Triangle/Local
Twisting the truth: study finds fake news often rides on real headlines
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – A new study published in Nature reveals that fake news doesn’t always come from fake sources. Researchers found that social media users often share reputable headlines in misleading ways—using real facts to back false claims. Duke University’s Jon Green says it’s not just about who publishes the information, but how it’s framed and shared online.
Nine months after Helene: The Southeast still reels from rare hurricane damage
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – It’s been nine months since Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast, leaving behind deadly floods, unprecedented wind damage, and a recovery process still far from over. While originally classified as a rain event, experts now say Helene’s wind damage—especially in North Carolina’s mountains—was far worse than initially thought. New research using satellite imagery is shedding light on just how intense and unusual the storm’s impact truly was.
Tropical Storm Chantal forecast to bring heavy rain to the Carolinas
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Chantal has formed off the southeastern U.S. coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says tropical storm warnings have been issued for portions of the Carolinas. Tropical storm conditions are expected in the affected areas later Saturday. The NHC said the storm’s center was expected to move across the coast of South Carolina late Saturday or early Sunday. Some additional strengthening is expected before Chantal reaches the coast. Heavy rain will likely fall across portions of the coastal plain of the Carolinas through Monday. Storm total rainfall of 2 to 4 inches, with local amounts up to 6 inches, is expected. The rain could cause flash flooding.
Raleigh’s Food Truck Rodeo serves up a feast for all ages this Fourth of July
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – This Friday, the State Farmers Market in Raleigh is going all out for the Fourth of July with its annual Food Truck Rodeo from 4 to 9 p.m.—serving up a smorgasbord of sweet, savory, and spicy eats alongside music, line dancing, face painting and even a prize-filled scavenger hunt. With many farmers staying late and vendors offering tours, treats, and giveaways, it’s a hometown celebration that brings flavor, fun and family all to one place.
Durham’s Festival for the Eno returns with music, art and riverfront fun
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – The Festival for the Eno is back for its 46th year, kicking off Friday with a packed lineup of local music, handmade art, and cool river escapes. Hosted at West Point on the Eno, the celebration highlights homegrown talent like Shirlette Ammons and Dom Flemons, plus nearly two dozen local food vendors and artists from across the region. With shaded trails, misting tents, and kayaking available, it’s a Fourth of July tradition that offers a beat you can dance to and a breeze you can wade into.
State/Regional
Flooding from Chantal’s remnants forces dozens to flee homes in North Carolina
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Officials in North Carolina say heavy rain and flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal forced dozens of people to flee their homes. The Chapel Hill Fire Department and neighboring agencies completed more than 50 water rescues, many of them in areas where floodwaters entered or threatened to enter apartments. Chapel Hill officials said Monday that more than 60 people were displaced Sunday and Monday. In Orange County, the possibility of the failure of the Lake Michael Dam prompted officials to issue a voluntary evacuation for areas downstream. In Chatham County, Sheriff Mike Roberson warned residents that water may have subsided in some areas, but it was still dangerous to travel. He says officials were searching for some missing persons.
North Carolina governor vetoes anti-DEI and transgender rights bills, calling them ‘mean-spirited’
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed three anti-DEI bills and another targeting transgender rights. Stein criticized on Thursday the Republican-led legislature for prioritizing what he called “mean-spirited” bills that it sent to his desk. The anti-DEI bills would cut or eliminate diversity programs in government and education. The transgender-related bill includes restrictions on state-funded gender-affirming care for prisoners and other provisions. Republicans argue these laws promote fairness and parental rights. The legislature may attempt to override the vetoes later this month. Stein has vetoed 11 bills since January, all within the past two weeks.
Medicaid, food aid recipients worry about safety net cuts in bill sent to Trump
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The nation’s social safety net would face massive changes under a bill headed to President Donald Trump’s desk. There would be a work requirement for many people to get or keep Medicaid health insurance, and a similar requirement for older adults to receive food assistance. Paperwork requirements would also increase. Planned Parenthood could no longer get federal funding for its non-abortion health services. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that by 2034, the bill would result in nearly 12 million more uninsured people in the U.S. Supporters say the measures will save taxpayers money, enhance personal responsibility and block fraud.
How an empty North Carolina rural hospital explains a GOP senator’s vote against Trump’s tax bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — An empty hospital in Williamston, North Carolina, offers an evocative illustration of why Republican Sen. Thom Tillis would buck his party and its leaders to vote down President Trump’s signature domestic policy package. It’s one of a dozen hospitals that have closed in North Carolina over the last two decades. It’s a problem that hospital systems and health experts warn may only worsen if the “One Big Beautiful Act,” passes with its $1 trillion cuts to the Medicaid program and new restrictions on enrollment in the coverage. Across the country, 200 hospitals have shut down or reduced their services over the last two decades. Many of these closures occur in red states that have declined to expand Medicaid coverage, the health insurance program for the poorest Americans.
