The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that a California ban on openly carrying firearms violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, giving gun owners a major win in the deep blue state.
In a 2-1 <a href="https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/01/02/24-565.pdf">ruling</a>, the appeals court partially sided with a California gun owner Mark Baird, who sued over California&#8217;s ban on openly carrying a firearm in counties with more than 200,000 residents. The law, which went into effect as an &#8220;urban open-carry ban,&#8221; effectively prohibited around 95% of California&#8217;s population from carrying a gun in public.
U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said in the ruling that &#8220;historical record makes unmistakably plain that open carry is part of this Nation’s history and tradition.&#8221;
&#8220;It was clearly protected at the time of the Founding and at the time of the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment. There is no record of any law restricting open carry at the Founding, let alone a distinctly similar historical regulation,&#8221; the judge stated. &#8220;California’s failure to satisfy its burden to present evidence of a relevant historical tradition of firearm regulation is dispositive with respect to California’s urban open-carry ban.&#8221;
The open-carry ban was <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-defends-commonsense-gun-law-prevents-illegal-gun">defended</a> by California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has pushed for gun control at the state and federal levels.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
In the ruling, VanDyke also said that California&#8217;s open-carry ban could not stand under the Supreme Court&#8217;s landmark decision in 2022 in New York State Rifle &amp; Pistol Association v Bruen, which found that Americans have the right to carry firearms in public. The judge also noted how most U.S. states generally allow for open carry, a list that included California until the state enacted its urban open carry ban in 2012.
&#8220;In doing so, California joined a tiny minority of states to have adopted such severe restrictions on open carry. In fact, California is the only state in the Ninth Circuit that has entirely banned open carry for the overwhelming majority of its citizens,&#8221; VanDyke wrote.
VanDyke was joined by Kenneth Lee, another Trump-appointed judge, in ruling against the California law. The three-judge panel ruled against Baird&#8217;s challenge of licensing requirements in counties with fewer than 200,000 residents.
Friday&#8217;s ruling comes after a 2023 decision from a district court judge who rejected a legal challenge to California&#8217;s open carry ban. Senior U.S. Circuit Judge N. Randy Smith, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, dissented in part, arguing that the appeals court &#8220;should have affirmed the district court.&#8221;

Shooting club

SECOND AMENDMENT WINS: Appeals Court Shoots Down ‘Unconstitutional’ California Open-Carry Ban

2nd Amendment

9th Circuit

California

Courts

Guns

U.S.

The Duffer brothers, creators of the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things,” have addressed the backlash to a main character’s coming out scene.
“The coming out scene is something we’ve been building to for nine years now. It was a really important scene for us, and a really important scene for [actor Noah Schnapp] — not just from a thematic point of view, but also a narrative point of view,” Ross Duffer <a href="https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/stranger-things-finale-is-eleven-alive-vecna-killed-rock-spinoff-1236621528/">told</a> Variety in an interview published Thursday.
He added, “This show has always been about our characters overcoming evil, and in order to overcome this evil, Vecna, in so many ways, represents all the dark thoughts and the evil of society. And for our characters to overcome that, it really becomes about embracing themselves, and then also embracing one another and coming together.”
Fans were disappointed by the penultimate episode of the series, giving it the lowest rating out of all episodes and trashing it on social media, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stranger-things-episode-gets-record-worst-rating-for-series-woke-ruins-everything">reported</a>.
“Woke ruins EVERYTHING,” one X reaction said. “Netflix decided to RUIN their most popular show of all-time, Stranger Things, by focusing their final season on Will coming out as a homosexual, promoting the propaganda that Will’s superpowers are because he’s &#8217;embraced his sexuality&#8217; &amp; the villain telling Will that his friends won’t like him if they find out he likes dudes.”
The Duffer brothers insist that Will’s coming out was an essential part of the show.
Matt Duffer called it “the final step in Will’s journey” and noted he was “surprised” by the backlash since he insists the show has been building up to this all along.
“Volume 1 is really about self-acceptance, right? I mean, that’s sort of step one,” he said. “And then step two is Will is talking to Robin — it’s something that he wants to do. He’s trying to figure out how to come out, and he knows that he needs to do that, and that that’s the final step for him. And he finds the courage to be able to do it. And it’s really the ultimate f*** you to Vecna. That was the intention.”
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“We’re proud of the episode, and we’re proud of the scene, and proud of Noah, who gave a really brave, very vulnerable performance,” Ross told the outlet.
Schnapp had an emotional reaction to the scene he revealed during an interview with Netflix&#8217;s Tudum.
“I was really nervous to see how [the Duffer Brothers] would write it, because it was obviously so important for me. And I remember when they sent out the script for Episode 7 for that scene. I read it alone in my room, and I was crying, and it really resonated with me,” the actor said of his character coming out.
“I hope it touches everyone — not just queer people — and makes them feel emboldened and empowered to be who they are and be proud of who they are,” he told Tudum. “That goes back to the heart of our show: What makes you unique is your superpower.”

