The Rabbi of a Colleyville, Texas, synagogue <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-news-alert-texas-8a094fb7cd9d565a8ceb57f3e9a8f467">says</a> that he threw a chair at the gunman who held Jewish worshippers captive on Saturday, allowing him to escape with two other hostages after a 10-hour standoff.
“The rabbi of a Texas synagogue said Monday that he threw a chair at the gunman and then escaped with two other hostages after a 10-hour standoff,” reported <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-synagogue-hostage-standoff-terrorism-d4b1e482919d28fdaf25de0776dd1200">The Associated Press</a>.
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who was held hostage on Saturday along with three of his congregants, also credited regular active-shooter preparation education with saving lives.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/17/texas-rabbi-credits-security-training-for-hostage-survival/">reported</a> that Cytron-Walker said his synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, “participated in multiple security courses,” including some with local police and the FBI.
“Over the years, my congregation and I have participated in multiple security courses from the Colleyville Police Department, the FBI, the Anti-Defamation League, and Secure Community Network,” Cytron-Walker said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/matthewkassel/status/1482811997825773577?s=20">statement</a>. “We are all alive today because of that education. I encourage all Jewish congregations, religious groups, schools, and others to participate in active-shooter and security courses.”
“In the last hour of our hostage crisis, the gunman became increasingly belligerent and threatening,” Cytron-Walker added. “Without the instruction we received, we would not have been prepared to act and flee when the situation presented itself.”
“There is no question that this was a traumatic experience,” the Rabbi said. “We appreciate all the love, prayers and support from our local community and throughout the world. We are grateful for the outcome. We are resilient and we will recover.”
“First of all, we escaped. We weren’t released or freed,” Jeffrey R. Cohen, another man held hostage, said on Facebook.
“Cohen said the men worked to keep the gunman engaged. They talked to the gunman, he lectured them. At one point as the situation devolved, Cohen said the gunman told them to get on their knees,” The Associated Press reported. “Cohen recalled rearing up in his chair and slowly moving his head and mouthing ‘no.’ As the gunman moved to sit back down, Cohen said Cytron-Walker yelled to run.”
“The exit wasn’t too far away,” Cytron-Walker said. “I told them to go. I threw a chair at the gunman, and I headed for the door. And all three of us were able to get out without even a shot being fired.”
“Thanks to the courageous work of state, local and federal law enforcement, four Americans who were held hostage at a Texas synagogue will soon be home with their families. I am grateful to the tireless work of law enforcement at all levels who acted cooperatively and fearlessly to rescue the hostages. We are sending love and strength to the members of Congregation Beth Israel, Colleyville, and the Jewish community,” President Joe Biden announced in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/15/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-hostage-situation-at-congregation-beth-israel-in-colleyville-texas/">statement</a>. “There is more we will learn in the days ahead about the motivations of the hostage taker. But let me be clear to anyone who intends to spread hate—we will stand against antisemitism and against the rise of extremism in this country. That is who we are, and tonight, the men and women of law enforcement made us all proud.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Colleyville Synagogue

Texas Rabbi Says He Threw Chair At Gunman And Escaped With Two Other Hostages

Synagogue

Terrorism

On Friday, hackers gained access to approximately 70 Ukrainian government websites. The sites were brought down, with a threatening message placed on the country’s Foreign Ministry website. Ukraine authorities suspect that Russia is tied to the attack.
“As a result of a massive cyber attack, the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of other government agencies are temporarily down,” said Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. “Our specialists have already started restoring the work of IT systems, and the cyberpolice has opened an investigation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
As a result of a massive cyber attack, the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of other government agencies are temporarily down. Our specialists have already started restoring the work of IT systems, and the cyberpolice has opened an investigation.
&mdash; Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlegNikolenko_/status/1481880668195983362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A message was posted on the foreign ministry website in three languages.
“Ukrainians! All your personal data was uploaded to the internet,” the message read. “All data on the computer is being destroyed. All information about you became public. Be afraid and expect the worst.” According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/world/europe/hackers-ukraine-government-sites.html">The New York Times</a>, the message also raised a number of historical grievances between Poland and Ukraine.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEWS IN KYIV: Several Ukrainian government websites down due to a major a cyberattack. Below is the <a href="https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MFA_Ukraine</a> website now. It reads in part: &quot;Ukrainians!&#8230;All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect worse.&quot; Sites of MOD and Education ministry also down. <a href="https://t.co/3lbA06Q3Fl">pic.twitter.com/3lbA06Q3Fl</a>
&mdash; Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1481866343104360450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The attack came within hours of the conclusion of talks this week between Russia and the United States and NATO in Europe that were intended to find a diplomatic resolution after Russia massed tens of thousands of troops near the border with Ukraine,” The Times added. “Moscow has demanded sweeping security concessions, including a promise not to accept Ukraine into the NATO alliance.”
The Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, a Ukrainian government agency which aims to counter Russian disinformation, <a href="https://spravdi.gov.ua/pro-nas/">suggested</a> that the attack was related to the ongoing talks with Russia.
“We have not seen such a significant attack on government organizations in some time,” it said. “We suggest the current attack is tied to the recent failure of Russian negotiations on Ukraine’s future in NATO.”
“NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, condemned the attacks. Borrell said the EU’s political and security committee and cyber units would meet to decide how to respond and to support Kyiv,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/14/ukraine-massive-cyber-attack-government-websites-suspected-russian-hackers">The Guardian</a> reported.
“We are going to mobilize all our resources to help Ukraine to tackle this. Sadly, we knew it could happen,” he said. “It’s difficult to say [who is behind it]. I can’t blame anybody as I have no proof. But we can imagine.”
Sweden’s foreign minister, Ann Linde, called for western powers to resist Russian aggression, noting that Sweden stood in solidarity with Ukraine. “We have to be very firm in our messages to Russia, that if there are attacks against Ukraine, we will be very harsh and very strong and robust in our response,” she said. 
“It could be just a regular information operation (seeking) to undermine the government’s capability and to create and enhance uncertainty,” said Oleh Derevianko, a “leading private sector expert and founder of the ISSP cybersecurity firm” according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ukraine-government-websites-hacking-attack-82261780">ABC News</a>. 
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Vladimir Putin

