Top eight today

Top eight stories for today including the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Maine health care workers fighting a Covid-19 vaccine mandate; A repentant Capitol rioter earned kind words and a sentence of probation from a federal judge; President Biden kicked off a round of high-level talks with other world leaders, and more.

National

High court refuses to block Maine vaccine mandate for health workers

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Maine health care workers fighting a Covid-19 vaccine mandate that went into effect Friday.

A registered nurse fills a syringe with the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site in Staten Island, New York, in April 2021. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Two Capitol rioters get probation, skirting prison recommendations

A repentant Capitol rioter earned kind words and a sentence of probation Friday from the chief federal judge for the District of Columbia.

Prosecutors included this photo of Leonard Gruppo in his Army uniform in a court filing ahead of his sentencing for participation in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol. (Image via Courthouse News)

EPA’s power to curb greenhouse gases faces Supreme Court scrutiny

The Supreme Court announced Friday afternoon it will hear challenges from coal companies and Republican-led states to the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

The Dave Johnson coal-fired power plant is silhouetted against the morning sun in Glenrock, Wyo., in 2018. (J. David Ake/AP)

EPA looking to retool outdated smog standards

The Environmental Protection Agency will once again review air quality standards for smog, the agency alerted the D.C. Circuit on Friday — a review which is long overdue, according to 17 states and a group of environmental and health organizations that have sued the agency for leaving the outdated 2015 standards in place.

(Image by lebierre from Pixabay via Courthouse News)

Regional

Halloween approaching, Vermont judge dispels goblins attacking First Amendment

As All Hallows Eve crept nigh, an old ghost returned to the sixth floor of the federal courthouse in Burlington. As soon as it appeared, however, a diminutive figure with auburn hair and a black robe dispelled it with musing and a truth spell.

The fall foliage in New England as Halloween approaches. (Bill Girdner/Courthouse News)

House Republican calls it quits after approval of new Illinois districts

Less than 12 hours after the Illinois House of Representatives approved the state's new congressional district map that eliminates one seat, GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger announced he would not seek reelection in 2022.

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., speaks before a House hearing in July 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)

Austinites set to vote on putting more cops on the street

Texas’ capital city made strides to reallocate funding in the wake of anti-police brutality protests. Now voters get the chance to change direction and put more officers on the force.

A recruitment banner hangs on the side of the Austin Police Department in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 19, 2021. (Kirk McDaniel/Courthouse News)

International

Biden meets pope, Macron ahead of G20, climate talks

President Joe Biden on Friday kicked off what could be a difficult and disappointing round of high-level talks with other world leaders meeting in Europe to tackle the crises of climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Pope Francis as they meet at the Vatican on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. (Vatican Media via AP)

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