NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (Dec. 19)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, a new deal to avert a government shutdown. What's in the updated continuing resolution that the House is voting on tonight and Trump's reaction to the latest version of the spending bill. The embattled Georgia district attorney, Bonnie Willis, is disqualified from the trump case. This comes after an appellate court said it was the only way to restore the public's trust. Our legal correspondent has the details. Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the United Healthcare Ceo's murder, has departed a New York City federal court that says four federal charges against him were unsealed today after he waived extradition in Pennsylvania. Chris Spears reports the Houthi terrorist group claims to have fired missiles toward Tel Aviv. Israeli forces responded with airstrikes deep in Yemen. Jason Perry brings us the update. The presidents of both Russia and Ukraine speak about ending the war. Arian Pazdar has what the two sides say about President elect Trump's role in bringing peace. This is NTD Evening News live from our global headquarters in New York City. Here's Tiffany Meyer. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. House Republicans have released a slimmed down spending bill to keep the government running and Our Washington correspondent Luis Martinez joins us live now from Capitol Hill. Good evening, Luis. What's in the new version of this continuing resolution and what's left out? Of course, Tiffany. Well, first of all, this new version of the continuing resolution, the second one we've seen this week, Tiffany, is 136 pages, which is a lot less than the 1500 1500 pages from the version released on Tuesday. What's in this continuing resolution? Well, it extends current levels of government funding for three months. It also has more than $100 billion in disaster relief aid for areas and victims affected by Hurricane Milton and Helene. There's also a provision to rebuild and fully pay for the Francis Scott Key Bridge that collapsed in Baltimore earlier this year. And, of course, what President elect Donald Trump asked for, which was the suspension of the debt ceiling until January of 2027. What's been left out is the health care provisions that Democrats wanted included in the CR. It's also the provision that would have transferred federal budgets to the District of Columbia to take control of the R. F. K. Stadium and possibly paid the way for a return of the Washington commander to the District of Columbia that has been scrapped. And I missed earlier, Tiffany. Also, a one year extension of the farm bill is included in this continuing resolution, so it is slimmed down. But some House Republicans are still very upset that it does not reduce government spending. And Luis, what is next for this spending bill? Well, so the proposal has already been put forward right now in between 6 30 and 6 45. We're gonna see lawmakers take a vote on this continuing resolution under suspension of the rules, Tiffany. So that means that they will need at least two thirds of the House of Representatives to pass this bill. We already know that the far right of the Republican Party. We're talking about House Freedom Caucus members. Uh, Bob, Congressman Bob Good of Virginia Timber Chet, which will listen soundbite in a second, have said that they're opposing this continuing resolution. Let's look. Let's listen to what Congressman Timber Chet from Tennessee had to say about the text that he saw today. There's a fiscal note that follows it. You know who proposed the amendments on it up here? It just goes in. We suspend the rules and then magically there's this bill that appears. I'm frustrated with the system. I have been since I've gotten here. It's no surprise to me of what it what it was gonna be like. The only surprise I had when I got to D. C. Was that I wasn't surprised about any of it. So that's Congressman Timber Chet. He's expressing that he's upset because, you know, he's about to vote on a bill that will authorize hundreds of billions of dollars, and he hasn't been able to read it because, of course, it's been only 22 hours since it's been released. And we also know that minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House, is whipping votes against this bill. Eso we do a simple math, and we see that Democrats are opposing it, that the far right of the Republican Party is also rejecting it. It would seem that it will not pass under suspicion of the rules, Tiffany. So the most likely probable step after that, which B would be to take the bill to the Rules Committee and try again on a vote tomorrow. But, of course, first we need to see the results. We should have them around 6 45 7 p.m. So stay tuned to NTD, of course, to know more about this continued resolution and whether lawmakers will be able to avert a government shutdown Friday. Back to you. All right, Louise, thanks for those updates. And joining us now in the studio is our White House correspondent Iris Tao. Good evening, Iris. First, how is President Elect Trump reacting to all of this? So President Elect Trump today is supporting the new G. O. P. Spending deal, calling on both Republican lawmakers and even Democrats to vote yes tonight. And specifically, Trump says that this new version of the spending deal would include a measure to push out the debt