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Buddhist monks walking 2,300 miles from Texas to DC go viral with 1M+ social media followers
Buddhist monks have set off on a trek across the country on foot that has drawn national attention as they travel from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington D.C. as a part of a months-long journey they describe as a spiritual practice.
The more than 2,300 mile journey they have named the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center’s Walk for Peace began in late October and is estimated to conclude later this winter in the nation’s capital.
The walk, according to the group’s official page, is intended to promote peace, compassion and mindfulness during a time they say the country is marked by division and uncertainty.
"This is not a protest," the monks say in public statements. "It is a spiritual practice."
AT LANCASTER MARKET, I WITNESSED AN AMERICA THAT STILL WORKS — NO POLITICS REQUIRED
The monks are affiliated with a Texas-based Buddhist meditation center.
They describe the walk as a moving meditation as they continue to pass through cities, small towns and rural communities across the U.S.
They have been greeted by supporters who have gathered along the route, walking short stretches with the group and offering food or simply observing quietly as they pass.
The Monks are keeping a blog that tracks their journey in real time. On the blog they say those who "visit the venerable monks along our path, we tie a blessing string around your wrist—a simple thread that carries profound meaning."
According to the blog the cord is a reminder and every time the wearer sees it "in a moment of stress, during a difficult conversation, when patience feels impossible—it gently calls you back to the intention you set when you met us: to walk with us in spirit, to nourish peace, mindfulness, loving-kindness, and compassion in your daily life."
"It is a connection string between this journey and you, a tangible link that says: you are part of this walk for peace. We are walking together, always," they write.
WITHOUT GOD, NEW YORK'S DREAM TURNS HOLLOW. MY WALK ACROSS AMERICA PROVES IT
In addition to the monks, Aloka, a rescue dog the monks refer to as the "Peace Dog," has become an unexpected focal point of the journey.
During the journey, photos and videos are being shared online and show Aloka traveling along highways and sidewalks, resting during breaks and greeting supporters.
These special moments have helped the monks’ walk gain traction on social media, where their Facebook following recently surpassed 1 million followers.
Millions of supporters are sharing messages of encouragement and reflection in response to the journey.
"I am so inspired. Thank you — the United States so desperately needs this message," one follower wrote.
Another supporter said the walk has had a personal impact on their daily life.
"Praying for you all each night. You have opened a light within me that makes me want to be a kinder, more peaceful person. I think now before speaking and have become more aware of my breathing," the follower wrote. "Your trip has a lot of people thinking and restoring hope back in our country and peaceful thoughts throughout the day. It is simply wonderful, the journey you are on."
Others said the message resonates with them during a turbulent period for the country.
"The message of peace is resonating with so many in America during these scary times," another supporter commented.
So far, the Buddhist monks have made it across much of the country, prompting online searches and interest in the walk, the monks’ mission and their destination in Washington. The videos have circulated widely as the group continues eastward.
They continue to emphasize that the walk is non-political and open to people of all backgrounds, describing peace as "not a destination, but a way of living."
The monks say their message remains the same: peace begins with individual action — one step at a time.
Texans defense suffocates Aaron Rodgers, Steelers in playoff win
Crunch.
That was the sound of Houston Texans players colliding with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the fourth quarter of their Wild Card Round matchup, causing him to lose the ball. Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins picked the ball up and ran it to the end zone for what felt like the knockout blow even though there was still a lot of time left to play.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
It was that type of game for both teams – a defensive struggle – as Houston put together a 30-6 victory. It was the franchise’s first road playoff victory.
There were big hits and little room for error. Houston had a 7-6 lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Christian Kirk.
Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points. Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.
When he did have time to throw, wide receivers like DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin III either dropped the ball or were just a hair off. Rodgers also had a few of his passes deflected.
BEARS' BEN JOHNSON POURS GASOLINE ON PACKERS RIVALRY: 'I JUST DON'T LIKE THAT TEAM'
Steelers fans let the team hear it with plenty of boos. Pittsburgh extended its playoff losing streak to seven games.
Texans running back Woody Marks ran for 100 yards for the first time in his career and scored a touchdown to really seal the win. Texans defensive back Calen Bullock returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game.
