Triangle/Local
Rex Healthcare settles with feds over Covid-19 vaccine policies
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) - Rex Healthcare is settling with a federal agency over COVID-19 vaccine policies. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Rex on behalf of an employee fired for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine. According to a news release, Rex will pay $150,000 and furnish other relief to...
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Severe Weather Awareness Week: Officials say now is the time to prepare
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) - This week is Severe Weather Preparedness Week, with emergency management officials urging North Carolinians to be prepared should severe weather impact their communities. "North Carolina is no stranger to severe weather that can strike anywhere in the state," said Governor Josh Stein in...
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What to expect in North Carolina's state primaries
WASHINGTON (AP) - North Carolina voters will narrow down the field of candidates Tuesday in a competitive U.S. Senate race that could decide control of the closely divided chamber in November. Also on the ballot are contested primaries for the U.S. House, state Senate and House, and state Court of Appeals. Even before ...
Raleigh shooting suspect found in Rowan County
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) - With the assistance of the Rowan County Sheriff's Office, detectives with the Raleigh Police Department have made an arrest in a February 22 Raleigh shooting. Joe Gibbs, 23, was apprehended in Rowan County and faces two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serio...
UNC System Board of Governors vote unanimously for new academic freedom policy
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WPTF) - The UNC System Board of Governors has approved an official definition of academic freedom, voting unanimously in favor of the policy on Thursday, which was proposed on Dec. 5, 2025. UNC System President Peter Hans says the policy will provide reasonable guidance. "How to balance academic...
State/Regional
Severe Weather Awareness Week: Officials say now is the time to prepare
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) - This week is Severe Weather Preparedness Week, with emergency management officials urging North Carolinians to be prepared should severe weather impact their communities. "North Carolina is no stranger to severe weather that can strike anywhere in the state," said Governor Josh Stein in...
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Rev. Jesse Jackson returns home to South Carolina to lie in state
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is returning to South Carolina for a final public farewell. On Monday, Jackson will lie in state at the Capitol in Columbia. The tribute contrasts with his childhood in segregated Greenville. In 1960, Jackson led Black students into a whites-only library to read until po...
UNC System Board of Governors vote unanimously for new academic freedom policy
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WPTF) - The UNC System Board of Governors has approved an official definition of academic freedom, voting unanimously in favor of the policy on Thursday, which was proposed on Dec. 5, 2025. UNC System President Peter Hans says the policy will provide reasonable guidance. "How to balance academic...
CJ Poll: Whatley has clear lead in NC U.S. Senate race
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) -- With the primary now only days away, a new Carolina Journal poll shows Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley with a clear advantage over his GOP rivals, but a major chunk of voters undecided. Harper Poll conducted the survey of 600 GOP primary voters on Feb. 22-23. The poll shows about 38...
Fire at an Ohio farm complex kills about 6,000 hogs and smoke is visible for miles
LONDON, Ohio (AP) - A fire chief says a fire at an Ohio hog farm complex has killed about 6,000 of the animals. A large column of smoke could be seen in the distance Wednesday from Fine Oak Farms in London. Chief Brian Bennington says two of five large farm buildings were burning when crews arrived. The complex houses ...
World/National
Oil prices leap on worries about war in the Middle East, while US stocks trim their sharp losses
NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks are slipping, while oil prices leap on worries that war in the Middle East will slow the global flow of crude. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Monday, with some of the sharpest losses hitting cruise lines, airlines and other companies likely to be hurt by the day's 6% jump for oil prices. The i...
FBI investigates Texas bar shooting that killed 2 and wounded 14 as possible terrorist act
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Authorities say a gunman wearing clothes with an Iranian flag design and the words "Property of Allah" killed two people and wounded 14 at a Texas bar. The FBI said the shooting in Austin is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism. Police shot and killed the man, who had used b...
Gulf carriers resume some flights even as US-Israel strikes and Iran retaliation fuel travel chaos
LONDON (AP) - Several international airlines are resuming a small number of flights from the United Arab Emirates as war-driven airspace closures strand tens of thousands of travelers. On Monday, Emirates, Etihad, and FlyDubai said they would operate select departures and arrivals after having suspended flights over th...
