FACT FOCUS: A look at the false information around Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Back-to-back hurricanes that brought death and devastation to parts of the South were made worse by a wide range of false and misleading information, some of which still circulates even though they have been conclusively proven false. Coming in the closing weeks of a hard-fought...

Biden tells Trump to 'get a life, man' and stop storm misinformation

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday publicly admonished Donald Trump, telling his predecessor to “get a life, man” and try to help people impacted by a pair of devastating hurricanes rather than spreading misinformation about the federal response. Speaking at the...

Elon Musk's X is back in Brazil after its suspension, having complied with all judicial demands

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The social media platform X began returning to Brazil on Wednesday, after remaining inaccessible for more than a month due to a clash between its owner, Elon Musk, and a justice on the country’s highest court. Internet service providers began restoring...

Biden condemns ‘un-American’ misinformation about federal storm response as Hurricane Milton nears Florida

For small cities across Alabama with Haitian populations, Springfield is a cautionary tale

ENTERPRISE, Ala. (AP) — The transition from the bustling Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to a small Alabama city on the southernmost tip of the Appalachian mountain range was challenging for Sarah Jacques. But over the course of a year, the 22-year-old got used to the quiet and settled in....

As FEMA prepares for Hurricane Milton, it battles rumors surrounding Helene recovery

WASHINGTON (AP) — The rumors surrounding Hurricane Helene are many. There are false claims that people taking federal relief money could see their land seized. Or that $750 is the most they will ever get to rebuild. Or that the agency's director — on the ground since the storm hit — was...

Intelligence officials say US adversaries are targeting congressional races with disinformation

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's not just the presidential election: Foreign governments are targeting House and Senate races around the country in their effort to meddle with American democracy this election year, intelligence officials warned Monday. Russia and China have launched...

Harris calls Trump 'incredibly irresponsible' for spreading misinformation about Helene response

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday called former President Donald Trump “incredibly irresponsible” for spreading falsehoods about the federal response to Hurricane Helene 's destruction, offering especially sharp words as a new storm bears down on Florida with just weeks...

For US adversaries, Election Day won't mean the end to efforts to influence Americans

WASHINGTON (AP) — Soon, the ballots will be cast, the polls will close and a campaign marked by assassination attempts, animosity and anxiety will come to an end. But for U.S. adversaries, the work to meddle with American democracy may be entering its most critical phase. Despite...

After the deluge, the lies: Misinformation and hoaxes about Helene cloud the recovery

WASHINGTON (AP) — The facts emerging from Hurricane Helene's destruction are heartrending: Businesses and homes destroyed, whole communities nearly wiped out, hundreds of lives lost, hundreds of people missing. Yet this devastation and despair is not enough for the extremist...