Stroud finished 21-of-32 with 250 passing yards and the touchdown pass. The Texans’ defense sacked Rodgers four times. Rankins was good for 1.5 sacks.
The Steelers almost had no offense throughout the game. The team was held to 175 yards and outscored 23-0 in the fourth quarter.
Houston will take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.
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West Virginia AG addresses allegations against trans athlete plaintiff in women's sports SCOTUS battle
West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey spoke out in response to allegations of sexual harassment against a transgender athlete who has sued his state to block its law that keeps biological males out of girls' sports.
McCuskey, who is leading his state's legal defense against the trans athlete the U.S. Supreme Court set to review the case Tuesday, addressed the allegations at a press conference Monday.
"Any time you think of a child being harassed, it gives you pause as a parent. And it isn't really part of our case, but harassment of any child of any kind in this country is inappropriate. And it’s wrong, and we all need to stand up to ensure that children aren’t being harassed in any of their venues, particularly athletics," McCuskey said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
West Virginia AG responds to harassment allegations against trans athlete
The allegations were leveled against the trans athlete by Bridgeport High School student Adaleia Cross, who is a former track and field teammate of the trans athlete when the two were at Bridgeport Middle School.
Cross' mother, Abby, told Fox News Digital what the trans athlete allegedly said to her daughter when they shared the girls' locker room during the 2022-23 school year. Adaleia was in eighth grade, and the trans athlete was in seventh. Abby Cross alleges the trans athlete made extremely graphic and vulgar sexual threats to her daughter and other girls on the team.
The trans athlete's legal representatives at the American Civil Liberties Union has denied the allegations.
"Our client and her mother deny these allegations and the school district investigated the allegations reported to the school by A.C. and found them to be unsubstantiated. We remain committed to defending the rights of all students under Title IX, including the right to a safe and inclusive learning environment free from harassment and discrimination," read an ACLU statement provided to Fox News Digital.
The Cross family's attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) responded to the ACLU's statement.
"Our client has sworn under oath and under penalty of perjury in numerous cases about the events that took place between her and the male athlete. As a result of the situation, [Cross] had to step away from the sport she loved entirely and sacrifice a key element of her school experience to protect herself," read an ADF statement provided to Fox News Digital.
The trans athlete personally denied the allegations to The New York Times in a story that was published Monday.
"I was not raised like that," the athlete said.
The outlet obtained a letter from the Harrison County School District, stating an investigation determined Cross's allegations "could not be substantiated."
The Cross family said when they reported the alleged harassment to the school, nothing was done to reprimand the trans athlete, to their knowledge.
"They told me they would do a full investigation into what I told them," Adaleia said. "And then, all of a sudden, it was like nothing else was happening, it was done, and it seemed like they thought nothing of it because they didn't talk to us about it at all, they just left it there and didn't tell us anything else, so it just made it seemed like, yup it's done."
Her father, Holden Cross said, "We received no response from the school after filing the report."
Fox News Digital made repeated requests to the ACLU and the Harrison County School District, which oversees Bridgeport Middle School and Bridgeport High School, seeking documentation related to the school’s investigation and clarification on whether an investigation occurred and, if so, why only the Cross family was not notified of the results. Those requests have not been met.
OutKick podcast host and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines also addressed the allegations at the Monday press conference, recounting Adaleia's testimony, saying that the experience "traumatized" Cross.
"We have to worry about middle school-aged girls who have to worry about being told these things in an area of undressing," Gaines said. "The alleged things that were said to her, as a parent myself now, and I would imagine my husband would have choice words if someone said things like that to our daughter. Relaying some of the things [Cross] said to me, it traumatized her."
Gaines and McCuskey were joined Monday by the attorneys general from Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Virginia, Ohio, legal counsel for the AG of Alabama, and four other women's athlete activists; Olympic silver medal gymnast MyKayla Skinner, former U.S. gymnast and XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey, former NCAA volleyball player Macy Petty and former California collegiate women's soccer player Sophia Lorey.
