Politics

Politics


Utah law requiring porn sites verify user ages takes effect

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — You may soon be required to prove you’re older than 18 to watch porn in Utah, if adult websites comply with a law that took effect Wednesday. A new state law requiring adult websites verify the ages of their users took effect on Wednesday, making the state at least the […]

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Gov. Moore signs abortion protections, transgender equity

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — At a time when Republican-led states are restricting or banning abortion and limiting gender-affirming care, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed measures into law on Wednesday to protect abortion rights and expand Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming treatment in the heavily Democratic state. Maryland voters will decide a constitutional amendment next year to […]

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Syrian refugees fearful as Lebanon steps up deportations

QAB ELIAS, Lebanon (AP) — Lebanese officials are cracking down on Syrian refugees against the backdrop of a worsening economic crisis and political stalemate, an escalation that has caused a panic among Syrians in the country. In recent weeks, the army has raided refugee camps and set up checkpoints to review the documentation of non-Lebanese […]

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California hotline to provide legal help related to abortion

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California has joined with law firms and advocacy groups to create a hotline that provides access to information and pro bono services for people who need legal help related to abortion, as the state seeks to become a safe haven for reproductive rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned. State Attorney […]

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Families minister says Tory premiers touting child care should ask Poilievre for plan

OTTAWA — Provincial conservative premiers touting $10-a-day child-care deals with Ottawa is a welcome move, even if some of the leaders now campaigning on the deals were among the last to sign them, federal Liberal Families Minister Karina Gould said. Now she says they need to push federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to explain if […]

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TikTokers making six figure incomes via app worried about potential ban

VANCOUVER — Ssonia Ong had no idea that a 25-second video she posted miming to music the story of her college love, her wedding, then her four children would go viral on TikTok. Three years later, with 9.2 million followers, Ong isn’t sure what she would do without it. She is one of several Canadian […]

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After killings, calls to protect S. Africa’s whistleblowers

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — An accountant working on a high-profile corruption case was killed along with his son by unknown gunmen while traveling on one of South Africa’s main highways. A government health department employee who warned of illegal dealings worth nearly $50 million was shot 12 times in the driveway of her home. The slayings […]

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Mexico leader beats COVID, vows to end transparency agency

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president returned to his morning press briefings Friday after recovering from COVID-19, and he came out swinging. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, 69, said he had tested negative after his third bout of the coronavirus. His return came the same day that opposition legislators continued to hold protests in the […]

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Canada, U.S. to share more data in fight against cross border gun smuggling, opioids

OTTAWA — Canada and the United States have agreed to share more information about the smuggling of guns and drugs across their shared border. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said Ottawa has signed four new or updated agreements with Washington that allow the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency to exchange more data with partners […]

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Congress’ anger at FBI shapes surveillance program’s future

WASHINGTON (AP) — Growing anger at the FBI from both parties in Congress has become a major hurdle for U.S. intelligence agencies fighting to keep their vast powers to collect foreign communications that often sweep up the phone calls and emails of Americans. Key lawmakers say they won’t vote to renew the programs under Section […]

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OpenAI: ChatGPT back in Italy after meeting watchdog demands

ChatGPT’s maker said Friday that the artificial intelligence chatbot is available again in Italy after the company met the demands of regulators who temporarily blocked it over privacy concerns. OpenAI said it fulfilled a raft of conditions that the Italian data protection authority wanted satisfied by an April 30 deadline to have the ban on […]

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Telegram CEO claims complying with Brazil order impossible

SAO PAULO (AP) — Telegram’s CEO said Thursday that the social media company will appeal a Brazilian judge’s decision to block access to its platform in Brazil for failing to hand over data on neo-Nazi activity. He claimed compliance was “technologically impossible.” In a statement posted to his Telegram account, Pavel Durov said that when […]

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