Measures to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska can appear on November ballot, official says

Measures to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska can appear on November ballot, official says

OMAHA, Neb. — A group seeking to legalize marijuana for medical use in Nebraska has gathered enough signatures to get the issue before voters in November, the state’s top election official said Friday. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana announced earlier this year that it had gathered about 114,000 signatures — well more than the approximately 86,000 … Read more

Rapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage in Connecticut

Rapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage in Connecticut

NEW YORK — Fatman Scoop, the rapper who topped charts in Europe with “Be Faithful” in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by such artists as Missy Elliott and Ciara, died after collapsing on stage at a show in Connecticut, according to officials and his family. He … Read more

Trump wants to make the GOP a ‘leader’ on IVF. Republicans’ actions make that a tough sell

Trump wants to make the GOP a ‘leader’ on IVF. Republicans’ actions make that a tough sell

CHICAGO — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s vow to promote in vitro fertilization by forcing health insurance companies or the federal government to pay for the treatments is at odds with the actions of much of his own party. Yet his surprising announcement Thursday reveals the former president’s realization that GOP stances on abortion and … Read more

Young girls are using anti-aging products they see on social media. The harm is more than skin deep

Young girls are using anti-aging products they see on social media. The harm is more than skin deep

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When she was in fifth grade, Scarlett Goddard Strahan started to worry about getting wrinkles. By the time she turned 10, Scarlett and her friends were spending hours on TikTok and YouTube watching influencers tout products for achieving today’s beauty aesthetic: a dewy, “glowy,” flawless complexion. Scarlett developed an elaborate skin care … Read more

‘Dancing With the Stars’ pro Artem Chigvintsev arrested on domestic violence charge in California

‘Dancing With the Stars’ pro Artem Chigvintsev arrested on domestic violence charge in California

YOUNTVILLE, Calif. — YOUNTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — “Dancing With the Stars” pro Artem Chigvintsev was arrested Thursday and booked on a domestic violence charge in northern California, according to the local sheriff’s office. When Napa County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call in Yountville, it was apparent that there was potential abuse and … Read more

Social media is filled with skin care routines for girls. Here’s what dermatologists recommend

Social media is filled with skin care routines for girls. Here’s what dermatologists recommend

Girls are bombarded on social media with advice from influencers touting elaborate skin care routines with high-priced serums, mists and creams. But what is the right skin care routine for preteens? Simple is best, dermatologists say. Before puberty hits, most kids only need three things: a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer and sunscreen. “That’s it. Full … Read more

Judge allows smoking to continue in Atlantic City casinos, dealing blow to workers

Judge allows smoking to continue in Atlantic City casinos, dealing blow to workers

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — A judge on Friday allowed smoking to continue in Atlantic City’s casinos, giving some measure of relief to the city’s struggling casino industry while rebuffing workers who have long sought to be able to breathe clean air on the casino floor. The ruling by Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels represented a … Read more

Judge rejects claims that generative AI tanked political conspiracy case against Fugees rapper Pras

Judge rejects claims that generative AI tanked political conspiracy case against Fugees rapper Pras

WASHINGTON — A judge rejected a push for a new trial in a multimillion-dollar political conspiracy case against rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees on Friday. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly found his defense attorney’s use of a generative AI program during closing arguments and other errors during the Washington D.C. trial didn’t amount … Read more

Drug possession is a crime in Oregon once again as law rolling back decriminalization takes effect

Drug possession is a crime in Oregon once again as law rolling back decriminalization takes effect

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon’s first-in-the-nation experiment with drug decriminalization is coming to an end Sunday, when possessing small amounts of hard drugs will once again become a crime. The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the recriminalization law in March, overhauling a measure approved by 58% of voters in 2020 that made possessing illicit drugs like heroin punishable … Read more

Adnan Syed’s murder conviction still stands in ‘Serial’ case as court orders new hearing

Adnan Syed’s murder conviction still stands in ‘Serial’ case as court orders new hearing

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Adnan Syed’s murder conviction still stands after Maryland’s highest court Friday ordered a redo of the hearing that freed him. The court ruled that the earlier proceeding violated the rights of the victim’s family, marking the latest development in a legal saga that gained widespread attention through the hit podcast “Serial.” The … Read more