Triangle/Local
North Carolina GOP town hall gets rowdy as attendees hurl scathing questions on Trump
By MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Before answering an attendee’s question about President Donald Trump’s “destructive and disastrous trade war,” U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards made a plea to the rowdy crowd at his Thursday town hall in Asheville, North Carolina. “Let me…
Tens of billions in Hurricane Helene aid to start by March 21
By JEFF AMY and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Tens of billions in aid for victims of Hurricane Helene should start flowing later this month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins pledged Wednesday, but delays are already making it hard this year for some…
Schools use AI to monitor kids, hoping to prevent violence. Our investigation found security risks
By CLAIRE BRYAN of The Seattle Times and SHARON LURYE of The Associated Press One student asked a search engine, “Why does my boyfriend hit me?” Another threatened suicide in an email to an unrequited love. A gay teen opened up in an online diary…
Bragg to Liberty and back again: Ceremony to rechristen Army post once named for a Confederate
By ALLEN BREED and MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The short-lived existence of Fort Liberty came to an end Friday when the nation’s largest Army installation officially returned to its former name: Fort Bragg. Christened a century ago in honor of…
World’s oldest llama enjoys comforting chronically ill children in North Carolina
By HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press A bucktoothed llama that spends his days comforting chronically ill children at a North Carolina camp founded by NASCAR royalty has been crowned the world’s oldest llama in captivity. At 27 years and more than 250 days, the selfie- and snuggle-loving llama…
State/Regional
North Carolina’s new governor seeks more Helene aid, help for families in legislative address
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — New North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein gave his first address to a joint General Assembly session Wednesday night, hitting on familiar campaign and early-term themes of helping Hurricane Helene victims, making living expenses affordable and focusing…
A South Carolina man executed by firing squad is the first US prisoner killed this way in 15 years
By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina man who killed his ex-girlfriend’s parents with a baseball bat was executed by firing squad Friday, the first U.S. prisoner in 15 years to die by that method, which he saw as preferable…
North Carolina lawmakers close in on another injection of Helene relief funds
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina state Senate Republicans advanced a disaster recovery measure Tuesday to direct $533 million in additional spending to meet still-pressing needs from Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding and destruction last fall, but it also locates more relief…
To her, Hurricane Helene debris isn’t trash. It is full of memories — and she’s returning them
By MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press SWANNANOA, N.C. (AP) — The tops of dried, bent cornstalks crunch underfoot. Jill Holtz’s gaze is fixed on the ground ahead. She wanders into the nearby woods and weaves between twisted branches. Then, Holtz spots something and starts to riffle…
A stretch of a North Carolina highway that collapsed during Helene is about to reopen
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A stretch of Interstate 40 through the western North Carolina mountains is reopening to traffic this weekend, months after Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding collapsed portions of the road, partially restoring the major travel connection with eastern Tennessee. The state Department of Transportation said…
World/National
Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and issues new warning
By MICHELLE L. PRICE, SAMY MAGDY and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping…
Trump signs a bill funding the government for 6 months, avoiding a shutdown
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation funding the government through the end of September, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown and capping off a struggle in Congress that deeply divided Democrats. Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press…
Wall Street tumbles after Trump escalates his trade war; S&P 500 sinks 1.2%, and Dow drops 500
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s sell-off is accelerating Thursday after President Donald Trump upped the stakes in his trade war by threatening huge taxes on European wines and alcohol. Not even a double-shot of good news on the U.S. economy could stop the bleeding. The S&P 500…
Putin agrees in principle with proposal for Ukraine ceasefire and says more discussions are needed
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he agrees in principle with a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, but he emphasized that the terms are yet to be worked out and noted that any truce should pave the way to lasting peace. “The idea itself is correct,…
Trump threatens retaliatory 200% tariff on European wine after EU proposes American whiskey tax
By AAMER MADHANI and JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey. The European import tax, which was unveiled in response to steel…
Entertainment
Why are clocks set forward in the spring? Thank wars, confusion and a hunger for sunlight
By JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press DALLAS (AP) — Once again, most Americans will set their clocks forward by one hour this weekend, losing perhaps a bit of sleep but gaining more glorious sunlight in the evenings as the days warm into summer. Where did this all come…
Angry Birds, Frogger and others are finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — This year’s finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame include trailblazers in esports, electronic pets and portable gaming, as well as the arcade favorite brought to life in a 1998 episode of “Seinfeld.” The Hall of Fame revealed the…
The Florida attorney general’s office is investigating Andrew and Tristan Tate
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s attorney general announced Tuesday that his office has opened a criminal investigation into Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, days after they returned to the U.S. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on social media that he directed his…
Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years who inspired ‘Jolene,’ dies at 82
By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died Monday. He was 82. According to a statement provided to The Associated Press by Parton’s publicist, Dean died in Nashville,…
Oscar winners — and losers — laugh, drink and dance together at after-parties
By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Were it not for the absence of an Oscar in his hands, you wouldn’t have known Timothée Chalamet lost best actor to Adrien Brody as he sauntered with a smile into the Vanity Fair party. Once he got inside, Chalamet’s…
Sports
March Madness brackets have Auburn as the overall No. 1 followed by Duke, Houston, Florida
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer Auburn is the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with Duke, Houston and Florida joining the Tigers on the No. 1 line in the March Madness brackets released Sunday. The NCAA selection committee favored the regular-season champs of the record-setting…
Proctor, Knueppel carry No. 1 Duke past No. 13 Louisville 73-62 for 2nd ACC title in 3 years
By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyrese Proctor scored 19 points on six 3-pointers, Kon Knueppel added 18 points and No. 1 Duke defeated 13th-ranked Louisville 73-62 on Saturday night to clinch its second Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship in three…
Withers’ lane violation adds improbable twist to UNC’s failed comeback against No. 1 Duke in ACCs
By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jae’Lyn Withers stood in a hallway of the Spectrum Center, his left arm resting around the shoulders of North Carolina coach Hubert Davis. He was surrounded by reporters, all wanting to know a simple question.…
No. 1 Duke holds off furious North Carolina rally to win 74-71, reach ACC title game without Flagg
By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kon Knueppel scored 17 points and No. 1 Duke held off a furious second half rally by rival North Carolina to beat its rival for the third time this season, 74-71 on Friday night to…
Bubble watch: Indiana and Xavier now feeling the heat with Texas and North Carolina closing strong
Xavier and Indiana had chances to give their NCAA Tournament resumes a significant boost. But the Musketeers lost 89-87 to No. 25 Marquette, and Indiana fell 72-59 to No. 23 Oregon. Those aren’t bad losses by any means, but they were squandered chances. And Xavier…