Top eight today

Top eight stories for today including California Governor Gavin Newsom chose Fourth Appellate District Justice Patricia Guerrero to fill a seat on the state Supreme Court; The New York Times prevailed against defamation claims brought by Sarah Palin; Tensions over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine soared even higher, and more.

National

Prince Andrew, in disgrace, settles underage sex case with Epstein victim

A month after his ouster from royal life, Britain's Prince Andrew agreed Tuesday to settle a New York civil lawsuit over allegations that he sexually abused a teenage girl trafficked by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Andrew poses with Virginia Giuffre at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell (right), the now-convicted recruiter for Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking ring. (Photo courtesy of Giuffre via Courthouse News)

With Build Back Better on back burner, Dems fire up environmental justice

Facing the all-but-certain death of the $1.85 trillion Build Back Better Act, Democrats are pushing to get parts of their climate agenda formalized into law.

Willow exploration drilling, 30 miles west of Alpine, Alaska. (Image courtesy of ConocoPhillips via Courthouse News)

No defamation: Palin loses suit against NY Times

The New York Times prevailed Tuesday against defamation claims that Sarah Palin brought over an old editorial that improperly connected her to inciting mass murder.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin leaves a courthouse in New York on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, after a judge said he would dismiss her libel lawsuit against The New York Times. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Regional

Newsom chooses Justice Patricia Guerrero for California Supreme Court

Extolling her keen legal mind, experience and integrity, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that he will nominate Fourth Appellate District Justice Patricia Guerrero to replace departing Associate Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar on the state Supreme Court.

The California Supreme Court building in San Francisco. (Maria Dinzeo/Courthouse News)

LA set to launch long-planned overhaul of taxi regulations

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to completely rewrite the city's taxi regulations in an effort to level the playing field with ride-hail apps like Uber and Lyft.

Taxis queuing up to pick up passengers near LAX in Los Angeles (Anthony Quintano / Flickr)

International

Cyberattacks, Russian drills heighten panic as US warns of Ukraine invasion

With United States intelligence sources and top officials claiming Russia may invade Ukraine on Wednesday or before the Winter Olympics end on Sunday, tensions soared even higher on Tuesday as Ukrainian websites were allegedly hit by a powerful cyberattack and Russia's parliament voted to recognize Russia-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

In this photo released on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, Russian army tanks stand ready to move back to their permanent base after drills. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russian energy and Chinese materials drive $11 billion trade deficit in EU

Imported energy and raw materials, as well as trade with China and Russia, drove the European Union’s 10 billion euro ($11.3 billion) trade deficit last year, according to data published by the EU's statistics agency Eurostat on Tuesday.

FILE - In this file photo dated Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, a man wearing a face mask walks over a bridge with the buildings of the banking district in background in Frankfurt, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, FILE)

Lawyer accused of bribing witnesses for Kenyan official put on trial

The criminal trial of a Kenyan lawyer accused of bribing witnesses began before the International Criminal Court on Tuesday.

Paul Gicheru at the opening of his trial at the International Criminal Court on Feb. 15, 2015. (ICC via Courthouse News)

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