INTERNACIONAL
RFK Jr attributes rise in autism to environmental factors, while CDC points to improved diagnostic practices
While autism experts claim that the rise in cases stems from greater awareness and improved diagnostic testing, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shut down that idea Wednesday and, instead, attributed the rise in cases to environmental factors.
Those who discount that environmental exposure is a factor in rising autism cases are engaging in «epidemic denial,» Kennedy told reporters Wednesday.
Kennedy appeared at HHS’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., to discuss the latest findings on autism included in a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey released Tuesday.
«This is coming from an environmental toxin, and somebody made a profit by putting that environmental toxin into our air, our water, our medicines, our food,» Kennedy said. «And it’s to their benefit to say ‘Oh, to normalize it, to say all this is all normal, it’s always been here.’ That’s not good for our country.»
RFK JR. CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF FLUORIDE FROM DRINKING WATER, SPARKING DEBATE
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference on the autism report by the CDC at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, April 16, 2025. (Jose Luis Magana/The Associated Press)
Even so, the CDC’s own new survey Kennedy addressed found that autism prevalence is on the rise and said the increase «might be due to differences in availability of services for early detection and evaluation and diagnostic practices.»
Specifically, the survey found that one in 31 8-year-old children were diagnosed with autism in 2022 – up from one in 36 in 2000.
Additionally, the survey determined that autism rates were far more common for boys than girls. While one in 20 boys is diagnosed with autism, those numbers go down to one in 70 for girls.
While Kennedy acknowledged Wednesday there may be some genetic vulnerabilities that could contribute to increased odds of an autism diagnosis, he said the autism rates spiked starting in 1989 and that some new environmental toxin must have been introduced around that time.
«Why are we not seeing it in older people? Why is this only happening in young people?» Kennedy said. «Have you ever seen anybody our age – I’m 71 years old – with full blown autism? Head-banging, non-verbal, non-toilet-trained.»
As a result, Kennedy said HHS’ studies would examine toxins including mold, pesticides, air, water, different medications, as well as the age and obesity rates of parents, among other things.
«We’re going to look at all the potential culprits,» Kennedy said.
HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding the apparent discrepancy between Kennedy’s remarks and the CDC survey.
UTAH BANS FLUORIDE FROM PUBLIC DRINKING WATER, ALIGNING WITH MAHA MOVEMENT
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signaled Thursday that the administration would kick off a massive research initiative to understand the cause of autism by September. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Kennedy signaled Thursday in a Cabinet meeting at the White House that the administration would kick off a massive research initiative to understand the cause of autism by September.
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to policy and legal advocacy on behalf of those with autism, pushed back against Kennedy’s statements in the Cabinet meeting and claimed Kennedy refused to acknowledge studies that point to genes as the underlying cause of autism.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
«There is no evidence that autism is actually becoming more common (rather, we as a society are getting better at identifying it, and diagnostic standards have appropriately been widened),» the network said in a Thursday statement. «Even if it were, however, autistic and other disabled people belong in our society. To claim otherwise, and to speak as though our existence is some kind of calamity that must be eliminated, is a form of eugenics.»
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,MAHA,Health,Trump’s First 100 Days,Donald Trump
INTERNACIONAL
Walz decision to exit governor race intensifies calls from GOP lawmakers for his resignation: ‘Easy way out’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz announced on Monday he is scrapping his re-election campaign for another term amid a massive fraud scandal in the state, but Republican lawmakers in Minnesota are calling the move an empty one.
«Don’t mistake Gov. Walz’s retirement for accountability,» Minnesota state Sen. Mark Koran said in a statement to Fox News Digital after Walz’s Monday announcement.
«It’s an attempt to avoid it. Republicans will keep holding ALL elected Democrats accountable for Minnesota’s fraud mess, spending every dollar of the $18 billion surplus, and raising taxes by $10 billion.»
Accountability for Walz, according to several Republican lawmakers, involves him resigning as governor, which many have called for in recent months.
