CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Gio Lopez threw for two touchdowns and North Carolina produced nine sacks to beat Stanford 20-15 for their second straight victory in ACC play under coach Bill Belichick. Jordan Shipp’s 55-yard touchdown catch gave the Tar Heels (4-5) a 20-3 lead early in the fourth quarter, and the Tar Heels held on despite two late Stanford touchdowns.… Read More
NEW YORK (AP) — The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived in Manhattan, marking the start of New York City’s holiday season. This year’s tree is a 75-foot Norway spruce from East Greenbush, a suburb of Albany. It traveled about 150 miles on a flatbed truck to reach its new home. On Saturday workers used cranes to position the 11-ton tree at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The spruce will soon be decorated with over 50,000 LED lights and a Swarovski star. It will be lit Dec. 3 during a live TV broadcast. The tree was donated by Judy Russ and her family.… Read More
BOSTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order to fully fund SNAP food aid payments amid the government shutdown. A judge had given the Republican administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. But the administration asked an appeals court to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund. After the appeals court declined to immediately intervene, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued an order late Friday pausing the requirement to distribute full SNAP payments until the appeals court rules on whether to issue a more lasting pause.… Read More
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Freshman Caleb Wilson had 24 points and No. 25 North Carolina dominated the second half to pull away from No. 19 Kansas 87-74 in a battle of college basketball bluebloods. Big man Henri Veesaar added 20 points for the Tar Heels. UNC also got a big showing from senior Seth Trimble with 13 of his 17 points after halftime. UNC made 24 of 36 shots after halftime. That erased a 37-29 lead at the break. Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson had 22 points to lead the Jayhawks. Kansas had won five straight meetings in the series.… Read More
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government shutdown has rattled air travel — most recently with an unprecedented effort from the Federal Aviation Administration to cut flights by 10% at airports nationwide. And the disruptions are causing some to instead hit the road or buy a train ticket. That could mean more and more business for car rentals, long-haul buses and commuter rails like Amtrak — particularly if flight delays and cancellations continue piling up as the U.S. approaches Thanksgiving and other peak holiday travel. Amid the latest scramble, Hertz is already reporting a sharp increase in one-way car rentals. Meanwhile, Both Amtrak and Greyhound owner Flix North America are also preparing for potential growing demand.… Read More
A 208-year-old publication that farmers, gardeners and others keen to predict the weather have relied on for guidance will be publishing for the final time. Farmers’ Almanac said Thursday that its 2026 edition will be its last, citing the growing financial challenges of producing and distributing the book in today’s “chaotic media environment.” Access to the online version will cease next month. The Maine-based publication was first printed in 1818. It’s distinct from the Old Farmer’s Almanac in neighboring New Hampshire. Both publications were among hundreds of almanacs that served a nation of farmers over two centuries ago. Most were regional publications and no longer exist.… Read More
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers scored 46 seconds into the second period and goalie Frederik Andersen overcame a poor start to stop the final 18 shots he faced as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Minnesota Wild 4-3. Jackson Blake, Andrei Svechnikov and Sean Walker also scored for the Hurricanes, who’ve won three of their last four games. They’ve won back-to-back outings for the first time since Oct. 16 and 18. Blake and Walker also each had an assist and Andersen finished with 20 saves. Matt Boldy, playing in his 300th NHL game, scored two goals and Brock Faber had one for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves.… Read More
A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November. The ruling Thursday was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit. The Trump administration said last month that it would not pay benefits at all for November because of the federal shutdown. Last week, two judges ordered the government to pay at least partial benefits using an emergency fund.… Read More
Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago along with hubs across the U.S. are among the 40 that will see flights cut starting Friday due to the government shutdown, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press. The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown. Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on travelers. United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes. Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday.… Read More
The gooey, sticky and often-homemade plaything slime was enshrined into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Thursday along with perennial bestselling games Battleship and Trivial Pursuit. The Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, honors toys that inspire creative play across generations. Battleship and Trivial Pursuit have each sold over 100 million copies. Slime has been sold commercially since 1976 but is also a popular DIY project. The National Toy Hall of Fame is located inside The Strong National Museum of Play.… Read More
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Voters in Charlotte, North Carolina, have reelected Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles after safety concerns in the city increased following a recent stabbing on a commuter train. Lyles won comfortably on Tuesday against Republican and Libertarian challengers. The August killing of a young Ukrainian woman sparked outrage and intensified the focus on crime during the campaign. The Republican-controlled state legislature passed a law in September addressing some criminal justice issues stemming from what happened. Lyles has highlighted additional safety measures for the light rail system. Charlotte hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 2007.… Read More
NEW YORK (AP) — Ciara, Foreigner, Lil Jon and Kool & the Gang will feature in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The event will also spotlight “KPop Demon Hunters” with performances by the film’s singers and themed balloons. The parade kicks off on Nov. 27, featuring 32 balloons, 27 floats and 11 marching bands — all leading to Santa Claus. Broadway shows and the Radio City Rockettes will perform. Four new character balloons, including Buzz Lightyear and Mario, will debut. Spectators can expect performances from stars like Debbie Gibson and Shaggy, with marching bands from across the U.S. and Panama.… Read More