What's Happening

Politics

Trump Chooses RFK Jr. to "Make America Healthy Again"

What's going on: President-elect Donald Trump announced yesterday he’s nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In the position, RFK Jr. — an environmental lawyer by trade — would have the green light from Trump to “go wild” on health, overseeing agencies like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Kennedy has outlined his vision to reimagine the US public health system in his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. He’s been vocal about getting rid of fluoride in drinking water (the majority of health experts disagree with him, including the American Dental Association) and vaccine mandates (falsely claiming vaccines lead to autism). Kennedy also said he wants to stop the FDA’s “aggressive suppression” of raw milk (which health experts say can cause foodborne illness), among other things. Meanwhile, some of his food safety plans, including banning artificial food coloring and additives, have gained popularity — especially among some mothers.

What it means: Trump is elevating a vocal vaccine skeptic to lead the country’s largest health agency. The move is widely seen as a reward for Kennedy’s support, which is becoming a common theme among Trump’s controversial Cabinet picks. The nomination could test Senate Republicans’ loyalty to Trump as they consider whether to confirm Kennedy. While some GOP senators are enthusiastic or at least open to hearing from him, some of Kennedy’s questionable behavior, including incidents involving a dead bear and a decapitated whale, may complicate his path. In the meantime, public health experts worry his appointment could lead to a rampant spread of medical misinformation. The former acting director of the CDC warned that Kennedy “would pose incredible risks to the health of the nation.”

Related: The Interesting Moments From RFK Jr.’s Presidential Campaign (Politico)

International

Where Is Roshanak Molaei? A Woman's Disappearance in Tehran Is Raising Questions

What's going on: The video was captioned: “A scene from being a woman in Iran.” Roshanak Molaei shared surveillance footage on social media showing a man in a military uniform on a motorcycle harassing her on the sidewalk, with her fighting back. What followed sent corners of the internet ablaze with the hashtag #WhereisRoshanakMolaei. Days after the clip was posted and quickly removed, Iranian police confirmed that both Molaei and the man in the video had been “referred to judicial authorities” — the man for harassment and traffic violations, and Molaei for “not observing mandatory hijab laws.” In the video, Molaei — who’s been arrested before for opposing Iran’s hijab rules — wasn’t wearing the traditional head covering. The human rights group Hengaw says Molaei’s fate is now uncertain, as details about her location, health, and the conditions of imprisonment remain limited.

What it means: All this comes at a time when the country is continuing to crack down on women defying hijab laws. Recently, the Iranian state announced plans to open a “hijab removal treatment clinic” for women who break the rules. In response, human rights activists expressed dismay, with one Iranian journalist saying: “The idea of establishing clinics to ‘cure’ unveiled women is chilling, where people are separated from society simply for not conforming to the ruling ideology.” The news adds to the growing outrage around Molaei’s disappearance and follows a recent UN human rights report highlighting “pressing concerns” regarding the “deteriorating human rights situation for women and girls” across the country.

Related: Unveiling Iran’s Powerful Hijab Protest Movement (The New Yorker) 

Media

The Onion Bought Alex Jones's Infowars...No Joke

What's going on: No news may be more surprising this week than The Onion announcing it placed the winning bid for Alex Jones’s Infowars platform. In 2022, a court ordered Jones to pay $1.4 billion to the families of Sandy Hook victims for spreading disinformation on Infowars about the shooting, which killed 20 kids and six adults. The far-right media host had to file for bankruptcy and sell his most-prized possession. When Infowars went up for auction this summer, The Onion saw an opportunity and took it. To top it off, the deal is a two-for-one special: The satirical publication will be getting ownership of the dietary supplements Jones sold to his audience. However, The Onion isn’t sharing how much it spent to acquire the platform. So much for peeling back the layers.

What it means: The sale marks the end of Jones’s media empire, which had millions of viewers at its peak. He profited heavily from spreading lies about the Sandy Hook shooting on Infowars. Now, the website’s sale offers a moment of closure for the victims’ families. A lawyer representing the families said The Onion has “done a public service and will meaningfully hinder Jones’s ability to do more harm.” The Onion plans to relaunch Infowars in January, using it to satirize “weird internet personalities” (including Jones). The rebranded site will also feature an exclusive advertiser: Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit founded after Sandy Hook to combat gun violence.

Related: Read in Its Own Words Why The Onion Bought Infowars (The Onion)