Duffer Brothers

‘Stranger Things’ Creators Defend Controversial Coming Out Scene: ‘The Ultimate F*** You’ To Villain

Entertainment

LGBTQ

Netflix

Stranger Things

Television

The 30-year-old man suspected of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot will remain in jail as his case moves forward, a federal judge ruled on Friday.
Brian Cole Jr. was arrested last month and charged with two federal counts related to transporting and attempting to detonate explosive devices. Cole&#8217;s lawyers argued for the federal government to put him under house arrest as he awaits his trial, revealing that he has been diagnosed with autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder and arguing that he poses no threat to society, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/30/us-news/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-brian-cole-jr-is-autistic-and-has-ocd-lawyers-reveal-in-bid-against-pre-trial-detention/">reported</a>.
Prosecutors said that releasing Cole would &#8220;return him to precisely the same circumstances … [as] in the fall of 2020 … when the defendant was planning his crimes and learning about the historical use of pipe bombs.&#8221; U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Sharbaugh sided with the prosecution and ordered Cole to be held without bail, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-orders-man-accused-planting-pipe-bombs-washington-remain-custody-2026-01-02/">Reuters</a>.
&#8220;Although home incarceration and a GPS monitor would provide some check against Mr. Cole’s ability to carry out any menacing or dangerous conduct in the community, the Court is simply not satisfied these conditions rise to the necessary level for the reasons explained,&#8221; Sharbaugh <a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/dc-pipe-bomb-suspect-will-remain-locked-up-ahead-of-trial-brian-cole-prosecution-defense-january-six-donald-trump-detained-jail">wrote</a> in his ruling. &#8220;This is particularly true based on the severity of the potential danger Mr. Cole is alleged to pose, given his alleged persistent acquisition and retention of so-called &#8216;bombmaking parts,&#8217; and given his reported penchant and capacity to create explosive devices and deploy them in public settings.&#8221;
The Department of Justice said that Cole wiped his cellphone 943 times after allegedly planting the bombs until just before his arrest. Cole&#8217;s lawyers, however, argued that he often wiped his phone because of his OCD, not to hide any incriminating evidence, the Post reported. His defense team added that Cole has no history of violence.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Cole, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was tracked down by federal authorities nearly five years after the pipe bombs were discovered. Investigators combed through thousands of purchases, cellphone data, and license plates before tying Cole to the crime. Federal investigators said that Cole <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/d-c-pipe-bomb-suspect-shed-light-on-his-motive-in-interviews-with-investigators-doj-says">confessed</a> to planting the bombs and expressed support for President Donald Trump. Cole allegedly told authorities in a videotaped confession that he wanted someone to “speak up” about the 2020 election being stolen, adding that people felt “that their votes are like just being thrown away.&#8221;
However, questions remain around the timing of Cole&#8217;s alleged plot to plant the pipe bombs in response to the 2020 election, as charging documents state that Cole purchased the materials for the bombs as early as May 2019, long before the controversy over the 2020 election erupted.
Cole allegedly set the bombs to detonate one hour after he set them, but they never went off. Cole said that he was “pretty relieved” when he learned that the bombs did not detonate, according to the Justice Department.
“Indeed, the defendant admitted that he set both devices to detonate 60 minutes after he placed them,” the DOJ stated. “His failure to accomplish his objectives does not mitigate the profoundly dangerous nature of his crimes.”
FBI Director Kash Patel has pointed to Cole&#8217;s arrest as an example of the bureau&#8217;s failures under the Biden administration, arguing that the pipe bomb case went unsolved for nearly five years due to &#8220;either sheer incompetence or complete intentional negligence.&#8221;
Cole faces up to 30 years in prison.

Brian Cole Jr.

Federal Judge Orders Suspect In Jan 6 Pipe Bomb Case To Stay Behind Bars

Crime

January 6

Judge

Washington D.C.

