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Alabama's State Legislature has voted to legalize medical marijuana cnn.it/3xQN7gX
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South Carolina and Montana are ending federal pandemic unemployment benefits for their residents next month, the fitwitter.com/i/web/status/1…5h
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Two students and one adult suffered non-life-threatening injuries during a shooting at Rigby Middle School in Rigbytwitter.com/i/web/status/1…97
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a restrictive voting bill into law, joining a host of other GOP-led states in limittwitter.com/i/web/status/1…Fz
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A Hong Kong court has sentenced Joshua Wong and three other activists to between four and 10 months in prison for ptwitter.com/i/web/status/1…vh
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A third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is "inevitable" in India, the principal scientific adviser to the Indian govetwitter.com/i/web/status/1…9J
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Two American students have been convicted of murdering an Italian police officer in an alleged drug deal gone wrong cnn.it/3enVXuO
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Person detained near home of former President George W. Bush
Authorities detained a person near the home of former President George W. Bush Wednesday night after an incident in his neighborhood, a U.S. Secret Service spokesman said.
The person who was detained was coming to visit a neighbor of the former president, according to Ed Donovan of the Secret Service.
The person was authorized to come onto the street, Donovan said. The incident is under investigation, said Warren Mitchell with the Dallas Police Department.
FULL STORY
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com in the last 24 hours, according to NewsPulse:
Couple killed on way to plan funerals for three grandchildren: Tragedy added to tragedy Tuesday when an Ohio couple died in an accident on their way to help make funeral arrangements for their three grandchildren.
Lindsay Lohan 'called 911' in rehab incident, lawyer says: Actress Lindsay Lohan called 911 to ask for police help during an "incident" at the Betty Ford Center, her lawyer said Wednesday. The statement from Shawn Chapman Holley came after the rehab center fired an employee who reportedly leaked details of a tussle with Lohan.
Soggy southern California facing even more rain, forecasters say: Monsoon-like conditions overwhelmed southern California on Wednesday, creating flash floods that kept workers at home and businesses and streets knee deep in mud and water.
Seoul: North Korea hits South - with faxes: North Korea is sending an onslaught of faxes to South Korea, blaming its neighbor for tensions over a disputed island, an official said Wednesday.
From a tree, a 'miracle' called aspirin: If you take aspirin, you've got a pain reliever, heart attack preventer and possible cancer preventer rolled into one tablet. You might think that whoever invented aspirin is a genius, but the truth is humans have been using its natural equivalent for thousands of years.
Stocks, oil prices hit highs as investors wind down 2010
Markets close higher as oil passes $90
Stocks climbed to hit fresh two-year highs Wednesday, as investors began to pack up for the holidays and prepare for 2011.
The Dow Jones industrial average added 26 points to end 0.2% higher at 11,559.49 - its highest level since August 28, 2008.
The S&P 500 added 0.3% to end at its highest level since September 19, 2008. Meanwhile the tech-heavy Nasdaq ticked up 0.2% to its highest settle
since December 28, 2007.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq have posted gains for 14 of the month's 16 trading sessions so far. All three major indexes are positioned for double-digit gains for the year.
Obama asked if 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal is consistent with same-sex marriage ban
With the coming repeal of the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, gays and lesbians will be allowed to openly serve in the military. Some say this is a step toward a national policy permitting same-sex marriage, while others have argued there’s a difference between being allowed to openly serve in the military and letting same-sex couples marry.
President Obama was asked about parallels between the two issues in a news conference Wednesday, but what do you think? Leave your comments below!
Study: Vets face greater risk of mental health issues during pregnancy
Women war veterans who became pregnant after serving in Iraq or Afghanistan were twice as likely as other female vets to experience mental health problems, according to a study published this week in the "Journal of Women's Health."
The study, "Pregnancy and Mental Health Among Women Veterans Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan," aimed to determine the prevalence of mental health problems among veterans who received pregnancy-related care in the Veterans Health Administration system.
A review of more than 43,000 women who completed their service between 2001 and 2008 found that pregnant veterans were twice as likely as those without pregnancy to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.
