NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (Jan. 13)

Welcome to NTD Vending News. Our top story tonight, President Trump with a strong message for the Iranian regime. This as he hits the road with his economic message ahead of the midterm elections. Mario Tsu with the latest from Detroit. A human rights group reports a spike in the death toll in Iran's protests. The group says over 2,000 people have been killed and calls that a conservative estimate. Jason Perry with the update. A dictator captured and a communist ally exposed. Jack Bradley explains how former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's fall could push Cuba closer to collapse. Somalia loses its temporary protected status, affecting thousands of Somali nationals in the U.S. And the Department of Homeland Security calls on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to honor 1,300 ICE arrest detainers. Jason Blair reports. And the Supreme Court weighs in on state laws that ban transgender athletes from girls sports. Arlene Richards has the key takeaways from today's oral arguments. 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. A human rights group says the death toll in Iran's protests is now over 2,000. The U.S.-based group also says that's a conservative estimate and that they expect the number will continue to rise. NTD's Jason Perry has the details. Iran's state-run media has been showing footage of the aftermath of recent protests in the country. And on Tuesday, for the first time since the protests began, Iranian state television gave official acknowledgment of deaths in the protests. They quoted an official who said there was, quote, a high number of martyrs. However, the statement came only after a human rights group reported the death toll. On Tuesday, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency says the number of people killed in nationwide protests in Iran is now over 2,000, with 135 of them being affiliated with the Iranian regime. The human rights group warned that the death toll will continue to rise and said, quote, we still think the number is conservative. The actual situation on the ground in Iran is not clear because the government cut internet and phone lines across the country. A cyber expert says some Iranians are using Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, but also added that Starlink has also been disrupted in Iran and that it could be the result of jamming the signals coming from the satellites. This is consistent with what we've also seen during Russia's war on Ukraine. The sophistication of what's in use appears to be very similar to what's in use in Ukraine, which suggests that there may even be technology sharing between what Russia has developed and what Iran is now deploying. He said the jamming does not cover the entire country of Iran or even entire cities. We also know that people are able to drive up to the borders and get cell connectivity from neighboring countries, even from neighboring villages and Wi-Fi. So there are other alternatives. In the meantime, there are relatives of people who live in Iran who have been unable to contact their loved ones or even know whether they're alive. The situation has left many wondering if or when the U.S. will intervene. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said this. I'm not hearing anything at this point where America is preparing to engage militarily. If they change their mind, I'm sure they'll tell us all. But right now, it's really a matter of watching what is an organic movement coming up from very, very disgruntled, rightfully so, Iranian people who have decided that they can't keep going on like this. Many people have put their hope in President Trump, who recently posted on Truth Social that, quote, help is on its way. Jason Perry, NCD News. Iranian activists are calling on foreign leaders to support the people protesting the Islamic regime. Pressure on Iranian authorities is increasing, as leaders from around the globe continue calling for peace in Iran. NTD's international correspondent Ariane Posdar has the latest. Be our voice and don't support our governor. An Iranian activist in Rome calling on foreign leaders to support the Iranian people, not the regime. Last week, the Iranian regime cut off its people from the outside world by shutting off internet and phone services. The activist says the situation has gotten so bad that even doctors can't communicate with each other. That's despite hospitals being overrun, as reports of protest-related deaths and injuries continue to rise. They don't have connection between themselves. They cannot call the other doctors and help to come to the hospital. The United Nations is weighing in as well. A spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights criticizes Iran's security forces for targeting protesters. The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop. The labeling of protesters as terrorists to justify violence against them is unacceptable. The foreign policy chief for the European Union says the Iranian regime could fall within a short period of time. Like the Assad regime in Syria, the EU says it plans to keep supporting the Iranian people. We are also putting more sanctions on the ones who are using the violence against the peaceful protesters to show that we are condemning these actions. She added that change in Iran has to come primarily from the Iranian people. Also in Europe, multiple countries have summoned Iranian ambassadors amid the ongoing violence against protesters. A man confronted the Iranian ambassador in London as he arrived at the UK foreign office. Is the regime on its