Ukraine Hit With Massive Cyber Attack, Russia Likely To Blame

Cyberattack

Russia

Ukraine

Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Andrew’s military titles and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.
“With The Queen&#8217;s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,” Buckingham Palace announced in a <a href="https://www.royal.uk/statement-buckingham-palace-regarding-duke-york">statement</a>. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
The Duke of York will also stop using the style “His Royal Highness” in an official capacity, according to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59987935">BBC</a>.
This news follows the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prince-andrew-must-face-civil-sex-assault-case-after-judge-rejects-last-ditch-effort-to-dismiss">ruling</a> on Wednesday that the civil sexual assault case leveled against Prince Andrew in a New York court may go ahead.
“Plaintiff Virginia Roberts Giuffre brings this action against Defendant Prince Andrew, Duke of York, for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In short, she alleges that the late Jeffrey Epstein and others trafficked her to Prince Andrew who took advantage of the situation by sexually abusing her when she was under the age of eighteen,” Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York explained in a <a href="https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/21CV6702%20JAN%2011%202022%200900.pdf">46-page decision</a>. 
Prince Andrew’s legal team had argued that the previously secret 2009 agreement between his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, formerly Virginia Roberts, and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein would release the British royal from liability, even though the now-unveiled documents make no mention of Andrew by name.
“The settlement signed by Prince Andrew’s accuser that the Duke hopes will lead to the dismissal of her sex assault lawsuit against him was unsealed today,” <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10364819/Unsealed-settlement-Jeffrey-Epstein-Virginia-Robert-makes-no-mention-Prince-Andrew.html">The Daily Mail</a> reported. “Signed in 2009, Virginia Giuffre agreed to be paid $500,000 by Jeffrey Epstein to resolve the sex abuse case against him.”
As The Mail explained, while the document makes no mention of Andrew by name, it does stipulate “other potential defendants” included in the agreement, with Prince Andrew then relying on being included in the vague category defined by “other potential defendants.”
As The Daily Wire reported, Queen Elizabeth II will reportedly be asked to bankroll her son, Prince Andrew, if he agrees to a multi-million dollar settlement with Giuffre.
According to sources who spoke with <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/01/07/queen-would-asked-help-pay-prince-andrews-accuser-sex-abuse/">The Telegraph</a> in the U.K., the Queen would help support the cost of a settlement that could be in the region of £5 million ($6.79 million). The Telegraph also noted that the Queen is already funding Prince Andrew’s legal battle against Giuffre.
Prince Andrew’s legal woes were accelerated following the recent conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — a close friend of Prince Andrew — on sex trafficking charges.
“Prince Andrew has been under scrutiny for years over allegations that he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre when she was underage. Giuffre is one of Epstein’s most high-profile accusers and has claimed the dead financier sex trafficked her to Prince Andrew,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prince-andrews-attorneys-huddle-in-emergency-talks-following-ghislaine-maxwell-verdict-report">The Daily Wire</a> reported. “Giuffre says that a 2001 picture of her, Prince Andrew, and Maxwell was taken during the time she was being abused by the British royal.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Prince Andrew

Queen Strips Prince Andrew Of His Military Titles And Use Of ‘His Royal Highness’