ceiling for two more years. And that means letting the government keep borrowing until 2027, which is two years away from 2025. He's adding that they would also allow department to stay open to avert a government shutdown and also keep funding farmers and also providing the much needed relief for hurricane victims. Meanwhile, the endorsement comes after Trump last night sharply criticized the original version of the spending deal, specifically slamming it for what he thinks, including Democrat priorities and also a few items that he's disagreeing with, including a lack of a measure to raise or get rid of the debt ceiling. And that is a last minute demand made by Trump. And that demand actually caught some lawmakers by surprise, and some of them had to scramble to come up with a new version, and some of them said that they weren't expecting that to be even part of the negotiations. Here's a clip of that thing. I woke up yesterday not knowing that debt ceiling was going to be part of this deal. Um, and then by the afternoon, the debt ceiling was part of the deal. And to explain to our viewers, the debt ceiling is the limit placed by Congress to pretty much limit how much debt the government can accrue. And we know the government needs to pay his bills, for example, paying military salaries or funding Medicare. So it needs to get more money and get more funding. So both parties actually over the years have used the debt ceiling as a tool to pretty much force the hand of past presidents. For example, back in 2021, just days before a looming debt ceiling deadline, President Biden had to strike a deal with then House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and shoot temporarily suspended debt ceiling to 2025, but also to cave to some GOP demands and also to include more spending caps in the government's spending budget. And before supporting the deal this week tonight, Trump says that he'd rather have the government shut down and to rather let the government cave into what he thinks is democratic priorities in this deal. And Iris, are all the Republican lawmakers agreeing with what Trump's saying here? Or what are some other voices? So not all the GOP lawmakers are actually siding with Trump's demand for getting rid of or raising the debt ceiling. Specifically, Congressman Chip Roy says that raising the debt ceiling or suspending it will only allow the government to keep basically racking up more debt in the spending. And Trump fired back, calling on primary challengers to challenge Chip Roy in the upcoming elections. In the response, lawmakers who reported this much. That weak and effective people like Chip have been dismissed as utterly unknowledgeable as to the ways of politics. We're working right now on how to actually cut spending, which is what the voters sent me to Washington to do. So that's what we're working on. In response in a later post this afternoon, Trump says that his new administration, when they actually start taking over, will cut hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming year through budget reconciliation. All right, Iris, thanks for those updates. A Georgia appeals court has removed District Attorney Fannie Willis from the case she brought against President Elect Trump and several others. Our legal correspondent tells us why she was removed and what happens next. Georgia District Attorney Fannie Willis is off the case. She will no longer be prosecuting the 2020 election case brought against President Elect Trump and several co defendants. A state appeals court on Thursday ruled that Willis should be disqualified for having an affair with her top prosecutor, Nathan Wade. The lower court had ruled that the affair created an appearance of impropriety and that the best way to cure it was for one of them to step down. Wade immediately resigned, which meant that Willis could continue to prosecute the case. But the appellate court said Wade's resignation was not enough to cure the problem because there was a significant appearance of impropriety. The couple was in the relationship during the time Willis decided whom she was going to prosecute, and the appellate court said her position as an attorney for the people of Georgia required higher scrutiny than in cases where the attorney is representing only one person. The panel said the only way to restore the public's trust was for Willis to be disqualified. In the written decision, it noted that the state had not challenged the trial court's finding of impropriety. Therefore, the only question for the appellate court to answer was whether or not the lower court's decision was correct. It concluded that the assistant district attorneys who work under Willis have no authority to proceed with the case. However, the court would not dismiss the indictment against Trump. The case will now be referred to a different prosecutor, which could take a while given the size and complexity of the case. Willis's office has indicated that she will appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. Arlene Richards and T. D. News United Health for CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione has departed a federal courtroom in the Southern District of New York. He faces four newly unsealed federal charges after waiving his right to extradition at a hearing in Pennsylvania. Mangione's attorneys say they are not seeking bail in the federal case entities. Chris Spears has the details. Luigi Mangione arrived at the federal courthouse right behind me at about two p.m. This afternoon, he was flown from a courthouse in Pennsylvania to Long Island via small airplane and then to Wall Street via helicopter. He was escorted to a police van with heavily armed police officers as well as New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which speaks to the high profile nature of this case. Federal charges, four of them, were unsealed against Mangione just today. They include murder through use of a firearm, two stalking charges and a firearms offense. Federal authorities say that they have jurisdiction to bring these charges because of Mangione's alleged interstate travel from Atlanta to New York City before the killing. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says that the federal case and the New York case will proceed simultaneously. Then, of course, there's the Pennsylvania case, which authorities say will continue. Here's Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks on that. We relinquished him to the custody of the New York City Police Department, and they'll be taking him back to New York City in a safe and secure manner. Well, he committed crimes in Blair County. He's charged with committing crimes in the state of New York. There are allegations at this point, but we're not in the practice of just dismissing charges simply because someone has more serious charges somewhere else. That might be an older school approach. It might be a little antiquated, but it might be both of those things. Pennsylvania authorities there saying that they will do things the old school way. The federal complaint against Mangione unsealed Wednesday. Allegedly, it says a notebook found on Mangione says the target is insurance because it checks every box. It allegedly also says this investor conference is a true windfall, and most importantly, the message becomes self evident. Unquote. The notebook is separate from a letter addressed to quote the feds. In that letter, Mangione only allegedly wrote I wasn't working with anyone. Chris beers and T. D. News Israeli forces have reportedly unleashed a series of airstrikes in Yemen. This comes after the Houthi terrorist group reported firing hypersonic missiles towards Tel Aviv entities. Jason Perry has the details. A video released on Thursday shows hypersonic missiles reportedly being fired from Yemen towards Israel. The Houthi terrorist group said they intended to target military sites in Tel Aviv with two ballistic missiles. Israeli forces confirmed that the Israeli Air Force intercepted a missile launched from Yemen after sirens were activated around 2 35 a.m. However, shrapnel from a missile hit a school in central Israel, causing the main building to collapse, and no injuries were reported as the shrapnel hit the school in the middle of the night. Residents came out later to inspect the damage, including some students. Yeah, we had a boom from home. And afterwards, Israeli Air Force pilots loaded on fighter jets and flew to Yemen over 1000 miles away. Israeli forces released video of the jets refueling in the air, and the crew in the underground operations center looked on as pilots began striking targets in Yemen, reportedly used by the Houthi terrorist group for its military activities, including fuel and oil tanks, two power plants and eight tugboats. Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said this. Who is behind the Houthis? Iran. The regime in Iran funds arms and directs the Houthis terror activities. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu elaborated on the Iranian connection. After Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria, the Houthis are almost the last arm of Iran's axis of evil. They are learning and will learn the hard way that whoever harms Israel pays a very heavy price. A resident in Yemen shared his thoughts on the recent strikes. What happened overnight from bombing the electricity and the ports and the oil and likewise more than one site? It does not scare us at all. The main television news outlet run by the Houthis said the Israeli airstrikes killed nine people. Jason Perry in T. D. News. What role does President Elect Trump play in bringing peace to Ukraine? Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual Q and a session today touching on various topics, including Ukraine. Entities. International correspondent area and pasta has highlights from the event. Russian President Vladimir Putin holding his annual Q and a session on Thursday, Russian citizens reportedly submitted more than two million questions ahead of the show. Reporters at the event showed different signs as they tried to attract Putin's attention. During the event, the Russian leader said he's ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with President Elect Trump. Yes, in Washington is going on. I haven't spoken to him for over four years. I'm ready for it, of course, at any time. Putin also says Russia will help finding missing U. S. Reporter Austin ties. He was kidnapped in Syria in 2012. The Russian leader says he will speak with serious former president who is now in Russia. No, I will definitely talk to him. But you and I are adults, and we understand. 12 years ago, a man disappeared in Syria. 