CRITICS WARN MINNESOTA LEGISLATION NOW TAKING EFFECT IS SETTING UP THE ‘NEXT BILLION-DOLLAR FRAUD’
GOP lawmakers in Minnesota are not dropping their calls for Gov. Tim Walz to resign. (Getty Images)
«The Governor is taking the easy way out, but it’s not good enough,» state Sen. Michael Holmstrom said in a statement. «Minnesotans deserve and demand an IMMEDIATE resignation.»
«Governor Walz couldn’t take the FRAUD heat so he’s getting out of the kitchen, but I’m going to keep holding ALL Democrats accountable for Minnesota’s fraud mess, blowing through the entire $18 billion surplus, raising taxes by $10 billion, and making life less affordable for all Minnesotans while rejecting Republican efforts to stop fraud. I’ll keep exposing these failures and holding Democrats accountable for what they’ve done to Minnesotans.»
Walz launched his bid for a third four-year term as Minnesota governor in September, but in recent weeks has been facing a barrage of incoming political fire from President Donald Trump and Republicans, and some Democrats, over the large-scale theft in a state that has long prided itself on good governance.
HOW FEARS OF BEING LABELED ‘RACIST’ HELPED ‘PROVIDE COVER’ FOR THE EXPLODING MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL
The sun shines on the Minnesota State Capitol. (Steve Karnowski/Associated Press)
More than 90 people — most from Minnesota’s large Somali community — have been charged since 2022 in what has been described as the nation’s largest COVID-era scheme. How much money has been stolen through alleged money laundering operations involving fraudulent meal and housing programs, daycare centers, and Medicaid services is still being tabulated. But the U.S. attorney in Minnesota said the scope of the fraud could exceed $1 billion and rise to as high as $9 billion.
GOP state Sen. Rich Draheim accused Walz in a statement of simply «passing the buck» with his «retirement» announcement while «blaming Republicans for his failures.»
Minnesota Republican Sen. Andrew Lang echoed the messaging from his state party in a statement concluding that «retirement isn’t accountability.»
«It’s him trying to wipe his hands clean of the fraud mess. But ALL elected Democrats own this. They fought Republican efforts to stop the fraud, failed to hold Walz’s agencies accountable, and let Minnesotans’ tax dollars get siphoned off by fraudsters.»
Walz met Sunday with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota to discuss his decision to drop his re-election bid, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News’ Alexis McAdams.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. (Bloomberg/Getty)
Word of their meeting comes amid speculation that Klobuchar, a former Hennepin County attorney who’s been elected and re-elected four times to the U.S. Senate, may now run to succeed Walz.
«Make no mistake, I don’t want Tim Walz to be our governor,» Minnesota Republican state Sen. Andrew Mathews said in a statement to Fox News Digital. «But rather than swapping Democrat governor candidates, I want to FIX the damage Gov. Walz has done: Blew through an $18 billion surplus, Raised taxes by $10 billion, Oversaw one of the largest fraud scandals in the country, Left Minnesota for months chasing a failed VP bid, Now decides to leave office.»
«This isn’t accountability. It’s avoiding it.»
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
politics,minnesota fraud exposed,tim walz
INTERNACIONAL
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Machado pledges to return to Venezuela, sees ‘alarming’ internal crackdown
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has vowed to return to Venezuela «as soon as possible» following America’s capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro, warning that the current regime is escalating an internal crackdown on dissent and journalists.
Speaking to «Hannity» on Monday, Machado said the moment is now right for her return after spending more than a year in hiding. She secretly escaped Venezuela last month and traveled to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which she dedicated to President Donald Trump.
«Well, first of all, I’m planning to go back to Venezuela as soon as possible,» Machado said.
TRUMP ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO VENEZUELA’S NEW LEADER DELCY RODRÍGUEZ FOLLOWING MADURO CAPTURE
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gestures during an anti-government protest on Jan. 9, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
«As I’ve always said, Sean, every day I make a decision where I am more useful for our cause. That’s why I stayed in hiding for over 16 months, and that’s why I decided to go out, because I believed that at this moment I’m more useful to our cause, being able to speak out from where I’m at right now. But I’m going to go as soon possible back home.»
