WPTF News Archives - Page 9 of 105

No. 10 Alabama beats No. 20 North Carolina 94-79 in the ACC-SEC Challenge

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 9:50 pm

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Mark Sears scored 20 points, Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon each had 15 points and No. 10 Alabama beat No. 20 North Carolina 94-79 on Wednesday night in the ACC-SEC Challenge. Clifford Omoruyi and Derrion Reid each scored 11 points and Grant Nelson had 10 points to help the Crimson Tide (6-2) beat three straight Top 25 opponents for the first time in three seasons. The rematch of Alabama’s Sweet 16 victory last season wasn’t close. Freshman Ian Jackson scored a season-high 23 points, RJ Davis had 18 and Seth Trimble added 12 points for the Tar Heels (4-4). They’ve lost three in a row.… Read More

Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on medical treatments for transgender minors

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 4:28 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors.… Read More

Stock market today: Tech stocks and AI pull Wall Street to more records

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 4:26 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes reached more records after tech companies talked up how much artificial intelligence is boosting their results. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% Wednesday to add to what looks to be one of its best years of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce pulled the market higher after highlighting its artificial-intelligence offering for customers. Marvell Technology jumped even more after saying it’s seeing strong demand from AI. Treasury yields eased, while bitcoin climbed after President-elect Donald Trump nominated a crypto advocate to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.… Read More

After 1 year, Medicaid expansion in North Carolina nears its enrollment goal

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 3:44 pm

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Enrollment in North Carolina’s new Medicaid coverage for low-income adults has nearly reached the state’s goal of 600,000 in only a year. So says Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration, which reports that over 590,000 are enrolled in Medicaid expansion. At the start of expansion in December 2023, Cooper’s administration had estimated 600,000 would be reached within two years. Cooper celebrated the enrollment news and other health care accomplishments during a speaking event in Greenville. The Democratic governor leaves office at the end of the month after two terms. He’s also citing more money for mental health treatment and an effort to rid hospital patients of medical debt.… Read More

Sumo wrestlers bring 1,500 years of tradition to London as the sport has an international moment

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 2:03 pm

LONDON (AP) — London’s Royal Albert Hall is preparing to host a different kind of spectacle: Sumo wrestling. Wrestlers put on an exhibition of heavyweight grappling to promote a tournament scheduled for next October. It marks only the second time an elite five-day tournament will be held outside Japan. The first was held in 1991 at the same venue. Organizers are hoping to whip up the kind of excitement that was generated three decades ago, when the deeply ritualistic sport attracted sell-out crowds and a national television audience.… Read More

Trump considers DeSantis for the Pentagon with Hegseth under pressure over allegations: AP sources

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 1:54 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Trump transition team is growing concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Hegseth said he spoke to Trump on Wednesday morning and received a fresh message of support. That’s what Hegseth told a CBS News reporter as he walked through the Capitol.… Read More

UnitedHealthcare CEO is killed in a ‘targeted shooting’ outside a New York hotel, officials say

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 1:51 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was a “brazen, targeted attack.” Jessica Tisch made the comments during a news conference Wednesday. The 50-year-old Thompson was set to speak at an investor meeting when he was gunned down around 6:45 a.m. outside the New York Hilton Midtown by a shooter who fled on foot and then a bicycle, according to the New York Police Department. Though officials said the attack appeared to be targeted, they did not yet have a motive for the shooting.… Read More

Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 12:25 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. Donald Trump won more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, and he had with a big assist from dog owners. That’s according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support Trump over Kamala Harris. Cat owners were evenly split between the two candidates. Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who own a cat but no dog. Past comments by Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue.… Read More

South Korea’s opposition parties move to impeach president over sudden declaration of martial law

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2024, 11:41 am

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition parties moved to impeach the president over the shocking and short-lived declaration of martial law that drew heavily armed troops to encircle parliament. Lawmakers climbed walls early Wednesday to reenter the building and unanimously voted to lift his order. Impeaching Yoon Suk Yeol would require the support of two-thirds of parliament, and at least six justices of the nine-member Constitutional Court would have to endorse it to remove him. The motion to impeach was submitted jointly by the main liberal opposition Democratic Party and five smaller opposition parties. It could be put to a vote as early as Friday.… Read More

Tight race for the North Carolina Supreme Court is heading to another recount

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2024, 9:14 pm

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A very close election for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat heads next to a hand recount. That comes after a machine recount of well over 5 million ballots resulted in no margin change between the candidates. Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs has a 734-vote lead over Republican challenger and Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin. Griffin already had asked for a partial hand recount that will begin in some counties on Wednesday. Riggs is one of two Democrats on the seven-member Supreme Court. This race and two General Assembly races have yet to be called by The Associated Press.… Read More

Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more records

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2024, 4:23 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed close, as gains for tech stocks nudged the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to more records. The S&P 500 eked out a gain of under 0.1% Tuesday, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%. Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. The value of the South Korean won sank against the dollar after its president declared martial law and then later said he’ll lift it.… Read More

South Korea lifts president’s martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2024, 4:06 pm

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration.… Read More