With the median home price hovering north of $433,000 and no signs of mortgage rates dropping anytime soon, many Americans may have to put off their dream of buying a house.
Many of those who do buy homes may have begun their search on Zillow, a popular real estate website. Some might even take advantage of a Zillow Home Loan, conveniently available on the same site as the listings.
Zillow says its home loans are &#8220;competitive.&#8221; And while they were slightly cheaper than competitors in 2022, they&#8217;ve grown steadily more expensive in subsequent years — and a <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5951355">new study</a> funded by CoStar suggests that Zillow is overcharging borrowers.
Steven C. Salop of the Georgetown University Law Center reports that borrowers who used Zillow Home Loans paid higher mortgage costs than those who borrowed from other lenders. On average, consumers who chose Zillow paid 10 to 15% more in annual percentage rate.
In 2024, Zillow’s mortgages carried an average cost of about $4,600 more than competitors on a typical loan size of $337,000. That difference amounts to roughly $21 more per month over a 30-year mortgage — assuming the loan is held full-term.
The study concludes that lower-income borrowers were hardest hit. For borrowers making $60,000 or less in 2024, Zillow loans cost an added 3% of the loan’s value over time, according to the analysis. The study also found racial disparities in pricing, alleging in 2024 that white non-Hispanic and Asian borrowers saw a 1.5% surcharge while black borrowers faced a 2.9% surcharge, compared with similar borrowers at other lenders.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Salop analyzed federal mortgage data from 2022 through 2024, comparing Zillow Home Loans with all other lenders. The sample focused on 30-year fixed-rate purchase mortgages and sought to compare nearly identical loans by controlling for borrower characteristics, loan type, geography, and market conditions.
Zillow has pushed back on the report, <a href="https://www.onlinemarketplaces.com/articles/zillow-challenges-inaccurate-study-as-author-defends-findings/?referrer=grok.com">saying</a> it draws on inaccurate information and that the study was funded by a competitor.
“Zillow Home Loans is committed to both fair lending and pro-consumer practices,&#8221; the company said in a statement. &#8220;We have a robust fair lending compliance program.&#8221;
Zillow is currently <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/zillow-hit-with-class-action-over-alleged-mortgage-steering-scheme-2025-11-10/">facing</a> two class-action lawsuits alleging the company “operates programs in which its affiliate real estate agents receive high-value sales leads only if they meet internal quotas for securing pre-approved mortgages from Zillow Home Loans.”

Home For Sale Real Estate Sign and House

Zillow Overcharges For Home Loans, Poor Borrowers Hardest Hit: Report

Banking

Economy

Housing

Federal authorities said Friday that they thwarted an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack that was planned for New Year&#8217;s Eve at a grocery store and fast food restaurant in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
United States citizen Christian Sturdivant, 18, allegedly planned to massacre Americans using &#8220;knives and hammers&#8221; in the Charlotte suburb after he became radicalized online, federal authorities revealed during a press conference Friday. He planned to become a &#8220;martyr&#8221; in the attack.
&#8220;He was preparing for Jihad and innocent people were going to die,&#8221; Russ Ferguson, the United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, opened Friday&#8217;s presser.
&#8220;He was targeting Jews, Christians and LGBTQ individuals,&#8221; Ferguson said.
Sturdivant, who worked at a local Burger King, was previously on law enforcement&#8217;s radar in January 2022, when he was just 14-years-old and communicating on social media with an overseas ISIS member who instructed him to dress in all black, knock on people&#8217;s doors and attack them with a hammer, James Barnacle, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Charlotte, said Friday. He was stopped from carrying out the attack by his own family, Barnacle added. Sturdivant then underwent psychological care and did not face charges.
At the time, the FBI was told that Sturdivant &#8220;no longer had access to social media,&#8221; which they learned &#8220;wasn&#8217;t true&#8221; on Dec. 18, according to Barnacle.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Sturdivant began reading ISIS websites, making TikToks before he reached out to an individual he believed was a member of the terrorist organization who turned out to be an undercover agent with the NYPD, with whom he &#8220;pledged his allegiance to ISIS&#8221; and &#8220;disclosed his plans to &#8216;do jihad soon,'&#8221; authorities said.
He later communicated with an undercover FBI agent, whom he believed was an ISIS operative, and shared &#8220;very specific&#8221; plans about where he planned to commit the attack and how he planned to do so.
He also asked the person for help obtaining firearms to execute his plans.
The FBI then executed a search warrant at the suspect&#8217;s residence, where they found hammers and knives that were hidden under his bed and notes showing his plans. His family previously hid knives from him in the home.
The alleged terrorist was arrested on New Year&#8217;s Eve as he was being released from a medical facility. He is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
&#8220;Without the swift action of the FBI, joint terrorism, task force, New York City, police department, the Mint Hill Police Department and our partners at the United States attorney&#8217;s office for the western district North Carolina, we could be announcing national tragedy. Instead, a terrorist attack was thwarted,&#8221; Barnacle said.
The planned attack comes just one year after Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed through a crowd celebrating the new year on New Orleans&#8217; Bourbon Street while displaying an ISIS flag on his vehicle. He killed 14 people and injured 57 others before local police took him out.
Din-Jabbar also placed bombs in the area, which failed to detonate.

