NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (Aug. 24)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. I'm your host, Cary Dunst. Our top story tonight, President Trump scoring a win with the Supreme Court on mail-in voting. That's as his administration ramps up an economic pressure campaign against Iran, with new questions over China's role in keeping Tehran afloat. Mario Tsu at the White House. Trump administration plans to make $100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas permanent. Who's paying it and why? A fast-moving wildfire forcing thousands to evacuate near Reno, Nevada. Officials say the human-caused fire has already destroyed homes and remains uncontained, Christina Corona reports. And South Carolina gearing up for a Senate primary runoff tomorrow. Congressman Ralph Norman faces off against Senator Darlene Graham to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham. What both candidates say they bring to the table for voters. And less sugar, fewer ultra-processed foods, and more proteins. Healthier school meals could roll out soon. The USDA and the HHS announcing an overhaul of child nutrition programs. And a WNBA game turns into a flashpoint over gender policy. And is Cantor Freedom ejected after a courtside clash with SkyGuard Natasha Cloud? This is NTD Evening News. Live from our global headquarters in New York City, here's Kerry Dunst. Good evening. Thank you for joining us tonight. A major Supreme Court victory for President Trump tonight. The justices clearing the way for the president to move forward with his executive order, restricting mail-in voting just weeks before states begin sending out their ballots for the midterms. NTD's White House correspondent Mari Otsu joins us now live from the North Lawn. Hey, Mari, what changes could voters see? Yeah, a really significant decision tonight because this gives the White House the green light, at least for now, to move forward with changes to how those mail-in ballots are handled ahead of the midterm elections, as you said. Now, President Trump's executive order calls for his administration to create lists of eligible voters, in other words, confirmed U.S. citizens, and directs the U.S. Postal Service to deliver those mail-in ballots only to people on those lists. Now, President Trump has been doubling down on his refrain that this is simple and fundamental. He says that this is about strengthening election integrity and preventing noncitizens from voting. Here he is talking about this a couple of weeks ago in New York. Take a listen. And finally, we will pass the Save America Act to defend our sacred American election. Because all voters must have photo ID, and all voters must provide proof of citizenship. Have to do it. We have to do it. And mail-in ballots, we're going to make them so secure, you have no idea. Now, the Supreme Court decision is coming just weeks after President Trump put election integrity in the spotlight in a primetime address to the nation that night. The president said that a DHS review had identified that roughly 278,000 noncitizens were on voter rolls registered to vote across four states. Now, President Trump has since pushed for tighter election safeguards, and today's ruling allows his mail-in voting order to proceed for now. Kerry. And Mari, before we let you go, the Trump administration dramatically widening its economic pressure campaign against Iran today. What's the latest from the Treasury Secretary? Yeah, Kerry. So, in that dramatic escalation today, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant is saying that he's unleashing what he calls an economic D-Day on Iran and people helping Iran entities and companies. A new campaign, he says, to cut off Iran's economic lifelines around the globe. Now, this is called Operation Economic Outcast, and the Treasury says that it will target networks Iran uses to sell oil, move money, and evade sanctions. That includes through digital assets, gold, aviation, shipping, and technology. The Treasury says that the U.S. is giving countries a very short window to cut off these ties, warning that anyone who continues to help Tehran stay afloat could be kicked out of the U.S. dollar system. Take a listen. The final refuge of this regime is a mistaken conclusion of nations that still finance the Iranian threat in the hopes of evading it. It is no longer acceptable to operate in the gray spaces of this conflict. Countries cannot claim they are blind to enabling this activity. We are going to hold everyone accountable, and this is economic asphyxiation of this regime. Now, Kerry, this is coming as one U.S. dollar is worth approximately two million Iranian rial, a historic low for the country's currency. And as President Trump declares as much on Truth Social, saying, quote, Iran is completely collapsing, we're winning against everyone, including Iran, whose country is an economic and military death spiral. Now, President Trump has warned China specifically against helping Iran, with the Chinese regime historically buying around 90 percent of Iranian crude. And today, when pressed specifically on Chinese banks and their involvement in this, Besson said that no one is above U.S. sanctions, warning that anyone helping turn Iranian oil into money will be targeted, including Beijing. Take a look. No one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions. We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves. Now, Operation Economic Outcast is also coming amid an escalating trade war with Canada. President Trump today threatening to double tariffs on Canadian-made cars, trucks and auto parts to 50 percent starting on January 1st, 2027, saying, quote, America has been carrying Canada for decades, but no longer. Here's President and Vice President J.D. Vance talking about this today. Take a look. I think he would like Canada to come to the table and negotiate in good faith. They were offered quite a good deal last week. They chose to reject it. Canada and China have been the two worst countries when it comes to trade policy anywhere in the world. We know that Canada allows itself to be used as a back door for Chinese goods. They treat Chinese goods more fairly than they do the goods that come from the people of Maine. It's insanity. And what we've said to Canada is stop it. And President Trump saying that 50 percent tariff threat would also affect Canadian steel. And as we