Jeffrey Epstein

Queen Elizabeth

Soon after the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a controversial letter to the Biden administration which asked for federal law enforcement to be leveraged against protesting parents — who were also compared to domestic terrorists — the National Education Association (NEA) sent a similar letter to social media companies.
In this letter, the NEA urged these companies to “prioritize the safety of people over profits” by stifling “propaganda” on the subject of Critical Race Theory (CRT) which supposedly stoked the “alarming” growth of “a small but violent group of radicalized” parents.
“Following recent revelations that the White House actually helped draft the NSBA letter and claims that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona solicited the letter (a claim a Department of Education spokesperson has denied), critics have suggested that the NEA letter represents yet more coordination between government and interest groups to silence parents,” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nea-teachers-union-social-media-crack-down-violent-radicalized-parents-crt">Fox News</a> reported.
&#8220;This looks like a concerted effort between the federal government and outside groups like the NEA and NSBA to interfere with the First Amendment rights of parents,&#8221; Ian Prior, father and executive director at Fight for Schools, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. 
On the subject of the allegations that the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-education-secretary-solicited-nsba-letter-comparing-parents-to-domestic-terrorists-report">solicited</a> the first letter from the NSBA, Prior said that &#8220;it doesn&#8217;t stretch the imagination to believe that the federal government was also involved in the NEA letter.&#8221;
&#8220;Senate and House Republicans should do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of it,&#8221; Prior said.
The NSBA sent its letter on September 29, which claimed that school boards across the country were facing &#8220;physical threats&#8221; from those opposed to issues like CRT and COVID-19 policies. Following the Department of Justice’s release of a memorandum on October 4 that mirrored the language of the NSBA’s letter, the NEA <a href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/leaders/president/from-our-president/neas-letter-social-media-companies">sent its letter</a> on Oct. 8.
Prior described the NEA letter as “ironic.”
&#8220;It&#8217;s ironic that the NEA would reference &#8216;radicalized parents&#8217; who falsely believe that critical race theory is anything but a graduate level course. It was the NEA that introduced measures this summer to support the implantation of critical race theory in K-12,&#8221; he said.
<a href="https://parentsknowbest.com/about-us/">Laura Zorc</a>, executive director of Building Education for Students Together (BEST), argued that the NEA should apologize.
&#8220;The NEA owes concerned parents an apology for accusing them of being violent, &#8216;radicalized,&#8217; and controlled by ‘conspiracy theories,’&#8221; Zorc told Fox News Digital. &#8220;Through BEST [an organization that helps train people to run for school boards and combat issues like COVID-19 closures and CRT]  I helped train more than 1,000 parent activists in 2021, and I can tell you that this is not what I saw.&#8221;
&#8220;Creating a scary strawman while failing to address the actual worries of parents is a typical tactic for these special interest groups,&#8221; Zorc added. &#8220;Social media platforms are key for parents who are trying to organize resistance to the NEA&#8217;s agenda — the NEA&#8217;s call for suppressing so-called misinformation sounds like another name for censorship.&#8221;
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Coordinated Attack On Parents? NEA Called On Big Tech To Combat Anti-CRT ‘Propaganda’ Pushed By ‘Violent’ ‘Radicalized’ Parents

Big Tech

Critical Race Theory

Miguel Cardona

National Education Association

National School Boards Association

While size isn’t everything, the world’s largest condom manufacturer has claimed that the prophylactic market shrunk as much as 40% over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview with <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Malaysia-s-Karex-COVID-lockdowns-dented-condom-demand">Nikkei Asia</a>, Goh Miah Kiat, CEO of condom giant Karex, explained that while it would be assumed that lockdowns would lead in an increase in condom use, this has simply not been the case.
“He explained that in developing and less-developed countries, hotels and motels play important roles in providing secluded spaces for intimacy, given generally crowded homes where privacy is at a premium,” Nikkei reported.
&#8220;[Hotel stays were] disrupted by the pandemic,&#8221; Goh said, adding that the sex industry had also been limited during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goh then explained that governments who pulled out of free condom distribution had also contributed to the issue.
&#8220;A large portion [of condoms] is distributed by governments around the world, which have reduced [distribution] significantly during COVID-19,&#8221; he said. &#8220;For instance, in the United Kingdom, the NHS [National Health Service] shut down most nonessential clinics because of COVID, and sexual wellness clinics which hand out condoms were also closed.&#8221;
Goh also pointed out that the fight against COVID-19 should not overshadow the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS.
&#8220;We must not overlook the frightening fact that even 40 years after the first cases of AIDS were documented, the world is still reporting 1.5 million HIV infections and 680,000 deaths from AIDS-related causes per year,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It is critical that while we have managed to make strides to get control of the pandemic, we must not lose focus of the fact that condoms will still have a critical role to play as the world emerges from its fight against the COVID-19 virus.&#8221;
Following these challenges, for the first time since going public in 2013, Karex experienced a full-year loss for 2020. Meanwhile, the company’s share price on the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/people-had-less-sex-with-condoms-covid-pandemic-closed-hotels-2022-1">plummeted</a> nearly 50% last year.
“In contrast, Ng Chi Hoong of Affin Hwang Investment Bank said the operating environment is expected to be remain challenging for Karex even as the company expects demand to improve in the coming quarters as social activities resume,” Nikkei noted.
&#8220;The current recovery mainly focuses on developed markets for both the own-brand manufacturing and the commercial segment, while demand for the tender market is likely to remain lackluster, as recent government funding remains focused on securing COVID-19 vaccines instead,&#8221; said Ng.
“Karex&#8217;s Goh said the new rubber glove factory would begin with two production lines with an annual capacity of 500 million pieces and would be expanded to 10 lines and 2.5 billion pieces annually. In comparison, Top Glove — also a Malaysian company and the world&#8217;s largest latex gloves maker — produces about 100 billion pieces annually,” Nikkei added.
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Condoms

