NTD News Today Full Broadcast (April 9)

Norfolk Southern Corp. announced on April 9 that it had reached a $600-million agreement to resolve a class action lawsuit related to a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The settlement comes in the wake of the Feb. 3, 2023 incident in which a Norfolk Southern Railway freight train carrying 151 cars derailed, spilling hazardous chemicals—including vinyl chloride—onto the ground and into the air, with the chemicals catching fire and burning for days. Upon combustion, vinyl chloride produces a small amount of phosgene gas, which was used as a chemical weapon on World War I battlefields.

The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s hush money case released a questionnaire on April 8 for jury selection, and stated that prospective jurors will not be asked about their voting preferences. Justice Juan Merchan also rejected President Trump’s attorneys’ argument that asking about political affiliation is relevant to the jury selection process. He said that “the purpose of jury selection is not to determine whether a prospective juror does or does not like one of the parties.” Jury selection will begin on April 15.

The FBI announced that it has arrested an 18-year-old Idaho man for concocting a “violent plot” on local churches on behalf of the ISIS terrorist group. Alexander Mercurio is facing a federal charge of attempting to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, the Department of Justice wrote in a press release. The DOJ added that the suspect was plotting to incapacitate his father, restrain him, steal his guns and other weapons, and carry out attacks on churches in Coeur d’Alene, a city in northwestern Idaho, last Sunday.

Topics in this episode include:

1. DOJ Rejects GOP Demand for Audio of Biden Interview
2. Judge Highlights Flaws in Hunter Biden Legal Maneuver
3. Judge Denies Bid to Move ‘Hush-Money’ Trial
4. Smith Urges Scotus to Reject Trump Immunity Bid
5. Willis Urges Court Not to Reconsider Keeping Her On
6. Dems Groups Spending 5X as Much as GOP on Election
7. Trumps ‘Historic’ Fundraiser: More to Come?
8. Ceasefire Talks Underway, Netanyahu Sets Date for Rafah
9. Some Republicans Urging Ukraine Aid Vote
10. Senate GOP Leader Endorses Divestment of TikTok
11. Cruz Says Coast Guard Used Illegal Agreements
12. Louisiana’s Women’s Protection Act Clears First Hurdle
13. College Sports Association Bans Men From Women’s Sports
14. NY Bill Against ‘Squatters’ Introduced
15. California Students Paid 14K to Become Activists: Report
16. Hearing on DOD Budget Request, Future Years Defense Program
17. Watch: Defense Budget Request for FY 2025
18. Testimony on Biden Admin and DOD Budget
19. President’s FY 2025 DOD Budget Request
20. Bipartisan Comments at Armed Services Senate Hearing
21. Comments at DOD Budget Request Hearing
22. Norfolk Southern Reaches $600M Derailment Settlement
23. Ukraine Fixes Power Plants After Russian Attacks
24. Germany Welcomes Agreement on Ukraine Import Curbs
25. Floods Threaten Russia as Thousands Evacuate
26. European States Aim to Protect North Sea Infrastructure
27. UK Foreign Secretary Meets Trump at Mar-a-Lago
28. What to Know About New Plan to Erase Student Debt
29. Biden’s Student Debt Plan: A Good Political Move?
30. Judge Highlights Flaws in Hunter Biden Legal Maneuver
31. Baltimore Holds Vigil for Bridge Collapse Victims
32. MD Governor and Congress to Discuss Bridge Rebuild
33. Controversial U.S. Spying Power Reauthorization Bill
34. NY Bill Against ‘Squatters’ Introduced
35. California Students Paid 14K to Become Activists: Report
36. Treasury Warns ‘Malign’ Actors Use Virtual Assets
37. Hearing: Countering Funding for Terrorism
38. Treasury Tackles Illicit Finance and Sanctions Evasion
39. Watch: Treasury Hearing on Sanctioning Terror Funding
40. Protesters at U.S. Treasury Hearing
41. Tesla Settles Lawsuit Over Engineer’s Death
42. S. Living in ‘Highly Inflationary Times’
43. Standard of Living in Decline: Brownstone Inst. Founder
44. Senate GOP Leader Endorses Divestment of TikTok
45. Lawmakers Urge Biden Admin. To Close Visa ‘Loophole’
46. Biden to Host Leaders From Japan, Philippines
47. Top German CEOs Set to Join Scholz’s China Trip