The National Urban League's latest “State of Black America” report warns that the American Dream may be slipping away for many Black Americans. The report criticizes policy changes from President Donald Trump's administration, claiming they have worsened economic and political prospects for Black communities. The Urban League's president argues these changes affect all working Americans. The report highlights rollbacks in civil rights policies and urges civil rights groups to consolidate legal resistance. It also calls for building economic infrastructure independent of any administration. Contributors include U.S. senators and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who emphasizes closing the racial wealth gap.

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, has repeatedly run into trouble with both the Kremlin and Western officials as he cast himself as a champion of free speech. Russia’s Federal Security Service accuses him of aiding what it called terrorist activities. It also said it was adding Durov’s name to international wanted lists. The Russian-born Durov, 41, responded by posting a photo of himself raising a middle finger on Telegram’s official account on X. The case marks an escalation of the Kremlin’s efforts to tighten control over the internet and digital communications amid growing public fatigue with the 4-year-old war in Ukraine and its growing economic fallout.

A labor union and two female prison employees filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing a U.S. civil rights agency of unlawfully halting their sexual harassment case as part of wider order to indefinitely suspend proceedings in all federal-sector class claims. The lawsuit claims that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ordered an indefinite suspension of all federal-sector class complaints pending before the agency’s administrative judges, who handle discrimination complaints from federal workers in process that is different than private sector workers. The women, correctional officers at a Louisiana federal prison, have a pending complaint against the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

An attorney for the family of a man who was shot and killed by Madison police says Corey Ruiz’s death was unjustified, and the officer should be criminally charged. Ruiz was killed on a busy city street Wednesday. Police were investigating reports that someone was trying to enter parked vehicles when they tried to arrest Ruiz. They say Ruiz injured an officer. The officer who fired the shots at Ruiz has not yet been identified. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump called it an unjustified “execution” during an emotional press conference Friday. Ruiz's 13-year-old daughter said her heart is broken. She lives just a few blocks from the place where Ruiz died.

The family of Nolan Xavier Wells is still searching for answers about the 18-year-old athlete's death. Wells went on a July 4 boat trip with friends off Mississippi's Gulf Coast. But he never returned, and his body was found two days later. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has announced that an independent autopsy commissioned by the family was inconclusive. The Mississippi sheriff’s department investigating Wells’ death hasn’t made a public statement about the case in recent days. Wells’ parents say the tragedy is riddled with conflicting stories. The distrust has been deepened by the state's long legacy of racism.

The Trump administration is seeking to toss aside a 60-year-old requirement for tens of thousands of private sector employers to submit workforce demographic reports each year to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws in the workplace. The EEOC’s Republican majority voted 2-1 Tuesday to rescind the data collection requirement, marking a quiet but profound salvo in President Donald Trump’s shake up of civil rights enforcement. The proposal will be subject to a 30-day commentary period before final approval.

A famous Cuban dissident artist, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, arrived in Miami on Saturday after being released from a five-year prison sentence on the condition that he leave his country. Alcántara, 38, was granted parole into the U.S. last week. Alcántara co-founded a group of artists called the San Isidro Movement and shared a Grammy for the song “Patria y Vida” — “Fatherland and Life” — which became an anthem for Cuba’s political opposition. He was arrested on July 11, 2021, and sentenced to five years in prison. His incarceration had been denounced by human rights organizations and the U.S. government.

For news organizations, the World Cup is one of the most complex recurring stories on the planet. It’s not just about match results. It’s politics, economics, culture, human rights, celebrity, nationalism, and spectacle. And all are unfolding in real time, across dozens of countries, with audiences who care deeply. This year’s World Cup was spread over three countries and numerous time zones — and featured 40 more matches than the previous edition. It has showcased The Associated Press’ extensive photographer presence across North America and Mexico, with staff photographers covering many matches in their home cities.

Two human rights groups say Trump administration sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court over its investigations of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza have illegally impeded their ability to advocate for Palestinians. The organizations say in a lawsuit filed Wednesday they've been forced to censor their own advocacy work to avoid White House scrutiny. An executive order last year not only targeted the Hague-based criminal court but warned of consequences for anyone who gives goods or services to entities that have been sanctioned. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan by DAWN and Taxpayers Alliance Against Genocide. The White House hasn't returned an email seeking comment.