US Domestic News Roundup: Biden nominates Cindy McCain to U.N. post; Britney Spears wants out. What happens next in her conservatorship? and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Biden nominates Cindy McCain to U.N. post

President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated Cindy McCain, widow of the late Republican Senator John McCain, to be U.S. representative to the United Nations agencies for food and agriculture, the White House said. Biden also nominated Jack Markell, the former Democratic governor of his home state of Delaware, to be the U.S. representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the White House statement said.

Britney Spears wants out. What happens next in her conservatorship?

Britney Spears has made clear how frustrated she is with the legal arrangement that has controlled her life for 13 years, but the singer will need patience before finding freedom. Legal experts say that wanting out of a court-appointed conservatorship is easier said than done. Spears, now 39, will have to convice the judge that she is capable of managing her personal affairs and assets worth around $60 million, according to court documents.

U.S. judge blocks $4 billion debt relief program for minority farmers

A U.S. federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked a part of the Biden administration's federal stimulus relief package that forgave agricultural debts to farmers of color. A white farmer named Scott Wynn of Jennings, Florida, in May had challenged U.S. President Joe Biden's plans as he faced farm loans and financial hardship during the pandemic. He said the debt relief program discriminated against him by race.

U.S. weekly jobless claims fall; first quarter GDP unrevised at 6.4%

Fewer Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week as the labor market recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic gains traction amid a reopening economy, but a dearth of willing workers could hinder faster job growth in the near term. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 7,000 a seasonally adjusted 411,000 for the week ended June 19, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Applications increased in the prior week for the first time since late April, with economists attributing the rise to volatility in the aftermath of the May 31 Memorial Day holiday.

One dead, 10 known injured after oceanfront residential building partially collapses near Miami

Hundreds of fire and rescue workers scoured through tons of rubble after a 12-story oceanfront residential building partially collapsed just north of Miami Beach early Thursday, leaving at least one person dead and at least 10 injured, officials said. Dozens of people were evacuated from the building and from a nearby hotel, but it was not known how many more casualties there could be as the search and rescue operation was still continuing, officials said.

Biden to target 'merchants of death' who sell illegal guns, as U.S. homicides spike

President Joe Biden pledged on Wednesday to go after illegal gun dealers and boost federal funding and support for local law enforcement as homicide rates have spiked in large cities. "Merchants of death are breaking the law for profit," Biden said, adding the administration will have "zero tolerance" for rogue firearms dealers https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-justice-department-launch-new-effort-crack-down-firearms-trafficking-2021-06-22 accountable for violating federal laws.

Defying 'defund police' calls, Democrat Adams leads NYC mayor's race

For months, as New York City faced a growing spate of shootings, mayoral candidate Eric Adams delivered the same line at one campaign event after another: "The prerequisite for prosperity is public safety." Adams' message, which included a vow to beef up subway patrols, appears to have resonated with a broad swath of New Yorkers as the United States' most populous city undertakes a tough recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and confronts deep challenges including wealth inequality and police accountability.

U.S. Senate panel to vote on gun control advocate to lead firearms enforcement agency

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday will vote on whether to advance the nomination of gun control advocate David Chipman, President Joe Biden's choice to lead the Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The ATF will play a vital role in Biden's pledge to crack down on a tide of rising violent crime and shootings. Chipman, who has more than two decades of experience as an ATF agent, is expected to face opposition from Republicans on the panel who object to his views including support for a ban on assault weapons.

Biden ousts housing finance chief after U.S. Supreme Court ruling

President Joe Biden on Wednesday fired the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency who had been appointed by his predecessor Donald Trump, acting hours after the U.S. Supreme Court expanded presidential powers to make it easier to oust the agency chief. The court also nixed separate claims brought by shareholders of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - both overseen by the FHFA - challenging a 2012 agreement between the agency and the Treasury Department arising from the government's rescue of the mortgage finance firms following the 2008 financial crisis.

Biden to meet with bipartisan senators to discuss infrastructure plan

President Joe Biden will meet with a bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Thursday to discuss their proposed framework for an infrastructure bill as he looks to push a large-scale spending package through Congress despite Republican opposition.

Members of the group of 21 senators, or "G-21," announced an agreement on a framework on Wednesday after a meeting with White House officials.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)