* Services for state Sen. Vern Malone, who died this weekend, will be held at noon Thursday at Martin Street Baptist in Raleigh. 

* After a trip to Cuba, U.S. Rep. Mel Watt says he was surprised to find that Raul Castro was "just as outgoing and loquacious" as his brother, Fidel.

* More than any other state, North Carolina is seeing a spike in the number of people without health insurance, up to 25 percent.

* Former state treasurer Richard Moore closed out his gubernatorial campaign account, forgiving himself $1 million in loans.