News

Marijuana Moment reports: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) included marijuana legalization in his budget proposal on Tuesday, setting the stage for another reform push in the legislature as the 2020 session gets underway. The move comes as a new poll shows that voter support for ending cannabis prohibition is at its highest level ever in the state. “Legalize adult …

Richmond’s CBS News affiliate reports: The Virginia Senate passed a bill that would eliminate Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday in favor of making Election Day a state holiday. Celebrated on the Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day each January, Lee-Jackson Day honors Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. SB 601, introduced by Sen. Louise Lucas [photo], …

The Guardian reports: The Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos had his mobile phone “hacked” in 2018 after receiving a WhatsApp message that had apparently been sent from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, sources have told the Guardian. The encrypted message from the number used by Mohammed bin Salman is believed to have included a malicious file …

The New York Times reports: Federal prosecutors in Brazil on Tuesday charged the American journalist Glenn Greenwald with cybercrimes for his role in the spreading of cellphone messages that have embarrassed prosecutors and tarnished the image of an anti-corruption task force. In a criminal complaint made public on Tuesday, prosecutors in the capital, Brasília, accused Mr. Greenwald of being part …

Reuters reports: The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a bid by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and 20 Democratic-led states to fast-track consideration of their appeal seeking a definitive ruling that the Obamacare healthcare law does not violate the U.S. Constitution. The brief order means that the court, even if decides to take up the case at a later …

The Associated Press reports: Gun-rights activists — some making deliberate displays of their military-style rifles — began to descend on Virginia’s capital city Monday to protest plans by the state’s Democratic leadership to pass gun-control legislation. Several thousand activists — mostly white and male, many clothed in camouflage and waving flags with messages of support for President Donald Trump — …

The New York Times reports: The National Archives and Records Administration, which calls itself the country’s record keeper, apologized on Saturday for altering a photo of protesters at the 2017 Women’s March that blurred out references critical of President Trump. “We made a mistake,” began a statement the archives released on Saturday. The photo of protesters holding signs was part …

NBC News reports: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will no longer use “royal highness” titles and won’t receive public money for their public duties, Buckingham Palace said Saturday. The announcement comes after the couple announced plans to “step back” from their roles as senior members of the British royal family and live a more independent life. “Harry, Meghan and Archie …

Roanoke’s CBS News affiliate reports: The Supreme Court of Virginia denied the petition by plaintiffs seeking to overturn Gov. Ralph Northam’s firearms ban at Capitol Square, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring’s office announced Friday evening. This comes after Herring filed a brief with the Supreme Court of Virginia Friday in response to an appeal made to that court by plaintiffs …

Politico reports: A coalition that includes attorneys general in 14 states, the District of Columbia and New York City are suing the Agriculture Department over a plan to impose stricter work requirements on millions of food stamp recipients. The lawsuit, filed Thursday by mostly Democratic-led states, argues that USDA unlawfully limited states’ discretion to exempt certain adults from work requirements …

Another excerpt from the coming A Very Stable Genius: The night of January 23 [2017], the first Monday of his presidency, Trump came face‑to‑face with House and Senate leaders from both parties at a White House reception. At a long table in the State Dining Room, Steve Bannon could not stop looking at Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi assumed Trump would open …

Ben Winslow reports for Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate: It was meant as a fun, Utah-themed way to raise awareness of HIV. Utah’s Department of Health planned to distribute 100,000 condoms turning some popular state slogans and landmarks into double-entendres. But it apparently did not amuse Governor Gary Herbert, who put a stop to the campaign just hours after it …

USA Today reports: United Airlines says a flight heading to Los Angeles had to return to Newark Liberty International Airport to make an emergency landing Wednesday night because of an engine problem. “United 1871 from Newark, New Jersey to Los Angeles returned to Newark due to a mechanical issue. The flight landed safely and passengers deplaned normally,” said spokeswoman Kimberly …

The Insider reports: Ukraine on Thursday announced that it would launch a federal criminal investigation into alleged threats against Marie Yovanovitch, the US’s former ambassador to Ukraine. The Ministry of Internal Affairs released a statement saying it “took note of the possible illegal surveillance on the territory of Ukraine by former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.” It added that …

Reuters reports: Jeffrey Epstein’s estate was sued on Wednesday by the U.S. Virgin Islands, which claimed that the late accused sex offender raped and trafficked in dozens of young women and girls on a private Caribbean island he owned. The complaint filed by Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George significantly broadens the scope of the financier’s alleged misconduct, saying it …

Roanoke’s CBS affiliate reports: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) declared a State of Emergency ahead of Monday’s planned pro-gun rally on Capitol Square. According to Northam’s statement, “Law enforcement intelligence analysts have identified credible threats of violence surrounding the event, along with white nationalist rhetoric and plans by out-of-state militia groups to attend.” All weapons, including guns, will be prohibited …

Bloomberg News reports: When Erik Prince, a major Trump donor and private security mogul, traveled to Caracas in November for secret talks with Venezuela’s vice president, he was not, it turns out, the central figure orchestrating the meetings. That person was a controversial British deal-maker by the name of Ian Hannam. Hannam, a former JPMorgan banker, arranged the trip as …

The Guardian reports: Vladimir Putin has proposed changes to Russia’s constitution that would limit the power of a potential successor if he steps down in 2024, indicating he may occupy a beefed-up role as Russia’s prime minister or in the government’s state council. In a televised speech before senior officials, Putin suggested amending Russia’s constitution to limit a future president …

Forbes reports: Michael Avenatti, the California attorney known for representing adult film star Stormy Daniels, was arrested in Los Angeles Tuesday by IRS agents during a disciplinary hearing for allegedly violating the terms of his pretrial release and is expected to appear before a federal court Wednesday. The arrest was made during a hearing in which California’s state bar was …

Cleveland.com reports: The posthumous inductees Whitney Houston and The Notorious B.I.G. will lead this year’s class into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. They’ll be joined by Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails and T. Rex. Houston, the gospel-trained singer with the soaring voice, had a string of No. 1 singles including “I Will Always Love You.” …