COVID-19 Screws Condom Sales, Shrinking 40% During Pandemic

condoms

COVID-19

According to emails uncovered by Parents Defending Education, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona appeared to solicit the National School Boards Association (NSBA) letter which compared parents protesting issues like Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools to domestic terrorists.
In an October 5 email, NSBA Secretary-Treasurer Kristi Swett said that NSBA interim CEO Chip Slaven “told the officers he was writing a letter to provide information to the White House, from a request by Secretary Cardona.”
These <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-education-secretary-solicited-nsba-letter-comparing-parents-to-domestic-terrorists-report">emails</a> were obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) <a href="https://defendinged.org/press-releases/new-foia-document-asserts-nsba-letter-was-drafted-at-request-of-education-secretary/">request</a> by Parents Defending Education (PDE).
“We heard from a few people that the state affiliates of NSBA were not notified of the letter sent to the White House — which is what sparked my <a href="https://defendinged.org/press-releases/state-school-board-associations-responses-to-the-nsba-letter/">questioning</a> of the state chapters,” PDE founder and president Nicole Neily told The Daily Wire. “Additionally, on October 6, Karlyn Borysenko <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/drkarlynb/status/1445612557218222080">said</a> she heard from a whistleblower that the board wasn&#8217;t read in on the letter either.”
“NSBA is a nonprofit, so their emails are not subject to public records requests; that being said, the <a href="https://nsba.org/-/media/NSBA/File/nsba-2122-board-dec-2021.pdf?la=en&amp;hash=11F23879C98F0878550FFB2A508AED4E7631B537">NSBA board members</a> themselves all serve in their local districts, so I sent requests to the home district of the (at the time) 23 officers, directors, and ex-officio voting members requesting correspondence related to a set of relevant search terms,” Neily explained.
Education Secretary Cardona was condemned by Republicans following PDE’s actions. 
“Secretary Cardona needs to explain himself to the American people. Parents aren’t the enemy, and it would be inexcusable if he solicited that kind of rhetoric from the National School Board Association,” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) said in a <a href="https://www.sasse.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/1/sasse-secretary-cardona-must-answer-for-politicizing-parents-concerns">statement</a> Tuesday. “The baseless, dishonest allegations of terrorism in the NSBA letter are vile because they’re designed to silence important discussions about education.”
“The emails we&#8217;ve uncovered — as well as whistleblower information that America First Legal <a href="https://wordpress.aflegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Garland-Memo-DOJ-IG-Request-10072021.pdf">obtained</a> — strongly implies that increased parental engagement in education issues is unwelcome, at least at the federal level,” Neily said, when asked what Secretary Cardona’s apparent actions indicate about the Biden administration’s attitude towards protesting parents. “Parents have been growing increasingly vocal about their displeasure with the state of American education across the board — but it&#8217;s a real question whether the Administration is listening.”
“When the Department of Education floated a trial balloon about leveraging an existing civics grant program to insert materials like the 1619 Project and Ibram Kendi into schools, we <a href="https://defendinged.org/press-releases/the-biden-administrations-plan-to-push-critical-race-theory-in-public-schools-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/">created a comment portal</a> for people to weigh in through Regulations.gov — and nearly 12,000 people did so,” Neily added. “In the wake of Attorney General Garland&#8217;s October 4 memo, we created another portal where over 7,300 people sent letters directly to DOJ expressing their condemnation.”
A spokesperson for Education Department denied that Cardona solicited the NSBA letter in a statement to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/education-secretary-cardona-solicited-nsba-letter-comparing-parents-domestic-terrorists-email">Fox News</a>, saying, “While the Secretary did not solicit a letter from NSBA, to understand the views and concerns of stakeholders, the Department routinely engages with students, teachers, parents, district leaders and education associations.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Joe Biden

