Category Archives: WPTF News

Tariffs aren’t keeping Walmart from attracting shoppers and outpacing Target

Tariffs aren’t keeping Walmart from attracting shoppers and outpacing Target

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is showing it can keep pulling in shoppers and outpacing rivals like Target in an uncertain economic environment. and tariff concerns to deliver solid second-quarter financial results Thursday, showing it keeps pulling in shoppers and outpacing peers like Target. The nation’s largest retailer delivered solid second-quarter financial results on Thursday. It reported a 4.6% quarterly increase in comparable sales, or those coming from established stores and online channels. Company executives say Walmart is attracting customers with fast deliveries, grocery discounts and trendier clothes. The earnings of the Bentonville, Arkansas, company differed notably from those of Target, which on Wednesday reported another quarter of comparable sales declines.… Continue Reading

Appeals court throws out massive civil fraud penalty against President Donald Trump

Appeals court throws out massive civil fraud penalty against President Donald Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is declaring victory now that an appeals court has thrown out the massive civil fraud penalty against him. But the court has upheld other punishments, such as banning Trump and his two eldest sons from serving in corporate leadership for a few years. A five-judge panel ruled Thursday in New York state’s lawsuit accusing the businessman-turned-politician of exaggerating his wealth. The decision in New York’s mid-level Appellate Division altered a verdict that stood to cost Trump more than $515 million and rock his real estate empire. The Republican president says the case and the verdict were political moves by Democrats. New York’s attorney general says the court affirmed the finding Trump was liable for fraud.… Continue Reading

North Carolina updates more than 20,000 voter records, seeks more ID numbers

North Carolina updates more than 20,000 voter records, seeks more ID numbers

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina election officials have successfully amended over 20,000 voter registration records. This effort began in mid-July to address a lawsuit from President Donald Trump’s Justice Department. The lawsuit focused on records missing a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. A “Registration Repair Project” by the State Board of Elections created an online database of over 103,000 registrants lacking these identifiers. As of Monday, the number of registrants on the list has dropped by 20%. Now the remaining people are getting letters requesting to act. Those who don’t provide the information will have to vote provisionally in upcoming elections.… Continue Reading

Hurricane Erin picking up steam as it edges along the East Coast

Hurricane Erin picking up steam as it edges along the East Coast

RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Erin is strengthening again and forecasters say it could re-intensify into a major hurricane. The storm is creeping toward the mid-Atlantic coast and churning up menacing waves that have closed beaches from the Carolinas to New York City. It’s expected to peak over the next 48 hours. Erin is unlikely to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea. But authorities are warning that its large swells will cut off roads on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England. The National Hurricane Center is watching two more clusters of storms to the east of Erin.… Continue Reading

Wall Street steadies after Nvidia, Palantir and other AI stars trim their losses

Wall Street steadies after Nvidia, Palantir and other AI stars trim their losses

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes ended mixed after Nvidia, Palantir and other superstar stocks pared most of their steep losses from the morning. The S&P 500 dipped 0.2% Wednesday after trimming a loss that reached 1.1% earlier in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 16 points, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.7%. The day’s action again centered around stocks caught up in the mania around artificial-intelligence technology. These stocks are facing criticism that their prices shot too high, too fast and became too expensive. Several big U.S. retailers including Target turned in mixed financial results. Treasury yields eased.… Continue Reading

Trump calls on Federal Reserve official to resign after official accuses her of mortgage fraud

Trump calls on Federal Reserve official to resign after official accuses her of mortgage fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to resign after a member of his administration accused Cook of committing mortgage fraud. Bill Pulte, director of the agency that oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, urged the Justice Department to investigate Cook, who was appointed to the Fed’s governing board by former president Joe Biden in 2022. She was reappointed the following year to a term that lasts until 2038.… Continue Reading

Summer celebrations meet closed beaches and warnings on US East Coast due to Hurricane Erin

Summer celebrations meet closed beaches and warnings on US East Coast due to Hurricane Erin

RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — From Florida to New England, people trying to enjoy some of the last hurrahs of summer along the East Coast have been met with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and in some cases already treacherous waves as Hurricane Erin inches closer. Forecasters expect the center of the monster storm to remain far offshore. But the outer edges are likely to bring high winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents. The biggest swells along the East Coast could come as early as Wednesday. Authorities are prohibiting people from swimming in beaches in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey and Delaware.… Continue Reading

Palantir, Nvidia and other AI stars dim as Wall Street pulls further from its records

Palantir, Nvidia and other AI stars dim as Wall Street pulls further from its records

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is edging further from its records. The S&P 500 fell 0.3% Tuesday and is on track for a third straight modest loss after setting its all-time high last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 86 points, and the Nasdaq composite was down 1%. Drops for Palantir Technologies, Nvidia and other stars bid up because of the mania around artificial-intelligence technology led the declines. Home Depot helped lift the Dow after standing by its forecast for profit and revenue this year. Treasury yields fell in the bond market on expectations for coming cuts for interest rates.… Continue Reading

Hurricane Erin forecast to churn up dangerous swells and winds from Florida to New England

Hurricane Erin forecast to churn up dangerous swells and winds from Florida to New England

RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Erin is churning slowly toward the eastern U.S. coast and stirring up waves that already have forced dozens of beach rescues several days before the biggest storm surges are expected. Forecasters remain confident the center of the monster storm will remain far offshore. But the outer edges are likely to bring damaging tropical-force winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents. Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Florida to the New England coast. In New Jersey, towns are closing some beaches to swimming. The biggest swells along the East Coast are expected to develop Wednesday and last into Thursday.… Continue Reading

Hurricane Erin’s massive waves threaten to isolate North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Hurricane Erin’s massive waves threaten to isolate North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Hurricane Erin is expected to impact the Outer Banks in North Carolina, sending massive waves crashing into the islands. Officials have ordered evacuations for Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, anticipating damage to the highway that connects the islands to the mainland. Residents are used to isolation, but vacationers are not. The Outer Banks are vulnerable due to rising sea levels and erosion. Despite these challenges, many residents cherish the unique lifestyle and community on the islands. The area generates significant tourism revenue, so the cycle of repair and maintenance continues.… Continue Reading

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