Machado said developments in the past 24 hours have been deeply concerning, pointing to what she described as a sweeping executive order signed by Maduro on the same day he was captured and flown out of the country by U.S. forces.
«What we’re seeing right now in the last 24 hours is really alarming,» she said.
Machado said the order mandates the persecution of Venezuelans who support Trump’s actions and claimed at least 14 journalists have been detained. A state of emergency decree issued Saturday, but published Monday, orders police to «immediately begin the national search and capture of everyone involved in the promotion or support for the armed attack by the United States,» the text of the decree reads, according to Reuters.
She said the situation must be closely monitored by the United States and the Venezuelan people, arguing that the transition away from Maduro must continue.
BONDI SAYS TRUMP ‘SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES’ IN VENEZUELAN DICTATOR MADURO CAPTURE OPERATION
Nicolás Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavily armed federal agents as they make their way into an armored car en route to a federal courthouse on Jan. 5, 2026, in New York City (XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
«So this is very alarming. This is something that has to be followed carefully, I’m sure, by the United States government and by the Venezuelan people,» she said. «And certainly we believe that this transition should move forward.»
Machado also sharply criticized Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, calling her unfit to lead any transitional authority. Rodríguez, who has been vice president under Maduro since 2018, was sworn in as interim president on Monday.
«Delcy Rodriguez, as you know, is one of the main architects of torture, persecution, corruption, narco trafficking,» Machado said. «She’s the main ally and liaison with Russia, China, Iran, certainly not an individual that could be trusted by international investors. And she’s really rejected, repudiated by the Venezuelan people.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters at a protest against President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, the day before his inauguration for a third term. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Machado’s comments came just two days after the Trump administration announced that U.S. forces had captured the dictator and his wife, Cilia Flores, after successful «large-scale» military strikes targeting the Venezuelan government. The dictator and his wife are now being held in New York while they await trial on narco-terrorism charges.
Fox News’ Maria Lencki and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
world,politics,geopolitics,south america,crime world,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Delcy Rodríguez juró como presidenta de Venezuela: «Vengo con dolor por el secuestro de dos héroes que tenemos de rehenes en Estados Unidos»
Delcy Rodríguez juró este lunes como nueva presidenta de Venezuela tras el arresto de Nicolás Maduro por parte de la administración de Donald Trump. «Vengo con dolor (a jurar) por el secuestro de dos héroes que tenemos de rehenes en Estados Unidos», dijo.
Con su mano derecha en alto, Rodríguez sostuvo que afrontaba el juramento «con dolor por el sufrimiento que se le ha causado al pueblo venezolano luego de una agresión militar ilegítima«.
Rodríguez prestó juramente ante Jorge Rodríguez, su hermano, quien fue fue reelecto como presidente del Parlamento.
Tras la referencia al operativo de los Delta Force de Estados Unidos para capturar a Nicolás Maduro y a su esposa Cilia Flores, la ahora a cargo del Ejecutivo venezolano añadió que ese dolor es también por «el secuestro de los héroes«, ahora en manos de la Justicia norteamericana con cargos vinculados al narcotráfico y terrorismo.
Sin embargo, en el final llegó el mensaje político de su juramento, ya que convocó a todos los sectores políticos, sociales y económicos del país «para sacar adelante a Venezuela en estas horas terribles».
«Juro por Bolívar, juro por nuestros libertadores, juro por nuestra libertadora y juro por nuestros hermanos y hermanas que nos acompañan y deben sumarse como un solo pueblo desde todos los sectores políticos de Venezuela, desde todos los sectores sociales, económicos, que juremos como un solo país para sacar adelante a Venezuela en estas horas terribles de amenaza contra la estabilidad y la paz de la nación. Juro».
«Vengo con dolor pero debo decir que vengo también con honor», dijo hacia el inicio de su juramento. Explicó que lo hizo por sus compatriotas y los próceres del país, entre los cuales destacó a Simón Bolivar, máximo referente histórico del chavismo.