‘Increased Parental Engagement In Education Issues Is Unwelcome’: After Uncovering Damning Emails, ‘Parents Defending Education’ Founder Slams Biden Admin

Department of Education

Prince Andrew has failed in his last-ditch effort to have the civil case alleging he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 thrown out, meaning that the British royal will face the civil case in a U.S. court.
“Plaintiff Virginia Roberts Giuffre brings this action against Defendant Prince Andrew, Duke of York, for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In short, she alleges that the late Jeffrey Epstein and others trafficked her to Prince Andrew who took advantage of the situation by sexually abusing her when she was under the age of eighteen,” Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York explained in a <a href="https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/21CV6702%20JAN%2011%202022%200900.pdf">46-page decision</a>. 
Prince Andrew’s legal team had argued that the previously secret 2009 agreement between his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, formerly Virginia Roberts, and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein would release the British royal from liability, even though the now-unveiled documents make no mention of Andrew by name.
“The settlement signed by Prince Andrew’s accuser that the Duke hopes will lead to the dismissal of her sex assault lawsuit against him was unsealed today,” <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10364819/Unsealed-settlement-Jeffrey-Epstein-Virginia-Robert-makes-no-mention-Prince-Andrew.html">the Daily Mail</a> reported. “Signed in 2009, Virginia Giuffre agreed to be paid $500,000 by Jeffrey Epstein to resolve the sex abuse case against him.”
As the Mail explained, while the document makes no mention of Andrew by name, it does stipulate “other potential defendants” included in the agreement, with Prince Andrew then relying on being included in the vague category defined by “other potential defendants.”
According to that agreement: &#8220;Hereby release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge the said Second Parties and any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant (‘Other Potential Defendants’) from all, and all manner of, action and actions of Virginia Roberts.”
“The fact that defendant has brought the matter before the Court on a motion to dismiss the complaint as legally insufficient is of central importance. As is well known to lawyers but perhaps not known to the lay public, the defendant — by making this motion — placed upon the Court the unyielding duty to assume — for the purposes of the  motion only — the truth of all of the plaintiff’s allegations and to draw in plaintiff’s favor all inferences that reasonably may be drawn from these allegations,” Judge Kaplan wrote. “In consequence, the law prohibits the Court from considering at this stage of the proceedings defendant’s efforts to cast doubt on the truth of Ms. Giuffre’s allegations, even though his efforts would be permissible at trial.”
“In a similar vein and for similar reasons, it is not open to the Court now to decide, as a matter of fact, just what the parties to the release in the 2009 settlement agreement signed by Ms. Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein actually meant,” Kaplan continued.
“For the foregoing reasons, defendant’s motion to dismiss the complaint or for a more definite statement is denied in all respects,” Kaplan concluded. “Given the Court’s limited task of ruling on this motion, nothing in this opinion or previously in these proceedings properly may be construed as indicating a view with respect to the truth of the charges or countercharges or as to the intention of the parties in entering the 2009 agreement.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Prince Andrew Must Face Civil Sex Assault Case After Judge Rejects Last-Ditch Effort To Dismiss

