NoneA second federal judge in Texas has withdrawn from presiding over a lawsuit by Elon Musk's X against a group of advertisers that allegedly boycotted the social media platform. U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade in Dallas recused himself from the case without giving a reason, according to a filing made public on Thursday (December 19, 2024). Dallas-based U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle was selected at random to take over the case and a related lawsuit filed by the video-sharing platform Rumble. X’s lawsuit in August accused the World Federation of Advertisers and several major companies of conspiring to boycott the platform, causing it to lose revenue. Kinkeade and Boyle did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the recusal notice. X did not immediately respond to a similar request. The World Federation declined to comment. The defendants have not yet responded in court to X's claims that they conspired to stop advertising on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, after Musk purchased it in 2022. X's lawsuit was originally assigned to U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas. O’Connor removed himself from the case in August following reports that he owned shares of another Musk company, Tesla. O'Connor did not give a reason in his recusal filing. Kinkeade was appointed after O’Connor’s recusal. U.S. judges are not required to disclose their reasons for recusal, though they sometimes do. X in October updated its user terms of service to steer lawsuits against the company exclusively to the Northern District of Texas, where the Dallas and Fort Worth courts are based, or to state courts in Tarrant County, Texas. The Northern District has become a favored venue for litigants in conservative circles. O’Connor, Kinkeade and Boyle were each appointed by former U.S. President George W. Bush. Musk moved X's headquarters from San Francisco to Bastrop, Texas, near Austin in the state's Western District, earlier this year. Published - December 21, 2024 04:24 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit USA / technology (general)
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Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump's most contentious picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. 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Brazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. The findings are to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation. The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.West faces biggest threat since 1945 says Trump military adviser amid growing WW3 fears as Putin vows to keep up massive missiles attacks on Ukraine Follow DailyMail.com's politics live blog for all the latest news and updates By JAMES REYNOLDS Published: 09:25 GMT, 23 November 2024 | Updated: 09:47 GMT, 23 November 2024 e-mail 8 View comments War games with an increasingly belligerent axis of powers has placed the West in its gravest peril since the end of the Second World War , a top US military official and adviser to Donald Trump has warned. The threat of direct conflict with Russia over the war in Ukraine has escalated in recent days following the decision to allow Kyiv to fire long-range missiles deep into Russia - prompting a stern warning of nuclear retaliation from Moscow . General Jack Keane, former vice chief of the US army, told The Times that the war in Ukraine will remain a top priority for the incoming administration, despite fears Donald Trump could withdraw vital American support for Ukraine's war effort. He described North Korea 's decision to reinforce Russia's lines with troops as 'the biggest escalation in the war', warning the burgeoning alliance between Russia, North Korea, Iran and China presents 'the most serious and dangerous challenge' to the West in nearly a century. ' Putin is accelerating things. I'm in favour of negotiating with when it is in Ukraine's best interest. But I don't think he wants to negotiate a deal. He would rather take the whole country,' he warned. Donald J. Trump (L) shakes hands with retired US General Jack Keane (R) after awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in Washington, March 10, 2020 Smoke billows following a reported medium-range ballistic missile strike on Dnipro, Nov 21 Ukrainian service members attend military exercises during drills in Chernihiv, November 22 Burnt cars lie near a apartment building damaged by a Russian drone's strike on November 22 The frontline city of Chasiv Yar in ruins after heavy fighting, on November 11 Tensions have ratcheted up in the wake of Russia's use of what appeared to be an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile on Dnipro on November 21. The missile - dubbed the Oreshnik - carries multiple warheads, is believed to be nuclear-capable, and travels at a speed and trajectory that makes it difficult to intercept. Read More Putin's new missile leaves the whole of Europe minutes from Armageddon Analysts have warned the missile was designed to send a message of 'back off' to the West after the US finally conceded Ukraine the right to use its ATACMS missiles to hit deep into Russia as Ukraine looks to slow the momentum of advancing troops. Ukraine is still holding its ground in Russia's Kursk region, but Putin's forces have made gains in recent weeks with support from some 10,000 North Korean troops reported to have been deployed to help repel Ukraine. Russia only yesterday claimed to have captured the settlement of Novodmytrivka in Donetsk region, their latest gain in what Defence Minister Andrei Belousov described as an accelerated advance. General Keane warned that while Russia is struggling to make 'major gains' and is suffering 30,000 casualties every month, Moscow is working 'effectively' with its allies. Putin said that Russia would keep testing its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile 'including in combat conditions' depending on the 'situation and the nature of the security threats that are created for Russia' in televised comments on Friday. Amid mounting concern about the prospect of direct confrontation with Russia, NATO chief Mark Rutte held talks with President-elect Donald Trump in Florida on the 'global security issues facing the alliance' on Friday. In his first term Trump aggressively pushed Europe to step up defence spending and questioned the fairness of the NATO transatlantic alliance. Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister, had said he wanted to meet Trump two days after Trump was elected on November 5, and discuss the threat of increasingly warming ties between North Korea and Russia. Trump's thumping victory to return to the US presidency has set nerves jangling in Europe that he could pull the plug on vital Washington military aid for Ukraine. NATO allies say keeping Kyiv in the fight against Moscow is key to both European and American security. 'What we see more and more is that North Korea, Iran, China and of course Russia are working together, working together against Ukraine,' Rutte said recently at a European leaders' meeting in Budapest. 'At the same time, Russia has to pay for this, and one of the things they are doing is delivering technology to North Korea', which he warned was threatening to the 'mainland of the US (and) continental Europe'. Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with the Ministry of Defence leadership, representatives of the defense industry and missile systems developers, in Moscow, Russia November 22 The British Army's new Archer Mobile Howitzer gun, as British Army soldiers take part in training near Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle, Finland, on November 19 British Army soldiers take part in training in the Arctic Circle, Finland, on November 19 Kim Jong Un taking part in a photo session with military staff in Pyongyang, November 21 Kim Jong Un (C, on podium) attending an opening ceremony for the National Defence Development-2024 exhibition in Pyongyang, on November 21 American isolationism could present an existential threat to Europe if leaders are unable to rise to Russia's challenge with heightened security and defence spending. European military officials have warned that the West is at risk of falling behind poorer nations in the development of new weapons technology after decades of spending stagnation and cuts. Read More Britain and NATO states to hold meeting as Putin vows to fire more hypersonic missiles into Ukraine General Alfons Mais, head of the German army, called for considerably higher defence spending to allow Western countries to protect themselves after reports emerged of Russia's strike on Dnipro. Speaking at the Berlin Security Conference, he said: 'It's our task to convey the message that the threat is real. Our way of life is in danger.' 'To maintain the cohesion of the alliance, Europe has to deliver. We cannot outsource our security to others,' he added. Mais said the German military was racing to catch up on new types of warfare, such as the use of drones, which have rapidly developed during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The conference also heard from the head of the UK's armed forces, Sir Tony Radakin, who warned that Britain simply does not have 'some of the civil aspects or planning aspects' that some other NATO allies have 'as part of their traditions' to handle a war. Nordic nations are taking pre-emptive steps to safeguard their populations for the possibility of war, stockpiling supplies and readying citizens to find shelter, give first aid and potentially take a role in national defence. But Britain's efforts on civil defence remain woefully light, with many Cold War-era preparations, like guidance, shelters and stockpiles, retired in the decades since. 'We are having those conversations to learn from our colleagues and see what might be appropriate for ourselves,' Sir Radakin told an audience of representatives from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania. 'It's an area where we don't have the culture of total defence. We don't have some of the civil aspects or planning aspects that other countries within Nato have as part of their traditions.' Sweden announced this week that it would be sending out five million pamphlets to residents urging them to prepare for the possibility of a looming conflict amid fears of escalation within Europe. The Finnish government published a digital booklet preparing citizens for incidents and crises, and reminded residents of their 'obligation' to defending the nation. And Norway also distributed booklets with advice on how to manage in the event of a crisis. Residents have shared how they have started stockpiling iodine after being told that it could help block the absorption of radioactive iodine in the event of a nuclear war. Ukrainian service members attend a military exercises during drills at a training ground, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, November 22, 2024 A Ukrainian service member attends military exercises during drills at a training ground, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, November 22, 2024 The Oreshnik hypersonic missile used on Thursday morning can fly at 10 times the speed of sound - around 7,600mph - up to a range of 3,100 miles, according to Russian military sources. If again launched from Kapustin Yar in Astrakhan, a missile could hit any target in Europe, destroying targets in London in under 20 minutes. Berlin would have less than 15 minutes before impact. Russia reportedly closed the airspace around its Kapustin Yar missile testing site today, although it was not immediately clear whether this was to launch another strike or continue non-combat testing. 'Today, from 6:00 to 22:00, the airspace will be completely closed in the area of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) test site, Kapustin Yar, as part of testing,' an alert read. 'This could indicate the possible combat use of a medium-range ballistic missile. Do not ignore any alerts.' Russia NATO Donald Trump Moscow Ukraine Share or comment on this article: West faces biggest threat since 1945 says Trump military adviser amid growing WW3 fears as Putin vows to keep up massive missiles attacks on Ukraine e-mail Add comment