12 years ago, there was active fighting on both sides. The State Department says Putin could have helped finding ties in the past but never did. Actions are gonna speak louder than words. But, uh, you know, Mr Putin is welcome to do whatever he wants. What we're focused on is everything that we can do. Also on Thursday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is the EU summit in Brussels. Like Putin, Zelensky also spoke about ending the war in Ukraine. This comes as European officials aim to send a signal to Trump about their continued support for Ukraine. But Zelensky points out the importance of the relations between Europe and the U. S. I think we have to count again on the unit on unity between the United States and Europe. It's very difficult to support Ukraine without American help. Zelensky added that he'll discuss cooperation with Trump once he returns to office. Arian pasta and T. D. News coming up new developments in the Wisconsin Christian school shooting tragedy. The FBI detains a California man who was reportedly in contact with a teenage shooter, and two of the victims have been identified. David Lamb House. The latest was less than a week before the holidays. Amazon workers strike nationwide under the Teamsters Union delivery drivers share what they are striking for. Christina Corona reports and across the pond. Spy allegations renew concerns of the dangers China poses to Britain's political and economic life. Welcome Hudson brings us more from London after the break. Welcome back. I'm Tiffany Meyer. FBI agents have detained a 20 year old California resident this week. The man reportedly told authorities he was in contact with the Madison, Wisconsin school shooter entities. David Lamb report. Authorities say a 20 year old man was planning to attack a government building. A California judge issued a restraining order this week under California's so called Red Flag gun law against the individual from Carlsbad. According to court documents, the man told FBI agents that he had been messaging Natalie Rupnow, the Madison, Wisconsin shooter about his alleged plan. The judge's order requires the man to turn over his guns and ammunition to police within 48 hours. Rupnow was a teenage girl who fired gunshots at Abundant Life Christian school this Monday, injuring six people, killing two and then dying from an apparent self inflicted gunshot. The two victims who died have now been identified as 42 year old teacher Aaron West and 14 year old student Ruby Vergara. West was said to have served our teachers and students with grace, humor, wisdom and most importantly, with the love of Jesus. A local funeral site described Vergara as a freshman who was an avid reader, loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band. The funeral home said a service for Vergara would be held on Saturday and be live streamed. The city of Madison said investigators are talking to Rupnow's classmates to try to understand the shooter's behavior at school and whether Rupnow might have been bullied. Of the six people who were injured in the shooting, two remained hospitalized Wednesday, police said. One family member is asking for prayers and privacy for their son's recovery. David Lamb, NTD News, California. Amazon delivery workers represented by the Teamsters Union have launched a entities. Christina Corona is at one southern California facility with the latest from the picket lines. We're here in the city of industry at an Amazon fulfillment center where thousands of Amazon workers nationwide under the Teamsters Union went on strike thursday morning, demanding higher pay and better contracts. Now this comes less than a week before christmas and Hanukkah. According to the Teamsters Union, the decision to strike came after members voted in favor on Wednesday. They cited Amazon's refusal to negotiate contracts or recognize the union. Vanessa Valdez, a delivery driver, shared that she earns $22.75 per hour and often works 10 hour shifts working for Amazon for six years. She says she never had access to a single sick day. We don't have sick days. I would love to have sick days so we can rest our minds and our bodies so we can get back out there and deliver job security. So as I get older, I know I have a place here in another six years, another six years after that, a delivery driver assistant said. What we're actually striking him for today is an unfair labor practice strike. We need a living wage, unfair pay wise, overworked. The union, which also represents Amazon workers in Illinois and New York, said similar strike votes have been authorized in those states. The union said it gave Amazon until December 15th to come to the negotiating table, but no progress has been made. However, Kelly Mantle, an Amazon spokesperson, told NTD in a statement for more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public, claiming that they represent thousands of Amazon employees and drivers. They don't. And this is another attempt to push a false narrative. The spokesperson goes on to say the truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union. Workers in four states have now begun picketing outside the facilities as holiday gifts remain undelivered. Would you say this will affect any deliveries from now until Christmas? There is going to be effect, but I want our customers to realize the bigger picture that your drivers delivering your smiles and packages are being exploited. We work so very hard to make it happen for everybody. Several striking workers told