Untitled design – 2026-01-02T111203.562

Feds Thwart ISIS-Inspired Terrorist Attack Planned In North Carolina

ISIS

North Carolina

Terrorism

terrorist

Actor and recording artist Will Smith has been accused of sexual harassment and retaliation by a violinist employed on his most recent tour.
Violinist Brian King Joseph, 32, named both Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, in a wrongful termination and retaliation suit filed in California, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15427821/will-smith-sued-sexual-harassment-violinist-brian-king-joseph-played-tour.html">per</a> the Daily Mail.
The suit states that Joseph began performing with Smith in December 2024. Most recently, he joined the rapper on tour to promote his “Based on a True Story” album in 2025. Joseph alleges that Smith told him, “You and I have such a special connection, that I don&#8217;t share with anyone else.”
Joseph claims that on or around March 20, he returned to his hotel room in Las Vegas around 11 p.m. and discovered someone had entered the room without permission and deposited a variety of items including, “wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to Plaintiff.”
There was also allegedly a note that said, “Brian, I’ll be back no later 5.30, just us &lt;3, Stone F.”
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Per the suit, Joseph believed that “an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him. The complaint also noted that members of tour management were the only ones with access to the room, and that there were no signs of forced entry.
Joseph stated that he reported the incident to law enforcement, hotel security, and Smith’s management. The violinist said he was subsequently “shamed” by management and had his contract terminated, the outlet noted.
Per court documents, Joseph felt “stress” after being fired, which led to “major physiological damage” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.” He is seeking unknown damages.
Smith’s attorney Allen B. Grodsky <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15427821/will-smith-sued-sexual-harassment-violinist-brian-king-joseph-played-tour.html">denied</a> these allegations in a statement to the Daily Mail. “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless and reckless,” the statement said. “They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
Joseph became nationally known as one of the top three finalists on the reality competition show “America&#8217;s Got Talent” in 2018. Smith has been attempting a musical comeback with &#8220;Based on a True Story,&#8221; his first album release in two decades.