knees, ambassador? Are you prepared for US strikes? The British foreign minister condemned the Iranian leadership for what she described as the horrendous and brutal killing of demonstrators. France's foreign minister told parliament on Tuesday that he summoned the Iranian ambassador in Paris. Protesters shot at point-blank range with assault weapons, the internet blocked to better conceal the extent of the horror, bodies, hundreds, perhaps thousands, piling up in bags. He added that the Iranian people have given the world a lesson in courage as they take every risk to defend their freedom. Ariane Pasdar, NTD News. President Trump urging Iranian regime leaders to show humanity while encouraging protesters to take over their country's institutions. This as he takes his economic message on the road, addressing the Detroit Economic Club. NTD's Washington correspondent Mario Tsun brings us more from Detroit. To all Iranian patriots, keep protesting, take over your institutions if possible, and save the name of the killers and the abusers that are abusing you. You're being very badly abused if the numbers are right. President Trump escalating his threats to Iran, telling anti-Iranian regime protesters to keep protesting and that help is on its way. And I've canceled all meetings with the Iranian officials until the senseless killing of protesters stops. And all I say to them is help is on its way. You saw that I put tariffs on anybody doing business with Iran. Just went into effect today. This coming as the Iranian regime is cracking down on the biggest protests in years. A U.S.-based human rights agency now reports 2,000 have been killed. However, other reports say that medical officials across Iran believe the toll to be at least 12,000 and possibly even 20,000. Now I hear five different sets of numbers. I hear numbers. Look, one death is too much. But I hear much lower numbers and then I hear much higher numbers. But I say save their names because they'll pay a very big price. The death toll ultimately unknown as authorities have blocked the internet off since Thursday, with billionaire Elon Musk now offering free Starlink in Iran as blackouts there persist. Meanwhile, President Trump strongly defending his tariff strategy here in Motor City, warning of a crisis if the Supreme Court rules against his tariffs. Now, an anti-tariff person is a pro-Chinese person. Can you believe this? A case brought about by people that are China-centric, foreign-centric, but China-centric. I wouldn't want it if I was China either. You know, China's one of our biggest taxpayers right now, China. President Trump says tariffs have delivered trillions and are indispensable to his national security strategy. I have secured commitments for over $18 trillion from all over the world, the most ever for any country. This coming as the White House touts the lowest gas prices and mortgage rates in years, with President Trump last week announcing he's calling on Congress to codify banning Wall Street from buying single-family homes. As you know, you saw the $200 billion buy-in on bonds and mortgages. And just last week, the average 30-year mortgage dropped below 6% for the first time in many years. That gives me hope for all of these young people, and it gives me hope for all those young votes that we're going to need in the midterm election. And I believe that all of the 20, 30 and 40-year-olds that are actually starting to enjoy prosperity, they have hope for the future, the economy is looking bright. I think those are excellent catalysts because, you know, what I notice is that for a first-time home buyer, it's very difficult. I think, you know, the American dream is about owning a home, right? And the president says that he'll have more housing-related announcements to make next week at the World Economic Forum, where he'll be speaking in Davos, Switzerland. Reporting from Detroit, Mario Tsu, NTD News. With the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the world's attention is turning to another communist totalitarian state less than 100 miles from the U.S. Today, the victims of Communism Memorial Foundation revealed the ongoing state terrorism that Cuba has been exporting for the past 60 years. NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley has the details. This is very auspicious in the fight against world communism, obviously. This is the most hopeful time we have seen in quite some time. We know the events that happened in Venezuela, and we know they're going to have an impact on Cuba. With the capture of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Cuba and its allies are scrambling. Here at the Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, D.C., analysts gathered to examine the Cuban regime's campaign of terror more than six decades in the making. The panelists listed several crimes by the Cuban communist regime and its support for other authoritarian states. The number of Ethiopians killed by Mengistu and his Cuban allies were between 225,000 and 317,000, including at least over 1,000 children between 11 and 13 years of age. With Cuba even aiding ongoing wars. Ukrainian intelligence reports that as many as 25,000 Cubans have been recruited to fight in Putin's imperial war in Ukraine today, and that presently 6,000 to 7,000 are in the field. Cuba recently admitted that 32 Cuban military and intelligence personnel were killed by U.S. forces during the January 3 arrest of Venezuela's Maduro. Some of those killed were members of Maduro's personal security detail. Following that, and because of Cuba's reliance on Venezuelan oil due to a U.S. embargo, President Trump said. Cuba