In newly disclosed documents, federal researchers find that cannabis may have medical uses and is less likely to cause harm than drugs like heroin.
![Federal scientists recommend easing restrictions on marijuana](https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/pictrs/image/aece8382-b044-44f3-8603-6b0fd4089d65.png?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
He was one of several officers who had their police disciplinary cases deferred this week until they've gone through the criminal system.
![MANDEL: Toronto cop accused of relationship with sex trafficking victim](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/00454591-3ed2-4b4e-9e20-530d1a965763.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
A Toronto Police officer is accused of carrying on a secret, longtime affair with a sex trafficking victim he met on the beat – a relationship that allegedly included a booty call at a motel and sexually explicit photos sent on his police-issued phone.
Const. Michael Harris made his first appearance this week before the Toronto Police disciplinary tribunal where he faces five charges under the Police Services Act. But he was told his case would have to be postponed until his criminal charges are resolved first.
And his wasn’t the only one.
At the tribunal this week, case after case had to be marked “sine die” – legalese for adjourned without a new date – due to an ongoing criminal case involving each officer. It wasn’t a good look for Toronto’s finest.
In September, Harris, 37, was criminally charged with breach of trust for an “inappropriate” relationship but no further details were released. Now with his Police Services Act charges, we’ve learned more about his alleged 20-month clandestine relationship with a “vulnerable” woman identified as A.B.
According to the notice of hearing, the 31 Division officer was working with a partner when they allegedly first met the sex worker who was addicted to drugs thanks to her pimp. After building a rapport with A.B., Harris helped her in August 2021 to come forward with information about her pimp and he arranged an introduction to investigators with the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team.
“You were aware of her personal circumstances and resulting vulnerability; despite that, you became involved in a personal relationship with her that spanned from September 2021 to May 2023,” the notice alleges.
“You sent A.B. sexually explicit images of yourself on multiple occasions. On occasion, A.B. sent intimate images of herself to you.”
On May 16, 2023, police allege Harris finished his shift at 7 p.m. and contacted A.B. to see her.
“A.B. was at a motel room in Vaughan and you sent her an e-transfer for $25 from your personal bank account so she could extend her room stay. You met A.B. at the motel and engaged in a sexual act with her; you left shortly thereafter.”
The allegations contend Harris met with A.B. for official police business during this lengthy period but didn’t disclose his relationship to the other officers present or inform his supervisor of the apparent conflict of interest.
“Furthermore, you told A.B. not to say anything to anyone about your relationship,” the notice alleges.
She also wasn’t the only one he was sexting on his company phone, police allege.
According to the notice of hearing, an examination of Harris’s phone seized during the investigation revealed a series of sexually explicit images sent to others – including photos and a video to “C.D.” via WhatsApp in April 2023 and another sexually explicit photo to “E.F.” in June 2023.
None of the allegations have been proven.
Also before the tribunal was Andrew Davis, who was charged by the SIU in September with aggravated assault and one count of discharging a firearm with intent to maim, wound, disfigure or endanger life after a man holding a knife was shot twice.
Davis also faces Police Services Act charges stemming from the incident for allegedly failing to use de-escalation techniques in February 2023 when a man began engaging in self harm “at which point you discharged two rounds from your service pistol. Both rounds struck D.F.,” the notice says.
“At the time of discharging your firearm there was no risk of bodily harm or death to any member of the public other than D.F. Your use of force was also contrary to Service Governance.”
Also seeing their tribunal case deferred until the criminal process is completed was Const. Andrew Corkill, who faces criminal charges of fraud and breach of trust for over-billing paid duty customers, Const. Stephen Adjei-Bediako who’s been charged with over 80 and Const. Robert Konashewych who was convicted last year of defrauding a vulnerable man’s estate of $831,000.
In the meantime, all of the officers remain suspended with pay, except for Konashewych who is currently suspended without pay and out bail appealing his criminal conviction.
The Ivy league is tolerating and enabling anti-semitism against Jewish students, a complaint alleges.
![Jewish students sue Harvard over 'rampant' anti-semitism](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/31bc2a27-4ce4-4991-91aa-37d54c5bdea3.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Harvard University has been sued by Jewish students alleging it "has become a bastion of rampant anti-Jewish hatred and harassment".
The complaint alleges the Ivy League school is violating the civil rights of its Jewish students by tolerating and enabling discrimination on its campus.
It comes just over a week after its president, Claudine Gay, resigned in part over her handling of antisemitism.
Harvard has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
The complaint, filed on Wednesday night, argues that Jewish students have been "subjected to a severe and pervasive antisemitic hostile educational environment" that have worsened since Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel.
It claims that Harvard students and faculty members have harassed, intimidated and assaulted Jewish students in classrooms, in on-campus activities and on social media, including by calling for the murder of Jews and the destruction of Israel.
"What is most striking about all of this is Harvard's abject failure and refusal to lift a finger to stop and deter this outrageous antisemitic conduct and penalize the students and faculty who perpetrate it," the complaint states.
The claimants - a student at Harvard Divinity School and a group called Students Against Antisemitism, which include students at Harvard's law and public health schools - allege that antisemitism on campus "manifests itself in a double standard".
Harvard, they say, "selectively enforces its policies to avoid protecting Jewish students from harassment, hires professors who support anti-Jewish violence and spread antisemitic propaganda, and ignores Jewish students' pleas for protection", while disciplining those who engage in racism, transphobia and other forms of discrimination.
