Top 8 today

Top eight stories for today including the Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases arising from public officials blocking critical commenters on their social media accounts; Fox News parted ways with its most popular host; California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis she will run for governor in 2026, and more.

National

High court to decide if officials can block critics on social media

The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear two cases arising from public officials blocking critical commenters on their social media accounts, after the Sixth and Ninth Circuits reached different conclusions on whether the constituents' free speech rights were violated.

The mobile phone apps for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are shown on a device in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

After Fox News ousts Tucker Carlson, GOP lawmakers circle the wagons

The future of Fox News drew speculation from both sides of the aisle Monday in the hours after the network abruptly announced that it had parted ways with its most popular host.

Tucker Carlson, host of "Tucker Carlson Tonight," poses in a Fox News studio in New York on March 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

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High court takes a dim view of tribal collection efforts

The Supreme Court gave poor odds Monday to a Chippewa tribe being sued by a man who says he tried to kill himself after being hounded over an unpaid loan with a 108% annual interest rate.

Legal fallout from prison assault case puts justices at odds

A prison official fighting liability for an inmate's assault urged the Supreme Court on Monday to restore his appeal.

The Supreme Court is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 14, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

No timetable on return of US diplomats to war-torn Sudan

U.S. diplomats are stressing that their withdrawal from Sudan is temporary, but it's unclear when personnel will return to the country.

This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows fires and destroyed market stalls in a commercial area of northern Khartoum, Sudan, on April 18, 2023. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Regional

Eleni Kounalakis launches 2026 California gubernatorial bid

California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis announced Monday she will run for governor in 2026 when incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom finishes his second and final term.

California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who was acting governor for the day, signs a bill extending eviction relief. (Office of the Governor of California photo via Courthouse News)

Feds reach $2M settlement with Alabama county over sexual hostility in jail

Justice Department reached a draft settlement agreement with Mobile County, Alabama, over claims of sexual harassment against female jail guards.

For more than a decade, female guards at the Mobile County Metro Jail in Alabama claim they were frequent targets of sexual hostility by male inmates, while administrators did little to stop it. The Department of Justice reached a draft settlement agreement with the Mobile County Sheriff's Office on April 21, 2023 to resolve the claims. (Gabriel Tynes/Courthouse News)

International

Tensions rise in Denmark over Russian boats in Faroese waters

In the wake of revelations that Russia has likely been conducting secret military operations and surveillance in Arctic waters for years, the leader of the Danish Conservative People's Party sounded the alarm and called the situation unacceptable.

The Faroe Islands have a wild and rough nature. Like most of the island's small towns, Tjørnuvik, seen here, is located on its own close to the seaside. (Mie Olsen/Courthouse News)

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