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In the news today: Foreign disinformation about Charlie Kirk's death seeks to widen U.S. divisions; the Justice Department says it's suing Oregon and Maine in an effort to get detailed voter data; and a report details the deadliest places in the world for people protecting their homes. Also, Robert Redford, in his own words. |
Defense attorney Greg Skordas, left, speaks before judge Tony Graf, back center left, as Tyler Robinson, accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, attends a virtual court hearing from prison on Tuesday, in Provo, Utah. (Scott G Winterton/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)
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Foreign disinformation about Charlie Kirk's killing seeks to widen US divisions |
Russia moved to amplify online conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk's killing just hours after it happened, seeding social media with the frightening claim that America is slipping into civil war. Chinese and pro-Iranian groups also spread disinformation about the shooting. Read more. |
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- Chinese propaganda has focused on the violent nature of Kirk's death, painting the U.S. as a nation of violent gun owners and political extremists. Russian voices have tried to tie Kirk's death to U.S. support for Ukraine, even spreading a conspiracy theory that the Ukrainian government killed Kirk because of his criticism of that aid. Pro-Iranian groups took a different tack, claiming Israel was behind Kirk's death and that the suspect was set up to take the fall.
"We've seen multiple Russian campaigns attempting to exploit" Kirk's killing, said Joseph Bodnar, senior research manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. In many cases, the campaigns aren't adding new claims but are recycling ones that emerged from American users. "They're picking up domestic actors and amplifying them."
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Justice Department says it's suing Oregon and Maine as it seeks voter data in multiple states
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The Justice Department said Tuesday that it has sued Oregon and Maine for failing to turn over their voter registration lists, marking the first lawsuits the department has brought against states in its wide-ranging effort to get detailed voter data. Read more. |
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The department said the states were violating federal law by refusing to provide electronic copies of state voter registration lists and information regarding ineligible voters. Oregon and Maine are among at least 26 states that the department has asked for voter registration rolls in recent months, according to an Associated Press tally.
Several states have sent redacted versions of their voter lists that are available to the public, but the Justice Department has on multiple occasions expressly demanded copies that contain personally identifiable information, including voter names, birth dates, addresses and driver's license numbers or partial Social Security numbers.
- The Justice Department's outreach has raised alarm among some election officials because the agency doesn't have the constitutional authority to run elections. That power is granted to states and Congress. Federal law also protects the sharing of individual data with the federal government.
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120 land and environmental defenders killed or disappeared in Latin America last year, report finds |
At least 146 land and environmental defenders were killed or have gone missing around the world in 2024, with more than 80% of those cases in Latin America, according to a report released Wednesday by watchdog group Global Witness. Read more. |
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The London-based organization said the region once again ranked as the most dangerous for people protecting their homes, communities and natural resources, recording 120 of the total cases. Colombia remained the deadliest country, with 48 killings — nearly a third of cases worldwide — followed by Guatemala with 20 and Mexico with 18.
"These countries are rich in natural resources and have vast areas of land under pressure for food and feed production," said Laura Furones, lead researcher of the report. "Conflict over the extraction of such resources and over the use of such land often leads to violence against defenders trying to uphold their rights."
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Robert Redford poses on a balcony along Main Street decorated with his Sundance Film Festival banners in 2003, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
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In his own words: Robert Redford on independence, integrity and his enduring roles
As the world reflects on Robert Redford's death, his own words illuminate the essence of his career as an Oscar-winning actor, director and founder of the Sundance Film Festival who championed truth, independence and new voices. Redford, who died Tuesday at 89, leaves behind a legacy of freedom, artistry and opportunity. |
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