NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 21)

Welcome to NTD Evening News, our top story tonight. President Trump vowing to destroy Iran's enriched uranium as he weighs potential future strikes against the Iranian regime. And the president's next steps with Cuba as Washington escalates its pressure campaign against the island's communist leadership. The Justice Department today announcing criminal charges in its latest efforts to combat fraud in Minnesota. Authorities saying the fraud schemes targeted 90 million in taxpayer dollars. New Ebola precautions now in place as flights are rerouted and screenings ramp up. Secretary Rubio says keeping the virus out of the U.S. is the top priority. Senate Republicans postpone a key reconciliation vote after divisions emerge over a new DOJ anti-weaponization fund. The delay now threatens the president's June 1st reconciliation deadline. And Wall Street accused of bankrolling the Chinese regime. A congressional report says top U.S. banks helped the Chinese military company raise billions. This is NTD Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. President Trump saying the U.S. will not let Iran have their enriched uranium. That's as the White House weighs its next moves in the Gulf with the U.S.'s naval blockade on the Iranian ports holding strong. We now go live to NTD's White House correspondent, Mari Otsu. She's at the North Lawn. Mari, good evening. Hey, Kerry. Good evening to you. That's right. And President Trump today is reiterating his red lines on Iran, saying that the U.S. will have to do something, quote, very drastic if the Iranian regime doesn't come to a deal that includes them not having a nuclear weapon. And as President Trump is weighing his next steps in regards to the regime there, he's also pushing back on some reporting that says that Iran's supreme leader is demanding that enriched uranium stay within their country. Take a look. Can they keep their highly enriched uranium? No, no. We get the highly enriched. We will get it. We don't need it. We don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it. And this coming as the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports is holding strong, with President Trump saying Iran's losing $500 million per day as no ship can enter or exit without U.S. approval. The Central Command announcing they've now redirected 94 ships and releasing new footage showing U.S. Marines boarding an Iranian-flagged commercial oil tanker attempting to transit toward an Iranian port. We have total control of the Strait of Hormuz, as you know, with our blockade. The blockade's been 100 percent effective. Nobody's been able to get through us like a steel wall. President Trump touting the strength of the U.S. military, estimating that U.S. forces have knocked out 85 percent of Iran's missile capacity, saying it's now hard for them to build drones. We have great drone technology, anti-drone technology now that, frankly, we didn't have even two months ago. And just a day after the U.S. indicts former Cuban dictator Raul Castro, President Trump says the U.S. is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people. The Cuban, look, it's a failed country. Everybody knows it. They don't have electricity. They don't have money. They don't have really anything. They don't have food. And we're going to help them along. Washington has escalated its pressure campaign against Cuba's communist regime in recent days, with President Trump vowing he won't rest until the Cuban people have their freedom, writing in a presidential message that America will not tolerate a rogue state harboring hostile foreign military, intelligence and terror operations just 90 miles from the American homeland. Cuba not only has weapons that they've acquired from Russia and China over the years, but they also host Russian and Chinese intelligence presence in their country, not far from where we're standing right now. And President Trump adding that the Iran conflict will end, quote, very soon, saying that when that happens, gasoline prices will see them fall to far lower than they were before the start of Operation Epic Fury. The president making those comments in the Oval today as he's announcing a rolling back some Biden-era refrigerant restrictions. And he's saying that these new EPA actions today will save American families and businesses taken together north of $2.4 billion. That's by, he says, lowering grocery prices, lowering the cost of refrigerated transport and lowering costs of home air conditioners. Kerry, back to you. Thank you, Mari, for that update. Next, federal officials announced a major law enforcement action today in Minnesota charging 15 individuals in what prosecutors say is a widespread fraud scheme involving more than $90 million in taxpayer funds. Entity's Arlene Richards has that story. Federal officials on Thursday announcing charges against 15 individuals accused of stealing more than $90 million in taxpayer funds through fraud schemes targeting Minnesota state-run assistance programs. Our cases today involve seven different state-managed Medicaid programs that have been systematically pilfered by fraudsters who treated Minnesota-run programs as their personal piggy bank. One of the programs has been completely shut down because there's no money left. It's all gone. Authorities say Minnesota's state-run housing stabilization services program was shut down in 2025. It was estimated in 2020 that the program would cost about $2.5 million a year, but the Justice Department said on Thursday that it had grown to over $104 million by 2024 due to fraud. The news conference comes a day after federal prosecutors unsealed several indictments in separate social services fraud cases. Among the allegations, some defendants are accused of paying kickbacks to parents who brought their children to autism centers and billing for autism services that were not actually provided. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. praised the fraud division for its efforts, citing an autism support program that now costs over $400 million to operate, up from $600,000 six years ago. This was organized threat, organized theft that exploited the most vulnerable children in America, deceived families, stole taxpayer dollars and to help children with autism access legitimate care and support. Also on Thursday, the founder of Feeding Our Future was sentenced for leading a massive fraud scheme involving federal child nutrition programs in Minnesota. I am happy to report to you all, although I imagine many of you know that just a short time ago, this morning, Amy Bach, cornerstone operator in the Feeding Our Future fraud was sentenced by Judge Brazel to 500 months in prison. That's 41.6 years. Authorities also announcing they're expanding their fraud task force by adding 15 prosecutors focused on Medicaid fraud nationwide. Arlene Richards, NTD News. And how did $90 million of fraud go unnoticed in Minnesota? Analysis tonight on Capitol Report with Steve Lance at 7 p.m. Eastern. And next, Senate Republicans delaying action today on a major immigration enforcement package after debate over a new DOJ anti-weaponization fund. Senators are about to leave for the Memorial Day holiday and recess, but not returning until June 1st, the same day as President Trump's target deadline for the funding bill. And it is Chris Bobb reports. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch and the Trump Department of Justice established a standard, a standard and lawful process to hear from American citizens who suffered lawfare or weaponization under the Biden administration. Senate Republicans were expected to begin a voterama Thursday on a reconciliation package aimed at restoring funding for ICE and Border Patrol operations. But the process stalled after Republican senators raised concerns about a new Justice Department fund created after a settlement involving President Trump. In a letter sent to Senate Republicans Thursday, the Justice Department described the fund as a way to help Americans who suffered from, quote, the use of government power to target them for improper and unlawful reasons. The document also stated that the fund was intended for, quote, millions of Americans whose online speech was censored at the behest of the government, parents silenced at school boards, senators whose records were secretly subpoenaed, churchgoers targeted by the FBI, and so on. Democrats criticized the proposal Thursday and argued it could allow some January 6th defendants to seek compensation. An American president effectively suing and negotiating with himself to create a taxpayer funded slush fund to funnel taxpayer dollars to his friends and allies. On the Senate floor, Senator Tommy Tuberville defended the DOJ's anti-weaponization fund. If they were wronged, the Trump administration will provide compensation from the anti-weaponization fund. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met privately with Republican senators Thursday as GOP leaders work to address concerns about oversight and eligibility requirements for the fund. Without enough support to move forward before the recess, Senate leaders postponed the voterama. Lawmakers are scheduled to return June 1st. That timing now complicates President Trump's goal of having the package signed by the same date. Chris Bobb, NTD News. And new measures today by the U.S. government to combat the spread of the Ebola virus outbreak in Central Africa. Implementing new travel restrictions by forcing anyone from the region hit by the virus to funnel into the U.S. through one single airport. Here's how that's going to work. An Air France flight bound for Detroit from Paris with a Congolese national on board briefly diverted Wednesday by the U.S. to Canada after border authorities said the passenger boarded the flight in error. It's among the latest efforts to keep the Ebola outbreak from reaching American soil. Our number one thing has to be we can't have it affect the United States. We can't have Ebola cases coming here. So you saw we're now not allowing people to come in. The U.S. government issuing new travel restrictions with the CDC invoking Title 42, a public health law. Now, for at least the next month, anybody who's been in Ebola affected areas in the previous 21 days, Uganda, South Sudan or the Democratic Republic of Congo, who wishes to enter the U.S., must first fly to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia for enhanced screening. At least 10 CDC staffers are being sent there to help screen passengers, according to a CDC source. Meanwhile, the first confirmed American infected in this outbreak, Dr. Peter Stafford, who'd been working in the region, is improving at a German hospital, says Missionary Org Surge in a Thursday update, adding Peter has also received two intravenous treatments designed to improve Ebola outcomes. Secretary of State Rubio also said Thursday the U.S. has offered to fund up to 50 pop-up clinics to help combat the spread of this outbreak. Next, Chinese military companies getting help from Wall Street. The House Select Committee on China says JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley are all complicit. The committee publishing a report of its investigation today says JPMorgan and Bank of America underwrote the Hong Kong IPO of the world's largest battery maker, contemporary Amperex Technology. That's despite the Pentagon designating contemporary Amperex as a Chinese military company with ties to forced labor. The committee says this helped the Chinese company raise billions of dollars. And then in a separate case, the panel also finds that Morgan Stanley sponsored the IPO of Zijin Gold International. The report says Zijin Gold's parent company and some of its subsidiaries are on a sanctions list aimed at preventing forced labor in Xinjiang province. The panel says Wall Street proceeded with these deals despite identifying