Overall, 32% of women pregnant veterans received one or more distinct mental health diagnosis, compared with 21% of women veterans without a pregnancy-related condition.
If untreated, such mental health issues during pregnancy could result in preterm delivery, low birth-weight or impaired cognitive and emotional development, the study said.
"Like the men, many women returning from military service may experience mental health problems, but the juxtaposition of pregnancy and mental health-related issues is of special concern because pregnancy itself can precipitate or exacerbate mental health conditions," the study's authors wrote.
But because women do not receive pregnancy care through the Veterans Health Administration, little is known about pregnancy outcomes or how the women cope with their mental health issues during pregnancy.
House passes health care bill for first responders in September 11 attacks
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that provides medical treatment and compensation for first responders of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack in New York, sending the measure to President Barack Obama to be signed into law.
FULL STORY
Man gets at least 51 years for crash that killed Angels pitcher
A man convicted of murder in a wreck that killed Major League Baseball pitcher Nicholas Adenhart and two other people has been sentenced to a prison term of 51 years to life, the Orange County District Attorney's office said.
Authorities said Andrew Thomas Gallo was driving drunk when the wreck happened in Fullerton, California, in April 2009. His blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit when he sped through a red light and crashed into a car, authorities said.
Adenhart (pictured), 22, of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who was beginning his first full season in the majors, was killed. He had pitched just his fourth Major League game hours earlier.
The crash also killed 20-year-old California State University student Courtney Stewart and law student Henry Pearson, 25.
FULL STORY
Senate approves nuclear arms pact
The Senate voted Wednesday to approve the new nuclear arms control treaty with Russia - a major foreign policy victory for the Obama administration near the end of the lame-duck session of Congress.
The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, was cleared with the help of solid Democratic support, as well as the backing of several Republican senators.
If ratified, the treaty would resume inspections of each country's nuclear arsenal while limiting both the United States and Russia to 1,550 warheads and 700 launchers. It still needs to be approved by the Russian parliament.
President Obama signed the treaty with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in April. The accord is considered a critical component of nuclear non-proliferation efforts and the administration's attempt to "reset" Washington's relationship with Moscow.
FULL STORY
Senate passes the revised 9/11 health benefits bill
The Senate on Wednesday passed a compromise version of a bill to provide free medical treatment to first responders of the September 11 terrorist attack.
The bill passed on a voice vote on what is expected to be the final day of the lame-duck session of Congress. It now goes to the House, which also is expected to approve it and send it to President Barack Obama to be signed into law.
Negotiations Wednesday morning involving Republican Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mike Enzi of Wyoming and Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both of New York, led to the deal that reduced the cost of the bill by $2 billion and made other changes sought by GOP opponents, according to statements by the participants.
FULL STORY
HOT 97 DJ suspended over comment linking Haitian women to HIV
A HOT 97 DJ in New York has been suspended indefinitely over an on-air comment linking Haitian women to HIV.
The comment sparked outrage in New York's Haitian community, prompting activists and local leaders to call for his dismissal.
"The reason I'm HIV negative is because I don't mess with Haitian girls," DJ Cipha Sounds said Friday on the hip-hop station's morning show, which is owned by Emmis Communications.
Sounds, whose real name is Luis Diaz, moved fast to issue an on-air apology the same day as complaints began flooding the station.
"I made a stupid tasteless joke that was a one-liner and taken totally the wrong way and I want to say sincerely that I apologize," he said.
It wasn't enough to save him from being suspended indefinitely. He will also undertake sensitivity training focused on the Haitian community, specifically, "the challenges the Haitian community has faced in terms of the HIV epidemic," Emmis Communications said in a statement Wednesday.
HOT 97 will also work with community leaders to increase awareness of HIV and community programs to address the HIV epidemic, the media group said.
"Cipha made an immediate public apology and recognizes his insensitivity and the negative impact his comments have on all Haitians," said Alex Cameron, SVP/Market Manager of Emmis-New York.
