Legalized statewide sports wagering in North Carolina from smartphones and desktops that began two weeks ago is off to a “strong start,” a state lottery official said on Wednesday, likely buoyed by betting on college basketball at its season’s apex. Preliminary monetary numbers for the first day and first week of sports wagering were presented at a meeting of the …

A divided appeals court said in a late-night ruling that a controversial Texas immigration law cannot go into effect as the state appeals a ruling that blocked it. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down the 2-1 ruling regarding Senate Bill 4 on Tuesday night, just a week after it had previously blocked the law, which – if enforced …

Since 2020, the prevalence of medication abortions — triggered by what’s known as the abortion pill — has risen 10%. Medication abortions made up 63% of all abortions performed in the U.S. in 2023, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization headquartered in New York. Some 642,700 medication abortions were performed last year. IN ABORTION …

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., cuts a different figure in the U.S. Senate. And we’re not referring to his hulking, 6-foot-7, nose tackle frame. Or Fetterman’s signature, ever-present hoodie. We’re talking about Fetterman crafting a distinct image in the Senate. Not a “progressive,” as most voters thought. A Democrat who is willing to endorse most of H.R. 2, the House’s strict …

A Florida resident was on a two-mile run when she encountered not just one alligator, but two, and one was in the other’s mouth. Sue Edwards, who lives in Charlotte County, was making her way around a lake in Babock Ranch on Sunday, when she first saw the reptile, Fox 35 Orlando reported. It wasn’t until she got a little …

Is Saquon Barkley trying to get Jason Kelce to reconsider his retirement from the Philadelphia Eagles? During the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast with the Kelce brothers, Barkley made a special guest appearance because, of course, he joined the Eagles this offseason – just days after Jason announced he’s retiring. With Barkley on board, Jason had admitted in …

HEBBARIYE, Lebanon (AP) — A series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed 16 people and a barrage of rockets fired by the militant group Hezbollah killed one Israeli man, making Wednesday the deadliest day in more than five months of fighting along the border. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, concerns have grown about further escalation …

NBC News’ dramatic decision to hire and then immediately fire former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel in the span of four days shows just how far left the media juggernaut has drifted in recent years, particularly as the 2024 presidential election steadily approaches. On Friday, the network announced McDaniel would be joining the Peacock family as a political analyst across all …

The Brazilian and the French presidents on Tuesday announced a plan to invest $1.1 billion in the Amazon, including parts of the rainforest in neighboring French Guiana. The two countries’ governments said in a joint statement the money will be spread over the next four years to protect the rainforest. It will be a collaboration of state-run Brazilian banks and …

The history of NASCAR is deeply rooted in illegal moonshine during the Prohibition Era, and one local legend at one of the sport’s historic racetracks may have become fact this week. North Wilkesboro Speedway officials in North Carolina said Tuesday that a long-rumored secret moonshine hold may have been discovered underneath one of the grandstands thanks to a sinkhole. CLICK …