También juró por Hugo Chávez sobre el cual afirmó que «dio vida a millones de venezolanos y de venezolanas». «Les devolvió la dignidad como ciudadanos y como ciudadanas», añadió.
Con la mirada fija a quien le tomó juramento, su hermano, y sin bajar su mano, habló de los niños venezolanos y de la juventud, a quienes les prometió «porvenir y futuro».
Enumeró a familiares por los que también juró y, agregó, lo hizo «con honor». Prometió no darle descanso a su brazo «ni reposo» a su alma «para ver a Venezuela en el destino que le corresponde, en el pedestal de honor histórico que le corresponde como una nación libre, soberana e independiente».
«Juro por el pueblo de Venezuela, a no descansar ni un minuto para garantizar la paz de la república, la tranquilidad espiritual de nuestro pueblo, la tranquilidad económica y social de nuestro pueblo y juro entonces sobre las bases de nuestro padre libertador en su discurso en Angostura», continuó su juramento que duró casi cinco minutos.
Ya sobre el final, habló de «garantizar un gobierno que de felicidad social, estabilidad política y seguridad política».
El Parlamento de Venezuela inauguró este lunes un nuevo periodo legislativo (2026-2031) dominado nuevamente por el chavismo, en medio de la incertidumbre sobre qué rumbo tomará el régimen después de que Delcy Rodríguez tendió la mano a Estados Unidos el domingo para cooperar.
De los 285 diputados de la Asamblea Nacional 256 son afectos a Maduro, quien enfrenta cargos de narcotráfico y terrorismo en un tribunal federal en Nueva York.
Maduro y su mujer Cilia Flores fueron extraídos de su casa en una base militar en Caracas y llevados a la fuerza a Estados Unidos, en un operativo sorpresa que se cobró la vida de varios venezolanos, al menos 20 o cerca de 40, según las fuentes.
Durante la sesión inaugural, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, hijo del depuesto líder, dijo el lunes que su padre y la primera dama Cilia Flores «volverán» a Venezuela «más temprano que tarde» de Estados Unidos.
«Ellos volverán. Nuestros ojos lo verán. Seremos testigos de ese momento histórico. No tengan dudas que eso va a pasar en el nombre de Dios todopoderoso», dijo el diputado Maduro Guerra en la instalación del Parlamento.
En tanto, el hijo de Maduro luego brindó su «apoyo incondicional» a la presidenta interina de Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez.
Walz decision to exit governor race intensifies calls from GOP lawmakers for his resignation: ‘Easy way out’
Fue campeón del mundo, levantó seis Champions y no considera a la Argentina candidata para el 2026
Qué impacto tendrá la intervención de EEUU en Venezuela en el mercado petrolero global y en Vaca Muerta
Escándalo en Intrusos por la súbita salida de Andres Taboada del panel: “No vuelve”
VIDEO | El explosivo cruce entre Milei y Grabois tras la marcha por Maduro: “Caterva de hijos de p…”
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Machado pledges to return to Venezuela, sees ‘alarming’ internal crackdown
Noelia Marzol subió un video con su marido y encendió la polémica: “Momento de lujuria”
🔴URGENTE – Trump aseguró que «Nicolás Maduro y su esposa han sido capturados y sacados de Venezuela»
Cuál es el límite para extraer efectivo en los cajeros automáticos a partir de enero 2026
El inesperado acercamiento de Wanda Nara a un ex de la China Suárez que desató un escándalo: “El like a Rusherking que nadie esperaba”
CHIMENTOS3 días agoEl inesperado acercamiento de Wanda Nara a un ex de la China Suárez que desató un escándalo: “El like a Rusherking que nadie esperaba”
- CHIMENTOS2 días ago
Luis Ventura reveló los motivos detrás de la pelea de Juana Repetto y su hermano Bautista Lena: “Esto viene de crianzas y culturas diferentes”, analizó
- INTERNACIONAL20 horas ago
‘Nos están invadiendo’: El ataque de EE.UU. visto desde los celulares de venezolanos
