. Welcome back to Entity Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. Nilan Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI. Company's president today continuing his testimony in court. Entity's David Lam reports. OpenAI's president taking the stand again for a second day of questioning in the Musk v. Altman trial at the federal courthouse in Oakland, California. Greg Brockman, 38, is a software engineer and co-founded OpenAI. During his testimony, Brockman described a milestone for OpenAI in its Defense of the Ancients project in 2017 when its AI defeated a pro gamer in that video game. He said OpenAI didn't open source its code in the project because they wanted to maintain a competitive edge as AI rival DeepMind was working on a similar project. The trial started last week. After Musk's initial lawsuit two years ago, he alleges that OpenAI's executives and Microsoft's CEO defrauded Musk and betrayed OpenAI's non-profit mission. When asked about Microsoft, Brockman said he's not aware of any communications between OpenAI and Microsoft regarding Musk's donation. He also said OpenAI figured they can reach AGI or artificial general intelligence down from 15 years to 5 years through partnering with Cerebris, who specializes in AI chips. Brockman also testified about an email chain from July 2017 involving Musk and others. The email had a link to an article titled China's Plan to Become Leader in AI by 2030. Brockman said Musk wrote that quote, they will do whatever it takes to obtain what we develop. Maybe another reason to change course. Brockman claims this referred to the company's structure. This trial has been focused on clarifying OpenAI's original structure and whether or not it's violated its non-profit mission. Elon Musk testified last week, and Siobhan Zille's testimony is anticipated where the audio will be also live-streamed. David Lam, Entity News, California. And next, what do everyday folks make of President Trump's move to bring back the presidential fitness test? Entity's Sam Wong was out on the National Mall in D.C. to hear from the people. You remember when the presidential fitness test award was very much around. Have you gotten it? Yeah, absolutely. So I'm about 25 years old now. And back when I was in elementary school or middle school, 6th, 7th and 8th grade, I remember us having it. And we all really enjoyed it back then. It was something to work for. So we kind of enjoyed that aspect of it. I think people were much more fit. They're much more active. Children played, you know, outside. People have all kinds of excuses of why they can't participate. But if we could do it back in the day, there's no excuse. These were all good things. And this is what kept us healthy when we were growing up. I'm not a bad example. I got a little lazy as I got older. But, you know, when I was young, you couldn't stop me. I do remember doing a lot of PE, physical education. Our kids nowadays, they're, you know, 10, 12 years old, and they're already morbidly obese, you know, because we're not doing anything. We're not walking. We're not getting out there, getting exercise. So I think that they definitely need to bring physical education back. I do remember going inside the gymnasium with some of my classmates, like whole classes being timed, filling out paperwork, measuring your height, how many pull-ups you do. At that moment, if I were heard, it was like, hey, you're going to get something from the president. I think I would have pushed more to try harder in those tests. What do you make of the fact that President Trump is putting this back in place? I think that's awesome. I think it should be a standard. I think schools should implement it. I really appreciate it. I was sad to see it go. A lot of us kind of were wondering why it was going away in the first place. Back then, we really didn't understand. But now, being older, I'm pretty happy to see it coming back. I think that'd be great, actually. It encourages physical fitness, physical health. I think we've gotten too complacent with fast food and foods that are just horrible for you. And I think we should be out here getting more physical, getting out in the sun, enjoying life and what it has to offer. It's nice, especially for the kids. I have a little brother. He's not an active kid. So at least having them be somewhat more active would be great. It's good, not only for the physical aspect of it, and the health is just, again, it's well all around because it brings back health, motivation, networking, people skills. So I definitely agree that he should bring it back. And thanks to Sam for that report. That's all we have for today's evening news. For around the clock original coverage, visit us at NTD.com or even better, use our NTD app. Thank you for tuning in this evening. I'm Cary Dunst. Good night.