us they don't know when the strike will end. Reporting from the city of industry, Christina Corona and T. D. News. Recent spy allegations bring renewed concern over Chinese interference in British political and economic life. All this influence could be used to massage policy and suppress criticism. A China watchdog warns this could lead to more direct affronts to the stability of the U. K. Entities. International correspondent Malcolm Hudson has more for us from London. Two recent cases of alleged spies tied to China's United Front Work Department have renewed concerns in Britain about the dangers of Chinese interference. Now the United Front is an arm of the Chinese regime tasked with influence operations with an estimated 40,000 members worldwide. Earlier, when I was speaking to Mark Sabah, the director of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, he said. We don't see this type of behavior from nations like Spain or Luxembourg, but we do see it from China. There is a very active plan to infiltrate organizations and government departments, ministerial departments and to reach every echelon of research of science, technology, defence and so on. We don't have this problem with the French or the Spanish or the Swiss or the Swedes, but it keeps coming up time and time again with the CCP. According to a 2023 report by Britain's Intelligence and Security Committee, China has penetrated every sector of the UK economy. Britain's new government is seeking to reset ties with China after past years of a harder stance. British Prime Minister Stammer met with Chinese leader Xi last month and Finance Minister Rachel Reeves is expected to travel to China in the new year to deepen trade relations. These closer ties come with serious risks. Sabah said that by keeping a hand in every aspect of Western democracies, the CCP can choose to rein those ties in, to covertly influence or even directly destabilize. They could essentially at some point pull the plug on a project or pull the plug on a factory. For example, if China wanted to, they could tell the population no more students are going to the United Kingdom, which means that dozens of universities around the country would collapse overnight. This could be done to other sectors too, from government to banking to energy. Recent spy allegations show Chinese influence has reached the highest level of British society. Businessman Tengbo Yang was very close to British Prince Andrew, with court documents saying he was trusted to act on the Prince's behalf in China, while lawyer Christine Lee had cultivated deep relations with British politicians, lobbying to increase trade links. So what measures can protect against the risks? The British government is set to introduce a foreign influence registration scheme. There's pressure to categorize China under the enhanced tier, acknowledging it as a national security threat alongside other nations like Russia, Iran and North Korea. Sabah said the government could also list certain Chinese companies as dangerous. The government could list them as limiting the amount that they're allowed to invest or purchase from the United Kingdom, and so you put those sorts of restrictions on them, which means that even if there is some attempt at damage, it won't bring that industry or that sector down. Sabah said that if the intelligence community has warned China has infiltrated every aspect of the UK economy, then these warnings must be taken seriously. Malcolm Hudson, NTD News, London. One district leader says the Chinese Communist Party has infiltrated her New York City community. She says the regime is using the media and thugs to target and harass vulnerable people there. Martha Flores Vasquez has been elected to lead her district for over 20 years. NTD's Paul Graney sat down with her to hear exactly how the CCP is working against her community and what she's doing to stop it. You can watch the full interview tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern here on NTD and on our website NTD.com. Coming up, Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis disqualified from prosecuting President-elect Trump. A law professor at Cornell explores with us the possible outcomes of the case. And how to combat Mexican drug cartels is the focus of a congressional task force started in July of last year. The group just released their latest findings. Jason Blair brings us the details from DC when we return. Welcome back. If you're just joining us now, here's some today's top headlines. UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione was extradited to New York and appeared in a federal court. He faces new federal charges of stalking and murder. Israel launched airstrikes against infrastructure in Yemen's capital and a port city held by the Houthi terrorists, killing nine people. This after a Houthi missile targeted central Israel. House Republicans agreed on a new stopgap measure to avert a shutdown tomorrow and fund the government for three more months. President-elect Trump also expressed support for the new measure, calling it a very good deal. A state appeals court disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis from the Georgia election case against Trump and other co-defendants. This means it will be up to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia to find another prosecutor to take over the case and decide whether to