"The Haitian community is an important part of our listenership whom we respect and value. The suspension is an indication of the importance we place on delivering a product that respects our Haitian audience. It's a
very regrettable and unfortunate circumstance for all involved and particularly because we know this is not the nature of this young man who has been an advocate of the Haitian community and a big part of our fund-raising efforts for Haiti."
CIA responds to WikiLeaks: WTF
It's no secret that WikiLeaks' cable document dumps have caused ripples of concerns and speculation about how well the United States can keep secrets - its own and those of other countries.
It's been embarrassing to both U.S. diplomats and foreign leaders mentioned in the cables, but there haven't been any bombshells from the small percentage of documents released so far. The CIA, known for its ability to keep secrets, is taking no chances of being pulled further into the fray. The CIA has only been mentioned a few times in the cables, and has not been hit nearly as hard as other agencies and diplomats, but it does not appear willing to wait on the sidelines.
And it has an answer for WikiLeaks: WTF. Seriously.
Navy contract means jobs for northern Wisconsin, Michigan
The short-term spending bill that President Obama signed Wednesday includes approval of a Navy contract to buy 10 specialized combat ships from a builder in northern Wisconsin.
Marinette Marine of Marinette, Wisconsin, will built 10 littoral (close-to-shore) combat ships at no more than $480 million apiece, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported.
The contract will directly generate about 1,000 shipbuilding jobs in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and thousands more with suppliers and subcontractors, Kimberly Martinez, a spokeswoman for main contractor Lockheed Martin, told the Detroit Free Press.
School wants to fire teacher who worked as stripper, but says that's not why
A high school teacher in Michigan is fighting for her livelihood after school officials learned she once took a part-time job as an exotic dancer. But school officials say her performance as a school employee, not as a stripper, is what got her in trouble.
Susan Brennan, 42, took the job while on medical leave in 2006 when she and her then-husband were going through serious financial problems, CNN affiliate WOOD-TV reported.
Officials with West Ottawa Public Schools in Holland, Michigan, have suspended Brennan with pay and filed 10 charges with the school board at Monday's board meeting. However, the charges - filed in a request for a tenure hearing - pertain only to her performance in the classroom, not on the stage, the Grand Rapids Press reported.
"The charges last night were based on her teaching competency and professionalism in the classroom," school board president Scott VanderStoep told the paper Tuesday.
Brennan said people need to be compassionate and understand that many women become exotic dancers out of desperation.
"If any good can come out of this, it would be that people understand why women work in those clubs," she said.
Wednesday's Intriguing People
Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayi
The recently engaged couple lost $800,000 in winnings on the game show "Million Dollar Money Drop" this week when they gave what they were told was a wrong answer to a question. Turns out they might have been correct after all.
Host Kevin Pollak asked, "Which of these was sold in stores first:" the Macintosh computer, the Sony Walkman or Post-it Notes? Okoye and Mayi answered Post-it Notes, and the host told them that they were wrong. After the episode, debate raged on the Web about whether the couple were actually right.
On Gawker.com, blogger Richard Lawson wrote that apparently, Post-it Notes "didn't go on sale nationally until 1980, but were market tested in four cities starting in 1977." The Walkman debuted in 1979.
The issue is how the question was phrased. The question did not say "sold in stores nationally" but simply "sold in stores."
Ah, the eternal question could plague the couple forever: Which came first, the Post-it Note or the Walkman?
SI.com: Boise State tries again, UConn nabs record win
Oh, what could have been for Boise State? College football's most notorious underdog, and most debated team, came within two Kyle Brotzman chip-shots of going undefeated this season and receiving a BCS berth to the Rose Bowl.
Instead, the kicker's two field-goal attempts were painfully missed, Boise State lost to Nevada and the one-loss Broncos plummeted to where most people go when they fall on hard times: Las Vegas. But not all is lost. No. 10 Boise State attempts to salvage its BCS-busted season tonight when they take on No. 20 Utah in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). It's a chance for seniors like Titus Young and Austin Pettis to go out on a winning note, but it's also hard to ignore what Boise State is missing out on after a season that seemed like one of destiny. SI.com's Stewart Mandel previews the game and breaks down why he thinks the Broncos can bounce back and break the Utes' nine-game bowl winning streak.