The group gave remarks in support of the "Save Women's Sports" legal defense one day before the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases over the issue of trans athletes in girls' sports, including McCuskey's case in West Virginia and a separate case in Idaho.
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador has been battling a lawsuit by a trans athlete who sued to block the state's women's sports law since 2020, called out that trans athlete for attempting to drop the case after the Supreme Court agreed to review it.
"This athlete never decided to dismiss the case until the petition for cir was granted by the U.S. Supreme Court. So when they knew that they were in the Ninth Circuit that they would win, they were fine with having this case heard. when they knew that they were going to go before the Supreme Court, they decided to try to dismiss this case. I think that's fundamentally unfair. I think that's gamesmanship and I hope that the court, the U.S. Supreme Court sees it that way."
Skinner reflected on her women's gymnastics career and becoming a mother for her passion in joining the battle to "save women's sports."
"Staying silent on issues that matter doesn't serve the next generation of girls. I've spent my entire life in women's sports. I know how rare and hard one these opportunities are. That's why what's happening right now at the Supreme Court and in the states like Utah matter so much more," Skinner said.
"Women's sports exist because men and women are biologically different. In gymnastics, women don't compete on the rings. Why? Because men are stronger. And events are designed around physiological reality. That's not controversial. It's common sense."
Petty shared her experience of having to play a transgender athlete during her college career, recounting the hard work and sacrifices, including missing prom, that went into earning a chance to play collegiate volleyball.
"But instead of showing off those skills that I had been training my entire life to build, they watched a boy slam the ball in our faces. Now, there were plenty of opportunities for this boy to play at the boys courts on the other side of the convention center where, mind you, the nets are over 7 in higher than our nets. But instead, it was humiliating. It was degrading to me as a female. And of course, it jeopardized my opportunity to even put that jersey on in the first place."
Lorey ripped California leadership, including Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom for continuing to allow the state to be a hotbed for controversial incidents involving biological males compete in girls' sports.
"Our own attorney general, Rob Bonta won't lift a finger to protect girls," Lorey said. "When I testified at the California State Capital in defense of girls, an assembly member compared what we were saying to times of Nazi Germany."
Sey, like Skinner, also recounted her experience as a pro gymnast en route to becoming a U.S. champion, said she never would have accomplished this if she had to compete against males.
"Why will little girls even bother to compete at a certain point when they know that it doesn't matter to our institutions that it isn't fair for them? I'm telling you, this is where this goes. They stop trying. They stop competing all together. Why would they bother if they have no chance of making the team, the podium, of winning? Eventually, they won't. They will stop trying," Sey warned.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita was the lone figure in attendance on Monday calling for empathy for the trans athletes, becoming visibly emotional while recounting an incident in 2022 when his state was sued by the ACLU and a 10-year-old transgender plaintiff for enacting a law to only allow biological females in girls' sports.
Rokita argued that the 10-year-old had been "co-opted by the left."
"That plaintiff in Indiana was 10 years old and I say my opinion is was co-opted by the left. That 10-year-old needs love and so do all the rest like her. That 10-year-old needs therapy. What that 10-year-old and all the ones like that person doesn't need is to be affirmed in the wrongness that was that case in Indiana," Rokita said.
"So to my colleagues, good luck tomorrow. May justice prevail."
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Rep Ro Khanna demands prosecution of ICE agent in Minneapolis fatal shooting
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., called for the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good in a residential neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota on Jan. 7.
Khanna also urged Congress to back his legislation with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to require ICE agents to wear body cameras, display visible identification, stop wearing masks during operations and be subject to independent oversight.
In a post shared on X, the former Obama administration official said: "I am calling for the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent that shot and killed Renee Good."
"I am also calling on Congress to support my bill with @JasmineForUS to force ICE agents to wear body cameras, not wear masks, have visible identification, and ensure ICE has independent oversight," Khanna added.
MINNESOTA BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION DROPS OUT OF ICE-INVOLVED SHOOTING INVESTIGATION
An ICE agent shot and killed the 37-year-old Minneapolis woman during a federal enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. Federal officials have said agents were attempting to make arrests when the woman tried to use her vehicle as a weapon against officers, prompting an ICE agent to fire in self-defense.
