Category Archives: WPTF News

Belichick’s Tar Heels get short turnaround for Charlotte after opening-night flop against TCU

Belichick’s Tar Heels get short turnaround for Charlotte after opening-night flop against TCU

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — New North Carolina coach Bill Belichick says his Tar Heels need to move past the TCU blowout loss “as fast as we can” entering a short turnaround before playing at Charlotte. The Horned Frogs beat the Tar Heels 48-14 on Labor Day in Belichick’s college debut. It marked the most points ever given up in an opener for UNC and more than any Belichick-coached team in the NFL ever allowed. The six-time Super Bowl winner as an NFL head coach says the Tar Heels “need to learn some lessons” from the loss but move on to Saturday’s game.… Continue Reading

Fayetteville State University sets record enrollment, retention gains

Fayetteville State University sets record enrollment, retention gains

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WPTF) – Fayetteville State University is experiencing another year of record enrollment while also posting some of the strongest academic gains in its history, school leaders announced Tuesday. For the fourth straight year, FSU reached an all-time high enrollment with 7,628 students, surpassing last year’s record of 7,100 by more than 500. The freshman class is the largest since 2007 with 820 students, who arrived with an average GPA of 3.32. The university also reported a 78% student retention rate, a 15-point increase since 2021.… Continue Reading

Podcasters and influencers: The unexpected jobs covered under Trump’s ‘no tax on tips’ plan

Podcasters and influencers: The unexpected jobs covered under Trump’s ‘no tax on tips’ plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department has released a preliminary list of jobs exempt from income tax on tips, including food service, concierge, and salon workers. Surprisingly, podcasters and digital content creators are also included. This move fulfills a campaign promise by President Donald Trump, part of a tax and spending law signed in July. The provision is temporary, expiring in 2028, and applies to those earning less than $160,000 in 2025. Only tips reported on a worker’s W-2 qualify. Analysts project the provision could increase the deficit by $40 billion through 2028. Public opinion on the law is mixed.… Continue Reading

OpenAI and Meta say they’re fixing AI chatbots to better respond to teens in distress

OpenAI and Meta say they’re fixing AI chatbots to better respond to teens in distress

OpenAI and Meta are adjusting how their chatbots respond to teenagers showing signs of distress. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, plans to introduce new controls for parents to link their accounts to their teen’s account. Parents can choose which features to disable and receive notifications if their teen is in distress. The company says ChatGPT will redirect distressing conversations to more capable AI models. An attorney for parents who sued OpenAI for the wrongful death of their teenager criticized the changes as insufficient. Meta also says it is blocking its chatbots from discussing self-harm and suicide with teens, directing them to expert resources.… Continue Reading

Graham Greene, a trailblazing Indigenous actor best known for ‘Dances with Wolves’, dies at 73

Graham Greene, a trailblazing Indigenous actor best known for ‘Dances with Wolves’, dies at 73

NEW YORK (AP) — Graham Greene, a trailblazing Indigenous actor whose long and successful career on the big and small screen included an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in “Dances with Wolves,” has died. He was 73. Greene died Monday in Stratford, Ontario, after a long battle with an unspecified illness. Greene was born in June 1952 in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario. He became an actor in the 1970s, beginning with the 1979 Canadian drama series “The Great Detective” and the 1983 film “Running Brave.” He is best known for his role as Kicking Bird in the 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” The performance earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor in 1991.… Continue Reading

Rory McIlroy plans to follow Novak Djokovic’s lead in dealing with Ryder Cup hostility

Rory McIlroy plans to follow Novak Djokovic’s lead in dealing with Ryder Cup hostility

STRAFFAN, Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy watched Novak Djokovic handle boisterous spectators during a win at the U.S. Open and is ready to follow the tennis star’s lead at the Ryder Cup held in the United States this month. A hostile and partisan crowd is set to greet McIlroy and the European team at Bethpage Black for the Sept. 26-28 matches as the Americans look to regain the cup two years after losing in Rome. Djokovic had to deal with a similar environment during his U.S. Open quarterfinal match against home favorite Taylor Fritz, even blowing kisses at one points to the fans rooting against him. McIlroy liked what he saw from Djokovic.… Continue Reading

A $1.4B Powerball jackpot is up for grabs after 40 drawings without a winner

A $1.4B Powerball jackpot is up for grabs after 40 drawings without a winner

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $1.4 billion lottery jackpot will be up for grabs after dozens of drawings without a big winner. The massive Powerball prize is the sixth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot. It’s the result of 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all of the game’s six numbers. The 41st drawing on Wednesday night will be just one fewer than the record set last year. All of that losing stems from Powerball’s abysmal odds of 1 in 292.2 million. The $1.4 billion jackpot is for a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. The game’s cash option would pay out an estimated $634.3 million.… Continue Reading

Trump says he will order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore despite local opposition

Trump says he will order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore despite local opposition

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he will direct federal law enforcement intervention to combat crime in Chicago and Baltimore, despite staunch opposition from state and local officials in both cities. Asked Tuesday by reporters in the Oval Office about sending National Guard troops to Chicago, Trump said, “We’re going in,” but added, “I didn’t say when.” He added: “I have an obligation. This isn’t a political thing.” Trump has already sent National Guard troops into Washington and federalized the police force in the nation’s capital. More recently, he has said he plans similar moves in other cities, particularly those run by Democratic officials.… Continue Reading

Rescuers race to find Afghan quake survivors as death toll passes 1,400

Rescuers race to find Afghan quake survivors as death toll passes 1,400

JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban say a major earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has killed over 1,400 people and injured more than 3,000. The United Nations warns of a potential rise in casualties. The earthquake struck Sunday night, flattening villages and trapping people under rubble. Rough terrain is hampering rescue efforts, with commandos air-dropped to evacuate the injured. The Taliban have appealed for international assistance, but aid is limited due to global crises and reduced budgets. Many health facilities have closed due to funding cuts, overwhelming the remaining ones. Authorities have set up camps and centers to coordinate aid and rescue efforts.… Continue Reading

Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team fights for charter status amid explosive lawsuit

Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team fights for charter status amid explosive lawsuit

Summary
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Two NASCAR teams, including one owned by Michael Jordan, have argued in federal court for a preliminary injunction to be recognized as chartered organizations. This comes amid their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The teams have responded to NASCAR’s decision not to redistribute charters while the case proceeds. The teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, claim the charter system is unfair. They initially won charter status for this season, but it was overturned. NASCAR wants the money back from when they were chartered. A ruling on the injunction is expected soon, as tensions rise among other teams.… Continue Reading

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