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona reportedly &#8220;solicited&#8221; the National School Boards Association (NSBA) letter which compared parents protesting issues like Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools to domestic terrorists, according to an email exchange reviewed by Fox News.
President Biden’s Justice Department used this NSBA letter — which suggested that “as these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes” — to justify the creation of their own <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1438986/download">memo</a> which directed the FBI to assist local law enforcement, and to use federal law, including the PATRIOT Act, to “examine appropriate enforceable actions.”
“The email exchange indicates Cardona was more involved with the letter&#8217;s creation than previously known,” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/education-secretary-cardona-solicited-nsba-letter-comparing-parents-domestic-terrorists-email">Fox News</a> reported. “In the Oct. 5 email, NSBA Secretary-Treasurer Kristi Swett recounted that NSBA interim CEO Chip Slaven ‘told the officers he was writing a letter to provide information to the White House, from a request by Secretary Cardona.’”
“Previous emails had revealed that the NSBA was in contact with the White House and Justice Department in the weeks before it publicly sent the letter,” Fox added.
These emails were obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) <a href="https://defendinged.org/press-releases/new-foia-document-asserts-nsba-letter-was-drafted-at-request-of-education-secretary/">request</a> by Parents Defending Education (PDE).
&#8220;Should this allegation be true, it would reveal that this administration&#8217;s pretextual war on parents came from the highest levels,&#8221; PDE President Nicole Neily told Fox News Digital. 
&#8220;Attorney General Merrick Garland unequivocally stated that he based his memo on the NSBA&#8217;s letter — which in turn, mobilized the FBI and US Attorneys,&#8221; Neily added. &#8220;If Secretary Cardona was truly involved in this ugly episode, it is a significant breach of public trust, and he should be held accountable.&#8221; 
In a <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckRossDC/status/1481001390260506638">statement</a>, the Department of Education said that &#8220;[w]hile the Secretary did not solicit a letter from NSBA, to understand the views and concerns of stakeholders, the Department routinely engages with students, teachers, parents, district leaders and education associations.&#8221;
In <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ag-garland-says-he-wont-rescind-doj-memo-directing-fbi-to-investigate-confrontations-at-school-board-meetings">late October 2021</a>, Attorney General Merrick Garland told Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley that he would not rescind the DOJ memo which directed the FBI and other federal agencies to investigate school board meetings, despite a memo from the National School Boards Association walking back its claims that confrontations at school board meetings could rise to the level of  “domestic terrorism’ and “hate crimes.”
The NSBA apologized for the language used in a memo sent to NSBA members from the organization’s board of directors.
“On behalf of NSBA, we regret and apologize for the letter,” the memo states. “To be clear, the safety of school board members, other public school officials and educators, and students is our top priority, and there remains important work to be done on this issue. However, there was no justification for some of the language included in that letter.”
“[W]e deeply value not only the work of local school boards… but also the voices of parents, who should and must continue to be hurt when it comes to decisions about their children’s education, health, and safety.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Migel Cardona

Biden’s Education Secretary ‘Solicited’ NSBA Letter Comparing Parents To Domestic Terrorists: Report

domestic terrorism

Queen Elizabeth II will reportedly be asked to bankroll her son, Prince Andrew, if he agrees to a multi-million dollar settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who has accused the British royal of sexually abusing her when she was 17 years old.
According to sources who spoke with <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/01/07/queen-would-asked-help-pay-prince-andrews-accuser-sex-abuse/">The Telegraph</a> in the U.K., the Queen would help support the cost of a settlement that could be in the region of £5 million ($6.79 million). The Telegraph also noted that the Queen is already funding Prince Andrew’s legal battle against Giuffre.
In addition to financial support from his mother, Prince Andrew has now settled a £6.6 million debt with Isabelle de Rouvre, a French socialite, allowing him to sell a Swiss chalet purchased in 2014 for £18 million.
“That is the end of the story thankfully,” Rouvre <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10385777/Prince-Andrew-settles-6-6m-debt-French-socialite-buying-Swiss-ski-chalet.html">told</a> the Daily Mail. “The war is finished. It is the end of the matter. I have nothing to do with it now. That’s all.”
“Andrew and his ex-wife had agreed with Rouvre that Chalet Helora in the ski resort of Verbier in the Swiss Alps, would be paid for in installments. But Rouvre claimed the two failed to make the final £5m installment,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/11/prince-andrew-sell-swiss-chalet">The Guardian</a> reported. “Initially Rouvre agreed the final installment could be deferred until December 2019, with interest accruing, but the Yorks still did not honor the agreement despite repeated demands, it was reported.”
Prince Andrew’s legal woes were accelerated following the recent conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — a close friend of Prince Andrew — on sex trafficking charges.
“Prince Andrew has been under scrutiny for years over allegations that he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre when she was underage. Giuffre is one of Epstein’s most high-profile accusers and has claimed the dead financier sex trafficked her to Prince Andrew,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prince-andrews-attorneys-huddle-in-emergency-talks-following-ghislaine-maxwell-verdict-report">The Daily Wire</a> reported. “Giuffre says that a 2001 picture of her, Prince Andrew, and Maxwell was taken during the time she was being abused by the British royal.”
Part of Prince Andrew’s legal strategy against the civil case involves the now-unveiled 2009 agreement between Giuffre and Epstein.
“The settlement signed by Prince Andrew’s accuser that the Duke hopes will lead to the dismissal of her sex assault lawsuit against him was unsealed today,” <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10364819/Unsealed-settlement-Jeffrey-Epstein-Virginia-Robert-makes-no-mention-Prince-Andrew.html">The Daily Mail</a> reported. “Signed in 2009, Virginia Giuffre agreed to be paid $500,000 by Jeffrey Epstein to resolve the sex abuse case against him.”
As the Mail explained, while the document makes no mention of Andrew by name, it does stipulate “other potential defendants” are included in the agreement. It appears that Prince Andrew will be relying on being included in the vague category defined by “other potential defendants.”
According to that agreement: &#8220;Hereby release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge the said Second Parties and any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant (‘Other Potential Defendants’) from all, and all manner of, action and actions of Virginia Roberts.&#8221;
Andrew Brettler, who represents Prince Andrew, previously told a New York hearing the agreement “releases Prince Andrew and others from any purported liability arising from the claims Ms Giuffre asserted against Prince Andrew here,” the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59857168">BBC</a> reported.
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Prince Andrew and Queen Elizabeth II