just heard from the vice president there, amid all of this, the Trump administration has been putting Ottawa's approach in some striking company, saying that legal basis for the U.S.'s retaliatory tariffs respond directly to measures that Canada took against the U.S., measures that they say were only ever shared by Beijing. Now, Carrie, this is all coming, that coupling and the secondary Iran sanctions today, just about a month before the CCP leader Xi Jinping is expected to come here to the White House at the end of September. Back to you. All right. A very busy Monday, kicking off the week. Thanks for that update, Mari. Next, the Trump administration moving to make a $100,000 fee new on new H-1B work visas permanent. That fee was first imposed temporarily last year. It's set to expire next month. And it is Washington correspondent Jack Bradley has the details. The Trump administration's moving to impose a $100,000 fee for new H-1B worker visas. The H-1Bs allow employers to hire foreign workers with. The fee was first temporarily imposed last year and is set to expire next month. The new rule would make it permanent. The administration says the fee is meant to encourage companies to hire Americans rather than foreigners at a cheaper wage. No more will these big tech companies or other big companies train foreign workers. They're going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land. And a high percentage of those H-1Bs went on welfare. They were five times more likely to go on assistance programs of the government. But business groups and some companies say the visa program allows businesses to recruit the top talent. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the new $100,000 visa fee will make it cost prohibitive, especially for startups and small and mid-sized businesses. The fee would not apply to renewals nor those already on student visas that apply for new H-1Bs. And this is part of a broader push by the administration to tighten visas over national security concerns. Last year, the State Department announced it would revoke visas for some Chinese students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or who study in critical fields. The FBI warns the CCP uses some Chinese postgraduate students and researchers as collectors of intellectual property. Now there's a new policy beginning September 15th limiting foreign students and exchange visitors to just four years in the U.S. And journalists would face a 240-day limit or just 90 days for Chinese nationals. Now these rules are facing a legal challenge, but homeland security says they're aimed at stopping visa fraud. For NTD News Washington, I'm Jack Bradley. And a fast-moving wildfire continues to threaten communities in northwest Reno, Nevada. Thousands of residents under evacuation orders or warnings as crews battle the human-caused blaze. NTD's Christina Corona has more. A massive wildfire is tearing through parts of northwest Reno, Nevada, destroying homes and forcing thousands of people to evacuate. The hawk fire sparked Saturday and quickly spread across the Peavine Peak area. The winds push the flames quickly through neighborhoods making conditions dangerous. Officials provided an update Monday. The fire continues to grow. It's over 15,000 acres. We still have zero percent containment and we have a large amount of our community evacuated. Roughly 42,000 under immediate evacuation warning right now and another 45,000 under a get ready evacuation warning. Authorities say the fire is human-caused. We do know that it's human-caused because there was no natural ignition sources there present in the area. It's kind of a more remote area outside of the city center, but the investigators are still working to determine exactly how it was caused. The fire has destroyed several homes and structures and injured six people including three civilians and three first responders. Some evacuees say they're still terrified as the fire remains uncontained. Oh my gosh, I'm still scared to death. It's like uh you you don't know if the winds are going to shift and it's going to get worse. I literally want to cry and go back for all my stuff but you know I just pretty much got what I thought I needed and now I'm just trying to go and we got a room because yesterday we were trying to get a room but everything was pretty booked out so we were able to get a room today. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and activated the National Guard to assist with the response. Hundreds of firefighters are now battling the blaze. Officials warn conditions could continue to change quickly. Christina Corona, NTD News. And our thoughts are with all those affected in Reno. Next, the USDA and HHS are close to finalizing updated nutrition standards for school lunches. Trump administration is also providing new funding to help the schools upgrade kitchens so that they can cook meals from scratch. NTD's correspondent Jason Blair has more. Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children. The USDA and HHS announcing that new school lunch nutrition standards are close to being finalized. They're calling it the most significant change in school nutrition in decades and the changes will be aligned with the new federal dietary guidelines. It includes healthier cooking methods, whole food breakfast options, 100% whole grains, whole fruit and whole milk. Also announced is additional funding to help school cafeterias upgrade their kitchens. Schools tell us they need better kitchens, equipment, training, practical models for cooking from scratch. 