continue pursuing it. Joining us now to discuss the disqualification of Fannie Willis is William Jacobson, lawyer and law professor at Cornell Law School. William, thank you so much for joining us. Great to see you again. Now to begin, what kind of an impactful decision to disqualify Fannie Willis have on this case? It basically ends the case. I mean, it doesn't technically end the case. The court decided not to dismiss the indictment, upheld the lower court decision not to dismiss the case, but as a practical matter with Trump entering office, there's nothing that's going to happen. They have to find a new prosecutor's office to prosecute it. They have to assign new prosecutors. So the case is for all intents and purposes over, but it's like a zombie case. It's still alive and walking, but it's going nowhere. Now during the court battle, Willis defended herself and the qualifications of Nathan Wade. Why did she choose to stay on the case instead of removing herself? I think that goes to the heart of the problem here. She was personally invested in the case and that's never good with the prosecutor. She wanted to get Donald Trump. She wanted to be the one to get Donald Trump. That's what motivated this case. This is a case that never should have been brought. It was extremely weak on the fundamentals, extremely weak on the law, extremely weak in its entire conception, which I've criticized the DC case also that she wasn't involved in. It was a conspiracy case, a RICO case, but the end result for Trump was not in and of itself unlawful. It's not unlawful to overturn an election, only unlawful how you do it. And that was the element, at least as to Trump, maybe not all of them, that it was over. And so it's over as to Trump. It may not be over as to the other defendants, but as to Trump it's over. It could continue to prosecute the other defendants. I want to expand on that last point given your earlier comments that this is an effectively a zombie case. Walk us through the possible outcomes of this case considering that President-elect Trump will be taking office weeks from today. Well again, it won't go forward against Trump. Whether as a practical matter they decide to go forward against the others, I would think they probably wouldn't. Remember, this whole case was always about getting Trump. The other people were dragged into it as part of that anti-Trump effort. I don't know if another district attorney's office or a county prosecutor's office is going to want to invest the resources. They have prosecutorial discretion. They could choose not to go forward with the case or cut extremely lenient deals with people. But why is this case, why was it ever brought? It was always about Trump. So I don't think another prosecutor's office is going to want to deal with this. Now in terms of Bonnie Willis, Willis's office is saying it intends to appeal the ruling. Now if that's taken up, it would go to the Georgia Supreme Court. How likely are we to see that? Well, whether they choose to take it or not is an issue. And so I don't know what the likelihood of getting a full hearing in the Supreme Court, Georgia Supreme Court, and whether the result will be any different. Remember, her behavior was truly horrendous. The judge really lambasted her behavior, but cut her a break. And the trial court's resolution of this was fairly foolish on its face, which is either she or Nathan Wade have to leave. Well, if there was an appearance of impropriety, they should both go. So that I don't see that she would have any greater likelihood of winning in the Georgia Supreme Court. And in fact, this court noted that she's not even contesting, or the office is not even contesting, the finding of an appearance of impropriety. So that is part of the case. What she did was despicable and horrible and really tainted prosecutors' offices everywhere. She should never have been on the case. She should not be on the case. And I'd be shocked if the Georgia Supreme Court put her back on it. Now, as you mentioned, despite her being disqualified, the case against Trump hasn't been dropped. But whoever the new prosecutor is, what is the likelihood of this case being dropped? I think the easiest out for a prosecutor's office is really just to do nothing. And they could dismiss it as to Trump, leave it pending as to the others. That's really up to them. But I think it's a weak case. I think it should have been thrown out on the merits. But I don't know what the likelihood is that another prosecutor in Georgia is going to want to resurrect this case and bring it forward when the prime witness and the prime defendant, Donald Trump, isn't even there. So I think it's a low likelihood of anything ever happening in this case against anybody. William Jacobson, thank you so much for joining us. The House Task Force to Combat Mexican Drug Cartels reveals their key findings. They say fighting the cartels is a complex issue that will require more centralized coordination. Entity correspondent Jason Blair brings us more on what lawmakers say are the most important long and short term goals. The House Task Force to Combat Mexican Drug Cartels delivers the accumulation of their findings on Capitol Hill. The group is led by Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw. Crenshaw says working against the cartels is complex. The cartels operate as multinational businesses. They have Chinese precursor