that there were national security risks. Committee Chairman John Muellenaar says quote, American banks must not help Chinese military companies raise money because in doing so they provide not only access to funding but also legitimacy and credibility to companies that are helping our adversary build up its military. Next, Russia and Belarus today continuing nuclear military drills. This as a report says the Chinese Communist Party helped train Russian soldiers for the Ukraine war. NDD's international correspondent Arjen Pazdar has the latest. Russia's defense ministry says strategic nuclear capable missiles are being included in ongoing nuclear exercises. Footage shows missile launch vehicles driving through forests, nuclear capable planes taking off as well as ships and submarines at sea. Russia also delivered nuclear munitions to storage facilities in Belarus as part of the drills. A Kremlin spokesman suggests Russia hopes NATO and the West take note of the drills. Any exercises are part of military development and any military drills are a signal. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin saying Moscow relies on its nuclear weapons. Given the growing tensions in the world, our nuclear triad must serve as a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. And according to a new report by Reuters, the Chinese regime secretly trained about 200 Russian military personnel in China late last year and some have since returned to fighting in Ukraine. Beijing has repeatedly claimed that it's neutral in the conflict, with the Kremlin on Thursday denying that the new report is true. Arjen Pazdar, NTD News. And I'm happy to share that we have an exciting new show coming soon to NTD that you won't want to miss. Every weeknight at 8 p.m., NTD's Tiffany Meyer sits down with newsmakers and a lively panel to connect the dots on national security threats, trending political stories, and show how global events are directly impacting American lives, to deliver the clarity and context that you need to truly understand what matters. Tiffany Meyer Tonight premieres Tuesday, May 26th at 8 p.m. just after Memorial Day weekend, only here on NTD. And coming up, about 45 million Americans are expected to hit the road for Memorial Day weekend. Gas prices still high, but the number of travelers is expected to set a new record. David Lamb has that. And candidate Spencer Pratt unveils a new proposal to tackle homelessness as the L.A. mayor's race heats up. Plus, a Republican surge in early ballots is shaking up California's governor's race ahead of the June 2nd primary. Christina Corona reports on that as well. I'm Jonathan Lawson. If you're 50 to 85, please listen closely. 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Abused youth often feel safer on the street. Now, more than ever, that's the most dangerous place of all. Covenant House is helping young adults facing homelessness. We're providing safe shelter to thousands, but the need is overwhelming and no young person is ever turned away. Please call or go online now with your gift of $19 a month to help a young person. You'll provide safe shelter, hot meals, and medical care. Your gift will show them they're loved. Homeless young people are afraid and alone with nowhere else to turn. You want to know that there's somewhere you can go that's safe. So the Covenant House did that for us. Please call now with your gift of $19 a month. We'll send you this blanket as a reminder of the comfort your gift provides a young person tonight. Please don't wait. Your gift is the lifeline a young person needs now. Call the number on your screen or go online to safeplacetosleep.org. Thank you for saving precious lives. Welcome back to Entity Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. Millions of travelers are expected to be on the road this Memorial Day weekend. Gas prices are still high, but AAA expects the number of travelers to set a new record. Entity's David Lam has that story. AAA estimates that around 45 million Americans are expected to travel over 50 miles from home for Memorial Day weekend. Most Americans would take road trips. About 4 million would take air travel and 2 million through other means such as cruise, train, or bus. What are your plans? I'm just planning to stick around here. I mean, these gas prices are really skyrocketing. So I'm not trying to hurt my pockets too much this Memorial Day weekend. I have some people visiting, coming into town to visit. So they're going to come about two hours. As of Thursday, the average price for regular gas in the U.S. is $4.55 per gallon. But in California, people are paying an average of $6.13 a gallon, the highest in the nation. Signs at Chevron stations in California have been gaining attention online. The signs appear to be linked to the Chevron Advocacy Network. The high prices, they argue, are a result of state policies. A little bit. I think it does go a little bit past them. Just a lot of decisions that are happening higher up. I really do think that it's not ideal for the average person. According to the Tax Foundation, California has the highest state gas tax of nearly $0.71 per gallon, followed by Illinois at $0.66 and Washington at $0.59. The high gas prices come amid tensions related to the war in Iran. President Trump says the increase in gas prices is temporary and that prices will go back down once a peace deal is in place. David Lam, NTD News, California. The races for Los Angeles' mayor and California's governor are both intensifying ahead of the June 2nd primary. One candidate is proposing a new approach to tackle homelessness. Meanwhile, new polling shows California's governor's race is tightening, with Republicans seeing a surge in early ballot returns. NTD's Christina Corona tells us more on that. The battle over homelessness is becoming a defining issue in Los Angeles' mayoral race. Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt has unveiled a proposal aimed at tackling addiction and homelessness, and arguing current city policies are failing. Pratt says simply offering shelter beds is not enough because many struggling with addiction go right back to the streets and drug use. In an interview, Pratt told CNN it's not a homelessness crisis, it's a mental health crisis. It's illegal to be shooting up in front of kids. It's illegal to be smoking in front of kids. It's illegal to be naked. It's illegal to steal all the stuff they're doing. Pratt says his plan would create large rehabilitation campuses on federal land outside Los Angeles. So it's time to radically go in a new direction with mandatory treatment. And it's going to be incredible. This isn't like a jail. This is a place where people are going to go and have a chance to come back to the site. If they want to come back to the city, we have a job for them. Not just a bed off Skid Row. They're sober off fentanyl for two days. They go into bed. They come out right back on to where all the drugs, all that. We need to actually help these people and get them back to the site. But incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is pushing back hard. Bass defending her administration's record on homelessness, saying street homelessness has declined under her leadership, while accusing Pratt of promoting policies aligned with President Trump's agenda. Karen Bass told Deadline in part, quote, L.A. doesn't want a MAGA mayor. California governor's race is also tightening ahead of the June 2nd primary, with early data showing a major Republican surge in early ballot returns compared to the 2022 governor's race. According to Political Data Intelligence, Republicans make up 37 percent of early ballots returned, so far up 11 percent from four years ago. The latest Real Clear Politics average shows Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Javier Becerra essentially tied at 21 percent. Billionaire Tom Steyer at 15 percent, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco remains at 13 percent. Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged Democrats are preparing for the possibility of being shut out of the November ballot under California's jungle primary system, where two Republicans could potentially advance. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told The Epoch Times that voters are fed up with what he described as dishonesty and corruption in state politics, adding Californians are, quote, absolutely sick of politicians rigging the system for their own benefit. Both the Los Angeles mayoral primary and California's gubernatorial primary are set for June 2nd. Christina Corona, NTD News. Next, solving chronic diseases are now a main focus of the National Institutes of Health, according to Director Jay Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya was on Capitol Hill defending changes in the agency and showing optimism for new developments. NTD correspondent Jason Blair reports. The NIH plays a leading role in confronting the chronic disease crisis, advancing rigorous nutrition science, prioritizing prevention, and so much more. NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya says the NIH is committed to finding the root causes of chronic diseases that are affecting many Americans. Chronic disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, driving most health care costs and affecting millions of Americans. Senator Susan Collins expressing support for new developments involving the NIH in her state of Maine. Such as a clinical trial for a new Lyme disease vaccine and another clinical trial investigating how GLP-1 drugs could be used to treat long COVID. Senator Tammy Baldwin got into an exchange with Dr. Bhattacharya over redirected funding for a flu vaccine, triggering a response from Senator Shelley Murakami. NIH is bypassing its actual gold standard scientific review process to unilaterally award more than $100 million to two NIH researchers, one of whom is best known for being a COVID vaccine skeptic. Those researchers you're talking about are among the most important flu vaccine researchers in the world. They've had a tremendous track record of success. The insinuation from the Americans were sitting in front of six incredible scientists for our country that are trying to solve some of the most deepest devastating problems that it's being done on the lam or done illegally or done suspiciously is very offensive to me. During the hearing, critics warned that changes at the NIH could threaten U.S. leadership in science, while Dr. Bhattacharya and Republicans say that the NIH is refocusing its efforts to discovering the root causes of chronic diseases and expanding research opportunities in the country. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, Entity News. And Elon Musk announced plans for one of the biggest sales of stock to the public for SpaceX. The move could put him on track to become the world's first trillionaire. Here's that story. Elon Musk on Wednesday set the launch plans for SpaceX's Blockbuster stock market listing. The share sale could make the rocket firm the first company to debut with a value above $1 trillion. That would immediately make it one of the world's most valuable publicly traded firms. But much of that value appears to rest on SpaceX going on to dominate technologies and markets that don't even exist yet. That includes missions to Mars and AI data centres in space. Of its current three divisions, only satellite internet unit Starlink is in the black. It made an operating profit of close to $1.2 billion in the first three months of the year. But that was not enough to prevent the overall company from posting an operating loss of close to $2 billion. Much of that was driven by its AI unit, which saw losses far exceed its revenue. Now the planned listing cements Musk's control over SpaceX, while giving little power to shareholders. It could also put him on track to become the world's first trillionaire, though the board has tied his compensation to audacious targets. That includes building a permanent human colony on Mars. Fans of Musk point to his success in turning Tesla into the world's most valuable car company as among justifications for SpaceX's astronomical valuation. Skeptics point to his long record of making bold predictions which failed to materialise on his timelines. SpaceX is aiming to make its market debut as early as mid-June, with a roadshow for investors due to start around a week earlier. And staying with SpaceX, the company is preparing to test its next generation Starship rocket. The fully reusable rocket ship is mission-critical to Elon Musk's goal of cutting launch costs, expanding his Starlink satellite operation, and pursuing other long-term endeavours. Starship B3 includes new features designed to support future missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars. At over 400 feet tall, the spacecraft consists of an upper-stage Starship, where the crew will eventually sit, stacked on top of a super-heavy booster rocket. The propulsion system for the upper stage has been adjusted for long-duration missions. New mechanisms allow for ship-to-ship docking, refuelling in space, and increased manoeuvrability. 33 upgraded Raptor engines are designed to produce greater thrust. Starship B3 could blast off as soon as today from SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas. And coming up, the Supreme Court rules in favour of US owners of Cuban property that was confiscated by Cuba's communist regime more than 65 years ago. We have more discussion on the Cuba situation. And Meta platforms today settling the first US case of thousands, resolving a lawsuit about a mental health crisis allegedly fuelled by social media. For nearly a decade at NTD, I've specialised in China news. And the more I've reported on it, the more I've realised so many stories that seem far away are actually affecting our lives right here at home. From the COVID-19 outbreak and the regime's cover-up to bigger national security threats, these issues aren't distant. They impact our economy, our security and our future. America needs a show right now that doesn't just chase headlines, but helps you truly understand what's happening and why it matters to you. Every night at 8, we'll connect the dots. We'll break down national security issues in a clear, digestible way. And we'll keep a sharp eye on the biggest threats abroad, especially China and how they affect us here at home. With so much information everywhere, access isn't the problem anymore. Understanding is. We'll cover the biggest stories of the day, but we'll do it in a way that's smart, respectful and actually enjoyable. Because news doesn't have to feel like homework. At the end of the day, there's more that unites us than divides us. When I arrived in the US 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. Hi, I'm Ryan Blaney, a third generation race car driver, and we dedicate a lot of our time to going as fast as possible. My Grandpa Lou is the reason why my dad and I started racing, and I'm really proud to follow in his tracks. But when my grandpa was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, it was a very unexpected bump in the road for us. I've learned a lot on this journey with my Grandpa Lou and the memories of my grandpa will always be with me. And in our family, we're used to getting involved, and I encourage you to do the same, especially when it comes to caring for your loved ones. When I think about Alzheimer's and the impact it had on my family, I recognize that losing a race isn't such a bad day after all. It's important to notice if older family members are acting differently, experiencing problems with their memory, or having trouble with routine tasks. Talking about Alzheimer's can be really tough, but if you notice something, have a conversation with your loved one. Encourage them to see a doctor or offer to go with them. Early detection of Alzheimer's can give your family time to explore support services, make a plan for the future, and access available treatments. If you or your family are noticing changes, it could be Alzheimer's. Talk about seeing a doctor together. My name's Stacy, I'm 57, and I was adopted in 2020. We were adopted in 2019. And we were adopted in 2021. We had a house, and it sounds crazy, but it wasn't a home. The one thing that Jake and Emma brought is it became a home. When I met Dakota, he had just turned 14. You weren't there for the first this and the first that. I missed the first words, but we got a lot of other firsts. Watching her say, oh my God, I cannot believe I got my license. And she's like, I passed. And I'm like, girl. See them grow. It is... They chose to love us. They didn't have to. They chose us. Family. You and you. What I thought was a complete life was nowhere near complete. But it is now. Learn about adopting a teen from foster care. You can't imagine the reward. Visit AdoptUSKids.org. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of U.S. owners of Cuban property that was confiscated by Cuba's communist regime more than 65 years ago. The suit targets four cruise lines that brought tourists to Cuba during the brief thaw in relations during the Obama administration. By 8 to 1, the justices revived claims filed by a U.S. company, Havana Docks, that operated docks in the Cuban capital. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the court that the federal appeals court in Atlanta was wrong to dismiss the claims. And now that Raul Castro has been indicted by the DOJ in a federal court in Miami, what comes next for the 94-year-old leader, as well as for the people of Cuba, who have been enduring power outages and supply shortages? Joining us to discuss is Orlando Gutierrez Baranat. He is spokesperson of the Cuban Democratic Directorate. Thank you so much for joining us. Before we jump in, I want to take a listen to Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier today in Florida. Let's watch that now, please. The evidence is clear. He admits to it. Raul Castro openly admits and brags about he shot down a civilian, gave the order to shoot down civilian airplanes. How would you get him here? Well, I'm not going to talk about how we're going to get him here. If we were trying to get him here, why would I say to the media what our plans are about that? I know you have to ask, but why would I answer that? The bottom line, there's a lot. At that point, he becomes a fugitive of American justice. And, well, you know, if there's an announcement, we'll tell you afterwards, not before. Orlando, after this incredible day yesterday on Cuban Independence Day, the question now on everybody's mind is what happens for Raul Castro as well as for the Cuban people? I think that the indictment announced yesterday is a historic event. I think it's good for all Americans. I think it lets rogue regimes and terrorist groups around the world. It reminds them that they cannot take American lives and not expect consequences, not expect for justice to act. Three years ago, four Americans were massacred, horribly massacred over international waters and international airspace when they were out there trying to save human lives who were at sea escaping from the communist hellhole that the Castro regime has turned Cuba into. And those men were brutally murdered. Their ambush was set up by a network of spies the Castro regime had in Florida. So I think that the indictment is a good thing. It lets the totalitarian regime in Cuba know very clearly that the days of impunity, when they could kill at will and face no consequences, are over. Orlando, we've seen Cubans celebrating in Miami and around the world. Can you help our audience understand what this moment means to you as someone who has been a leader in the Cuban exile community for decades? Well, it means to me, it's a great thing. It makes me very proud to be American. The U.S. is the one nation in the world that makes justice happen, that doesn't forget crimes against humanity, that takes action in order to address this kind of violence. I knew those four men. They were exemplary men. They were men of deep spiritual convictions. They were men of a strong Christian faith. They were hardworking family men who were studying, working. And yet they dedicated a lot of their personal time to rescuing those who were at sea escaping from communism. So the way, what the cash regime did to massacre them that way was a heinous act, an act that hurts this community deeply because those men were part of this community. We knew them well. And they were risking their lives and giving everything they had to save their brothers and sisters escaping from communism or trying to find a better life at key moments in the history of Cuba and the United States. So I feel that justice has begun to be done. And I think that the United States has taken the right decision. And it's good for all Americans, but it's also good for the Cuban people because it lets the Cuban people know. And it lets that regime know, a regime which has killed thousands, exiled thousands, created concentration camps, carried out all kinds of nefarious actions. It lets them know that there are consequences to their crimes and that the days of impunity are ended. And Orlando, as you point out, this indictment is for one act of murder against these two planes. But as you point out, there have been thousands and thousands of people who have been murdered, imprisoned, tortured. And so in light of all that, in day two after this announcement yesterday, there have actually been some media narratives that the suffering of the Cuban population is due to the U.S. embargo on Cuba rather than the country's communist dictatorship. As an expert on the matter, how would you respond to those types of narratives? That they're farcical. They're the convenient fake news. They're the convenient propaganda of the Castro regime. I've seen some Western news bureaus based in Havana spewing regime propaganda. First of all, Cuba was one of the most prosperous Latin American countries in 1959. Cuba fed itself and exported food. Cuba had one of the best electrical industries in Latin America. All that was purposefully ruined, wrecked by the communist regime so it could control the population. And you can go to Che Guevara's writings, I've written a book on this, Cuba, the Doctrine of the Lie, where he clearly, clearly expounds on food as a weapon for revolutionary transformation. They needed to create a cultural scarcity so they could destroy the Cuban middle class in the cities and in the countryside. So it is the Castro regime that is responsible for the lack of food and for the collapse of infrastructure in Cuba. Cubans know that they don't have food, not because of the U.S. embargo, but they don't have food because of the inefficiency and the dogmatic collectivist economic policies of the regime. I've spoken at length to small, to Cuban independent farmers, and I've heard from them in detail everything the regime does to try and stop and try and hamper their production of food. The regime uses food to control the Cuban people. And most importantly, sir, the embargo doesn't cover food. Cuba couldn't eat if it weren't for U.S. donations and sales. It's as simple as that. So that shows you how this regime took a country that was on the point of development and wrecked it. Weaponizing food sounds quite similar to what happened in China with the Great Leap Forward and during some of the Russian campaigns. How are all those things interconnected in your perspective? It's the same demon. It's the same diabolical force. Communism has an identical pattern, especially in countries that have suffered from the first generation totalitarian state that Cuba is suffering from. Not many countries have gone through a first generation totalitarian state. Cuba, China, Russia, Nazi Germany. There are very few countries