North Carolina Gov. Stein vetoes bill repealing interim greenhouse gas reduction mandate
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed a bill that would repeal an interim greenhouse gas reduction mandate for power generation. Stein said Wednesday that the legislation would harm consumers and discourage clean energy. The bill would do away with a directive in a 2021 law for electric regulators to take “all reasonable steps to achieve” reducing carbon dioxide output 70% from 2005 levels by 2030. Republican supporters say the mandate is unnecessary and costly. They want to focus on a 2050 carbon neutrality goal that would remain in place. Environmentalists praised Stein’s veto of the bill. It would impact Duke Energy, the state’s dominant electric utility.
World/National
Troops and federal agents briefly descend on LA’s MacArthur Park in largely immigrant neighborhood
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dozens of federal officers in tactical gear roamed a mostly empty park in a Los Angeles neighborhood with a large immigrant population for about an hour before clearing out. It wasn’t immediately known if any arrests were made Monday. Defense officials had said about 90 members of the California National Guard and over a dozen military vehicles would help protect immigration officers as they carried out a raid in MacArthur Park. Mayor Karen Bass called it a “political stunt,” and said: “What I saw in the park today looked like a city under siege, under armed occupation.”
Death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas over the July Fourth weekend surpasses 100
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas over the July Fourth weekend has surpassed 100 as the massive search continues for missing people. In hard-hit Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and several other summer camps, searchers have found the bodies of 84 people, including 28 children, Kerr County officials said. Meanwhile, search-and-rescue teams carried on with the search for the dead, using heavy equipment to untangle trees and wading into swollen rivers. Volunteers covered in mud sorted through chunks of debris, piece by piece, in an increasingly bleak task.
Wall Street falls as Trump pressures trading partners with new tariffs
Stocks fell on Wall Street as the Trump administration stepped up pressure on trading partners to make deals before punishing tariffs imposed by the U.S. take effect. The S&P 500 lost 0.8% Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gave back 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.9%. Tesla tumbled as the feud between CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump reignited over the weekend. Musk, once a top donor and ally of Trump, said he would form a third political party in protest over the Republican spending bill that passed last week.
Death toll in central Texas flash floods rises to 82 as sheriff says 10 campers remain missing
KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — The death toll from flash floods that raged through central Texas has risen to 82 after searchers found more bodies. Authorities say many more remain missing, including 10 girls from Camp Mystic, a summer camp wiped out by the flooding early Friday. Searchers now have found 68 bodies in Kerr County where a wall of water came down the Guadalupe River. Sheriff Larry Leitha says the dead include 28 children. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned Sunday that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could produce more life-threatening flooding. Some families were allowed to look around the hardest hit camp in the Hill Country on Sunday while nearby crews continued their search.
Musk says he’s forming a new political party after split with Trump over tax cuts law
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (AP) — Elon Musk said he’s carrying out his threat to form a new political party after his fissure with President Donald Trump, announcing on social media that he would form the America Party in response to the president’s sweeping tax cuts law. Musk, once a ever-present ally to Trump as he headed up the slashing agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency, broke with the Republican president over his signature legislation, which was signed into law Friday. Trump on Sunday called Musk’s third-party effort “ridiculous.”
Entertainment
Ozzy Osbourne says farewell to live performance with a hometown show for 40,000 fans
LONDON (AP) — Ozzy Osbourne has performed what he says is his final live show, thrilling 40,000 fans in Birmingham, England, on Saturday. The 76-year-old heavy metal icon sang from a black throne and reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for the first time in 20 years. The band closed their set with the classic song “Paranoid.” The performance capped a day-long metal festival featuring acts including Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. Osbourne, who revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020, thanked fans, calling them “special.” Osbourne formed Black Sabbath in 1968 in Birmingham, a city that became the crucible of the British metal sceneKnown as a pioneer of heavy metal. He reached a new audience through the MTV reality show “The Osbournes.”