90 million dollars will buy a lot of stoves and refrigerators y'all for schools across this country. USDA National Nutrition Advisor Dr. Ben Carson emphasizes the importance of good nutrition, hydration and exercise for children during the developmental period of their lives. It makes a tremendous difference not only in terms of their physical stature but in terms of their mental abilities. Along with school lunches, the Trump administration has also prioritized improving nutritional value for hospital and military food. Chef Robert Irvine has been closely working with the Pentagon to make the changes. Our service members are athletes. We ask them to perform the highest level under extraordinary pressure and we have to fuel them in that way. That makes food a matter of national security. They're eating real food, good food that's good for them rather than the junk that they were eating and he's doing it at 26% savings. Kennedy also announces that the dairy industry has removed certified artificial colors from school milk, cheese and yogurt. Reporting in Washington D.C. Jason Blair, NTD News. Ukraine is on track to ramp up its missile attacks on Russia. UK and France say they're allowing Kiev to start producing so-called storm shadow missiles. This after President Trump recently allowed Ukraine to produce their own Patriot missiles. NTD's international correspondent Arian Pasdar has the latest. Vladimir has now asked that we share our storm shadow technology so that Ukraine can build these capabilities themselves. British Prime Minister Andy Burham says London will start sharing one of its missile technologies with Kiev. The storm shadow technology was invented by the UK and France in a joint program. Both countries now agree to share it with Ukraine. Storm shadow missiles are offensive cruise missiles launched from fighter jets and able to hit targets over 150 miles away. Burham says another critical step in countering Russian aggression is sanctions against Moscow so the country can't purchase parts used for military equipment. And we should get behind the US Congress as they consider the Graham Bill and encourage them to ratchet up US economic pressure. The Kremlin on Monday commenting on the UK's decision to allow Ukraine to produce storm shadow missiles. Britain methodically and regularly adds fuel to the fire and methodically and regularly hatches schemes to prevent even the slightest progress in the peaceful settlement process. Also in Russia on Monday President Vladimir Putin is handing the Russian state the authority to take control of some private facilities. That's if the structures are deemed critically important and poorly protected from Ukrainian drone attacks. Putin's presidential decree lists logistics facilities, fuel, energy and more. The move comes after weeks of Ukrainian attacks on Russian storage facilities believed to house military equipment. The Russian state will now be able to completely take over such sites including seizing assets and gaining official ownership rights. Ariane Pasdar, NTD News. Coming up, South Carolina gearing up for a Senate primary runoff tomorrow. Congressman Ralph Norman faces off against Senator Darlene Graham to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham. What both candidates say they bring to the table to voters. And in the major Hollywood acquisition case, California's Attorney General cancels a meeting with Paramount after an information leak. David Lamb with the story. An important message for Americans ages 50 to 85. Have you seen that life insurance thing I got in the mail? From Colonial Pen? Yeah, that's it. What's over there? The recycle bin. I sent for this. You're buying life insurance now? Have you been to the grocery store lately? The last thing we need is another bill. That's exactly why we need life insurance. If something happens to either of us, those bills won't go away. Life insurance can help pay them. Funeral costs too. Take a look at this. It costs pennies a day. That's right. Rates for Colonial Life Insurance start at $9.95 a month. That's 35 cents a day. And this is one bill you know will never go up. 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There's no risk or obligation. 1-800-293-7575. Call now. Whispered across generations, a hidden secret unveils the essence of longevity and vitality. A timeless legend regarding energy and wonder. Rooted in ancient health wisdom, we proudly introduce Puritang Black Ginseng, a 100% natural organic energy drink made from premium six-year-old Korean ginseng. It takes 2,260 days and nights from seed to growth, undergoing a meticulous nine-step process of steaming and drying. Black Ginseng reaches its full potency, enriched with ginsenicide RG3, and enhanced absorption efficiency. No sugar, no caffeine, no artificial ingredients. Experience the pure natural power of Puritang Black Ginseng. Nourish your body, strengthen your immunity, and boost your energy. To order Puritang Black Ginseng, please visit puritang.com. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. South Carolina is gearing up for a special U.S. Senate primary runoff tomorrow. Senator Darlene Graham is facing off against Representative Ralph Norman to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham in the November midterm. NTD's Fiona Gee reports. The runoff comes two weeks after the special primary where Senator Darlene Graham came in first place, but she did not win enough votes to clinch the nomination. Congressman Ralph Norman came in second in that race. The two debated each other last week. Key arguments circled around policymaking and political experience. For eight years I've been in Congress. I'm the most conservative member. You know how I'm going to vote. My resume is my record. We're at a turning point in America. We're at a turning point where the Democrat Socialists are taking it over. We've got to stop it. I've got the Russia sanctions bill passed. I've co-sponsored the Save America Act. I've co-signed seven anti-abortion bills. I was the deciding vote in President Trump's AG pick, Todd Blanche. So again, more in 20 days than you have done in literally 20 years. Darlene Graham is backed by fellow South Carolina Republicans, including Senator Tim Scott and Representative Russell Frye, who came in third place in the special election. President Trump has also endorsed Graham. We're going to stop the radical left Democrat communists here in South Carolina and all across the nation. And we're going to elect Senator Darlene Graham to fight, fight, fight for South Carolina and to always put America first. Early voting has already ended on Friday. Polls on Tuesday will be closing at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Whoever wins the runoff will be up against Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews come the general election in November. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Fiona Gee, NTD News. And updates on the potential Hollywood merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers and the ensuing lawsuit. Planned talks between Paramount and California's attorney general have now been canceled. And it is David Lam reports. California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceling Monday's meeting with Paramount representatives after an article reported details about their Friday meeting. Bonta accuses Paramount of the leaks and says it was lacking good faith. As soon as Paramount stops playing games and engages sincerely, my office is happy to meet again, he says. But Paramount says they are not the source of the leaks, saying, quote, We remain hopeful and stand ready to continue good faith discussions to resolve the attorney's general suit and move forward. Bonta's office says the two sides were supposed to begin settlement talks. The state is seeking to block the large Hollywood deal between Paramount and Warner Brothers. In the July lawsuit, California and 11 states argued Paramount's one hundred ten billion dollar acquisition of Warner Brothers would create a media monopoly and have the power to raise prices in film and television. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Bonta planned to ask Paramount to divest some cable channels and keep its movie studio separate from Warner Brothers. David Lamb, NTD News, California. In a documentary about resiliency amid a campaign of attacks, the red carpet event for the film Unbroken, The Untold Story of Shen Yun brings together locals who've stood by Shen Yun dancers and performers for two decades. NDD's David Lamb reports. The red carpet event for the investigative film Unbroken, The Untold Story of Shen Yun brought artists back to the San Francisco Bay Area. It feels great to be back in my hometown because I was actually born in Hong Kong but I was raised here since I was eight so. I really miss actually Chinatown. I miss dim sum because usually we're having class in the morning but dim sum opens in the morning and it's like an evening lunch food. This is the first documentary about Shen Yun Performing Arts, a dance company based in New York that advertises China before communism and a return to traditional Chinese culture. The film Unbroken explores how art and faith endure when faced against a global disinformation campaign pushed by the Chinese Communist Party. And it's very meaningful and I think it's in today's society this is something that's very needed and I think it's they're a huge asset to the community. I think a lot of people they've seen the posters they know that we're about classical Chinese dance but they don't understand what motivates us and I think this movie really brings to light some of the human rights abuses that are going on in China and the fact that this is really motivating us. With bomb threats and all of that I have never had to endure anything like that but it takes a lot of courage just to stand strong for what's right and not to give up. Local leaders and viewers resonated with the award-winning film. It's very informative. This is my first time really learning about these issues. It's just you know it's always important to try and you know get your own message out. I think the film it's fantastic documentary based on the truth and the evidence. China second economy in the world is afraid of a group of performers and using bomb threats and all this crazy stuff that they've been doing. Although the company and the theaters it performs at have received threats of violence including bomb threats no actual incidents have ever occurred. Shen Yun was established in New York in 2006 and the transnational repression it faces has larger implications. But it's really a bigger message because anyone could be targeted. It's really not just about Shen Yun alone. It's really an attack on our freedoms now. Go and watch the Unbroken movie because it gives you a very good insight of who we are behind the scenes. So if you liked what you saw in the film in terms of the colors and the dancing and the character of the performers seeing that all come to life in person is really totally different. It's a it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that everybody should really treat themselves to. Shen Yun just completed its 20th anniversary season and tickets for the 2027 tour are available. The company will come back to San Francisco in December. In San Francisco, David Lam, NTD News. Coming up President Trump says he will impose new 50% tariffs on all Canadian cars and trucks next year. What are the factors behind the U.S. Canada trade tension? We have the Victory. Fumble. Repeat. It always came back. You probably don't remember what you told me but I heard every word. For decades I've taught you everything I know. How to safely build a fire and how to control the flames. But I can only teach wildfire prevention. Only you can prevent wildfires. Adopting you was the best decision in our life and I am so proud. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Kerry Dunst. President Trump announcing new tariffs on Canada after those negotiations break broke down last week. Joining us now for analysis is Michael Lucci. He's the founder and CEO of State Armour. It's an organization helping states enact solutions to global security threats, especially those posed by the Chinese regime. Michael, thanks for joining this evening. Talks between the U.S. and Canada have collapsed in regards to the economic relationship but what's best from a U.S. national security standpoint in your view? What's best for the United States is for the Chinese Communist Party to be driven out of Canada. One really notable headline today is that the Chinese Communist Party complimented the Prime Minister of Canada and cheered him on. They said that he did a China-style attack upon the United States of America. Furthermore, it's been revealed that Prime Minister Carney is the Chinese Communist Party's preferred leader of Canada. We've seen this over and over. In the short term, Prime Minister Carney probably wants to gin up anti-American support for essentially their midterm elections that are coming up in the next couple of weeks. But in the long term, the problem that's existed here is Canada is inviting the Chinese Communist Party into their country. They made a strategic partnership. They're bringing in cars that were banned in the United States under President Biden and they're partnering with the Chinese police forces as well who hunt Canadian citizens. It's the Chinese Communist Party that is cheering on Canada. These are the only two countries that retaliate and attack the United States. We need the Chinese Communist Party off our continent. Wow. When you put it like that, you really see it from a different