Will Smith

Will Smith Sued For Sexual Harassment, Retaliation By Tour Violinist

Celebrities

Lawsuit

Music

Sexual Harassment

Editor’s note: This week, we’re reprinting some of our best stories from the past year. This piece, published in March, details Harvard&#8217;s detachment from a partnership with a Hamas-friendly university.
The Harvard School of Public Health suspended its partnership with a Palestinian university whose faculty and students have endorsed and collaborated with Hamas and other terror groups, according to the <a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/3/27/harvard-suspends-birzeit-partnership/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harvard Crimson</a>.
The suspension follows extensive reporting by The Daily Wire into Birzeit’s terrorist ties that led to 27 members of Congress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lawmakers-demand-harvard-cut-ties-with-hamas-collaborator-palestinian-university" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling for</a> Harvard to “immediately shut down this partnership and condemn Birzeit University.”
Harvard suspended the partnership as part of the Harvard School of Public Health’s investigation into Harvard’s FXB Center, which started last summer, School of Public Health spokeswoman Stephanie Simon told the student paper.
A memorandum of understanding between the FXB Center and Birzeit expired in recent months and Harvard decided not to renew it, according to Simon. While an official partnership will not exist, the FXB Center, which collaborates with Birzeit faculty and scholars, will reportedly continue.
In a Q&amp;A with the <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/03/a-year-into-role-chan-school-dean-focused-on-driving-change-amid-deep-challenges/">Harvard Gazette</a>, Dean Andrea Baccarelli said a &#8220;blue-ribbon panel of experts&#8221; were appointed to conduct the review of the FXB Center to &#8220;rigorously evaluate the FXB Center’s current status and future potential.&#8221; The review is expected to conclude this spring.
The FXB Center <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-to-host-summer-program-at-palestinian-university-dominated-by-hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">co-hosted</a> the “Palestine Social Medicine Course” with Birzeit University last summer, where students learned about “settler colonialism.” The program was originally supposed to take place on Birzeit’s campus in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank, until it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-cancels-program-with-hamas-friendly-university-over-security-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was relocated</a> to Jordan “due to security concerns.” Under the suspension, Harvard will no longer co-sponsor the program this year and Harvard students will not be eligible to participate because of security concerns. Instead the 2025 Social Medicine Course will be sponsored by Birzeit and the World Health Organization.
At the time, Simon told The Daily Wire she was aware of Birzeit’s student body’s association with Hamas, but said it has not affected its program.
“Student government elections at Birzeit typically involve candidates affiliated with each of the major political parties in the region, including Hamas,” she said. “These student government elections are not germane to and have not affected the FXB Center’s work with the scholars and students at Birzeit’s Institute of Community and Public Health.”
Birzeit University <a href="https://archive.ph/eRaU6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called for</a> “glory for the martyrs” after Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, and has a long history of promoting terrorists on its campus. The university has hosted funerals and parades for terrorists on its campus, where several buildings are named after terrorists.
Hanan Ashrawi, chairman of Birzeit University’s board of trustees, denied that Hamas sexually assaulted Israelis on October 7, and has defended Hezbollah and the lynching of Israeli soldiers, according to <a href="https://camera-uk.org/2019/05/14/indy-fails-to-challenge-hanan-ashrawis-claim-shes-always-rejected-violence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CAMERA UK</a>.
On its website, Birzeit <a href="https://www.birzeit.edu/en/about/history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boasts</a> that it is a “thorn in the side of the occupation,” and says it is committed to making an impact through “resistance.”
In 2023, the Birzeit student body elected two blocs affiliated with terrorist organizations — Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)— into the student government. In the election, which had a 77 percent voter turnout, the Hamas-affiliated Islamic bloc won 25 of the 51 seats, while the PFLP picked up six, according to the <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-744135" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerusalem Post</a>.
In July, five members of the student council were arrested for attempting to carry out a terror attack on behalf of Hamas. The students were found with an assault rifle and thousands of dollars of cash from Hamas, the Times of Israel <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-university-students-in-west-bank-arrested-for-planning-significant-terror-attack/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Birzeit <a href="https://archive.is/q0BXN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared a letter</a> from its faculty and employee union last April which praised the “global intifada,” called for an Israel boycott, and refrained from calling the United States by name, instead opting to use “Turtle Island,” a term used by so-called “anti-colonialists” to suggest that the United States exists on stolen Native American land.
Birzeit’s faculty includes notable terrorist sympathizers, including assistant professor Basil Farraj who wrote <a href="https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/45912" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a eulogy</a> for Walid Daqqa, the leader of a group that kidnapped and killed an IDF soldier.
Philosophy professor Abdaljawad Omar appeared at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rashida-tlaib-faces-calls-to-be-removed-from-congress-after-speaking-at-terrorist-connected-event" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PFLP-linked conference</a> attended by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, where he praised the October 7 attacks for opening “so many doors of political possibility” and said the “promise of liberation it holds would not have manifested in our conference without the capacity to resist.” Omar also denied accusations of rape and criticized the IDF for refusing to allow Israel to be taken over by the “Palestinian military” in <a href="https://mondoweiss.net/2023/10/how-and-why-israels-disinformation-campaign-is-enabling-its-massacre-in-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an op-ed</a> shortly after the attack.
“Israel chose not to engage in negotiations with any groups within its borders, leading to substantial collateral damage in numerous hostage situations,” Omar wrote. “The Palestinian military strategy aimed to delay Israel’s retaking of the area around the strip. In contrast, Israel was intent on swiftly reclaiming the territory, seemingly without regard for the safety of its own citizens.”
Several other schools <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-dark-relationship-between-u-s-universities-and-the-anti-american-school-controlled-by-terrorists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have had relationships</a> with Birzeit, including Rutgers University, which affirmed its relationship with Birzeit in May amid student encampment protests. William Paterson University entered into an <a href="https://www.wpunj.edu/provost/international-academic-agreements/Birziet.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreement with</a> the Hamas-run university in 2022 for exchange programs, sharing curricula, and joint degree programs. Other schools, such as MIT, have recently co-hosted conferences, invited Birzeit professors for speaking events, or had student groups visit its campus.
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter">
<div class="c-message_kit__gutter__right" role="presentation" data-qa="message_content">
<div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text">
<div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text" data-qa="message-text">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer" data-qa="block-kit-renderer">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first">
<div class="p-rich_text_block" dir="auto">
<div class="p-rich_text_section">A spokeswoman for Harvard University declined to comment.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Harvard

Best Of 2025: Harvard Cuts Ties With Hamas-Friendly Birzeit University 

Education

Hamas

Harvard University

Palestinian

A new report sent to lawmakers across the United States this week warns of radical environmental groups attempting to “weaken critical power sources at a time when we need them most.”
American Energy Institute CEO Jason Isaac sent a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/974189004/Jason-Isaac-Letter">letter</a> and <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/974189428/AEI-Report">report</a>, obtained by The Daily Wire, to Republican lawmakers and leaders in Washington, D.C., and across the United States outlining the threat from “a small but highly coordinated activist network committed to restricting American energy production.” The report from the institute outlines the scope of the threat to American energy and names some of the key players.
“[T]his coalition has gained outsized influence through a billion-dollar activist ecosystem, coordinated national operations, and targeted litigation designed to obstruct or delay U.S. energy development. These efforts strengthen America’s rivals by restricting domestic production and limiting our ability to compete on the global stage,” says the letter.
The 18-page report notes that the coalition of green groups and leftist organizations is influencing U.S. energy policy through “its outsized influence on Democratic politics and policymaking and through its fervent opposition to the Trump administration’s efforts to unleash American energy.”
Green groups and trained activists are undermining American energy dominance through close relationships with influential Democrats, costly legal challenges, protests, and sometimes sabotage of major energy projects. The report lists as some of the major players in the effort to restrict fossil fuel use the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Sierra Club, and Greenpeace.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Green groups have long opposed oil, gas, and coal, and often oppose zero-carbon energy projects if they are nuclear or hydropower. The green coalition has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/climate/greenpeaces-fight-with-pipeline-giant-exposes-a-legal-loophole.html">suffered</a> a major setback recently in a court case that has the potential to bankrupt Greenpeace in the United States.
Earlier this year, a jury in North Dakota found three Greenpeace groups liable for $670 million in damages over the role they played in a protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. A judge later reduced the damages by about half to $345 million.
The protest took place nearly a decade ago as green groups obstructed progress on the pipeline for roughly a decade. The protest resulted in charges and jail time for some activists, such as Jessica Reznicek, who was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/des-moines-woman-sentenced-eight-years-prison-conspiracy-damage-dakota-access-pipeline">found</a> guilty of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and sentenced to eight years in federal prison.
The report suggests that the green coalition is prepared to renew its attack on major, reliable energy sources, however, as the coalition pushes forward radical changes to the United States’ energy infrastructure such as those envisioned in the Green New Deal. The <a href="https://www.ocasiocortez.com/green-new-deal">goal</a> of the Green New Deal is to “decarbonize the U.S. economy within ten years,” according to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who helped write a resolution for the radical commitment in 2019.
Proponents of the Green New Deal, such as the <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/trade/what-green-new-deal">Sierra Club</a>, often state as added aims “racial and economic equity” by favoring minorities for jobs and opportunities created by the radical transition to intermittent wind and solar energy.
The American Energy Institute report says that, despite the media coverage generated by claims of catastrophic climate predictions, the effort to undermine fossil fuel production in the United States is being pushed by “well-coordinated campaigns funded by donor networks with billions of dollars in resources,” not grassroots activists.
“Major funders of these green groups include the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Arabella Advisors network, the Rockefeller network, the Tides network, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Ford Foundation,” says the report.
The campaign represents a significant threat to Trump’s agenda in essentially every respect because energy impacts every major issue in some way.
“These organizations form a united front with one goal: crippling the American energy industry,” the report states. “Despite the broad unpopularity of their agenda, the environmental groups in this report intend to leverage their aggressive activism, deep political ties, and opaque funding to drive political change in the U.S. – with potentially disastrous consequences. If they are allowed to succeed, the environmental alarmists’ agenda will bring about the end of U.S. energy independence.”

Dakota Access Pipeline protest

‘Highly Coordinated Activist Network’ Is Undermining Trump’s Plan For Energy Dominance, Report Warns

Donald Trump

Energy

Environment

Greenpeace

Warner Bros Discovery will likely reject Paramount Skydance&#8217;s amended $108.4 billion hostile bid for the storied Hollywood studio despite a personal guarantee from billionaire Larry Ellison backing the media giant&#8217;s offer, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The board has yet to make a final decision, but is expected to meet next week, said the person, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Warner Bros and Paramount declined to comment on the board&#8217;s position, reported earlier by CNBC.
The decision could keep Warner Bros on track to pursue a rival cash-and-stock deal with Netflix despite Paramount&#8217;s attempt to sweeten its offer.
Ellison, whose son David is chairman and CEO of Paramount, personally guaranteed the equity underpinning the bid, hoping to ease doubts that had dogged its earlier proposal.
The company did not increase its $30-per-share all-cash offer, but it raised its regulatory reverse termination fee to match Netflix and extended its tender offer deadline.
Netflix&#8217;s $82.7 billion offer, while lower in headline value, offers a clearer financing structure and fewer execution risks, analysts have said.
Under terms of that agreement, Warner Bros would face a $2.8 billion breakup fee if it walks away from the Netflix deal.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Harris Oakmark, Warner Bros&#8217; fifth largest investor with 96 million shares, said the revised offer wasn&#8217;t &#8220;sufficient,&#8221; and noted that it was not enough to cover the breakup fee.
Paramount has argued its bid would face fewer regulatory obstacles. A combined Paramount-Warner Bros entity would create a studio larger than industry leader Disney and merge two major television operators.
Warner Bros&#8217; board previously urged shareholders to reject Paramount&#8217;s $108.4 billion bid for the entire company, including its cable television assets, citing concerns over financing certainty and the absence of a full guarantee from the Ellison family.
Paramount has argued its offer is more market-proof than Netflix&#8217;s $82.7 billion proposal, whose value has fluctuated with Netflix&#8217;s share price.
Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about further consolidation in the media industry. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he plans to weigh in on the landmark acquisition.
(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Dawn Kopecki, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Anil D&#8217;Silva and David Gregorio)

