US News Roundup: U.S. judge denied Trump adviser; Joe Biden seeks reboot and more

E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc bought online advertisements on teen-focused websites for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Seventeen magazine after it launched its product in 2015, according to a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by the Massachusetts attorney general's office. The allegations in the lawsuit, stemming from a more than year-long investigation, contradict repeated claims by Juul executives that the company never intentionally targeted teenagers, even as its products became enormously popular among high-school and middle-school students in recent years.

Joe Biden seeks reboot after a fresh stumble in New Hampshire

Joe Biden's campaign held a victory party in a New Hampshire hotel ballroom on Tuesday evening. But there was no victory. And there was no Joe Biden. Before the polls had even closed, the Democratic presidential hopeful had left New Hampshire, where he ultimately posted a fifth-place finish. The dismal performance came just eight days after the Iowa caucuses, where Biden finished fourth.

Accused El Paso shooter pleads not guilty to hate crime charges

A Texas man pleaded not guilty to 90 federal hate crime charges on Wednesday after he was accused of deliberately targeting people of Mexican heritage in the shooting rampage that killed 22 people at a Walmart store in El Paso last year. Patrick Crusius, 21, entered the not guilty plea in an arraignment waiver document filed after his first appearance in federal court in El Paso, Texas. An arraignment waiver means the defendant is aware of the charges and is entering an initial plea of not guilty.

Harvard and Yale universities investigated for possible non-disclosure of foreign money

The U.S. Department of Education said on Wednesday it has opened an investigation into whether the universities of Harvard and Yale failed to report hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign gifts and contracts as required by law. Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, may not have reported at least $375 million in foreign money over the last four years, the department said in a statement.

U.S. judge denied Trump adviser Stone's request for a new trial: filing

A federal judge has rejected a request by U.S. President Donald Trump ally Roger Stone for a new trial, according to a court filing released on Wednesday, a day after a Justice Department reversal over sentencing prompted prosecutors to resign from the case. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, in a Feb. 5 order, said the Republican operative's lawyers had "not presented grounds for a new trial ... or any reason to believe there has been 'a serious miscarriage of justice.'" Nine U.S.

Lawmakers who were once on food stamps ask Trump not to shrink the program

A handful of U.S. lawmakers have a unique argument for asking President Donald Trump not to slash the food stamp program - they themselves once relied on it. The Republican president this week proposed $15 billion in cuts to the $71 billion Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly called food stamps, as part of his $4.8 trillion budget plan.

Weinstein's defense expected to make its final case to New York jury in rape trial

A lawyer for Harvey Weinstein is expected on Thursday to urge a New York jury to acquit the former Hollywood producer of sexual assault, as the weeks-long trial against Weinstein comes to a close. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013 and to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006.

New York governor signals possible compromise with Trump in immigration spat

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo indicated on Wednesday that he will make concessions to Republican President Donald Trump in a dispute over the state's pro-immigrant "sanctuary" policies. Cuomo, a Democrat, is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House at 3 p.m. (2000 GMT) Thursday, the White House said.

(With inputs from agencies.)