level and a different context. Now, the administration put out that report on China's shadow transshipping network saying transshipments cost the US jobs and billions in profits. Canada listed as a tier one country in that network. So how important is that in any trade deal with our neighbor to the north? As we crack down on the issue of transshipping. That's a core issue and this is an issue where both sides actually admit that they disagree. Today, Secretary Besant and the trade minister from the United States talked about how we're not going to let Canada be a backdoor for Chinese Communist Party products to come to the United States. It is a central hub in China's transshipment. So what that means is China sends in something to Canada, they make a little tweak on it and they call it a Canadian product they send to the United States. This happens in car parts. China wants to do it writ large with car parts in cars themselves and then sell them into the United States as if it's a Canadian product. The entire purpose of the trade deal with the United States, Canada and Mexico is to create a fortress North America against the Chinese Communist Party. What we're seeing Canada do is invite the Trojan horse inside the gates and they think for some reason that the United States is just going to stand for this as they bring the Trojan horse in the back door into our backyard. Yeah, I think when people read the headlines, they don't realize that this is sitting behind these negotiations and whether it's dealing with Canada or Mexico or really any other nation, in your view, how much do you think the president's trade and tariff strategy is really about countering the rise in the aggression of the Chinese Communist Party? We're seeing it in economic security deals across the world, really. We're seeing it, some of it's in our deals with the European Union, the British, the Australians, the Japanese, the Koreans, Southeast Asia and we're trying to get it in with Canada. Notably, Mexico is actually going along with this. Mexico understands that you have a really strong neighbor, the United States, the most powerful country in the world and we're seeing increasing competition from the Chinese Communist Party trying to wipe out our manufacturing base. And so the Mexicans understand that the United States isn't going to go along with that and the Mexico has started to match some of America's tariffs upon China. Notably, Prime Minister Carney said that the United States wants similar actions out of him and he says he won't do it. I mean, he actually says that that's an attack on Canadian sovereignty to ask a treaty ally who we completely defend. Canada's essentially gotten rid of their military. We defend them. We're asking them to not backdoor us with these Chinese products and Carney says that that's an attack on their sovereignty. Well, he's going to have to make a choice between the Well, that and that's certainly a fork in the road, as you put it that way. Now, I do want to, while I have you move on to another topic, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson revealed a new round of sanctions. That's part of his strategy to cut off Iran's economic lifelines. Besson also urged China, which is the vital lifeline to the Iranian regime, to not test its resolve. So how do you expect China to respond to that one? Well, China's already said that they're not going to go along with American sanctions on this, so then it will fall upon the Treasury to enforce those sanctions. So any of these Chinese entities that are working with the Iranian terrorist regime to whether it's sell oil or whatever else they're doing, they could be subject to Treasury Department sanctions. Those are very powerful sanctions. It would be very hard for those Chinese entities to transact business with anybody else. So essentially those Chinese businesses, banks and refineries and whatever they are, they would be forced to choose. Do you want to do this dirty deal with the Iranian terrorist regime, or do you want to be able to do business with anyone else in the dollar, in the United States dollar financial system? If they want to choose Iran over the whole rest of the world, maybe that's where the Chinese Communist Party wants to go. They're moving in that direction overall. But the United States does have very powerful sanction tools that could be brought upon China. They could also be brought upon other countries that allow a lot of money laundering that the Iranian regime does. China's the big one, but it's not just them. Well, there's a lot to look out for. It sounds like that issue will come to a head very quickly. Michael Lucci, thank you so much for joining us this evening. Thank you. And next, in an interview this weekend with CBS News Face the Nation, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz saying reducing fraud and abuse could double the lifespan of Medicare Trust Fund. The insolvency of the Medicare Trust Fund, which is going to happen in six or seven years, it'll last twice as long. Think about that. Twice as many years of benefits. If we just take the fraud out of Medicare, forget about everything else. Just this past year, we cut $42 billion of fraud for Medicare by never leaving the money out of the door. Dr. Oz says one of the main sources of savings comes from most favored nation drug pricing. That's part of the Trump administration's effort to bring down prescription drug costs in the U.S., lining the prices up with the lowest level paid by other countries. Now, Dr. Oz says drug costs just saw the sharpest drop in 63 years, thanks to the policy. And what do everyday Americans make of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce fraud in Medicare and bring down the cost of pharmaceuticals? NBD's Sam Wong was out on the National Mall in D.C. to hear from the people. Do you think the Trump administration's efforts to cut back on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare is good for our country long term? Yes. You know, if senators and everybody had to be on Medicare and Medicaid instead of getting all this money when they retire, they'd fix the system so that everybody got a fair portion. Absolutely. Because if we can cut down on the fraud, then we can redirect those funds where they need to be spent, which is on the American citizens and not on fraudulent charges and fraudulent claims that are filed. Definitely, I would like