Paramount

Warner Bros Likely To Reject Paramount’s Latest Hostile Bid, Source Says

Business

Hollywood

Warner Bros

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday that it has frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota amid news of a massive fraud scandal in the state.
&#8220;We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota,&#8221; Deputy Secretary Jim O&#8217;Neill and Administration for Children &amp; Families Assistant Secretary Alex Adams announced in a video released on X Tuesday evening. &#8220;You have probably read the serious allegations that the state of Minnesota has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.&#8221;
HHS has taken three actions &#8220;against the blatant fraud that appears to be rampant in Minnesota and across the country,&#8221; he explained. The first action: activating HHS&#8217; &#8220;Defend the Spend system,&#8221; requiring justification and a receipt or photo evidence before they send money to a state.
The second action hinges directly on journalist Nick Shirley&#8217;s investigative work over the past few months: O&#8217;Neill says that he and his colleagues have identified the individuals in Shirley&#8217;s video, and are demanding a &#8220;comprehensive audit of these centers,&#8221; including attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations, inspections, and more.
HHS said its third action is launching a fraud reporting hotline and email address where parents, providers, and members of the public can submit tips.
&#8220;We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud,&#8221; the officials said.
<div id="attachment_1021659" style="width: 835px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-freezes-all-child-care-payments-to-minnesota-amid-daycare-fraud-scandal/president-trump-holds-roundtable-discussion-at-the-white-house-on-antifa-4" rel="attachment wp-att-1021659"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021659" class="wp-image-1021659 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2240003913-1-825x576.jpg" alt="" width="825" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2240003913-1-825x576.jpg 825w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2240003913-1-300x209.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2240003913-1-768x536.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2240003913-1.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px" /></a>Independent journalist Nick Shirley speaks during a roundtable discussion in the State Dining Room of the White House on October 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</div>
Shirley&#8217;s viral videos show a number of examples of concerning activity in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, region. His work comes after a federal prosecutor said that there has been at least $9 billion in fraud in the state under Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz&#8217;s watch.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-is-currently-paying-an-indicted-somali-fraudster-to-run-assisted-living-homes">reported earlier this month</a> that the Minnesota government was still paying an accused Somali fraudster to run assisted living homes as that man awaited trial for his alleged role in the nation&#8217;s largest COVID scam, in which he ran a fraudulent charity.
According to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/billions-paid-out-by-medicaid-in-minnesota-may-be-fraudulent-us-attorney/">14 Medicaid services in Minnesota are</a> at &#8220;high risk&#8221; for fraud.
Shirley, who appeared on Fox News over the weekend, discussed how he found suspicious daycare and learning centers in Minneapolis with no children present that are potentially fronts for scams.
<div>
“It’s so obvious,” Shirley <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/independent-journalist-who-uncovered-minnesota-fraud-says-a-kindergartner-could-figure-it-out">explained</a>, referring to the apparent fraud. “If you’re living in Minnesota, you have to raise your eyebrows and think, ‘What’s going on?’ Literally, if you drive around Minneapolis, you’ll see daycare centers, autism centers — you will then see transportation companies that have snow piled up as if they haven’t moved it in months.&#8221;
“A kindergartner could’ve figured out there was fraud going on.&#8221;
Walz addressed the viral reports on Tuesday, acknowledging that the state has been &#8220;taken advantage of&#8221; by fraudsters who prioritized &#8220;greed&#8221; over the needs of children and the elderly. But Walz blamed the issue on President Donald Trump.
</div>
<div class="css-175oi2r">
<div class="css-175oi2r r-1s2bzr4">
<div id="id__fz40m043zb" class="css-146c3p1 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-37j5jr r-1inkyih r-16dba41 r-bnwqim r-135wba7" dir="auto" lang="en" data-testid="tweetText">&#8220;We’ve spent years cracking down on fraud &#8211; referring cases to law enforcement, shutting down and auditing high-risk programs,&#8221; he said in a social media post. &#8220;Trump keeps letting fraudsters out of prison. To the national news just now paying attention, here’s what we’ve done to stop it.&#8221;</div>
</div>
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We’ve spent years cracking down on fraud &#8211; referring cases to law enforcement, shutting down and auditing high-risk programs.
Trump keeps letting fraudsters out of prison.
To the national news just now paying attention, here’s what we’ve done to stop it. <a href="https://t.co/bgvKPxVxxm">pic.twitter.com/bgvKPxVxxm</a>
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Walz/status/2006109443893674228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Minnesota Public Schools Begin Year Days After Mass Shooting

