Feds consider giving $5,000 checks to new moms to increase birth rates
The White House is considering ways to encourage more Americans to have more children. One of the reported ideas involves paying brand new mothers a "baby bonus” of $5,000.
Judges say NC law taking election board control away from the Governor is unconstitutional
North Carolina trial judges threw out on Wednesday another Republican attempt to strip the governor of his authority to appoint State Board of Elections members, declaring that a law shifting it to the elected state auditor is unconstitutional.
Judges temporarily block NC officials from contacting voters in close election
A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked North Carolina election officials from contacting voters whose disputed ballots in an unresolved 2024 state Supreme Court race could be eliminated from the final count.
US Senate’s No. 2 Democrat won't seek reelection to a sixth term in 2026
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending his more than four-decade career representing Illinois and piling more pressure on the party as it already faced a difficult path to reclaiming a majority in the Senate.
Wall Street leaps nearly 3% as markets worldwide rally
U.S. stocks are leaping Wednesday as a worldwide rally comes back around to Wall Street following updates from President Donald Trump about his plans for the Federal Reserve and his trade war that investors found encouraging.
RFK Jr. plans to phase out eight artificial dyes from the US food supply
U.S. health officials said they plan to phase out eight petroleum-based artificial colors from the nation's food supply, triggering an overhaul of scores of brightly hued products on American store shelves.
Report: Hegseth pulled airstrike info from secure military channel for Signal posts
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pulled the airstrike information he posted into Signal chats with his wife, brother and dozens of others from a secure communications channel from U.S. Central Command.
Harvard University suing the Trump administration
Harvard University has filed suit to halt a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants after recently announcing it would defy the Trump administration’s demands to limit activism on campus.
Tariq Bokhari sworn-in as Deputy Adminstrator of the FTA
Former Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari is officially the number two for the Federal Transit Administration. Bokhari tweeted pictures of his swearing in on Monday.
The Latest: White House supports Hegseth, hosts the Egg Roll
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says “Pete Hegseth must be fired” after reports that the defense secretary created another Signal messaging chat to share military air strike details.
Vance meets Pope Francis on Easter Sunday after tangle over migration, gets chocolate eggs for kids
U.S. Vice President JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings, after they got into a long-distance tangle over the Trump administration's migrant deportation plans.
Local brewery jumping on THC drink trend
One of the newest adult beverages is creating it's own category. THC drinks have boomed in popularity in the last few years.
Unsettled North Carolina election could be determined by which ballots are subject to court orders
North Carolina's Supreme Court decided last week that ballots from two categories should have been left out of the tally of an unresolved November election for a seat on the court because state laws otherwise makes the voters ineligible.
Supreme Court keeps hold on Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship
The Supreme Court is keeping a hold on President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship but will hear arguments on the issue in May.
North Carolina budget plan advances as Senate Republicans double down on tax cuts
North Carolina Senate Republicans have advanced a two-year budget for the ninth-largest state.
North Carolina advances bill on book bans in public schools
North Carolina House Republicans have advanced a bill that would create advisory committees to approve and remove books from libraries in public and charter schools.
AmeriCorps members who respond to disasters and help nonprofits are let go in DOGE cuts
Young volunteers who respond to natural disasters and help with community projects across the U.S. have been discharged.
Judge finds probable cause to hold Trump administration in contempt for violating deportation order
A federal judge says he's found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court for violating his orders to turn around planes carrying deportees to El Salvador.
Trump wants Congress to end daylight saving time
President Donald Trump is urging Congress to “push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day” in his latest dig at the semiannual changing of clocks.
Suspect in arson at PA governor's residence planned to beat Josh Shapiro with a hammer, documents say
A man accused of scaling an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion where he set a fire is in police custody at a hospital after an unrelated medical event, state police said Monday.
