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Judge rules RFK Jr. can sue Biden administration over alleged censorship of charity that questions vaccines

Judge rules RFK Jr. can sue Biden administration over alleged censorship of charity that questions vaccines

A federal judge ruled Tuesday Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. can sue the Biden administration over alleged social media censorship of his Children’s Health Defense charity, which questions the safety of vaccines. “The Court finds that Kennedy is likely to succeed on his claim that suppression of content posted was caused by actions of Government Defendants, and there is a substantial risk that he will suffer similar injury in the near future,” U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Louisiana said in a ruling.  The lawsuit alleges the government had pressured social media giants like Facebook, X and YouTube to censor content it considered misinformation. The Children’s Health Defense, which was founded by Kennedy, says its mission is “ending childhood health epidemics by eliminating toxic exposure.”  RFK, JR. TORCHES MEDIA CENSORSHIP AS HE ENDS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Critics of the charity have called it “anti-vaccine.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, are “safe and effective.”  “Judge Terry Doughty carefully and clearly analyzed the law and facts and applied the framework from the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Murthy v. Missouri regarding standing,” CHD general counsel Kim Rosenberg said after the ruling, referring to a similar case brought against the government.  “The court also firmly found in plaintiffs’ favor that plaintiffs had not waived — and indeed had affirmatively raised — direct censorship claims in addition to listener claims.” Murthy v. Missouri was recently brought by the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, who accused the Biden administration of pressuring social media companies to censor certain content.  A Louisiana court banned communication between the government and the companies, but the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision in June, said the plaintiffs had insufficient evidence to prove direct injury and found no direct link to the government in the censorship, adding companies have a right to moderate their own content.  KENNEDY FAMILY MEMBERS DENOUNCE RFK JR’S DECISION TO ENDORSE TRUMP AS A ‘BETRAYAL OF VALUES’  Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote in the decision that “the evidence indicates that the platforms had independent incentives to moderate content and often exercised their own judgment.” Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson also voted against the plaintiffs.  In the Kennedy case, Doughty said there was direct evidence the charity’s censorship had been linked to the government.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The case will now go back to a lower court, and the injunction will be reviewed, according to the Washington Examiner.  The decision came just days before Kennedy suspended his struggling presidential campaign and endorsed former President Trump. 

Boeing’s Starliner astronauts to return from space next year, NASA says

Boeing’s Starliner astronauts to return from space next year, NASA says

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says bringing astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth on faulty Starliner is too risky. Two NASA astronauts who flew to the International Space Station (ISS) in June aboard Boeing’s faulty Starliner capsule will return to Earth on a SpaceX vehicle early next year, NASA chief Bill Nelson has said. He told reporters on Saturday that issues with Starliner’s propulsion system are too risky to carry its first crew home. Veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both former military test pilots, became the first crew to ride Starliner on June 5 when they were launched to the ISS for what was expected to be an eight-day test mission. But Starliner’s propulsion system suffered a series of glitches beginning in the first 24 hours of its flight to the ISS, triggering months of cascading delays. Five of its 28 thrusters failed and it sprang several leaks of helium, which is used to pressurise the thrusters. “NASA has decided that Butch and Suni will return with Crew-9 next February, and that Starliner will return uncrewed,” Nelson said at a news conference in Houston. He added that he discussed the agency’s decision with Boeing’s new CEO Kelly Ortberg. “He expressed to me an intention that they will continue to work the problems once Starliner is back safely,” Nelson said of Ortberg. Since Starliner docked to the ISS in June, Boeing has scrambled to investigate what caused its thruster mishaps and helium leaks. The company also arranged tests and simulations on Earth to gather data that it has used to try and convince NASA officials that Starliner is safe to fly the crew back home. But results from that testing raised more difficult engineering questions and ultimately failed to quell NASA officials’ concerns about Starliner’s ability to make its crewed return trip – the most daunting and complex part of the test mission. Amy Thompson, a Florida-based space and science journalist, said NASA is putting the safety of the crew first by deciding against returning the astronauts on the Boeing Starliner. “The big concern about that is: During re-entry, what will the leaks do to the spacecraft? What happens if it gets superheated in the atmosphere? Same with the thrusters … These are things NASA can test now without putting the crews at risk,” Thompson told Al Jazeera. NASA’s decision, and Starliner’s now-uncertain path to certification, will add to the crises Ortberg is facing. The CEO started his tenure this month with the goal of rebuilding the planemaker’s reputation after a door panel dramatically blew off a 737 MAX passenger jet in midair in January. Adblock test (Why?)

What do the Taliban’s new rules mean for Afghans?

What do the Taliban’s new rules mean for Afghans?

Afghanistan’s Taliban government formally adopts a set of morality laws, including requiring women to cover their faces. When the Taliban swept back into power three years ago, it took over a country in which the civil and political rights of Afghans were enshrined in the constitution. But since then, many of those rights have been eroded – especially for women and girls. Now, Taliban officials have published a new set of morality laws – which will in their words “promote virtue and prevent vice”. The new laws in Afghanistan range from requiring women to cover their faces and men to grow beards to banning music in cars. So, will this latest crackdown further isolate the Taliban? And what impact will it have on the lives of millions of Afghans who are already struggling to survive? Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra Guests: Mariam Solaimankhil – Member of Afghanistan’s Parliament in Exile and a board member of Afghan Peace Watch NGO Bahar Jalali – Assistant teaching professor at Loyola University Maryland Mursal Wardak – Education and women’s rights advocate and law student in Germany Adblock test (Why?)

ISIL claims responsibility for stabbing attack in Germany’s Solingen

ISIL claims responsibility for stabbing attack in Germany’s Solingen

Authorities continue to search for perpetrator of knife attack that killed three people in western Germany. ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a knife attack in Solingen, Germany that killed three people and wounded eight others, according to the group’s Amaq news site. In a statement on Saturday, the group said the perpetrator targeted Christians and was a “soldier of the Islamic State” who carried out the attack “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere”. The attack took place on Friday evening as thousands gathered at a central square for celebrations to mark Solingen’s 650th anniversary on Friday. The slain victims included one woman and two men. Markus Caspers, from the counterterrorism section of the public prosecutor’s office, told a news conference on Saturday that authorities have not found the perpetrator. “So far, we have not been able to identify a motive, but looking at the overall circumstances, we cannot rule out” the possibility of terrorism, Caspers said, though he did not offer further details. A 15-year-old boy was arrested early on Saturday. Caspers said he was arrested after two female witnesses contacted police. They said they had listened to a conversation between the boy and an unknown person before the attack, speaking about intentions that corresponded to the events that followed. Police, including special forces, also raided a home for asylum seekers in Solingen’s city centre, the German news agency DPA reported. “We have received tips and therefore, we are currently conducting police activities,” a police spokesperson said. Thorsten Fleiss from the German police, the chief of operations on Friday night, said it was a “big challenge” to bring together available evidence and testimony from witnesses to come up with an overall picture. Meanwhile, police have warned people to stay vigilant until the perpetrator is found. Police officers secure the area after the attack in Solingen, Germany [File: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters] Germany’s Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser paid a visit to Solingen on Saturday evening. She said the government would do everything possible to support the city and its people. “We will not allow that such an awful attack divides our society,” she said, appearing alongside Minister-President of the State of North Rhine Westphalia Hendrik Wust and State Minister for Internal Affairs Herbert Reul. Wust described the attack as “an act of terror against the security and freedom of this country”. But Faeser, the country’s top security official, has not classified it as a terror attack. At its peak, ISIL controlled large stretches of territory in Iraq and Syria and carried out several deadly attacks across the world. But the group faced a territorial defeat in 2017, and its brutal rule collapsed after it lost all of the areas it controlled to the Iraqi government and various parties in the Syrian civil war. The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks that it was not involved in, including a mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017. In Solingen, the police cordoned off the square on Saturday and passers-by placed candles and flowers outside the barriers. Authorities also established an online portal where witnesses could upload footage and any other information relevant to the attack, while churches in Solingen opened their doors to offer a space for prayer and emergency pastoral care. “We are full of shock and grief,” Solingen Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach told journalists. The Festival of Diversity, marking Solingen’s 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics. Authorities have now cancelled the remainder of the festival. Adblock test (Why?)

Kennedy family members denounce RFK Jr.’s decision to endorse Trump as a ‘betrayal of values’

Kennedy family members denounce RFK Jr.’s decision to endorse Trump as a ‘betrayal of values’

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s family denounced him for “betraying” their family values after the former presidential candidate gave his full-throated support Friday to former President Trump.  “We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride,” a statement signed by five of the former third-party presidential candidate’s siblings said. “We believe in Harris and Walz,” the statement continued. “Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump [Friday] is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.” The statement, signed by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Chris Kennedy and Rory Kennedy, was shared by Joe Kennedy III, a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, who wrote that it was “well said.” ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR. LAMBASTS ‘DNC-ALIGNED MAINSTREAM MEDIA,’ ACCUSES THEM OF ENGINEERING HARRIS’ RISE Jack Schlossberg, RFK Jr.’s cousin, wrote that his relative was “for sale” and now “works” for Trump. “Never been less surprised in my life. Been saying it for over a year — RFK Jr. is for sale, works for Trump. Bedfellows and loving it,” Schlossberg wrote in an X post. “Kamala Harris is for the people — the easiest decision of all time just got easier.” Schlossberg, the son of Caroline Kennedy and the grandson of JFK, has been a vocal critic of his cousin’s campaign.  When RFK Jr. first announced his candidacy, Schlossberg called him an “embarrassment.” The 31-year-old has been an ardent supporter of Harris and recently spoke at the Democratic National Convention. KENNEDY FAMILY CHOOSES POLITICS OVER FAMILY WITH ENDORSEMENT IN 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE The Independent presidential candidate on Friday dropped his White House bid and announced support for Trump. TRUMP THANKS RFK JR FOR ENDORSEMENT AFTER THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE SUSPENDS HIS CAMPAIGN: ‘THAT’S BIG’ “I’ve made the heart-wrenching decision to suspend my campaign and to support President Trump. This decision is agonizing for me because of the difficulties it causes me and my children and my friends,” he said during an event in Phoenix, Arizona.  WATCH: Hours later, Kennedy joined Trump onstage at an Arizona rally, where the crowd burst into resounding “Bobby!” chants. “Three causes drove me to enter this race in the first place. And these are the principal causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic Party and run as an independent and now to throw my support at President Trump,” RFK Jr. said. “The causes were free speech, war in Ukraine and the war on our children.”  RFK Jr. said the Democratic National Committee “waged continued legal war” on both Trump and him, while also accusing the DNC of running a “sham primary” that prevented a serious primary challenge to President Biden before he secured the Democratic nomination and dropped out in July and endorsed Harris. Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

Pro-Palestinian group ‘Abandon Biden’ changes to ‘Abandon Harris’ ahead of election

Pro-Palestinian group ‘Abandon Biden’ changes to ‘Abandon Harris’ ahead of election

“Abandon Biden” is now “Abandon Harris.” The pro-Palestinian group opposing the Democratic Party announced on Friday that its members were “now mobilizing under the banner of ‘Abandon Harris.’” “While we will keep the registered name of Abandon Biden, our mission is now laser-focused on exposing and opposing Kamala Harris and her complicity in genocide,” the statement from the group explained. “We call on all people of conscience to join us in holding the Democratic Party accountable for the bloodshed in Gaza.” HARRIS TRIES TO THREAD ISRAEL, GAZA NEEDLE WITH ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS A CONSTANT PRESENCE AT DNC “The DNC’s recent actions have only confirmed what we’ve been saying all along: the Democratic Party has no interest in ending the genocide in Gaza,” the group continued. “They are not mere bystanders; they are active participants in this brutal, unforgivable violence.” Abandon Harris is part of a larger movement on the left opposing the Democratic Party due to its continued support of Israel in the Jewish state’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Anti-Israel demonstrators expressed their discontent with Harris’ campaign throughout this week’s Democratic National Convention with marches, protests, and demonstrations against speakers. CHICAGO DNC: ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS ERUPT AS KAMALA HARRIS SPEAKS ON FINAL NIGHT OF CONVENTION The Democratic presidential nominee attempted to extend an olive branch to the anti-Israel protesters during her speech at the convention, telling the crowd that President Biden’s administration is “working around the clock because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a cease-fire deal done.” “And let me be clear – I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on Oct. 7.” At the same time, Harris said, “what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating,” referring to the war casualties of innocent Palestinian people. In July, Harris met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reiterate the administration’s support for Israel, while also expressing her “serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there.” There was an apparent cease-fire deal also discussed at the time.  Fox News Digital’s Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.