Help, Mummy! Queen Elizabeth Would Help Pay Prince Andrew’s Sexual Assault Settlement: Report

Buckingham Palace has announced the full schedule of celebrations planned to mark the Queen’s upcoming Platinum Jubilee. This will be the first time in history a British monarch has reigned for 70 years.
“There will be year-long Platinum Jubilee celebrations throughout the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world as communities come together to celebrate The Queen’s historic reign,” <a href="https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend">Buckingham Palace</a> announced.
“Events and initiatives” will take place throughout the year, and will culminate in a four day public holiday from Thursday June 2 to Sunday June 5, providing “an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom to come together to celebrate the historic milestone.”
The first day of scheduled events on June 2 include The Queen’s Birthday Parade, where “over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will come together in the traditional Parade to mark The Queen&#8217;s official birthday, usually held on the second Saturday in June,” and Platinum Jubilee Beacons, with more than 1,500 beacons lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and U.K. Overseas Territories.
On June 3, there will be a Service of Thanksgiving held at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Then, on Saturday June 4, the Queen will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs, after which the BBC will “stage and broadcast a special live concert from Buckingham Palace that will bring together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars to celebrate the most significant and joyous moments from The Queen’s seven decade reign.”
On the final day of celebrations, there will be “Big Jubilee Lunches” held in communities across the country, and The Platinum Jubilee Pageant, during which “artistic performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers will unite to tell the story of The Queen’s 70 year reign in an awe-inspiring festival of creativity,” according to Buckingham Palace.
In addition, multiple initiatives will “create a lasting reminder of The Queen’s Jubilee.” These include <a href="https://queensgreencanopy.org/">The Queen’s Green Canopy</a>, a “unique tree planting initiative” which “invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee,’” and <a href="https://www.fortnumandmason.com/platinum-pudding">The Platinum Pudding Competition</a>, which invites Britons to invent a new pudding to celebrate the occasion.
“To mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee a nationwide baking competition sets out to find a brand new pudding dedicated to The Queen. The Big Jubilee Lunch and Fortnum &amp; Mason are inviting applications from UK residents aged 8 and over to create the perfect Platinum Pudding recipe,” Buckingham Palace explained. “Five finalists will prepare their pudding for an expert judging panel including Dame Mary Berry, Monica Galetti and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan. The winning recipe will be made available to the public and the pudding will be enjoyed at Big Jubilee Lunches during the Jubilee weekend, and by generations to come.”
Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch on September 9, 2015, and the longest-reigning female monarch in world history, surpassing Queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years and 216 days between June 20, 1837 and January 22, 1901.
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Queen Elizabeth II

Celebrations For Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Announced, Include Pudding Competition, Parades, And Concerts

Royal Family

United Kingdom

Natural defenses provided by the common cold may give some level of protection against COVID-19, according to new research.
“The small-scale study, published in Nature Communications, involved 52 individuals who lived with someone who had just caught COVID-19,” the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59911257">BBC</a> reported. Based on the research, those who had developed a so-called “memory bank” of certain immune cells following a common cold infection appeared to be less likely to contract COVID-19.
“But the experts caution that it would be a &#8216;grave mistake&#8217; to think that anyone who had recently had a cold was automatically protected against COVID-19 — as not all are caused by coronaviruses,” the BBC added.
The University of Reading’s Dr. Simon Clarke said that this small study could improve researchers’ understanding of immune system response, as well as adding to the development of future vaccines.
&#8220;These data should not be over-interpreted. It seems unlikely that everyone who has died or had a more serious infection, has never had a cold caused by a coronavirus,” Dr. Clarke said. &#8220;And it could be a grave mistake to think that anyone who has recently had a cold is protected against COVID-19, as coronaviruses only account for 10-15% of colds.&#8221;
This news follows multiple claims that the latest SARS-CoV-2 variant — Omicron — could also be a turning point when it comes to the ongoing pandemic.
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/omicron-may-be-first-ray-of-light-against-covid-u-k-scientist">The Daily Wire</a> reported, amid a growing body of evidence that the new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 appears to be milder than the Delta strain, one scientist in the United Kingdom went so far as to call Omicron “a ray of light” in the two-year battle against the pandemic.
 “The thing that might happen in the future is you may see the emergence of a new variant that is less severe, and ultimately, in the long term, what happens is Covid becomes endemic and you have a less severe version. It’s very similar to the common cold that we’ve lived with for many years,” Dr. Mike Tildesley told Times Radio on Saturday, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/omicron-maybe-first-ray-of-light-against-covid-19-says-uk-scientist/articleshow/88793902.cms">according</a> to The Economic Times.
“We’re not quite there yet, but possibly Omicron is the first ray of light there that suggests that may happen in the longer term. It is, of course, much more transmissible than Delta was, which is concerning, but much less severe,” said Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modeling and a University of Warwick professor.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal recently <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-makes-bidens-vaccine-mandates-obsolete-covid-healthcare-osha-evidence-supreme-court-11641760009">reported</a> that the morphing situation caused by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant makes vaccine mandates “obsolete.”
“Because some of Omicron’s 50 mutations are known to evade antibody protection, because more than 30 of those mutations are to the spike protein used as an immunogen by the existing vaccines, and because there have been mass Omicron outbreaks in heavily vaccinated populations, scientists are highly uncertain the existing vaccines can stop it from spreading,” the Journal stated. “As the CDC put it on Dec. 20, ‘we don’t yet know … how well available vaccines and medications work against it.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