Good’s death sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis and across the U.S. as demonstrators called for changes to federal immigration enforcement.
Local officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, criticized the federal account of the incident and rejected the claim that the officer acted in self-defense. Minnesota has since sued the Trump administration, claiming the immigration enforcement surge in the state is "unlawful" and "unprecedented."
"What we are seeing right now is not normal immigration enforcement," Frey said. "The scale is wildly disproportionate, and it has nothing to do with keeping people safe."
The Trump administration pushed back sharply against the lawsuit, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accusing Minnesota leaders of undermining public safety and obstructing federal law enforcement.
MINNESOTA SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER SWEEPING IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN TWIN CITIES
Federal officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, maintained that the agent fired in self-defense.
Noem critisized Democrats on Sunday amid an Illinois lawmaker's push to impeach her following the deadly shooting.
Cuba’s president defiant, says no negotiations scheduled as Trump moves to choke off oil lifeline
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel declared Monday that his administration is not negotiating with Washington, despite President Donald Trump’s threats to push Cuba into a deal now that Venezuelan oil will no longer be supplied.
"There are no conversations with the U.S. government, except for technical contacts in the migration field," Díaz-Canel said in a post on X.
Díaz-Canel continued to denounce the U.S., accusing it of applying hostile pressure on the island, and insisted that negotiations would only take place if they are conducted in accordance with international law.
"As history demonstrates, relations between the U.S. and Cuba, in order to advance, must be based on International Law rather than on hostility, threats, and economic coercion," he said.
TRUMP ADMIN TO CONTROL VENEZUELAN OIL SALES IN RADICAL SHIFT AIMED AT RESTARTING CRUDE FLOW
"We have always been willing to engage in a serious and responsible dialogue with the various governments of the United States, including the current one, on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, principles of International Law, reciprocal benefit without interference in internal affairs and with full respect for our independence," Canel added.
On Sunday, Trump declared that Cuba would no longer receive oil or money from Venezuela, a move that would sever Havana’s longtime energy and financial lifeline.
The announcement came after a stunning Jan. 3 operation in Venezuela, in which American forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and reportedly killed at least 32 Cuban personnel.
VENEZUELAN OIL SHIPMENTS SURGE TO US PORTS WITH HEAVY CRUDE AFTER MADURO CAPTURE
"THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," he warned.
Cuba has long depended on imported oil to keep its aging power grid running. Before the U.S. attack on Venezuela, Havana was receiving 35,000 barrels a day from Venezuela, roughly 7,500 from Russia and some 5,500 barrels daily from Mexico, The Associated Press reported, citing Jorge Piñón of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, who tracks the shipments.
Even with Venezuelan oil imports, Cuba has suffered widespread blackouts in recent years due to persistent fuel shortages, an aging and crumbling electric grid and damage from hurricanes that have battered the island’s infrastructure.
Now, with U.S. sanctions tightening on both Russian and Venezuelan oil, blackouts could worsen as Havana’s leaders reject Trump’s call to strike a deal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jack Smith to testify next week at a public House Judiciary Committee hearing
FIRST ON FOX: Former special counsel Jack Smith will testify in a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee next week, giving Republican and Democratic lawmakers on the panel a chance to grill him in a public setting on his prosecutions of President Donald Trump.
Smith will appear before the committee on Jan. 22, one month after he sat for a closed-door deposition with the committee and testified for eight hours about his special counsel work, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
Smith had long said he wanted to speak to the committee publicly, and although Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, first demanded the deposition, the chairman also said an open hearing was on the table.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM JACK SMITH'S TESTIMONY TO HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Smith investigated Trump and brought two indictments against him over the 2020 election and alleged retention of classified documents. Trump pleaded not guilty and aggressively fought the charges, and Smith dropped both cases when Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Department of Justice policy that discourages prosecuting sitting presidents.
In a public hearing, House lawmakers will be able to question Smith in five-minute increments, whereas in the deposition, each party questioned Smith in one-hour sessions. Politico first reported that Smith would appear for a hearing sometime this month.
