Jackson Free Press

A Hearty Helping of Rap Activism

Rap changed the day Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five released "The Message" on Sugar Hill Records in the summer of 1982.

Groups We Dig

Mississippians are passionate about many issues. From women's rights to immigration, the Jackson metro is home to a spectrum of organizations that strive to make a difference.

Speak Up to Live Longer?

Being far away from neighbors and businesses creates a feeling of isolation.

NSA's Internet Monitoring Said to be Legal

The first time the bipartisan Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board dissected a National Security Agency surveillance program, it found fundamental flaws, arguing in a January report that the NSA's …

Kiese Laymon

Award-winning fiction writer Kiese Laymon is returning to Mississippi from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he serves as an associate professor of English and African studies, to serve as …

Birth Control Ruling Sparks Political Clash

Republicans called it a win for religious freedom. The decision of the Supreme Court, they said, is further evidence the country's new health care law is deeply flawed.

Mississippi Enacting Dozens of New Laws Tuesday

New Mississippi laws provide pay raises for teachers, require closer monitoring for concussions in school sports and attempt to limit the cost of obtaining public records.

Say Anything Wanders with ‘Hebrews’

The ever-changing, ever-acerbic rock act Say Anything subverts expectation on a regular basis.

Ukraine to Sign EU Deal that Sparked Revolution

On Friday, Ukraine will sign a sweeping economic and trade agreement with the European Union, a 1,200-page telephone book of a document crammed with rules on everything from turkeys to …

One Editor Convicted, One Cleared in UK Scandal

It was a simple trick—punching in passcodes to listen to messages left on other people's phones. For years the illegal technique, known as phone hacking, helped Britain's News of the …

Animal Rights Group Alleges Mistreatment in Miss.

An animal rights group said Monday that it is filing complaints in courts in Forrest and Pontotoc counties against two livestock auctions sites where it alleges cows, sheep and other …

Top Shiite Cleric Calls for New Government in Iraq

The spiritual leader of Iraq's Shiite majority called for a new, "effective" government Friday, increasing pressure on the country's prime minister as an offensive by Sunni militants rages on.

AFA Voter Guide Promotes Partisanship

Militants Fly Their Black Flags Over Iraq Refinery

Sunni militants hung their black banners on watchtowers at Iraq's largest oil refinery, a witness said Thursday, suggesting an ever-increasing stranglehold on the vital facility by insurgents who have seized …

Mississippians to be Paid from SunTrust Settlement

Attorney General Jim Hood says Mississippi consumers will be eligible for payments under a settlement between 48 states, the federal government and SunTrust.

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Perfect'

Women at the maximum-security prison in Wetumka, Ala., faced constant abuse for over a decade, according to a report from the Department of Justice that called the prison a "toxic, …

Report: Meridian Prison Still a ‘Cesspool’

New information about a troubled private prison raises questions about a Jackson company that has a contract to provide medical care and the possible role of a local judge.

Iraq Fights Militants as Foreigners Feared Seized

Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said it had regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border Wednesday, trying to blunt a …

Russia Cuts Gas Supply to Ukraine as Tensions Soar

Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine on Monday after negotiators failed to reach a deal on Ukraine's unpaid gas bills and future gas prices amid deep tensions between the two …

Thailand's Junta Lifts Curfew Throughout Country

Thailand's military government has fully lifted a curfew it imposed nationwide after seizing power last month, saying there is no threat of violence.