Top 8 today

Top eight stories for today including the far-right tide in European politics continued to spread; The First Amendment cornerstone that allows journalists to keep sources anonymous was put to the test; Minnesota's Democratic governor signed a cannabis legalization bill into law, and more.

National

Political cudgel hangs above McCarthy after debt compromise

Critical of the deal on the debt ceiling that's been struck with the White House, Republican lawmakers say they can wield the same leverage they used to install Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House to strip him of his party leadership.

The draft of a bill that President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., negotiated to raise the nation's debt ceiling, is photographed Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Fox News pushes to quash subpoena that could unmask source

The First Amendment cornerstone that allows journalists to keep sources anonymous was put to the test on Tuesday as a federal judge considered a subpoena in a case where a scholar's ties to China drew an FBI probe.

The E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse, home of the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. (Jack Rodgers/Courthouse News Service)

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Regional

Ghost gun maker agrees to pay LA $5 million and abide by new regulations

Polymer80, the nation's largest producer of at-home gun assembly kits — sometimes called "ghost guns" because they typically come without serial numbers and are impossible to trace — agreed to pay $5 million in penalties to settle a civil suit, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney's office.

A kit sold by Polymer80 for an unfinished receiver to assemble an AR-15 style rifle, selling for $80 (Polymer80 website)

Minnesota governor signs cannabis legalization bill

Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Walz signed a cannabis legalization bill into law early Tuesday afternoon, making the state the 23rd to legalize marijuana for recreational use starting Aug. 1.

Marijuana plants grow at a Minnesota Medical Solutions greenhouse in Otsego, Minn., on May 5, 2015. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP, File)

San Diego calls housing a human right but may soon ban tent encampments

The San Diego City Council will soon vote on whether to ban tent encampments if shelter space is available. But what will that mean for people living on the streets?

A woman talks to San Diego Police officer Nick Medina as a group of nonprofit workers who help with encampment sweeps, bag up and throw away some of their belongings in downtown San Diego on May 19, 2023 (Sam Ribakoff/Courthouse News Service).

International

Local elections in Spain and Italy confirm right-wing tide in Europe

The conservative and far-right tide in European politics continues to spread, with regional and municipal elections on Sunday and Monday in Spain and Italy resulting in liberal and left-wing parties on the retreat and losing strongholds.

Maria Iturriaga, 88, prepares to cast her vote at a polling station during regional elections in Olite, northern Spain, on Sunday, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)

Kosovo on edge after 30 NATO peacekeepers injured

Fears of armed conflict breaking out in the Balkans over the disputed territory of Kosovo are back after 30 NATO peacekeepers were injured in violent protests Monday by Serbs angry over the swearing-in of Albanian Kosovar mayors in Serb-dominated towns.

NATO soldiers and Kosovo police officers guard a municipal building in Zvecan, northern Kosovo, on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, a day after clashes between ethnic Serbs and troops from the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force. (AP Photo/Dejan Simicevic)

Russians flee to Belgrade in search of safety

As many as 200,000 Russians have arrived in Serbia’s capital since Putin invaded Ukraine and called up more troops. They’re seeking a new life in one of the few European countries friendly to Russians fleeing their homeland.

Belgrade, Serbia, seen from the Belgrade Fortress. (Mie Olsen/Courthouse News)

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