to see more fraud and abuse gotten rid of, of course, in all walks of government. A lot of people who are on Medicare that don't necessarily need to be on Medicare. Able-bodied people shouldn't be getting things for free. When you get an insolvent system and you get a system that you know is going off the cliff, somebody's got to make some hard decisions. So yes, I think that has to be trimmed. And it's always been an argument over getting it to the people that deserve it, the people that need it. So the Trump administration is working to negotiate and bring down the cost of pharmaceuticals. What do you make of this approach? Do you think this is beneficial? Yes, that would be beneficial, bring down the prices. I'm an optometric physician, is what my job is. And a lot of times I feel kind of like trapped on what exactly medication that I can prescribe. We've had instances where I thought I gave the best drug, they didn't go get the prescription field. Therefore, that patient would have been better off if I would have gave them a more affordable drug on that level playing field. So I do agree with what he's trying to do. And I do see both sides of the issue. I don't understand why we have to provide the lion's share of the money for research and development for these medications when everybody else in the world benefits from it as well as us. There ought to be equal pay, equal share of the cost of that. And the American people are very generous, but we can't let others take advantage of us forever. The U.S. military says a joint task force carried out a lethal strike on Sunday. The operation targeted a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean. According to U.S. Southern Command, intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in drug trafficking. Two suspected narco-terrorists were killed. South Com released video showing a vessel at sea being hit and stopped. South Com Commander General Francis Donovan says that the strike shows the U.S. military's commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks. And he says the goal is to prevent narcotics from reaching U.S. communities. Next, we look at some of the most unusual phenomena and unexplained mysteries that our world has to offer. From the Lycurgus Cup and ancient technology to the Nimrud Lens, a telescope lens from 710 B.C. NTD science contributor and host of Kodak's Legendarium, Shelby Malanson, explores the questions that have survived every attempt to answer them. Have a look. An ancient Roman cup that tells the story of a mythical king's downfall is packed with modern nanotechnology? Inside the British Museum, the Lycurgus Cup stuns viewers with its unique superpower, changing color from jade green to blood red, depending on the light that hits it. Inside the glass, unthinkably small flecks of colloidal gold and silver cause the color change. These nanoparticles are unfathomably small, thousands of times smaller than the width of a single human hair. The precise mixture scatters so that your eye perceives the color differently, called surface plasmon resonance. Light that reflects off the glass looks green, but transmitted light shows as crimson. It's among the earliest and most advanced examples of nanotechnology in history, the only one that isn't smashed into pieces, by the way, and it's just shy of 2,000 years old. This painstakingly crafted cup depicts the Greek myth of King Lycurgus of Thrace. After he attacked the followers of Dionysus, the Greek god of winemaking, the nymph Ambrosia transformed into a vine to trap the king, bringing an end to his violence. The incredible artifact begs the question, what other technology appeared in the ancient world that we haven't yet discovered? My fellow photographers and telescope lovers, you guys will really like this one. What if I told you that a 3,000-year-old piece of crystal might be evidence of an ancient telescope? This is a Nimrud lens, also known as the Leynard lens. It dates back to the year 710 BC, or roughly 2,730 years. British historian, archaeologist, and politician Sir Austin Henry Leynard rediscovered it back in 1850, and since then, theories about what it was made for have run wild. The lens is approximately 38 millimeters wide and has a focal length of roughly 12 centimeters, meaning it offers about three times magnification if you look through it. The British Museum says it might have been a decorative inlay in a piece of furniture or a burning glass used to start fires. Any of you ever, you know, light ants on fire with a magnifying glass? Yeah, that kind of thing. But other theories suggest it was crafted as a magnifying glass or even, according to one researcher named Giovanni Pettinato, a telescope lens. To back it up, he cites ancient writings from Mesopotamia that describe the planet Saturn as a god surrounded by serpents. Saturn is visible to the naked eye, but to see its rings, you would definitely need some kind of optical assistance of some kind. What do you think? I can totally see Saturn's rings getting interpreted by the ancients as mystical snakes, especially with less than crystal clear optics to look through. No one makes science more fun than Shelby. Thank you for that report. Next, Washington D.C. turning into a racetrack over the weekend as IndyCar drivers sped through the nation's capital for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The race drawing more than 200,000 spectators and bringing a patriotic spectacle to the streets of The inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix was part of celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary. Drivers raced a 1.7-mile street circuit around the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue, with speeds approaching 200 miles per hour. The organizers increasing the number of planned laps from 125 to 147 so the race would cover exactly 250 miles. President Trump taking a ceremonial lap in the president's armored vehicle before waving the green flag to start the race. The president saying IndyCar owner Roger Penske has been trying to get the race to D.C. for years. He said he was down 211 times to try and get it done, and when he came to see Trump, it got done in about 15 minutes, and it turned out to be much bigger than we ever even thought possible. The event featured military flyovers as part of the anniversary celebrations. On the track, American driver Kyle Kirkwood delivering a home win. About 