Michael Madsen, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ star, dies at 67
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Madsen, whose menacing characters in “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” made him a standout in Quentin Tarantino’s films, has died. He was 67. Madsen’s manager says the actor was found unresponsive in his home in Malibu, California, on Thursday and was declared dead from what appeared to be cardiac arrest. Madsen’s career spanned more than 300 credits stretching back to the early 1980s, many in low budget films. But his most memorable screen moment may have been the sadistic torture of a captured police officer in 1992’s “Reservoir Dogs.” He would become a Tarantino regular, appearing in the “Kill Bill” films and “The Hateful Eight.”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is denied bail after mixed verdict clears him of top charges in sex crimes case
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has declined to set Sean “Diddy” Combs free on bail to await sentencing in his sex crimes case. Combs was convicted Wednesday of federal prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The 55-year-old Combs has been behind bars since his September arrest. He stands convicted of two counts of a crime that carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. But the jury cleared him of charges that could have put him behind bars for life. The judge will decide Combs’ punishment and suggested Oct. 3 as a sentencing date. A virtual hearing is set for Tuesday on the defense’s request for an earlier date.
No verdict on first day of jury deliberations at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial
NEW YORK (AP) — Jury deliberations got underway in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking trial and quickly hit a snag. But, by end of day Monday, jurors indicated they were making progress weighing complex charges that could put the hip-hop mogul in prison for life. The first day of deliberations saw several notes from the jury and Combs and his supporters bowing their heads in prayer in the courtroom — but no verdict. The jury of eight men and four women are sifting through sometimes graphic and emotional testimony about the rap, fashion and reality TV impresario’s propensity for violence and his sexual predilections, including drug-fueled sex marathons dubbed “freak-offs.”
Jury begins deliberating in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial
NEW YORK (AP) — The jury has started deliberating in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking case. The panel of eight men and four women began their closed-door discussions Monday. They are weighing charges that could put the hip-hop mogul in prison for life. The 55-year-old Combs has pleaded not guilty. Jurors heard seven weeks of sometimes graphic and emotional testimony about Combs’ propensity for violence and his sexual predilections, including drug-fueled sex marathons dubbed “freak-offs” or “hotel nights.” Defense lawyers acknowledge that Combs could be violent but maintain that the sex acts were consensual.
Sports
Clayton Kershaw makes his 11th All-Star team. James Wood is the youngest All-Star at 22
NEW YORK (AP) — Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been selected for his 11th All-Star Game, joining the roster as a Legend Pick by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. At 37, Kershaw is the oldest National League All-Star for the July 15 game at Atlanta’s Truist Park while 22-year-old James Wood is the youngest overall. There are 19 first-time All-Stars and five 23 or younger, with Wood joined by Paul Skenes, Elly De La Cruz and elected starters Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jacob Wilson.
Djokovic’s daughter steals the show at Wimbledon with her victory dance
LONDON (AP) — Seven-year-old Tara Djokovic wowed Wimbledon with a victory dance after dad’s win on Saturday. Novak Djokovic had just clinched his 100th Wimbledon singles win and was asked during his on-court interview to shed light on the little dance he’s been doing recently. He said it’s done to a song called “Pump It Up.” A smiling Djokovic looked into the crowd and asked, “You want to show it darling?” The TV camera then panned to Tara, who showed everyone how it’s done: pump your fists down, then left, right and overhead. The crowd roared.
Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut reclaims title in Famous hot dog eating contest, wins 17th Mustard Belt
Famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut has reclaimed his title at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest after skipping last year’s event. The 41-year-old from Westfield, Indiana, secured his 17th Mustard Belt in 20 appearances before cheering fans at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. He had missed the 2024 competition over a contract dispute involving a deal he had struck with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods. Defending champion Miki Sudo won her 11th title in the women’s division. The event, held outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant, dates back to 1972 and draws large crowds of fans.
Nikolaj Ehlers chooses the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the NHL’s top free agent off the market
The long wait for Nikolaj Ehlers’ free agent decision is over. Ehlers decided to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the top player available off the market more than 72 hours since the NHL’s signing period began. Ehlers agreed to terms on a six-year contract worth $51 million. He’ll count $8.5 million against the salary cap through 2031. Carolina had plenty of space to add the speedy, productive Danish winger. The 29-year-old joins a core that has reached the playoffs seven consecutive seasons with two trips to the Eastern Conference final over the past three springs.
Supreme Court will take up a new case about which school sports teams transgender students can join
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just two weeks ago, the Supreme Court upheld a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. On Thursday, the justices said they’ll review lower court rulings in favor of transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia. The case will be argued in the fall. West Virginia’s attorney general calls it “a great day, as female athletes in West Virginia will have their voices heard.” Lawyers on the other side say they stand ready to defend the lower-court rulings. More than two dozen states have enacted laws restricting transgender women and girls from participating in certain sports. Some of these laws have been blocked in court.