WPTF News Archives - Page 4 of 99

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

Trump’s FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to do

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2024, 1:53 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kash Patel has been well-known for years within Donald Trump’s orbit as a loyal supporter who shares the president-elect’s skepticism of the FBI and intelligence community. But he’s receiving fresh attention, from the public and from Congress, now that Trump has selected him to lead the FBI. As he braces for a bruising and likely protracted Senate confirmation fight, Patel can expect scrutiny not only over his professed fealty to Trump but also for his belief — revealed over the last year in interviews and his own book — that the century-old FBI should be radically overhauled.… Read More

Hunter Biden gun case dismissed after President Joe Biden’s sweeping pardon

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2024, 12:55 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge formally dismissed the gun case against Hunter Biden on Tuesday after President Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon for his son. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika closed the case the week before Hunter Biden was to be sentenced. He could have faced up to 25 years in prison, though as a first-time offender he likely would have gotten far less time or avoided prison entirely. Prosecutors had opposed dismissing gun case as well as separate charges filed against him in California after he failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes. A federal judge in Los Angeles hasn’t yet ruled in that case.… Read More

Trump says he’ll attend Notre Dame Cathedral reopening celebration in Paris this weekend

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2024, 9:48 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump will attend the reopening celebration for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, his first foreign trip since the election. The cathedral will reopen after more than five years of reconstruction following a devastating 2019 fire. The invite-only ceremonies Saturday and Sunday are expected to be high-security affairs, with about 50 heads of state and government expected to attend. Trump announced his trip in a post on his Truth Social site Monday evening. “It will be a very special day for all!” he wrote.… Read More

Biden’s broken promise on pardoning his son Hunter is raising new questions about his legacy

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2024, 9:09 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to go back on his word and pardon his son Hunter wasn’t all that surprising to those who are familiar with the president’s devotion to his family. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president has raised new questions about his legacy. Biden has held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns. It was part of an effort to draw a deliberate contrast with Republican Donald Trump. Now, both his broken promise and his act of clemency are a political lightning rod.… Read More

Groundbreaking North Carolina lawmaker Dan Blue will no longer be state Senate minority leader

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2024, 8:25 pm

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A groundbreaking figure in North Carolina politics will no longer serve as leader of state Senate Democrats. Sen. Dan Blue of Wake County first joined the General Assembly in 1981 and was elected the state’s first Black House speaker in 1991. Blue has been the Senate minority leader for over a decade. But on Monday the Senate Democratic Caucus elected Sen. Sydney Batch as the minority leader for the next two-year session. A caucus news release said Blue announced his desire to decline another term as leader before the caucus election. The House Democratic Caucus reelected Rep. Robert Reives as minority leader on Monday.… Read More

North Carolina Republicans close in on enacting bill that weakens incoming Democratic governor

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2024, 7:22 pm

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina legislative Republicans are closing in on enacting a measure that would erode powers of the incoming governor and other statewide Democratic officials who got elected last month. The GOP-dominated state Senate voted successfully on Monday to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill. The bill would in part weaken Gov.-elect Josh Stein. It would transfer the governor’s authority to make State Board of Elections appointments to the next state auditor — a Republican. The bill now returns to the House, where another successful override vote next week would make it law. Litigation is possible, however.… Read More

Panthers 2nd-year QB Bryce Young suffers another loss, but continues to show late-game production

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2024, 7:05 pm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young is beginning to show signs that he can perform in the clutch. Now the Carolina Panthers just have to figure out how to win close games. Young capped a 60-yard touchdown drive Sunday with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Adam Thielen to briefly give the Panthers a 23-20 lead with 30 seconds left against Tampa Bay. And Young was in the process of engineering a potential winning score in overtime when Chuba Hubbard fumbled at the Bucs 29. The Panthers lost 26-23. But it was the second time in two weeks Young showed a knack for making big plays late in the game.… Read More