that have gone through this. And only we know the kind of effect this regime has. Well, we and those who have studied it and know what the kind of monster it is. They use scarcity. They use control over food. They use collapse of infrastructure to control the population. And that is exactly what they've done in Cuba. And I also want to say this, the regime, the Castro regime persecutes its opponents inside and outside Cuba. I myself have been indicted three times by that regime in the past two years. They have attacked me physically in multiple occasions outside the U.S. I've been threatened. My house has been doxed by that regime. They've tried to strike fear into me and to hurt me to the point that I can't keep on fighting. And I'm outside Cuba. And they've done that based on trumped up charges. For example, one of the things they accused me of took place six years before I was born. So this regime cannot be believed. I'm so sorry to hear that. And that is something that is paralleled with the Chinese diaspora here in America and Canada as well that we hear very similar, as you pointed out, the interrelationship. Orlando, I do want to ask, as you look at American society, you see this rise of democratic socialism. And I want to see if you see any parallels to the messaging or the lessons that the Cuban as well as the Venezuelan people have learned as you see this sort of rising in sort of talk tracks and popularity here in the U.S. Well, that's a great question. I see a spiritual rebirth in the United States, and I'm seeing a spiritual rebirth in Cuba. I don't have enough information about Venezuela to attest that. It seems to me it's happening. And I think the rebirth of spirituality in the case of Cuba, the rebirth of the Christian faith in all of its expressions is one of the driving engines for change. People are on the streets. People are praying. People are protesting because that is driving them to change. Well, Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, we are so happy for the events that took place yesterday. We know that your entire community out in the streets yesterday celebrating and looking forward to what's next for the Cuban people. We thank you so much for joining us this evening. Thank you. And next, MEDA has settled a lawsuit seeking to compel the social media company to cover the cost for student mental health treatment. A Kentucky school district brought the suit, accusing MEDA of designing its platforms to be addictive. Brett Itt County School District had argued that the design was leading to anxiety, depression, and even self-harm among young users, leaving schools to deal with the consequences as well as the costs. The terms of today's settlement weren't disclosed, but the district had sought over $60 million. The agreement follows earlier settlements by co-defendants Alphabet, Alphabet's YouTube, Snap, as well as TikTok. Brett Itt County is among roughly 1,200 school districts pursuing similar claims. More than 3,300 lawsuits against MEDA alleging addiction-related harm are now pending in California courts. Another 2,400 cases are underway just in California alone in the federal court. And staying with that, the Surgeon General's office publishing a new advisory recommending limiting screen time for kids. Are cell phones and tablets doing more harm than good to America's youth? Well, NTD's Sam Wong was out on the National Mall in D.C. to talk with the people. Do you think cell phones and tablets are doing more harm to kids than good? Yes, because it affects their brain and their focus in class. I think they do more harm when there's no regulation. I think that children, we need to make sure that we're regulating the amount of time they're spending on their cell phones. So I think awareness sharing is one important thing. Regulation and then some type of filtering would also be important. Back when we was growing up, we had, we spent more time outside than sitting kids nowadays, including my little niece or nephews. They have more, they be on iPads more, especially when I have kids of my own. I want them to enjoy the environment instead of like being on a laptop and stuff. Just like anything, they have to be supervised and there needs to be limits on our children's exposure to social media and to phone use. We as individuals need to be raising our children with our own boundaries in mind. The HHS is now recommending limiting screen time for kids. What do you make of that? So if the recommendation is well anchored into scientific research, and it's really, and I think it is to be honest with you, kids basically losing completely touch with reality because they're in this virtual world and so on and so forth. So I think if it's scientifically well anchored, definitely we should be doing something about it. I think there's nothing wrong with recommending a family to have that conversation with their kids. I mean, both my sister and I come from athletic backgrounds, and we talk a lot about mental health relating to sports. And I think social media does play a big role in that. So I think starting the conversation, having the conversation, raising awareness can never do, I think it can do more good than harm. I feel like they already do, at least Apple products do. They got, you can, parents can like go on your iPhones and see how long they've been on there and stuff like that. So I think it's a good idea. I do think it's good that HHS is stepping in. As I was saying earlier, as parents, as grandparents, as people that care about kids, we need to step in and get those limits in place. And the Commission of Fine Arts has approved the design for the Triumphal Arc President Trump is seeking to build at an entrance to the nation's capital. The structure is one of several projects that the president is pursuing, in addition to a new White House ballroom. The 250-foot arch would feature a Lady Liberty-like figure on top of the structure, standing between two gilded eagles. Phrases