Smith gave little new information during his initial meeting with the committee and defended his work.
"I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election," Smith said, according to a transcript of the deposition. "We took actions based on what the facts, and the law required, the very lesson I learned early in my career as a prosecutor."
JACK SMITH DEFENDS SUBPOENAING REPUBLICANS' PHONE RECORDS: ‘ENTIRELY PROPER’
Smith said he followed DOJ policy when his team made the controversial decision to subpoena numerous Republican senators' and House members' phone records as part of his 2020 election probe. Smith noted the subpoenas sought a narrow set of data.
"If Donald Trump had chosen to call a number of Democratic senators [to delay the election certification proceedings], we would have gotten toll records for Democratic senators. So responsibility for why these records, why we collected them, that's — that lies with Donald Trump," Smith said.
The Republicans have said the subpoenas were unconstitutional violations of the speech or debate clause, and they have broadly said the Biden DOJ abused its authority by bringing, in their view, politicized criminal charges against a former president and presidential candidate.
Trump, who has long decried Smith as a "thug" and said he belongs in jail, has said he welcomes Smith at a public hearing.
Asked about Smith's appearance next week, a representative for Smith provided a statement from one of his lawyers, Lanny Breuer.
"Jack has been clear for months he is ready and willing to answer questions in a public hearing about his investigations into President Trump’s alleged unlawful efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents," Breuer said.
Nonprofit revenue totals surge amid growing scrutiny after major fraud cases
Hundreds of billions of dollars flowed through U.S. nonprofit organizations in 2024, tax filing data show, as major fraud cases — including in Minnesota — put new focus on how taxpayer-backed funds are overseen.
The figures come from ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer and were independently reviewed by Fox News, which confirmed the state-by-state revenue totals.
According to the data, California’s 213,720 nonprofits reported a collective $593.4 billion in revenue, the highest total of any state.
For nonprofit organizations, revenue refers to total income reported on tax filings – not profit or money pocketed by individuals – and can include government grants and reimbursements, donations, service fees, investment income and contracts for public services.
COMER VOWS MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE WILL EXPAND TO OTHER STATES AMID MOUNTING SCRUTINY
Following California was New York, where 132,097 nonprofits reported a collective $445.8 billion in revenue. Pennsylvania’s 85,346 nonprofits reported $247.3 billion, while Texas’ 157,840 nonprofits reported $219.6 billion.
Other notable states include Washington, where 44,332 nonprofits reported $139.5 billion in revenue; New Jersey, where 56,332 nonprofits reported $113 billion; and Minnesota, where 41,267 nonprofits reported $124.2 billion — placing the state among the top revenue totals nationwide despite its smaller population.
The figures circulated widely on social media on Monday after an X user highlighted the totals using the term "NGOs." The "NGO" label is oftentimes applied to international organizations but is sometimes used online to describe domestic nonprofit groups, which are the focus of the ProPublica database.
JASON CHAFFETZ: DEMOCRATS TURNED OUR TREASURY INTO A ‘PIGGY BANK FOR FRAUDSTERS’
Although nonprofit revenue does not indicate wrongdoing, the heavy reliance on taxpayer-backed federal and state programs has drawn scrutiny as investigators uncover fraud in multiple publicly funded initiatives.
That scrutiny comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced it is sending additional federal prosecutors to Minnesota to help crack down on large-scale fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs, following a series of high-profile cases tied to nonprofit organizations and social services spending.
"The Department of Justice is dispatching a team of prosecutors to Minnesota to reinforce our U.S. Attorney’s Office and put the perpetrators of this widespread fraud behind bars," Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News on Wednesday, vowing "severe consequences" in Minnesota.
COMER SAYS WALZ 'RETALIATED' AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS WHO WARNED OF MINNESOTA FRAUD FOR YEARS
She also said her department stands "ready to deploy to any other state where similar fraud schemes are robbing American taxpayers."
Bondi’s remarks come as the DOJ continues a sweeping welfare fraud investigation that began under former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
In 2022, Garland announced the first wave of indictments in what he said was a $250 million scheme involving the Minnesota-based nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which authorities accused of exploiting taxpayer-funded child nutrition programs and described at the time as the largest pandemic-related fraud uncovered to date.