600 National Guard members were deployed for the Grand Prix. We are helping the population, and like we said, everyone seems to be having a good time, and so we're trying to keep it that way. For some spectators, the race was as much about celebrating the country as it was about motorsports. Pretty beautiful event, very patriotic, the most patriotic thing I've been to. I spent the last month, five months, traveling through the Middle East, so I wanted to come back to a crazy event like this and just feel like what American culture is like after all this time away from it. Organizers say the event drew more than 215,000 people over two days. We live in D.C., so we're just residents and live down the street, so it's nice to be able to take part in all of the celebrations for the nation's anniversary. Race chair Bud Denker says he's going to discuss bringing the race back to D.C. Denker saying President Trump spoke to him about having it at the nation's capital for a five-year run. And coming up in basketball, a former NBA player ejected from a WNBA game yesterday. That's an unusual incident. Dave Martin's going to join us and break it down. Appliances break down. Home systems fail. Which means I show up at everyone's door because I'm inevitable. First up, the Andersons, who mistakenly think home insurance covers inevitable breakdowns. Unfortunately, something expensive is about to happen. Is it the heat? Plumbing? Electrical? A.C.? Ductwork? Wiring? Garage door? Oven? But we already have homeowners insurance. Home insurance only covers disasters. First American covers your everyday wear and tear. And if they can't repair it, they'll replace it. So give First American a call. They've been protecting homeowners like you for over 40 years. Next, Wilmer and Dolores Reed. 30 years under one roof means their home systems and appliances are ready to quit. And the major repair expense is inevitable. I'm on your team, Dolores. First American coverage kicks in within 30 days. Today it's the A.C., but heating could be next. That's right, Dolores. First American is the plan to protect all your plants. So please, get yourself covered. Get the laptop, Wilmy. And finally, meet Sonia, who used to worry about costly breakdowns until she started saving with First American. I gotta send this thing to fridge heaven, okay? Go ahead. First American has had my back for years and saved me hundreds. Just one call, and they send a pre-screened, qualified contractor. No chasing quotes. Every home system and appliance fails. There's absolutely no avoiding it. But when the day comes, First American has you covered. Look at the value. Plants start at about a dollar a day, with no limit on the number of claims, 24-7 customer service. I'm always going to show up. Home breakdowns are inevitable. But the expense, that's optional. Call 800-917-5047 now to protect your home against inevitable replacements and repairs. You could save thousands with comprehensive coverage from First American. Plans start from about $1 a day. So call 800-917-5047 or visit FAHW.com. This is how I keep my joints happy. Omega XL is a powerful, natural supplement backed by 40 years of clinical research. Take control of your pain, like Cynthia Bailey. My knees in particular started giving me pain issues all the way back to my modeling days, from just running through airports, photo shoots. After taking Omega XL, I really started to notice how less stiff I was, especially my knees and my hip. Has Omega XL changed my life? Yes. I barely notice my joint pain anymore. Now I'm like literally sprinting through the airports. My secret is Omega XL. Pick up the phone and call now to get this exclusive TV offer. Buy one Omega XL and we'll send you a second bottle absolutely free. You'll also get a free bottle of Vitamin XL D3. Buy one, get two free. A total value of over $115, all for just $49.95. You save more than 55% and shipping is free, backed by a money back guarantee and is not available in stores. Operators are standing by, so call now. Now for your sports news, we welcome NTD's Dave Martin to our brand new studio. Dave, this is my third show here, but I believe it's maybe your first. This is number one. I'm pretty nervous about it, you know. Well, we built this archway for you. We wanted you to have a good time when we talk about sports. That's good. I can fit under this archway too. Well, look, we got a lot of football news, but before we get to that, we got to get to this very interesting story. Ennis Cantor-Freedom, former NBA player, he gets ejected from a WNBA basketball game. What's going on here? Yes, the 34-year-old Freedom, who recently declared for the WNBA draft, attended yesterday's Indiana versus Chicago game. And of course, he was wearing a shirt that read, woman noun, adult human female. Seems kind of tame to me. Okay, yeah. Now, everything seemed to be fine until about midway through the third quarter. That's when there was a timeout called. And that's when Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud walked toward Freedom, started yelling at him. Freedom got up, took a couple of steps, didn't get on the court. Meanwhile, Cloud's teammates were holding her back. Freedom, meanwhile, was ejected from the game. Now, Cloud said afterwards in a social media post, trans people, quote, will always be protected by me, end quote. Freedom, meanwhile, said on social media, I just got kicked out of a WNBA game for supporting women. He's like, let that sink in, America. Now, based on what I saw, I don't understand really why he was ejected from the game. It really seemed like he wasn't the aggressor in this case. I mean, of course, I've talked to Freedom a couple of times. Of course, NTD has talked to him numerous times. Obviously, he's more of a political person at this point. He speaks up for the Uyghurs being killed, the Falun Gong practitioners over in China. So he speaks up for the unspoken, almost, you could say. So he's a really good guy. I was a little surprised that they ejected him from this game, of course, regardless of that. Well, it sounds like he was intending to make a statement, be a bit of a provocateur. But if he didn't exchange any provocative words with her or try to provoke her. It's very surprising. It doesn't sound like he's that upset about the whole thing. It doesn't sound like he's planning a lawsuit. It's very confusing what's going on. But of course, he declared for the WNBA draft previously. So he's kind of on their radar at this point. I don't know if that's a bad thing for him. Maybe it is. I don't know. It's a bit of a confusing situation, I'll say that. Well, you know, if he hadn't been tossed out, we wouldn't be talking about either person's platform. So kudos to both of them. Moving on to football, which is what we're very excited to talk about as we roll into September just around the corner. Let's start with the NFL, Cleveland Browns. They named Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback. Does that surprise you? You know, a little bit. Only because he missed all of last year with an injury. He's missed literally most of the last four years with injuries. Now, ESPN, of course, reporting Watson will at least start the season at quarterback. Now, he had been splitting time with second-year quarterback Shadur Sanders. Watson, of course, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. And he was with Houston. But really, he's had some tough injury notes ever since that trade four years ago. Now, elsewhere in the NFL, Las Vegas running back Ashton Jenty reportedly suffered a sprained ankle at practice yesterday. Of course, with the Raiders, he's number six. He was the number six overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He was actually helped off the field. So there was some serious concern early on. But definitely relieved. Just a sprained ankle. Now, meanwhile, NFL's preseason action continues this week. This is the final week of the preseason action. Games on Thursday. A whole bunch on Friday. And then on Saturday, the final game. Then we get a week off. And then the season starts Wednesday, September 16th. So if you haven't started your fantasy football league yet, wake up your commissioner, whoever that may be. Obviously, if you haven't started yet. What if he's standing next to you and he's telling you to wake up your commissioner? It's a very meta moment. I don't know what would change. Very hypothetical situation you're talking about here. But yeah, we start in 16 days from today. But at least if you start your fantasy football league late, then you find out about all these injuries before you draft these guys. You know, some guys get injured in the preseason. They're out for the whole season. So if you start your fantasy league late, you know, if you draft until a few days before, it's kind of an advantage, I would say. Maybe people just like to set up their team. I don't know. Right for the week. Well, and as you know, I tried to push you to do a fantasy college league as a companion to the NFL league. You know, if I had to pick a controversial statement. But you know, if I had to pick one or the other, I would pick college. But the lines are starting to blur between what is a pro and what is a, you know, a college athlete. This next story kind of bucks the tradition of you graduate from college into the pro league. I presume money is a part of this decision. But to Quan Wright, he had an agreement and he was undrafted as a rookie tight end. Now he's going to go to LSU, which is a powerhouse SEC team. I don't know what the money and the economics of that decision are, but it seems like a very interesting story. You told us last week now players can get an extra year of eligibility. So is that, I mean, that must have opened the door for him. This case is so unusual. Yeah. Undrafted rookie tight end Day Quan Wright. Now he was at Ole Miss last year. That was his fourth season in college football. He didn't go drafted, like I just said. He was just waived by Cleveland. If he clears waivers, he has an agreement according to his agents to then go back to school, to LSU for a fifth year. Now last week, remember, we were just talking about that case where the NCAA had kind of won that case because they were saying, all right, if you've already done four years, you're done next year. You can play five seasons in five years. Right now it's, you play four seasons in five years. You got one red shirt, but they didn't want to like, they didn't, they didn't want to inject all these extra players at the end when they're all these spots are promises this year's freshman class coming in. So they thought this would be kind of throw the system into chaos if you had a whole bunch of players that thought they were going pro now coming back into the ranks. So they didn't know what to do. But anyway, Day Quan, Day Quan Wright, thank you very much. He could be heading back to LSU. Now actually, he played the last few years at Ole Miss, coached by Lane Kiffin. Of course, you remember Lane Kiffin then somewhat famously left for LSU controversially at the end of the season. I had forgotten that. I'm like, isn't that sort of like going from Michigan to Ohio State? But yes, thank you. That's important context. Same coach this time. You know, Lane Kiffin, he's, he's had, he's been around a number of colleges. Surely this one is his fifth different stop. So Wright, this will be very interesting. He goes possibly to the NFL, back to college. But of course, you get contracts now for both. So it only matters, I mean, listen, if you can't play yet in the NFL and you can't possibly go back to college, you do it. Now I mentioned last week's court case. That was only for, you know, whoever was in that case. Wright is in a different court case. Was granted a fifth year by a, by a different, in a different case by a different judge. So it kind of depends on, you know, how good your lawyer is and what kind of judge you get. You could play a fifth season this year. And if you don't have a, get a good ruling, then you might not. So it's, it's very up in the air at this point. I've never seen quite a case like this before. I'm fascinated by it. I can tell you are too, Kerry. Well, I think you just made an epiphany right there. Dave speaking outside of sports. If you have a good lawyer, it can really help you across a lot of aspects of life, right? That's true. Maybe they're more expensive, but I'm sure he's going to get paid a fair amount of coin going back to LSU. All right. I think we did pretty well with sports here in the new studio. Dave Barton. Thanks for joining. Thank you, Kerry. And that is all for today's evening news. But for round the clock coverage, you can always visit us at ntd.com. You can also use our entity app. He's Dave Martin. I'm Kerry Dunst. Be true and kind and hold the line. Good night.