from the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance, such as, one nation under God, and liberty and justice for all, would be inscribed in gold atop either side of the monument. An observation deck would then complement it to the public, which would provide a 360-degree view of the surrounding area in D.C. A group of veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration to block construction, arguing the arch would obstruct the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery. And coming up, a Buddhist hall in western Japan known for housing an eternal flame that has been burning for over 1,000 years tragically caught fire and it burned to the ground. Find out more after the break. According to ancient Chinese medicine, purslane is considered a medicinal herb and is used to help lower cholesterol, improve vascular functions, and prevent diabetes. Perilla seeds can nourish the lungs and spleen. It is used to treat asthma and improve pulmonary functions. 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And our MyPillow encased coil mattresses, I personally helped develop these mattresses to make sure they have everything needed to give us great sleep. Plus, they're made right here in the USA and they ship right to your front door absolutely free. So go to MyPillow.com or call the number on your screen. Use this promo code to get MyPillow mattresses and toppers for as low as $99.98 and free shipping. Tired of struggling with that heavy leaf blower? Introducing the Bullseye Power Blower. It delivers a massive blowing force and yet it's so compact and lightweight. Just lock and load the rechargeable battery for long-lasting runtime. The secret is the compact turbocharged motor with Jetverse technology that blasts out 21,000 RPMs of airflow. Watch this. The sheer force propels this woman across the pool. Look, use Bullseye to blow up a huge jump house. Now that's power. Even blows snow right off your vehicle at no time. Turbo clean your porch in a flash or tidy up your dirty garage floor in seconds. Get it today for just $99.99. But wait, act now and get a $20 discount. So it's only $79.99. Plus, you'll get the adjustable extension tube. Yours free and it all comes with free shipping. Order now. Call 1-800-209-2313 or go to bullseyeblower.com. That's 1-800-209-2313 or order online at bullseyeblower.com. Order now. Welcome back to Entity Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. A Buddhist hall in Western Japan known for housing an eternal flame that has been burning for over 1,000 years tragically caught fire and it has burned to the ground. Local police say the fire at the Rikado Hall was first reported yesterday morning. The area fire department confirming today that the blaze was extinguished after around 30 firefighters battled the blaze. The Rikado Hall is part of a Buddhist temple complex. The eternal flame is said to have been originally lit by a Buddhist monk over 1,200 years ago. And next, a cyber truck fails a wade mode test and gets stuck in a lake, leading to an arrest. Let's have a look at that. A cyber truck not only got stuck, but its driver ran out of luck, getting arrested after officials say he intentionally drove into a Texas lake. Video shows the Tesla truck driving in the waters of Grapevine Lake near Dallas. Police say they believe the driver was intentionally trying to demonstrate the vehicle's wade mode capabilities. Shortly thereafter, the truck is seen halted and partially submerged, with video showing eyewitnesses appearing to help someone through the window. Authorities say no injuries were reported, but the driver was arrested on charges of operating a vehicle in a closed section of the lake, as well as several water safety equipment violations. Grapevine PD later reminded others on social media that although a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law. Looks like that joyride went awry. Next, all eyes were on the skies for photographers worldwide who submitted a record number of entries to an annual photography competition centered on highlighting the wonders of the Milky Way galaxy. Let's now take a look at the cream of the crop. Take a look at the best of the best of otherworldly images showcasing the breathtaking beauty of our own gargantuan galaxy. Capping off its ninth year, the 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest, hosted by travel photography blog Capture the Atlas, saw some 6,500 submissions, the most in the contest's history. Curator Dan Zafra whittled the field down to 25 winning images. All were taken under dark skies, far from light pollution, in various corners of the world. Like Spain, where the spectacular Geminids meteor shower took center stage with a galactic backdrop. Or this one from Italy, titled Garden of the Stars, showcasing glowing stars above and twinkling fireflies below. Or this magical view of a wizard-like figure posed atop a rocky outcropping in New Zealand, where the Lord of the Rings movies were famously filmed. The stunning shot is aptly named Galactic Gandalf. The full out-of-this-world winner's showcase and all its gargantuan galactic glory can be viewed online at CaptureTheAtlas.com. And from an infinite interstellar expanse to a teeny tiny tight one. That's what police and fire officials had to rescue a man in California from after they say he was trapped inside a wall for almost half a day. The Salinas Police Department reports two officers were getting coffee when they heard cries for help and knocking sounds. Fire officials responded and broke into a wall separating the coffee shop and a movie theater, breaking out a man they estimate had been in there for roughly 10 hours. Salinas PD says after being medically evaluated, the freed man was booked on burglary charges. And that's all for today's news. For around-the-clock coverage, you can visit us at NTD.com or use our Entity app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Cary Dunst. Good night.