The cyber gulag: How Russia tracks, censors and controls its citizens

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) - When Yekaterina Maksimova can't afford to be late, the journalist and activist avoids taking the Moscow subway, even though it's probably the most efficient route. That's because she's been detained five times in the past year, thanks to the system's pervasive security cameras with facial recognition. She says police would tell her the cameras "reacted" to her - although they often seemed not to understand why,

Donald Trump will appear by video as judge reinforces ban on attacking witnesses

NEW YORK (AP) - The judge in Donald Trump's criminal case is holding a hybrid hearing Tuesday to make doubly sure the former president is aware of new rules barring him from using evidence to attack witnesses. Trump won't have to show up to court for the afternoon hearing at a Manhattan courthouse, avoiding the mammoth security and logistical challenges that accompanied his arraignment last month. Instead, the Republican will

Medical Racism in History

The health inequities documented in this project have their roots in a long history of medical racism. The AP has collected a small sample of that history related to every phase of life. BIRTH: GYNECOLOGY James Marion Sims, a 19th century Alabama surgeon heralded as the father of modern gynecology, pioneered a treatment for vesicovaginal fistulas, a condition that affects bladder control and fertility in women. Between 1845 and 1849,

Biden, McCarthy to meet on debt ceiling, time to ‘get moving’ to resolve standoff

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are to meet late Monday at the White House at a pivotal moment as Washington works to strike a budget compromise and raise the nation's borrowing limit in time to avert a potentially chaotic federal default. McCarthy told reporters midday at the Capitol that "decisions have to start being made" since "we're 10 days out" from the deadline. Treasury

Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of ‘hostile’ laws

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The NAACP over the weekend issued a travel advisory for Florida, joining two other civil rights groups in warning potential tourists that recent laws and policies championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers are "openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals." The NAACP, long an advocate for Black Americans, joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil

With all the politics and maneuvering, how is life in Florida changing for its residents?

FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference to sign several bills related to public education and increases in teacher pay, in Miami, on May 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - "Don't say gay." Regulation of books and classroom discussion. Teachers, parents and school librarians all navigating new and uncertain ground. LGBTQ+ rights under attack. A very public spat between state government and

Black victims of violent crime disproportionately denied aid in many states

The cold formality of the letter is seared in Debra Long's memory. It began "Dear Claimant," and said her 24-year-old son, Randy, who was fatally shot in April 2006, was not an "innocent" victim. Without further explanation, the New York state agency that assists violent-crime victims and their families refused to help pay for his funeral. Randy was a father, engaged to be married and studying to become a juvenile

Biden declares ‘America will not default,’ says he’s confident of budget deal with GOP lawmakers

WASHINGTON (AP) - An optimistic President Joe Biden declared Wednesday that he is confident the U.S. will avoid an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic debt default, saying talks with congressional Republicans have been productive as he prepared to leave for a global summit in Japan. Biden's upbeat remarks came as a select group of negotiators began meeting to try and hammer out the final contours of a budget spending agreement to

Mexican woman faces 6 years in prison for killing the man sexually assaulting her

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A Mexican woman who killed a man defending herself when he attacked and raped her in 2021 was sentenced to more than six years in prison, a decision her legal defense called "discriminatory" and vowed to appeal Tuesday. The ruling against Roxana Ruiz spurred anger from experts and feminist groups who said it speaks to the depth of gender-based violence and Mexico's poor record of bringing