Trump Admin Freezes ‘All Child Care Payments’ To Minnesota Amid Daycare Fraud Scandal

Executive

Fraud

Health and Human Services

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of the 35th U.S. president, John F. Kennedy, died on Tuesday after revealing in a November essay that she had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. She was 35.
Her passing was announced by her family in a social media post from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
&#8220;Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,&#8221; the family wrote.
Schlossberg was a climate change and environmental journalist and the second child of JFK&#8217;s daughter, former U.S. diplomat Caroline Kennedy, and the designer-artist Edwin Schlossberg.
In a New Yorker essay published in November, Schlossberg said she had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
At the time, she also criticized her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. health secretary, for being a vaccine skeptic and cutting funding for cancer research.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
According to the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6212-acute-myeloid-leukemia-aml">Cleveland Clinic</a>, acute myeloid leukemia &#8220;typically happens when certain genes or chromosomes mutate (change). AML usually affects people age 60 and older, but it can also affect younger adults and children. [It] is an aggressive cancer that can be life-threatening.&#8221;
The illness only affects about 4 in 100,000 adults per year.
Blood Cancer United <a href="https://bloodcancerunited.org/resources/newsroom/fda-approves-new-drug-treat-advanced-aml-adults">reported</a> in November that the FDA approved a new drug called ziftomenib to treat those with advanced AML with an NPM1 gene mutation.
&#8220;In a clinical trial, 21.4% of patients treated with ziftomenib went into a full remission or remission with partial recovery of blood counts, which means there were no signs of cancer cells in the bone marrow, but not all blood counts had returned to normal.&#8221;
(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Tatiana Schlossberg

Tatiana Schlossberg, Granddaughter Of JFK, Dies Of Rare Form Of Leukemia

Cancer

General

John F. Kennedy (JFK)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing disturbing allegations stemming from an incident with his private chef earlier this month.
In early December, Diggs allegedly got into an argument with his personal chef via text over an apparent undelivered paycheck. The chef told police that the argument continued in person when Diggs entered her room, hit her in the face, and tried to choke her using his elbow. Diggs&#8217; grip was tight, and when she tried to escape, the wide receiver tightened his hold before throwing her onto the bed, the chef claimed, per TMZ.
According to <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/stefon-diggs-criminal-charges-assault-strangulation/3869390/">NBC Boston</a>, Diggs is charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.
This altercation happened in Dedham, Massachusetts, the day after the Patriots beat the Giants on Monday Night Football on December 1. The alleged victim filed the complaint against Diggs on December 16. According to NBC Boston, the chef didn&#8217;t want to press charges at first because of Diggs&#8217; fame and status, but ultimately decided to do so.
The chef told police she has worked for Diggs since July of this year, and was supposed to work for him throughout the 2025 football season. At the time of the incident with Diggs, she claims she hadn&#8217;t received a month&#8217;s pay.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Diggs&#8217; attorney, David Meier, released a statement on Tuesday strongly denying the allegations against the NFL wide receiver.
&#8220;They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated &#8212; because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee&#8217;s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.&#8221;
The Patriots also released a <a href="https://x.com/RapSheet/status/2006045441360793872?s=20">statement</a>: &#8220;The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.&#8221;
NBC Boston reports Diggs&#8217; arraignment is scheduled for January 23, which is the Friday before the AFC Championship Game.
The Patriots clinched the AFC East title on Sunday. In that game, Diggs scored a touchdown — his first in nearly two months. The 32-year-old has a team-leading 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns this season.
The Patriots wrap up the regular season Sunday before their postseason push for a Super Bowl.
In response to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment, Dedham Police Department said: &#8220;We are in receipt of your request for copies of records and information related to this matter. However, we are unable to fulfill this request at this time. A motion to impound records related to this matter is currently pending before the court, and we are awaiting the judge&#8217;s ruling on that motion. Until the court issues a decision, we are not releasing any documents or information.&#8221;

Credit:  Kathryn Riley/Getty Images

Stefon Diggs Facing Strangulation, Assault Charge From December Incident With Private Chef

New England Patriots

Sports

Stefon Diggs

Menu