Common Cold

Common Cold May Give Some Protection Against COVID-19: New Study

Omicron

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that he plans to “ride out” Omicron, and that he is not looking to roll out further restrictions on citizens, despite other European nations imposing strict lockdowns and other measures.
“The prime minister said there was a ‘good chance’ he would not impose fresh measures and would recommend continuing the government&#8217;s ‘Plan B’ strategy in England to ministers on Wednesday,” the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59870825">BBC</a> reported.
Johnson also announced a daily testing regime for 100,000 so-called critical workers.
“The testing regime from 10 January will be for key industries including food processing, transport and the border force, in order to reduce the spread of the virus to colleagues,” the BBC explained.
However, Johnson acknowledged that parts of the National Health Service (NHS) would feel “temporarily overwhelmed” by a surge of Omicron cases, and that those who believe the pandemic to be over are “profoundly wrong.”
“The NHS is under huge pressure. I won’t provide a definition of what being overwhelmed would constitute because I think that different trusts and different places, at different moments, will feel at least temporally overwhelmed. And hospitals at the moment are sending out signals saying that they are feeling the pressure hugely. I understand that, and I thank them for the work that they are doing. It is absolutely fantastic,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/jan/04/uk-covid-coronavirus-live-news-omicron-may-have-plateaued-amongst-under-50s-in-london-top-scientist-says">Johnson</a> said. 
“I’ve just got to say to people, as I said yesterday, there will be a difficult period for our wonderful NHS for the next few weeks because of Omicron. I just think we have to get through it as best as we possibly can. We will give the NHS all the support that we can,” Johnson added.
Johnson also said the country had a chance to &#8220;ride out this Omicron wave without shutting down our country once again,” and that “We can keep our schools and our businesses open and we can find a way to live with this virus.&#8221;
&#8220;It has to balance the effect on people&#8217;s lives and livelihoods of lockdowns, which are painful, which take away people&#8217;s life chances and which do a great deal of social damage, damage to people&#8217;s mental health as well as damage to the economy,&#8221; Johnson said of his government’s “Plan B” restrictions, which include working from home where possible, mask wearing and COVID passports for some venues.
&#8220;We&#8217;re mobilizing our volunteers — the emerging territorial army of the NHS — and we&#8217;re working to identify those NHS trusts which are most likely to need actual military support, so this can be prepared now,” Johnson <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/covid-boris-johnsons-balancing-act-between-nhs-medics-and-rebel-tory-mps-as-he-resists-new-restrictions-12509175">explained</a>. &#8220;As our NHS moves to a war footing, I will be recommending to cabinet tomorrow that we continue with Plan B, because the public have responded and changed their behavior, your behavior, buying valuable time to get boosters in arms and help the NHS to cope with the Omicron wave.&#8221;
Johnson also promoted booster shots as a way to “contain the virus.”
“The freedoms that we are able to maintain in the teeth of this Omicron wave have been made possible by the number of people getting boosted,” Johnson tweeted. “It&#8217;s the best way to contain this virus, help our NHS, and keep our country open – so please Get Boosted Now.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The freedoms that we are able to maintain in the teeth of this Omicron wave have been made possible by the number of people getting boosted.
It&#39;s the best way to contain this virus, help our NHS, and keep our country open – so please Get Boosted Now.<a href="https://t.co/VKGvuQ4lzq">https://t.co/VKGvuQ4lzq</a> <a href="https://t.co/IdB0l2wjqu">pic.twitter.com/IdB0l2wjqu</a>
&mdash; Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1478447270467190788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at<a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth"> @ighaworth</a>.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe"> member</a>.

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