'TIP OF THE ICEBERG': SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESS GOV WALZ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL
Under Bondi, the DOJ has continued pursuing cases tied to Feeding Our Future, along with related investigations involving alleged juror bribery and health care fraud. Bondi has said the scope of the misconduct is larger than previously understood and warned that additional criminal charges are expected, bolstered by the deployment of more federal prosecutors to Minnesota.
To date, the department has charged 98 people in fraud-related cases in Minnesota and secured 64 convictions. The vast majority of defendants have been of Somali descent.
Health and Human Services said this month that it froze billions of dollars in federal funding for childcare programs and other social services in five Democrat-led states, including Minnesota, while it investigates their use of taxpayer dollars.
A viral video posted by YouTube creator Nick Shirley in December amplified the attention on fraud in Minnesota. In the video, Shirley is seen visiting Somali-run daycare centers and finding they were closed. The videos have attracted millions of views on social media.
Some of the daycare centers have since disputed the suggestions in Shirley's video and said they have never committed fraud.
ProPublica’s data reflect reported tax filings and does not allege wrongdoing.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
Bill Maher says he never wins awards because 'woke' Hollywood hates he can 'speak freely'
Liberal comedian Bill Maher took a swipe at his "woke" peers in Hollywood who refuse to give him trophies at awards shows.
On Monday's installment of his "Club Random" podcast, Maher sat down with "Train Dreams" star Joel Edgerton and the two of them bonded over how they're both nominees at the Golden Globes (the interview was taped before the ceremony that aired Sunday).
"How do you feel going in?" Edgerton asked. "To me — and maybe it's because I've always set my ceiling quite low in life. Like, being nominated to me is a win."
"Sweetheart, I've been nominated for 33 Emmys, and they would never give it to me," Maher responded. "That's not a gag number. That's a real number. It's crazy."
BILL MAHER LAUGHS AT CELEBRITIES HONORING RENEE GOOD WITH PINS AT GOLDEN GLOBES
"Obviously, it's something I said. Well, it's everything I said," Maher later joked.
"It's enough to get the nomination," Edgerton interjected. "But there's something you've said – "
"Because I speak freely. And this woke town f------ hates that," Maher continued. "And that's okay. I've made my peace with that."
Maher went on to say that if by "some miracle" he won the award, "I really should be shocked."
Since 1995, Maher has racked up dozens of Emmy nominations for "Real Time," his previous late-night show "Politically Incorrect," as well as various stand-up specials, though he did win an Emmy as an executive producer for HBO's documentary series "Vice" in 2014, according to his IMDB page.
Maher attended the Golden Globes on Sunday as a nominee for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television. However, he lost the award to British funnyman Ricky Gervais.
Iran set to hang protester in what would mark first execution tied to anti-regime demonstrations
Iran is reportedly set to execute its first protester in connection with mass arrests over the widespread anti-regime demonstrations, according to human rights groups.
Erfan Soltani, 26, is scheduled to be hanged to death on Wednesday after he was arrested last week during the protests in Karaj, the NGO groups Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) and National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFD) said.
"His family was told that he had been sentenced to death and that the sentence is due to be carried out on 14 January," sources told IHRNGO.
IHRNGO Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said in a statement that "the widespread killing of civilian protesters in recent days by the Islamic Republic is reminiscent of the regime’s crimes in the 1980s, which have been recognized as crimes against humanity."
"The risk of mass and extrajudicial executions of protesters is extremely serious," the statement added. "Under the Responsibility to Protect, the international community has a duty to protect civilian protesters against mass killings by the Islamic Republic and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. We call on people and civil society in democratic countries to remind their governments of this responsibility."
The NUFD is calling for international support to halt Soltani’s execution, stressing that his "only crime was calling for freedom" for Iran.
"Be his voice," the group wrote on X.
Soltani was allegedly denied access to a lawyer, according to the NUFD.
According to The US Sun, Soltani was charged with "waging war against God," a crime punishable by death in Iran.
