Top eight today

Top eight stories for today including the EU’s top court ordered Poland to pay 1 million euros a day unless it rescinds controversial judicial reforms; Progressive and moderate Democrats are still at odds over President Biden’s spending package; A water outage at the San Jose federal courthouse postponed the Elizabeth Holmes trial, and more.

National

New tax on wealthy Americans drives wedge at spending bill finish line

Before President Joe Biden heads to Europe for a series of summits and high-stakes meetings on the climate, to say nothing of smoothing over America's worst diplomatic strife with France in decades, turmoil over his long-suffering spending package may require a trip first to Capitol Hill.

Sens. Joe Manchin, center, and Kyrsten Sinema, far left, leave a meeting Wednesday on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

State secrets privilege will quash suit with Saudi spymaster

A federal judge signed off Wednesday on letting the U.S. government protect what it claims are state secrets in a case where the former spymaster of Saudi Arabia said, as part of his defense, he needs to describe how the two nations collaborated on counterterrorism operations.

This screenshot from an April 14 hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee shows Avril Haines giving testimony. (Image via Courthouse News)

Florida federal judge moves Trump lawsuit against Twitter to California court

Former President Donald Trump is not exempt from a binding clause in Twitter’s terms of service which requires his lawsuit against the social media giant to be moved to California federal court, a Florida federal judge ruled.

Then-President Donald Trump's Twitter feed is seen on a computer screen in 2017. (J. David Ake/AP)

Regional

Water outage delays Elizabeth Holmes trial on fraud charges

A water outage at the federal courthouse in downtown San Jose postponed the Elizabeth Holmes trial Wednesday and prolonged the testimony of Lisa Peterson, a wealth manager for the wealthy DeVos family.

Elizabeth Holmes walks into the United States Federal Courthouse in San Jose, California, on Aug. 31, 2021. (Nic Coury/AP)

Wisconsin justices probe use of subpoenas to get suppressed blood test results in DUI case

The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday weighed the question of whether prosecutors can use a subpoena to get blood test results they believe will prove someone guilty of drunk driving if a warrantless blood test taken the same night had already been suppressed as evidence.

Wisconsin Supreme Court justices and attorneys participate in a hearing over the use of subpoenas to acquire previously suppressed evidence on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (Image via Courthouse News)

Jury: Immigrant detainees working at for-profit prison owed minimum wage

A federal jury in Washington state found immigrant detainees in a voluntary work program at a for-profit ICE processing facility are employees under state law and deserve minimum wage.

International

Court slaps $1.2M daily fine on Poland in rule-of-law fight

Poland's refusal to abide to European Union court rulings may become extremely expensive after the bloc's top court on Wednesday ordered Warsaw to pay 1 million euros a day unless it rescinds controversial judicial reforms.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Poland's President Andrzej Duda shake hands before a working lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (Michel Euler/AP)

US argues Assange’s extradition won’t harm his health

The United States sought to get a British high court on Wednesday to reconsider a lower court judge's decision to block the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on espionage charges due to his poor mental state.

A poster of Julian Assange is attached to an entrance gate outside the High Court in London on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (Frank Augstein/AP)

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