US, Israel pound Iran as Trump signals willingness to talk to new leadership after Khamenei's death
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The U.S. and Israel are pounding targets across Iran, dropping massive bombs on the country's ballistic missile facilities and wiping out warships as part of an intensifying military campaign that accompanied the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian officials say ...
US futures and Asian shares open lower, oil prices soar as US and Israeli attack Iran
BANGKOK (AP) - The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have sent a chill through world markets, with U.S. futures initially falling more than 1%. Shares opened sharply lower in Tokyo early Monday and oil prices soared. Japan's Nikkei 225 index lost 2.3% shortly after the open and shares also fell in Australia, Taiwan and ...
Entertainment
Legal Case Closes as Driver in Laura Lynch's Fatal Crash Receives Prison Sentence
A Texas court has sentenced the driver involved in the crash that killed Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Chicks, bringing a legal chapter in the...
Instagram says it will notify parents if teens 'repeatedly' search for terms related to suicide
Instagram will start alerting parents if their kids repeatedly search for terms clearly associated with suicide or self-harm. The alerts will only go to parents who are enrolled in Instagram's parental supervision program. Instagram says it already blocks such content from showing up in teen accounts' search results an...
A children's hospital is renamed for Dolly Parton and hopes to transform pediatric care in Tennessee
NEW YORK (AP) - The East Tennessee Children's Hospital is now known as Dolly Parton Children's Hospital. Hospital officials say the name change, announced Thursday, promises to "transform pediatric care" in the region. Parton's philanthropy already impacts her home state and beyond. A library initiative repor...
Luke Combs Opens Up About Body Image and Why He's Skipping Ozempic
During a recent appearance on The New York Times' Popcast, country star Luke Combs spoke candidly about body image, public scrutiny, and the growing c...
Phil Collins, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross and Shakira get Rock Hall nominations
NEW YORK (AP) - The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2026 list of nominees, and it mixes pop, rap, metal, R&B and more. The Hall released the list on Wednesday. It includes Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, Shakira and the Wu-Tang Clan. It also names Melissa ...
Sports
23XI team co-owned by Michael Jordan delivering perfect start to season in a 'perfect partnership'
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Michael Jordan calls Denny Hamlin the mastermind behind their 23XI NASCAR racing team. Hamlin calls their co-ownership a perfect partnership. The team has been nothing shy of perfect behind driver Tyler Reddick so far in 2026. Reddick became the first driver in Cup Series history to win the first t...
Tyler Reddick makes NASCAR history at COTA with 3rd straight win to start the season
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Tyler Reddick became the first driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win the first three races of the season with a victory Sunday at the Circuit of Americas. Driving a Toyota co-owned by Michael Jordan, Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500 and a week later at Atlanta, then won from the pole...
Henri Veesaar matches a season-high with 26 points to carry No. 18 North Carolina past Virginia Tech
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Henri Veesaar matched a season-high with 26 points, Seth Trimble scored 20 points, and No. 18 North Carolina pulled away in the second half to beat Virginia Tech 89-82. Jonathan Powell got 15 points off the bench, 13 of which came before halftime. Neoklis Avdalas finished with 19 points for the...
Hurricanes continue hot streak with 5-2 win over Detroit
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Shayne Gostisbehere had a goal and two assists to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to their fifth straight win, 5-2 over the Detroit Red Wings. Jackson Blake, Taylor Hall, Sebastian Aho and Eric Robinson also scored for the Hurricanes, who have used a 12-game point streak to surge to the top of the Eas...
Evans, Boozer help No. 1 Duke beat No. 11 Virginia 77-51 to clinch ACC Tournament's top seed
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - Isaiah Evans scored 19 points to help No. 1 Duke beat No. 11 Virginia 77-51. That win clinched the top seed for the upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Evans hit five 3-pointers, with three coming in the opening minutes. Star freshman Cameron Boozer had 18 points with most of that product...