Soltani’s alleged execution has yet to be independently verified amid a communications blackout as the country's leaders seek to quell the dissent.
More than 10,000 people have reportedly been arrested in recent weeks for participating in the anti-government protests sparked by Iran’s failing economy, according to human rights groups, and many have begun to demand total regime change as the demonstrations continue.
Tehran's crackdown on the demonstrations has also led to more than 500 deaths, human rights groups said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that violence against the protesters would be met with a U.S. military response, saying on Friday that they "better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too."
"Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.
The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump was weighing whether to bomb Iran.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that diplomacy remains Trump’s first option, but that the president "has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary."
"He certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we are seeing right now," she added.
IRAN'S KHAMENEI ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO UNITED STATES IN RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE POSTS
But many congressional lawmakers, including some within the Republican Party, have criticized the president's threats to bomb Iran, with several arguing that he needs approval from Congress under the Constitution, that the U.S. should not be involved in another foreign affair and that military action could rally Iranian protesters behind the Ayatollah.
"We wish them the best," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said on Sunday. "We wish freedom and liberation the best across the world, but I don't think it's the job of the American government to be involved with every freedom movement around the world … If you bomb the government, do you then rally people to their flag who are upset with the Ayatollah, but then say, 'Well, gosh, we can't have a foreign government invading or bombing our country?' It tends to have people rally to the cause."
"Plus, there is this sticking point of the Constitution that we won't let presidents bomb countries just when they feel like it," he added. "They're supposed to ask the people, through the Congress, for permission."
Iranian officials have threatened to retaliate against U.S. troops in the region if the Pentagon were to strike, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying that Tehran is "fully prepared for war."
Matt Damon says Clint Eastwood shut him down on ‘Invictus,’ asking 'why waste everybody’s time?'
Matt Damon remembered being put in his place by one of Hollywood's finest as he reminisced on his decades-long career.
During an appearance on the "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" podcast, the Oscar-winner revealed that Clint Eastwood had a few choice words for the actor while they worked together on the 2009 docudrama "Invictus."
While running down the list of directors Damon worked with, O'Brien admitted he couldn't get a sense of Eastwood's style.
MATT DAMON SAYS HE DROPPED TO ‘HIGH SCHOOL’ WEIGHT FOR EPIC TRANSFORMATION IN ‘THE ODYSSEY’
"I worked with him twice, and the first time was ‘Invictus,’" Damon recalled. "So I was playing a South African rugby player, and that's a really tough accent to do."
JAMES CAMERON SETS RECORD STRAIGHT ON MATT DAMON'S 'AVATAR' CASTING CLAIMS
Damon spent six months working with a dialect coach to master the accent, with little interest from his director.
"It was a long … it was a lot of work," Damon said. "And I showed up and, and I'm, I'm ready. It's like my chance to work with, you know, one of my heroes."
Damon continued, "The very first take, I did it. And meanwhile, I've done this so many thousands of times. I have a number of different ways that I'm thinking of maybe doing the scene. So he goes, ‘Cut, print, move on.’
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"I go, I go, 'Hang on, hang on, hang on, boss. I want to, you know, I want to do another one. I mean, I wasn't even in costume.' You know, that was like, that was the first one.
Damon remembered that Eastwood quickly responded, "He goes, 'Why you wanna waste everybody's time?'"
"I went, ‘No, I guess we're moving on."
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While Eastwood's words may have seemed off-putting, the "Bourne Identity" actor insisted there was a "kindness" to his message.
"He is a lovely guy. What was really interesting is the second movie I did with him, there was this … it builds to a head with this, a scene with me and this 9-year-old kid," Damon said. "The 9-year-old kid was a non-actor, and we had done one take for everybody, all through ‘Invictus.'
"We must have done 40 takes with this little boy … we were trying to get this; it was this kind of huge moment in the film, and we were trying to get this stuff out of him. Clint was right next to me … like, we were right next to the camera together just working with this boy."
He added, "His whole mentality was … your crew will go to the ends of the earth for you if as long as you're not taxing them on every shot. When we need to get in there, we get in there. But for the most part we can … professional actors are gonna show up with something good. We keep the momentum."