WHQR NewsRoom

Wilmington, NC (2009-03-11) A pilot program at the Army's Fort Jackson near Columbia, South Carolina is offering high school dropouts a chance to earn their GED for free in exchange for their service. The Army hopes this program will keep their enlistment numbers steady as the wars overseas continue.

Laid Off: BrunsCo. Workers Face Hard Times

Wilmington, NC (2009-02-25) Unemployment rates are rising in North Carolina and there are few places where that's more evident than local unemployment offices. These resource centers serve as beacons of hope for people struggling to get back on their feet. In Brunswick County, the Employment Security Commission office in Shallotte assists more than twice as many people now as it did one year ago.

Swine flu may have hit one peak; more to come

(2009-11-20) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pandemic of swine flu may be hitting a peak in the Northern Hemisphere, global health officials said on Friday, but they cautioned it was far from over.

"Yard sale" brings U.S. empire to bargain-bin ending (2009-11-20) PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Three years after a billionaire divorce gone terribly wrong, this is what is left: unfinished plans for America's largest home, several bankruptcies and an auction featuring a talking moose head.

Miami man gets 13-year sentence for Sears Tower plot (2009-11-20) MIAMI (Reuters) - The ringleader of a group of Miami men convicted of plotting to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower and government offices was sentenced to 13-1/2 years in prison on Friday.

Los Angeles gets tough on medical marijuana shops (2009-11-20) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Past the security man and his pit bull and through a haze of eye-watering smoke, two youths load up a pipe next to a row of shiny glass jars with two dozen varieties of marijuana bud displayed like candy.

Accused Ponzi schemer: I learned of fraud late (2009-11-20) ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Reuters) - Minnesota businessman Tom Petters made a final push on Friday to convince a federal jury he was not responsible for a $3.65 billion Ponzi scheme that bankrupted his company.

NYC mayor, government try different ways to trim workers

(2009-11-20) NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City and the state both want to cut expenses by trimming public employees but so far they are using different strategies.

Did U.S. make a swine flu mistake?

(2009-11-20) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As U.S. health officials struggle to vaccinate tens of millions of Americans against the pandemic of swine flu, some are looking regretfully at one easy way to instantly double or triple the number of doses available -- by using an immune booster called an adjuvant.

Astronaut in space while wife giving birth

(2009-11-20) CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Shuttle Atlantis astronaut Randy Bresnik can be forgiven if he's having a tough time focusing on work -- his wife is due to give birth on Friday to a baby girl.

Lesbian U.S. deserter to get new Canada hearing (2009-11-20) OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian court ordered a new refugee hearing on Friday for a U.S. Army deserter who claimed she would face persecution because of her homosexuality if returned to the United States.

U.S. to audit 1,000 firms in illegal worker probe (2009-11-20) PHOENIX (Reuters) - The U.S. government will audit hiring records of 1,000 firms in agriculture, healthcare and other areas to determine if they have illegal immigrants working for them, authorities said on Friday.