is ready to fall. In 1966, the Cuban communist regime hosted the Tri-Continental Conference in Havana, forming a violent terror network with dozens of countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, and with economic and military support from the Soviet Union and China. Over the next 60 years, these organizations carried out terrorist assassinations, violent revolutions and plots to overthrow democratic governments across the world. At this point, I am sure that the regime leaders in Cuba are looking for an exit strategy to maintain basically their ill-gotten gains and their life, because there will be in short order, I think, a regime change in Cuba. It's long past time for them to go. They need to see the handwriting on the wall. Their economy has collapsed. They are abusive of their own people. Adding that everything happening today in Iran and Venezuela is a blow to the Chinese Communist Party. They're clearing all the distractions, whether it's Ukraine, the Middle East or Latin America, so we can focus the might and power of the United States on our existential threat, which I think this administration perceives to be China. We absolutely have to make sure that we reduce, minimize, eliminate China's influence. Whether it's Cuba, the Chinese Communist Party, Russia or Iran, panelists say that the oppression is a common theme. And they warn the coming months could be decisive, not just for Cuba, but for the entire network of authoritarian regimes. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Jack Bradley, NTD News. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill examine the role of offensive cyber capabilities to deter U.S. adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party from targeting U.S. critical infrastructure. Our Washington correspondent Luis Martinez has more. Lawmakers have recently been made aware that the Chinese Communist Party targeted them and Congress. Congressmen during a hearing today examining new strategies to deter malign actors like the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese state-sponsored cyber actor known as Salt Typhoon compromised email systems used by staff supporting several congressional committees. These actors are not criminals acting for profit. They are instruments of state power. That needs to be underscored. Democratic lawmakers urged restraint in the use of offensive cyber capabilities and called for greater investment in defensive cyber capabilities and the use of sanctions to deter malign actors. Cyber offense is no substitute for defense and resilience. Second, cyber offense is one tool among many, including sanctions and other diplomatic levers that the United States can use. And finally, any significant change to our approach to the use of cyber offensive cyber operations could shift global norms. Experts from the private sector who are in the front lines of cyber warfare have endorsed the deterrence strategy based on the legal use of U.S. offensive cyber capabilities. Deterrence requires credible offensive cyber operations that disrupt and impose costs upstream. This may be uncomfortable culturally, but unavoidable strategically. Effective offensive cyber is not reckless. It is disciplined, tested, authorized and aligned with government policy. Washington has failed to establish deterrence in the cyber domain and our adversaries right now control the escalation ladder. Historically, U.S. foreign policy has rested on deterrence with implied escalation dominance in any domain. But that foundation has failed in the context of cyber. Experts urge lawmakers to create a shift in mindset when it comes to the use of cyber capabilities. It's really important to flip the risk calculus. The default answer to a proposed operation should be yes. And a naysayer should have to prove it is too risky instead of asking the operators to prove the operation is safe. Cyber tools can be very effective in disrupting an adversary. We saw some of this in Venezuela just recently. But operators need time to plan. This is not a tool that just sits on the shelf and you reach out and grab it when you need it. They need to be incorporated from the very early stages of planning. Lastly, lawmakers were advised to create a cyber force, either a standalone branch of the armed services or within special operations command. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News. The Trump administration revokes temporary protected status for thousands of Somalis living in the U.S., saying that Somalia no longer meets the legal requirement for TPS. And the Department of Homeland Security calls on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to honor 1,300 ICE arrest detainers. NTD correspondent Jason Blair reports. Temporary protection status for Somali nationals comes to an end after a Tuesday decision by the Trump administration. This affects 2,471 Somalis currently under TPS and another 1,383 in the country with pending TPS applications. They have until March 16th to leave the country. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says temporary means temporary. Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law's requirement for temporary protection status. Allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first. Under federal law, TPS is for people who are unable to return to their home countries due to conditions like a civil war. TPS has been in place for Somalia since 1991. It was last extended by the Biden administration until March 17th, 2026. The action by the Trump administration is in the midst of ongoing long-term investigations into alleged fraud linked to Somali nationals that was recently thrust into the national spotlight. And the DHS has issued a public statement to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey demanding that they honor 1,360 ICE arrest detainers saying that these illegal immigrants are in state custody. In the statement, the DHS says 470 criminal illegal aliens have been released back onto Minnesota streets since President Trump took office. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin says why are DHS law enforcement surging to Minneapolis and other sanctuary cities? It's because Minnesota law enforcement won't let us in their jails. Those people were in Minneapolis's custody and yet they were released back onto the streets. That's why we're there. That's why we have to be there. The DHS says the department is seeing a I mentioned those vehicle rammings before. Those vehicle rammings where these individuals are weaponizing a vehicle, ramming them into our law enforcement officers or their vehicles, is at 3,200 percent. The DHS has also highlighted some of the Jason Blair, Entity News. Coming up, a couple of Republican senators say they will block President Trump's Federal Reserve nominees. They're protesting the Justice Department's investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Melina Weisskopf reports. New York Governor Kathy Hochul lays out her vision for the Empire State in the year ahead, from child care and housing to public safety, immigration and energy. Chris Bobb has highlights from her State of the State address after the break. This is pho-licious. Now what is pho? It's an authentic Vietnamese noodle dish. Pho-licious chicken pho brings the comforting, aromatic flavors of Vietnam to your bowl. And Mama Thu's signature spice blend. This chicken pho is as close to homemade as it gets without the wait. 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I very seldom disagree with the president, but I've disagreed with bad advice he's been given and acting on. President Trump has denied knowledge of the investigation, though he previously threatened legal action against Powell, accusing him of incompetence. Senator Murkowski, the latest to join Senator Tillis in ramping up the pressure around this investigation, raised concerns about the fact that this investigation revolves around project cost overruns, which she says are not unusual. This Department of Justice investigation started over concerns about Powell's handling of the renovation of the Federal Reserve's headquarters. Specifically, investigators are looking into whether Powell committed perjury when he testified to a Senate committee about the project last year. The project is over budget. It was originally approved for $1.9 billion, but now it's costing around $2.5 billion of taxpayer money. The Fed's inspector said that this increase in the price is due to the timeline extension and material costs. The White House Economic Council director yesterday told reporters at the White House that even if cost overruns on projects aren't out of the ordinary, it's still important to know where taxpayer money goes. Seems like the Justice Department has decided that they want to see what's going on over there. With this building that's, you know, massively more expensive than any building in the history of Washington. I think that it's really important to understand where the taxpayer money goes. Chairman Powell was quick to deny the allegations of the lawsuit and said that the Trump administration only launched it because he refused to lower interest rates to a level that President Trump is happy with. The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public. Rather than following the preferences of the president. While some Republicans aren't comfortable with this investigation, others say it's serious and warranted. Speaker Johnson today doubling down on his previous comments. If there's a credible allegation or concern someone's lied to Congress, then the DOJ should investigate. I mean, across the board, no matter who it is, no one is immune from that. Chairman Powell will be replaced in just a few months as he reaches the end of his term in May. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Melina Weiskopf, NTD News. New York Governor Kathy Hochul laid out her vision for the year ahead during her fifth State of the State address. From child care and housing to public safety, immigration and energy, Hochul cast the New York State government as a counterweight to what she described as growing threats to democracy. NTD's Chris Bobb has more from Albany, New York. Invoking the American Revolution both at the beginning and end of her speech, Governor Kathy Hochul framed this year's State of the State as a fight against what she called oppressive power. It's that resilience, that strength, that spirit, that willingness to fight for a better future that was born in secret meetings in the taverns of Albany and New York City, charting a path forward under the weight of an oppressive power. Without naming him directly at first, Governor Hochul took aim at President Donald Trump and pledging to keep congestion pricing in place despite political pressure. Hochul cited annual child care costs ranging from $26,000 to $40,000, joking that at those prices, toddlers should be fluent in three languages and be doing their parents' taxes. And this plan will ultimately deliver universal child care for every single family in New York. She announced a plan to ultimately deliver universal child care to every family in New York, which received a standing ovation led by New York City's Mayor Zoran Mamdani. We're promising universal pre-K for every single