The complaint seeks monetary damages and an injunction to stop Harvard's alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars those who receive federal funds from allowing discrimination based on race.
The court filing was made by the Kasowitz Benson Torres law firm, which has launched similar lawsuits at New York University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Harvard has been under fire in the months since the Hamas attack, with the US education department and the House of Representatives both opening investigations into its handling of antisemitism on campus.
Last week, Claudine Gay - the university's first black president - resigned following criticisms of her response to anti-semitism on campus, and allegations that she plagiarised parts of her academic work. She faced a firestorm of criticism over her December testimony before Congress, in which she failed to explicitly say that calls for the genocide of Jews violated university policy.
An Illinois man claims he was boarded in his apartment after landlords determined there was an “imminent safety risk” and blocked doors.
![Illinois Apartment Buildings Board Up Units Over ‘Imminent Safety Risk’ — With People Still Inside, Tenants Claim](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/359e6b7b-5914-4bbe-94ae-a394b07e9ca6.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
The massive increase coincided with just a two percent decrease in serious crime.
![The NYPD Spent $150 Million to Catch Farebeaters Who Cost the MTA $104,000 - Hell Gate](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/dc04090d-c347-4def-bbb7-fdb8e55b1c35.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Between buyouts, obesity drugs and neuroscience progress, biotech stocks stand to gain.
![It's Been An Abysmal Two Years. But Biotech Is Looking Up.](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/9301d0d4-afee-47b1-88ac-88a87b339493.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
People are mixing business with pleasure on the career networking site. What could possibly go wrong?
![Wait, has LinkedIn become a dating app?](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/ba68a58f-fec4-4f78-bb8a-3ede6036caee.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Trump supporters suggested papers released this week put the former president in the clear.
![Fact Check: Do Jeffrey Epstein documents "exonerate" Donald Trump?](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/5f2370a8-585a-4656-9c8d-7d758103f2a2.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Greene appeared in an ad for Stop Socialism Now PAC and solicited contributions for the organization in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, according to the FEC.
![Marjorie Taylor Greene Fined $12,000 For Alleged Illegal Super PAC Solicitations](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/dc4fce8b-f923-4274-9c97-24669ae639b7.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
The judge said Giuliani did not specify why he needs more time than the four months already allotted, and he said Giuliani’s attorneys were misleading in a recent filing.
![Judge denies Rudy Giuliani’s request to extend deadlines in Georgia election case](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/10c85656-bdc7-45c9-93ba-6b79787c1eea.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
MONTREAL — The majority of the 23 people aboard a bus involved in a deadly crash in Upstate New York on Friday were Canadian citizens, officials in the state have confirmed.
![Fatal New York bus crash: officials say most people on board were Canadian](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/889e162e-1d26-4cdc-a14e-6462a1116fc8.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday that a "soft landing" in the U.S. economy was now underway and a sustained period of low inflation and rising wages was needed for Americans "to feel good about their future...
![Yellen says US ‘soft landing’ underway, low inflation, wage growth to spur confidence](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/7272b87e-6bae-4ff1-b512-27f57d02f8e7.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
The Missouri Republican said he wrote the warning to ‘remind people of how severe this is’
![Missouri’s top election official threatens to remove Biden from 2024 ballot](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/f5af8baa-e665-47e2-8577-41f3753136fb.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
A Yale professor has filed a federal gender discrimination lawsuit against a prominent Harlem church after it did not hire her for its senior pastor job.
![Prominent Black church in New York sued for gender bias by woman who sought to be its senior pastor](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/08c5053f-f20c-4f44-b0e4-6913623a54df.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
President Joe Biden learned of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization this week several days after the fact and received no advance notice from Pentagon officials, people familiar with the matter said.
![Biden Was in Dark for Days on Defense Secretary’s Hospital Stay](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/9650b897-52ed-4ad6-8f30-d0ef66b19871.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Trump: Civil War didn't need to happen, could have been "negotiated." At a campaign event in Iowa today, former President Donald Trump...
![Trump: Civil War didn't need to happen, could have been "negotiated"](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/92b2ee04-5f8a-4469-aff1-05c1964c3859.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
It’s unclear whether kids exposed to chromium are at risk for serious health problems. Information on the effects of eating food contaminated with chromium is limited.
![Lead-contaminated applesauce pouches also contained chromium, FDA says](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/620a0ec2-372c-4d6d-82ab-8d35dc861e27.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
The former president reportedly became \
![Obama urged Biden to beef up campaign amid worries about Trump strength in polls: report](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/8ed9c59d-d7f1-480d-b1d7-0ab35e4b152a.jpeg?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Robert Kiyosaki, a best-selling author and seasoned investor, has a distinct philosophy on debt and investment. In a Nov. 30 Instagram reel, Kiyosaki elaborated on his debt philosophy, highlighting a critical distinction between assets and liabilities. He said many people use debt to buy liabilities...
!['Rich Dad, Poor Dad's' Robert Kiyosaki Says He's $1.2 Billion In Debt Because 'If I Go Bust, The Bank Goes Bust. Not My Problem'](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/ea7c5039-366b-4968-834a-ab51fdbab18d.png?format=webp&thumbnail=256)
Oh wow celebrities on the internet!?!?! no thanks
Canadian film credit wins again. eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh