Top 8 today

Top eight stories for today including Europe’s top rights court ruled France was justified in prosecuting far-right politician Éric Zemmour; A Texas jury sentenced a former Fort Worth police officer to nearly 12 years in state prison for killing a Black woman during a welfare check; The EPA finalized new clean air standards for large trucks and buses, and more.

National

New rule 20 years in the making aims to cut truck tailpipe pollution

Rolling out its first regulatory update since 2001 for large trucks, delivery vehicles and buses, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized new clean air standards Tuesday designed to cut smog- and soot-forming nitrogen oxide emissions.

Truck drivers stop at a gas station in Emerson, Ga., north of metro Atlanta, to fill up their tractor-trailer rigs on Feb. 11, 2014. (AP Photo/David Tulis, File)

Walmart on hook over claims of heavy metals in spices

A federal judge advanced claims that some products in Walmart's Great Value line of spices may contain toxic heavy metals, and that the retail giant failed to warn customers of those metals and potential health risks.

A woman pulls groceries from a cart her vehicle outside of a Walmart store on March 31, 2020, in Pearl, Mississippi. (Julio Cortez/AP)

Regional

Trademark ensures there’s only one place to ride ‘Champagne Powder’

A Colorado ski resort’s ownership claim for the term “Champagne Powder” dates back to the 1950s.

Steamboat Ski Resort in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. has a trademark on "Champagne Powder" (Murray Foubister via Wikimedia).

Former Texas cop gets nearly 12 years for killing Black woman during welfare check

A Texas jury sentenced former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean to nearly 12 years in state prison Monday for killing a Black woman through her window after not identifying himself as police during a requested welfare check.

Former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean reacts during the sentencing phase of his trial in Tarrant County District Court on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. (Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram via AP, Pool)

Eastern Oregon group readies bid to secede to Idaho

For the last month, nonprofit Citizens for Greater Idaho — on a mission to make Oregon's eastern counties part of Idaho — has been working diligently to gather support in preparation for Oregon’s upcoming legislative session in January.

Greater Idaho spokesperson Matt McCaw, photographed in his backyard on Nov. 21, 2022, has been working with the organization since 2020. (Alanna Madden/Courthouse News)

International

France’s Zemmour can’t upend conviction for inciting hate

Tossing a complaint from Éric Zemmour, Europe’s top rights court ruled Tuesday that France was justified in prosecuting the far-right politician after he made “derogatory and discriminatory” remarks in 2016.

French far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour waves after his first rally in Villepinte, north of Paris, on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021. (Rafael Yaghobzadeh/AP)

EU cuts autumn natural gas consumption by 20%

As autumn temperatures dropped across the European Union, so did natural gas consumption. Between August and November, the EU cut use of the fossil fuel by 20%, according to data published by Eurostat on Tuesday.

Pipe systems and shut-off devices are pictured at a natural gas receiving station in Lubmin, Germany, on Tuesday, Nov 16, 2021. (Stefan Sauer/dpa via AP)

Argentina erupts with wild celebrations after World Cup winners come home

Around 4 million Argentines flooded the streets of Buenos Aires to welcome home their World Cup winning team after a pulsating and dramatic win over France.

The Argentine soccer team shows off their World Cup trophy from a bus as they are welcomed home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. The bus window reads in Spanish "World Champions." (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

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