four-year-old by 2028. And this year, we'll pilot community-wide child care to provide year-round, full-day affordable care for newborns to three-year-olds. On energy, Hochul proposed a massive expansion of New York power and creating a nuclear workforce development program. She also took aim at data centers, requiring them to generate their own power rather than drawing from the public grid. Data centers are vital for innovative future, but they guzzle up tremendous amounts of energy and leave ratepayers footing the bill. So if they want to build in New York, they have to pay their fair share for the power they use. And we also won't allow technology to undermine our democracy, because people deserve to trust what they see and hear during election season. So this year, we'll require disclosures on all AI-generated images and videos so real New Yorkers know what's real and what's not. Public safety proposals included blocking 3D printers sold in New York from producing firearms, banning protests within 25 feet of houses of worship, and new protections for minors online, including blocking direct messages from suspected predators and limiting access to chatbots, location sharing, and sports gambling. I'm proposing the first in the nation law requiring all 3D printers sold in the state of New York to include software that blocks the printer from creating a gun. It's just common sense. Hockel also addressed immigration, vowing New York would not assist federal immigration raids. New York will not allow the use of state resources to assist in federal immigration raids on people who have not committed serious crimes. Not doing it. And would allow New Yorkers to hold ICE agents accountable for abuses of power. I will allow to move to have New Yorkers hold ICE agents and others accountable in court when they act outside their scope of duties. These proposals will now face scrutiny from lawmakers with budget negotiations set to dominate the weeks ahead. In Albany, Chris Bobb, NTD News. Coming up, the Supreme Court weighs in on state laws that bar transgender athletes from girl sports. Arlene Richards has the key takeaways from today's oral arguments. Christians shared accounts of religious persecution abroad. Witnesses testifying before a federal commission today seeking U.S. support. David Lamb has the takeaways after the break. I trod on my glasses yesterday and I had to pay up front for a new pair that I can't even pick up for another 10 days. So I looked for another way and I found Select Specs. I ordered online. My new glasses just arrived this morning and I can pay over the next few weeks. This is the way to buy glasses. See now, pay later with Select Specs. 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NTD's Arlene Richards has more. Attorneys for Idaho and West Virginia argued on Tuesday that their state's laws treat all men and all women equally and don't classify on the basis of gender identity. Idaho's law classifies on the basis of sex, because sex is what matters in sports. It correlates strongly with countless athletic advantages like size, muscle mass, bone mass, and heart and lung capacity. Tragically, but not surprisingly, male athletes have even injured female athletes in many sports. If women don't have their own competitions, they won't be able to compete. The states appeared before the Supreme Court in an effort to overturn lower court rulings that say laws restricting transgender athletes in girls' sports discriminate based on sex. Transgender athletes in both states argue their right to compete on the girls' teams is guaranteed by Title IX, a landmark civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination. They say their gender identity matches the sex category of the law. Idaho's Solicitor General said gender identity doesn't matter in sports, and the purpose of Idaho's law is to preserve women's equal opportunity. Denying special treatment isn't classifying on the basis of transgender status. It's consciously choosing not to. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back on his characterization of the case. Who identifies as a female, but it's a male, is being excluded from a female sport. Correct? That's correct. All right. By its nature, that's a sex classification. Justice Neil Gorsuch asked the big question about whether transgender people should be considered a legally protected class. The Idaho plaintiff has decided to drop the case, but the state of Idaho wanted the Supreme Court to decide the case anyway. The second case the court heard on Tuesday out of West Virginia deals with many of the same issues. Chief Justice Roberts asked the Idaho attorney if a win in favor of the plaintiffs could have wider effects. My point was more that how we approach the situation of looking at it not as boys versus girls, but whether or not there should be an exception with respect to the definition of girls. That would, if we adopted that, that would have to apply across the board and not simply to the area of athletics. Outside, demonstrators gathered ahead of the arguments. After the arguments were over, attorneys for each side and female athletes appeared outside to speak with the press. The simple reality of this case is that we're talking about simple biology. There are men and women, and Title IX and equal protection should allow boys to participate in boys sports and girls to participate in girls sports. Today, we had a chance to tell the Supreme Court the reality of what it's like to be a girl like Becky, who just wants to be able to play on a team with her friends and have fun. We are here because we value fairness and safety in women's sports. We know what is at stake when states can't provide these protections to athletes. The Justice Department weighed in for the Trump administration in support of the states. U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer sat in the court's packed audience. The Trump administration is currently suing states that don't bar transgender athletes from women's sports. Meanwhile, five of the six justices appeared to be leaning in favor of the states. The court's final ruling in Tuesday's case could decide the fate of women's sports in the future. Arlene Richards, NTD News. And joining us now to deep dive into this case is attorney Mark Trammell. He's the CEO of the Center for American Liberty. Mark, thank you so much for joining us. First, what did you make of the oral arguments today and where the high court seems to be leaning? Yeah, that's a great question. I think it looks like the states are going to prevail. I think it's always dangerous to guess the tea leaves of the Supreme Court. They can certainly surprise us. They've surprised us in the past. But it does look like states are going to prevail or likely to prevail on this issue. Title nine was created to open doors for women in athletics specifically, not to close them. And I think what what we saw consistently through the line of questioning through from Justice Alito and several other justices was just pointing out some of the inconsistencies in the arguments presented by namely the ACLU, an inability to even define what it is to be a male or female or to define sex. And when you have a law that is designed to prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, it's imperative that the court can at a minimum define that term. I want to expand on that because that does seem to be a big part or at least it was making a lot of rounds on social media. Talk to us about that. How unusual is it for a case to be argued without a definition for a critical term central to the case? Well, I think this is what the court is designed to do. It's designed to interpret the law, right? It's designed to interpret language within statutes. And that's what it's being asked to do today to define what title nine means when it prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. I think there's a very common sense understanding as to what this means. I think some on the perhaps more politically left side have struggled. I think even we saw today at the court, the attorney for the ACLU struggled to be able to define sex and to be able to define what it means to be a woman or a female. And that's going to be very problematic. I think that's very problematic in oral argument today. And I think ultimately, that's why I think the court is largely going to rule in favor of the states. Now, having said that, I don't know that what we're going to see out of the court is going to be just a home run for the states, right? There's a question, there's a way that the court can rule in a very narrow fashion. And the court loves to do this, right? The court loves to rule narrowly in perhaps the least disruptive manner. The court is specifically asked whether conservative states like Idaho, like West Virginia, may provide a restriction, may segregate athletics on the basis of sex. And the court can come down on that question and say, yes, yes, they may. Now, that's a different question being presented to the court as to whether states like California are required to then, under equal protection and under Title IX, require athletics and high schools and colleges to be segregated on the basis of sex. That question, we'll see what happens. We'll see if the court goes that far. I'll be surprised if the court goes that far. I think ultimately, at the end of the day, the court is going to say that, yes, states like Idaho, like West Virginia, may restrict on this basis. And that is perfectly consistent with Title IX. It's perfectly consistent with the Equal Protection Clause. But we'll see how the court comes down on this one. I'm going to dig into that because the states say that their current laws don't violate the 14th Amendment or Title IX. Unpack for us the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. How is that playing out in this case? Yeah, so you can't discriminate on the basis of sex and other immutable characteristics under equal protection, right? You can't discriminate on the basis of race or nation of origin or alienage. In fact, these are highly codified protections under the law. Now, what is consistent with these protections is that they're immutable characteristics. And that's why we have these laws in place. When sex can be something other than immutable, when it can be fluid, the protection makes zero sense. In fact, what it actually does is an application here is it takes opportunities that were fought for legislatively and that are afforded to women and it gives them to young men. And so that clearly is contrary to the intent of Title IX. It's contrary to, I think, years and years of case law of equal protection. The whole idea here is that there's an immutable characteristic, immutable meaning it cannot change. You cannot change your sex. You know, I think of Center for American Liberty, we represent Chloe Colt and her lawsuit against Kaiser and the doctors who tried to transition her really brutal medical procedures that she underwent, double mastectomy as a young child. And I think she actually gave an interview today where she said, look, this is these things were done to me. They didn't change who I was. They didn't change my sex. They just injured me. And, you know, I think here the same truth is applicable. You can't change your sex. It is immutable. And that's why we have equal protection on this basis. But there was a lot of discussion today at the court as to whether transgender identification is the same as on the basis of sex. Again, that's going to be a question that we'll have to wait and see how the court rules. A lot to watch for here for sure. Mark Trammell, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today heard tragic accounts of the persecution of Christians abroad. Witnesses expressed hope for U.S. assistance as they shared stories of how people's religious freedoms are being violated. NTD's David Lam has more. Witnesses testified before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on Tuesday, sharing accounts of persecution against Christians across the globe. It is imperative that we confront this heart-wrenching reality as we speak. Innocent men, women, and children are losing their homes, their livelihoods, and even their lives simply for being Christians. The hearing highlighted how foreign governments repress freedom of belief of people in countries like Vietnam, Egypt, Nigeria, Nicaragua, and China. China, you are required to have a license to practice your religion. So foreign to us here in America. But in any event, because they licensed them, they can do whatever they want. In 2025, the Chinese Communist Party arrested Ezra Jin, the founder of the Zion Church in Beijing, in China's largest arrest campaign against Christians in over four decades. To this day, we are still waiting for Pastor Jin's release. And I understand that Pastor Jin's daughter is here testifying. When the government demands sinicization in practice, it means removing crosses and replacing them with portraits of Xi Jinping, replacing hymns with revolutionary party songs, rewriting sermons to align with socialist core values, and installing facial recognition cameras in sanctuaries. One witness said he was imprisoned for over 26 years in Eritrea. He said he was tortured and was kept in a shipping container and wasn't charged with any crime. At night, we froze. We had no medical care, not enough food. The witnesses expressed hope that the U.S. would help address the persecutions in their countries abroad and facilitate the reopening of churches and the release of imprisoned pastors and prisoners of faith. David Lam, NTD News. Coming up in the NFL, after their season ending loss last night, could the Steelers be in the market for a new head coach? Dave Martin joins us to discuss. And the countdown to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics begins on Wednesday. We'll have how to enter the ticket lottery, who gets early access, and what fans need to know. Stay tuned for that after the break. I had a pretty normal mom life. Everything was pretty good. It was a very happy life. And we just had a new baby. And then all of a sudden within a day or two, she's on life support and fighting for her life. And I knew something was pretty wrong. A little less than a week after I came home, I couldn't breathe. That's when we decided to go to the hospital. I was given the diagnosis that I had peripartum cardiomyopathy, which is basically a pregnancy-induced heart failure. They told me my only chance was a heart transplant. And the American Heart Association helped make that possible. Their research helped save me. This could not happen without monthly donations from friends like you. Your sustained support helps fund life-saving research that leads to medical breakthroughs, like those that gave Jen a second chance at life. 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Covenant House is helping young people with nowhere else to turn. Please call or go online now with your gift of $19 a month. You'll help provide hot meals, safe shelter, medical care, and love. We'll send you this comforting blanket as a reminder of the love you're showing a young person this holiday season. Call or go online now to safeplacetosleep.org and your first month's gift will be matched. And now for your sports news, we're joined by NT's Dave Martin. Dave, we have a lot going on NBA Olympic news, but let's start on the NFL as the Pittsburgh Steelers today announced that Mike Tomlin will step down as head coach. Was this an expected move? You know, I don't know if it was expected, but it certainly seemed like a possibility. I mean, there have been fans chanting for his getting fired this whole season, especially even last night after that playoff loss to the Houston Texans. And certainly the fans are chanting for him to be fired. That can certainly force someone's hand, either the coach or the owner. But talk about a victim of his own success. The Steelers still won a division title this year. That's his eighth head coach despite all those calls for his firing. And he never had a losing season in his 19 seasons there in Pittsburgh. Went to the playoffs 13 times. I mean, if he did that for some team like the Jets, I mean, they would be erecting a statue for him outside of the state. I will grant his teams have not had the same success he had early in his career there. You know, they won the Super Bowl in his second season back in 2008. Two years later, they made it back there. They have not been there since. And they've actually lost seven straight playoff games overall dating back nine years. Of course, he had quarterback Ben Roethlisberger really in his prime for the first half of his tenure. It's very tough to win the NFL without an elite quarterback. I mean, just look at Bill Belichick, what happened to him after Tom Brady left. In any case, Tomlin, 53 years old. He's still under contract for two more years with the