WFAE

07/12/2025

A total of 260 people were killed when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad last month. https://buff.ly/rV9AU77

Indian investigators determined the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was properly configured and lifted off normally. But three seconds after takeoff, the engines' fuel switches were cut off.

07/12/2025

Trump and first lady Melania Trump met with state and local officials, first responders, as well as families of the victims in Kerrville. https://buff.ly/n0pOAbM

The president and first lady visited Kerrville to meet local officials and families of the victims of the recent flooding. Trump promised federal support, but his team emphasized the state's role.

07/12/2025

Thousands of people are arriving in Charlotte for the NAACP’s national convention, which kicked off Wednesday. The convention, which has not been held in Charlotte since 1996, is expected to generate about $17 million for the local economy.

NAACP officials say this convention is critical given the current political climate and the Trump administration’s cuts in federal spending to programs. Since the NAACP’s founding in 1909, sitting presidents have always been invited to speak at the national convention, but not this year. Derrick Johnson, the organization’s national president and CEO tells WFAE’s Gwendolyn Glenn why Trump was not invited.

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio
📝: Gwendolyn Glenn
📸: NAACP

07/12/2025

As the Earth gets hotter, flooding is becoming more common and severe in most of the country. https://buff.ly/PwjP0G9

Many people in the United States receive little or no information about flood risk when they move into a new home or apartment. Here's how you can learn about your flood risk.

07/12/2025

Move over to***co — there’s a new cash crop in town.

Part of the “battery belt,” North Carolina will soon be home to four major factories producing lithium-ion batteries, the power behind electric vehicles. But President Trump’s sweeping federal reconciliation bill eliminated tax credits for purchasing an electric vehicle, raising concerns about the future of the industry.

Consumers will bear the brunt of the cost increase after EV tax credits end in September — and there are fears of a dip in demand. North Carolina manufacturers, however, say they’re unfazed.

Toyota began production at its battery factory outside of Greensboro in June. In a statement to WFAE, factory leaders said they remain committed to producing batteries for battery, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

"Incentives can be helpful but are often temporary or subject to changing political dynamics," the statement read. "As a result, Toyota makes long-term investment decisions based on the market, not incentive opportunities."

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio
📝: Stella Mackler
📸: Toyota/Courtesy

07/12/2025

Gergen worked in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Over the years, he served as a speechwriter, communications director and counselor to the president, among other roles. https://buff.ly/LWytpIM

David Gergen worked in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton as a speechwriter, communications director and counselor to the president, among other roles.

07/12/2025

Since early June, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Border Patrol and other federal agencies have been roving Los Angeles and surrounding counties arresting thousands of people in what civil rights lawyers characterized in a lawsuit last week as an unconstitutional and "extraordinary campaign of targeting people based on nothing more than the color of their skin." https://buff.ly/ALv80zG

Civil rights groups alleged that ICE and Border Patrol agents are rounding people up based on their race, and denying them access to lawyers. A federal judge said there's evidence what they're doing is illegal.

07/12/2025

"We already have over 230 million people," Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said. "In the words of the famous U.S. rap group Public Enemy — you'll remember a line from Flava Flav: 'Flava Flav has problems of his own. I can't do nothing for you, man.'" https://buff.ly/CzLdnLw

Nigeria's government is pushing back against U.S. efforts to send the country migrants and foreign prisoners, with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar quoting Public Enemy to drive home his point.

07/12/2025

Vultures are uniquely good at cleaning up a carcass and can leave an entire cow spotless within 40 minutes. https://buff.ly/npGefYU

Large scavengers like vultures and hyenas do an important job in protecting human health. But studies show these creatures are on the decline, allowing for the emergence of disease.

07/12/2025

The issue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit was whether former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acted legally when he rescinded the plea deals two days after they were announced last summer by a U.S. military court in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. https://buff.ly/FNyx5vW

A federal appeals court has canceled plea deals with three men accused of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks, deepening the legal morass surrounding the long-stalled case.

07/11/2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the overhaul, eliminating 132 offices he's described as part of a "bloated bureaucracy." https://buff.ly/O6v1Ctj

The State Department is slashing hundreds of jobs in what's being called its biggest shake-up in decades — drawing sharp criticism from former diplomats who say the cuts risk gutting America's diplomatic muscle.

07/11/2025

The National Weather Service is forecasting strong to severe thunderstorms in the Carolinas Friday afternoon and evening. Storms are expected in western and central North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. Folks should keep an eye out for damaging wind gusts and flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas.

These storms come on the heels of heavy inland flooding earlier this week. The saturated ground in central North Carolina means that it will take less water for flash floods to happen. Trees may also fall with less wind after heavy rainfall.

Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall Sunday morning, flooding several counties in central North Carolina. In addition to five confirmed deaths, the storm left many in Orange and Alamance counties without clean drinking water.

A warmer ocean and atmosphere make for more severe weather in the Carolinas.

The city of Mebane is facing water shortages after the Graham-Mebane Water Treatment Plant flooded. As repairs continue, the city advised that “discoloration of water may occur, but it remains safe for use.”

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio
📝: Zachary Turner
📸: The Town of Hillsborough