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By GARY D. ROBERTSON A North Carolina appeals court on Friday blocked an order that had allowed tens of thousands of felony offenders who aren’t serving prison or jail time to immediately register to vote and cast ballots. The state Court of Appeals agreed to halt last week’s decision by trial judges to expand when North Carolina residents convicted of felonies have the right to vote again.  The plaintiffs immediately appealed Friday’s decision

By ROXANA HEGEMAN and ALLEN G. BREED Farmer John Boyd Jr., poses for a portrait during a break from bailing hay at his farm in Boydton, Va., Thursday, May 27, 2021. Documents from a USDA internal review that Boyd provided to The Associated Press show investigators found his operating loan requests were not processed for years, despite explicit instructions from the agency’s state director. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) There was a

By KEVIN MCGILL, CHEVEL JOHNSON and MELINDA DESLATTE Destruction is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, La. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Louisiana residents still reeling from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Ida scrambled for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat while facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity to power air conditioners and refrigerators. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP) NEW

By BRYAN ANDERSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill cracking down on violent protests that critics argue could stifle free speech is heading to North Carolina’s governor. The proposal from Republican House Speaker Tim Moore that was fueled by rioting and looting he saw take place in Raleigh last year amid frustration over the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody passed the House on Tuesday by a vote

A teen has been charged after a student was shot during a fight at a North Carolina high school on Monday, the sheriff’s office said.  Several students were fighting around 11 a.m. at New Hanover High School when a 15-year-old shot another juvenile, New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon said at a news conference. The wounded student was taken to a hospital and his injuries aren’t considered life-threatening, McMahon said. 

By KEVIN MCGILL and JAY REEVES In preparation of Hurricane Ida, a worker attaches protective plywood to windows and doors of a business in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hurricane Ida rapidly grew in strength early Sunday, becoming a dangerous Category 4 hurricane just hours before hitting the Louisiana coast while emergency officials in the region grappled with

By ROBERT BURNS, DARLENE SUPERVILLE and MATTHEW LEE WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is vowing to complete the evacuation of American citizens and others from Afghanistan despite the deadly suicide bomb attack at the Kabul airport. He promised to avenge the deaths of 13 U.S. service members killed in the attack, declaring to the extremists responsible: “We will hunt you down and make you pay.” Speaking with emotion from

By ZIARMAL HASHIMI, JILL LAWLESS and JON GAMBRELL KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Western nations warned Thursday of a possible attack on Kabul’s airport, where thousands have flocked as they try to flee Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the waning days of a massive airlift. Britain said an attack could come within hours. Several countries urged people to avoid the airport, where Belgium said there was a threat of a suicide bombing. But

By GARY D. ROBERTSON The use of physical restraints like handcuffs and shackles on pregnant women and new mothers in North Carolina prisons and jails would be largely barred in a measure nearing final legislative approval.  The Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday for the regulations, designed by their authors to protect mother and newborns while minimizing security risks. The bipartisan measure, a version of which already passed the House, is supported by

By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ and JOSEPH KRAUSS A firefight just outside Kabul’s international airport killed at least one Afghan soldier early Monday, German officials said, the latest chaos to engulf Western efforts to evacuate those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country. The airport shooting came as the Taliban sent fighters north of the capital to eliminate pockets of armed resistance to their lightning takeover earlier this month. The