Steelers, so if he wants to coach elsewhere, he would actually have to be traded from the Pittsburgh area. So we could see a player for coach trade if somebody actually wants to get Tomlin to coach their team. All right, something to put on our radar, yes. Moving to Olympic news, though. American snowboarder Khloe Kim, who injured her shoulder last week during training, announced she has a torn labrum. What is her status for the Olympics next month? Yeah, she announced that she is still good to go for the Olympics, though she won't. She'll be wearing a shoulder brace and she won't actually be able to practice until right before the games begin, which is on February 6th. In any case, the women's halfpipe competition, however, doesn't actually start until February 11th. That's four weeks from tomorrow. Kim is 25 years old. She's won the half gold in the halfpipe each of the last two Olympics. No woman has ever won three straight golds here. Now, fortunately for her, she's already qualified for the U.S. team. She's a heavy favorite to win as long as she is healthy. So I guess we'll see in a few weeks how she's doing. Well, best of luck to her. Shifting gears to the NBA, though, Dallas Mavericks all-star Anthony Davis will reportedly undergo surgery on his hand. What is the timeline for his return? Yeah, well, according to ESPN, this would actually end his season, assuming the Mavericks, you know, continue to not make the playoffs or stay out of the playoff race. Right now, they're 15 and 25. That's good for 12th place in the Western Convents. Only the top 10 even have a chance to make the playoffs. And the playoffs start in mid-April, so that's just three months away. Now, if they make some kind of improbable run to the playoffs, it sounds like he might actually have a chance to play in the postseason. I certainly wouldn't think they would want to rush an injury like this, though. Now, he suffered ligament damage to his hand in last Thursday's game. He has not played since. That kind of sums up his time with Dallas. He's missed 20 of their 40 games this year. Last year, he played in just 9 out of 32 games because of injuries after being traded to Dallas in that infamous trade for Luka Doncic. So some unfortunate news here for the Mavericks. Well, looking at tonight's NBA schedule, we have seven games on, including another Thunder versus Spurs contest. Yes, this will be their fourth matchup this season. Now, the Spurs have, you know, improbably won the first three already. I say improbably because only the Thunder are the defending champions. Against every other team in the league, they have a 33-4 record. Against San Antonio, they are 0-3. They still have the best record in the league at 33-7, though. Spurs' third best at 27-12. Hopefully, these two actually meet up in the playoffs this year. Now, elsewhere tonight, we've got several future Hall of Famers in action. LeBron James, Andy Lakers host the Atlanta Hawks at 10-30 Eastern time tonight. Also, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors host the Portland Trailblazers. That game starts at 11 p.m. Eastern time. And Kevin Drennett and the Houston Rockets play the Chicago Bulls in Houston starting at 8 p.m. And if that's not enough basketball for you, Tiff, which it should be, there's a dozen ranked teams in college basketball going on tonight. And that's not including Kansas because, of course, remember, they're not ranked, unfortunately. Well, that aside, I don't know how your schedule is looking tonight. It's looking pretty busy. Well, Davis Otis, thanks for joining us. Thank you, Tiff. Olympic fans, set your alarm clocks. Registration for the 2028 Summer Olympics Ticket Lottery opens tomorrow morning with millions of tickets up for grabs. NTD's Christina Corona tells us how to get them. Registration for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Ticket Lottery opens Wednesday, January 14th at 7 a.m., giving fans a chance to secure tickets to the games. Single tickets start at $28, with about 14 million tickets expected to be released for the Olympics and Paralympics. Here's how it works. Fans will create a profile and enter the lottery on Wednesday. Winners will be randomly assigned a time slot to buy tickets, which will be sent via email. Los Angeles area residents, along with fans in Oklahoma City, where softball and canoe slalom events will be held, qualify for a special early access window. To qualify, your credit card billing address must match zip codes in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura counties in California, or Canadian or Cleveland counties in Oklahoma. Early access runs April 2nd through April 6th for those who register by March 18th. The 2028 Olympics will be held at several iconic Southern California venues. The LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies. Track and field will compete at the Coliseum during the first week of the games, with swimming scheduled for the second week at SoFi Stadium. Venice Beach will host the triathlon. Long Beach and Carson will be major hubs, hosting volleyball, rowing, canoe sprint, handball, rugby sevens, track cycling, and tennis. Riviera Country Club will host golf. The Los Angeles Convention Center will host fencing, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, and wrestling, while the Pasadena Rose Bowl Aquatic Center will host diving. The 2028 Summer Olympics run July 14th through July 30th. Christina Corona, NTD News. And that's all for today's news. For around-the-clock coverage, visit us at ntd.com slash live or download our NTD app. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Tiffany Meyer. Good night.