suppliers, money launderers, Colombian cocaine producers, American traffickers and distributors and Mexican pill pressers. They have bankers and lawyers looking after the financial and legal affairs. They have diversified businesses, not just drugs, of course, but human trafficking, extortion and a lot of legitimate businesses. He says their key finding is that the cartels have insurgency. They operate with terrorist tactics, but fundamentally they're an insurgency. They want power over government institutions. They are well integrated into Mexican culture and government. They operate in and out of government. In some states, they basically control the state government. The Texas congressman says the cartels either seize power or use bribes. He says they have a well-equipped and funded military and they aren't afraid to use it on each other, Mexican citizens or, quote, us. Do conduct terrorist acts, what we would consider terrorist acts when necessary, but they don't have the same exact characteristics as, say, ISIS or Al Qaeda. They're not ideologically motivated in that way. Crenshaw said in the short term, the number one goal is to stop the illegal fentanyl coming into America, and the long-term goal is making Mexico a safe and prosperous neighborhood. I mean, we have an interest in Mexico being a safe and prosperous country. I mean, I pose this question to people often. If you could choose one country in the world outside of the United States and make it 10 times more prosperous and safer and just better in every way, what country would you choose? Crenshaw says the long-term goal has a lot of obstacles, but he says he's feeling hopeful with the incoming administration that they can get past some of the looming challenges. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, NTD News. The political climate in France is increasingly tense, with growing calls for Emmanuel Macron to resign. Polls indicate that a majority of French citizens support the president's resignation, but there are currently no indications that he'll step down. NTD's international correspondent David Huves reports from Paris. Marine Le Pen, leader of the national rally, stated yesterday in an interview with Le Parisien that she expects a potential presidential election and is getting prepared for it. She said Macron is finished and that she's ready to support another vote of no confidence against the newly appointed prime minister. This matter has also become a topic of public debate. The question of Macron's resignation is present today in the public debate. We have nearly two-thirds who are in favor of Emmanuel Macron's departure. It is the electorates that are the most left and the most right on the political spectrum who want Emmanuel Macron to leave office. Parisians seem divided on the topic, although many express concerns about the country's political instability. Macron should resign. The problem, as I see it, isn't whether I like or not Emmanuel Macron. It's rather that, in fact, if we continue in this direction, if members of parliament continue to be stubborn about it. In fact, we could be faced with motions of censure, dissolutions. And so, in my opinion, we're in for a democratic crisis right up to the end of his second term. It seems the members of parliament will never get along. We should change some rules, maybe make it a bit like in Germany, where there is a culture of making compromise. Given what's happening in parliament, I don't think Macron's resignation would actually change anything, I think. Emmanuel Macron said in his address to the French people last week that he would not resign. However, the very fact that he addressed the issue suggests the idea is gaining momentum. The political deadlock in the parliament could lead to another no-confidence motion next year or even new snap elections. For now, most of the political leaders are waiting to see what the new prime minister will do. David Duves, NTD News, Paris. Coming up, the classical dance company Shen Yun is beginning its 2025 world tour on Monday. We take a look at reviews from business leaders over the past year to discover the secret to the company's success. And in the NFL, the big question all week has been, will Patrick Mahomes play? The Chiefs got their answer today. Dave Martin joins us to discuss after the break. Welcome back. I'm Tiffany Meyer, combining exceptional artistry with soul-stirring stories. The Shen Yun Performing Arts Company is set to begin its 2025 world tour next week. We take a look at reviews from business leaders over the past year to discover the secret to the classical dance company's unwavering success. I think it was fantastic. I think the colors, the dancing, the athletic dancing, and the sort of the connection to the culture of ancient China, that was fascinating. Very fascinating. It was stunning. It was moving. It was awe-inspiring. It was colorful. It was rich with stories, and it was inspiring. An incredibly wonderful event, a great performance. It is sensitive. It is touching. It is emotional. It is strong, yet also delicate, light and gentle. The lightness that was conveyed was simply beautiful, just beautiful to watch. So it was a wonderful blend of history, arts, culture, music, dance, all put together. The performance left business leaders from around the world reflecting on the spiritual healing and divine inspiration it brought them. It touches me deeply because I can understand the hope they have through the performance. I see it and I feel it because a human being always needs to have hope in their life. So I feel it through the show. God is with us. We are from God, and we are the divine, as the show outlined, and that this is something that we must return to and cherish, pass along, stand up for, fight for. Come and see it. It's a unique experience and one you'll truly enjoy and it'll stay with you for years to come. Shen Yun will kick off its 2025 performance season on December 23rd and tour in over 20 countries worldwide. And now for your sports news, we're joined by NTD's Dave Martin. Dave, a lot going on today, but let's turn in the NFL as your Kansas City Chiefs receive some good news on the injury front today regarding Patrick Mahomes. Yes, Mahomes is going to play Saturday despite suffering a high ankle sprain just Sunday, just a few days ago. Head coach Andy Reid said Mahomes actually did a full week of practice on it. So he's really quite a trooper. I mean, high ankle sprains can sometimes take weeks, even months to get over, depending on the severity. Now, in addition to him returning, it's been reported that starting receiver Hollywood Brown will be activated for Saturday's game as well. Now, Brown actually got injured in the first play of the first preseason game all the way back in August. This is his first year with the Chiefs. So he and Mahomes really have yet to connect. If this happens, I mean, this would be pretty big for the Chiefs. They may be 13-1, but they have been a very fortunate 13-1. They've won so many close games, but it's mostly thanks to their defense. Their offense really hasn't gotten going. They were counting on Brown for a big role this year, but obviously he has not played. Now, I still don't see them becoming, you know, Super Bowl champions with him, but it definitely doesn't hurt. While looking at skiing news, former World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn will make a return to World Cup competition this Saturday at age 40 and with a new knee. What's been the reaction? You know, from the fans, for sure, a lot of excitement. I mean, she was one of the most popular skiers around, probably the most popular, probably because she was about the most successful. When she retired, she had 82 World Cup race wins. That was the most ever. Mikayla Shiffrin has since, you know, passed that record. But as far as other skiers go, though, there's been some more concerned voice, I think. I mean, it's been six years since she skied, and that was when she was 34. I mean, she's now 40. No woman older than 34 has actually won a World Cup race. Though on the men's side, there are a few success stories around that. But she also has a new titanium knee. She says she's done a lot of research on it, whether it'll hold up. Talked to a lot of doctors. Obviously, she feels good that this is going to work. So we're looking forward to seeing how she does. So this will be her first World Cup race event this weekend in Switzerland. So looking forward to see how it goes. Now shifting gears to baseball. Great Sammy Sosa admitted some mistakes in a recent statement. And now he and the Chicago Cubs are set for a reunion next month. Did he clarify what mistakes he was talking about? No, let me actually read that part of the statement. The statement said, quote, There were times I did whatever I could recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games. I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize. Now, end quote. Now, he played for the Cubs for 13 years and he's their all-time leader in home runs. I'm not sure why he became estranged from the team, but his career totals are incredible. I mean, he's one of just nine players to hit more than 600 career home runs. He won MVP in 1998. He led the league in home runs twice. The list really goes on. So numbers alone, he easily belongs in the Hall of Fame. It's believed he's not in, though, because of alleged performance-enhancing drug use. Now, there's multiple avenues, though, to the Hall of Fame. He still couldn't get in via a player committee, so he still has a chance. So we'll have to see what happens in the future for Sosa. Tonight in the NFL, it's the Broncos or the Charters. Two teams in solid playoff position. Yeah, if the playoffs started today, these two would get the final two spots. That's the number six and seven seeds. And they actually have a lot of breathing room. You know, they're two games ahead of the Colts for the final spot with three games to go. At the same point, though, the highest either team can get is a five seed, Meanwhile, I think both coaches in this game really are in the running for coach of the year honor. Sean Payton has the Broncos looking at their first playoff appearance since 2015. He's doing it with a rookie quarterback, too, Bo Nix, who's done a great job. Jim Harbaugh, though, has taken what looked like a team in transition, the Chargers, put them back on the map as a playoff contender. Now, ultimately, I don't think either of these coaches are going to win. It's probably going to go to Sean McDermott of Buffalo. But they've done an exemplary job in my opinion. Well, Dave, as always, thanks for joining us. Well, thank you, Tiff. And that's all for today's news. For around the clock coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Good night.