In addition to the Las Vegas Bowl, here's what to watch tonight (all times Eastern):
No. 18 Texas at No. 12 Michigan State (7 p.m. ESPN2) Spartans coach Tom Izzo returns from a one-game suspension to put the school's 52-game non-conference home winning streak up on the line against the Longhorns.
Two firefighters dead, 14 injured after roof collapse
[Updated at 11:27 a.m. ET] Two firefighters were killed and 14 others were injured after a building that was on fire collapsed, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman told CNN.
The two firefighters died from injuries they suffered while fighting the blaze.
Four firefighters remain in serious condition, spokesman Larry Langford said.
Were you there? Share your images with iReport
[Updated at 10:22 a.m. ET] All firefighters are accounted for after a roof collapse at a fire on East 75th near Stony Island on Chicago's southside this morning, Larry Langford with Chicago Fire told CNN.
Several firefighters were trapped in the collapse. A dozen firefighters have been transported to local hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious. There are no confirmed fatalities at this point.
[Updated at 9:29 a.m. ET] Firefighters are using everything at their disposal to try to reach two colleagues that remain trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building in Chicago.
Video from the scene shows firefighters literally pulling brick-by-brick from the ground, filling white buckets with debris, lifting material on metal structures and trying to sift through as much material as they can while the snow continues to fall in Chicago.
[Updated at 9:10 a.m. ET] Dozens of firefighters are at the scene of a vacant building collapse searching through the lot's now-completely demolished structure for two of their colleagues who remain trapped inside.
On the Radar: Koreas tension, 'don't ask' repealed, rain causing SoCal emergency
Concern on Korean peninsula - Tensions rippled across the Korean peninsula as South Korea geared up for its largest land and air winter drills Wednesday. The maneuvers, which are planned for Thursday, are being choreographed in the shadow of the South's reclusive, tough-talking communist neighbor. (Above: South Korean marines patrol on the island of Yeonpyeong near disputed waters of the Yellow Sea on Wednesday.)
The South Korean army said Wednesday that the long-planned live-fire drills will be held just 15 miles from its longtime adversary North Korea, whose nuclear aspirations strike worry in Seoul and in capitals across the world. Meanwhile, North Korea is retaliating for a November artillery attack by launching a "fax attack" on South Korea, an official said Wednesday.
And CNN's Wolf Blitzer reports on his six-day trip to North Korea: "This is a tinderbox. One miscalculation can quickly lead to all-out war and hundreds of thousands of ... casualties."
"Don't ask, don't tell" - President Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law Wednesday, ending a policy enacted in 1993 that banned openly gay and lesbian soldiers from military service. The changes won't be immediate, possibly taking several months to implement, the White House has said.
Gotta Watch: Holiday double-take; Haiti quake; $27B museum; 'Conan' redux
Hang in there, guy – This video conjures up images from National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation." CNN affiliate WPRI shows us one guy's Christmas display that would make even Clark Griswold tremble.
President signs bill to repeal military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy
President Barack Obama has signed a bill that will lead to the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning gay and lesbian service members from openly serving in the U.S. military.
Follow CNN's coverage of "don't ask, don't tell"
South Korea says it will hold large land and air drills Thursday
Tensions rippled across the Korean peninsula as South Korea geared up for its largest land and air winter drills on Thursday, maneuvers choreographed in the shadow of its reclusive tough-talking communist neighbor.
The South Korean army said Wednesday that the long-planned drills will be held just 15 miles from its longtime adversary North Korea, whose nuclear aspirations strike worry in Seoul and in capitals across the world.
More than 800 military personnel will take part in the exercise in Pocheon, a media officer from the South Korean army said, and it will include six fighter jets, anti-tank missiles, and involve more than 100 types of weapons.
FULL STORY
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