US Domestic News Roundup: Cyrus Vance, the Manhattan prosecutor who probed Trump, joins law firm; Lawmakers urge U.S. Olympic officials to defend outspoken athletes at Beijing Games and more

The McMichaels were sentenced to life in prison without parole by a state judge on Jan. 7, while it was ruled that Bryan could seek parole after 30 years in prison. Nine dead, including children, after a six-car crash in Las Vegas Nine people died and six were injured after a six-car crash in north Las Vegas on Saturday when a Dodge Challenger traveling at a "high rate of speed" ran through a red light and crashed with multiple vehicles at an intersection.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Cyrus Vance, the Manhattan prosecutor who probed Trump, joins law firm

Cyrus Vance Jr, whose 12 years as Manhattan district attorney was notable for a criminal probe into Donald Trump's business as well as high-profile sex crime cases, is joining the law firm Baker McKenzie as a partner. Vance, 67, was named global chair of the firm's cybersecurity practice. He will also join the firm's North American litigation and government enforcement practice and its global compliance practice.

Lawmakers urge U.S. Olympic officials to defend outspoken athletes at Beijing Games

Lawmakers on Monday urged U.S. Olympic officials to prepare to defend American athletes from possible Chinese government retaliation should they choose to speak out about China's rights abuses during next month's Beijing Winter Olympics. A Chinese official told reporters in January that any behavior against the Olympic spirit, and "especially against Chinese laws and regulations" would be subject to punishment.

Exclusive-U.S. diabetes deaths top 100,000 for second straight year, federal panel urges new strategy

More than 100,000 Americans died from diabetes in 2021, marking the second consecutive year for that grim milestone and spurring a call for a federal mobilization similar to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The new figures come as an expert panel urges Congress to overhaul diabetes care and prevention, including recommendations to move beyond a reliance on medical interventions alone. A report released earlier this month calls for far broader policy changes to stem the diabetes epidemic, such as promoting consumption of healthier foods, ensuring paid maternal leave from the workplace, levying taxes on sugary drinks and expanding access to affordable housing, among other areas.

U.S. helps fund California port project as export delays hurt food makers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Sunday it will help fund a new container yard for agricultural exports at California's Port of Oakland, as the government, ports and food companies scramble to ease costly shipping delays. The multimillion-dollar project is set to open in March, and officials said it could be replicated elsewhere.

U.S. Supreme Court nominee will meet with Republicans, top Democrat says

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, is reaching out to Republicans to assure them they will have the chance to meet with President Joe Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court, he said on Sunday. Durbin, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would conduct a confirmation hearing for Biden's eventual nominee to the top U.S. court, said he had already spoken with Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican.

U.S. prosecutors reach hate-crime plea deals in Ahmaud Arbery murder -court filings

U.S. federal prosecutors have reached plea agreements with two of the three white men facing federal hate-crimes charges for the 2020 murder of Black man Ahmaud Arbery, according to court filings. The three men - Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan - were convicted last November in a Brunswick, Georgia state court of murdering the 25-year-old Arbery. The McMichaels were sentenced to life in prison without parole by a state judge on Jan. 7, while it was ruled that Bryan could seek parole after 30 years in prison.

Nine dead, including children, after a six-car crash in Las Vegas

Nine people died and six were injured after a six-car crash in north Las Vegas on Saturday when a Dodge Challenger traveling at a "high rate of speed" ran through a red light and crashed with multiple vehicles at an intersection. The driver of the Dodge Challenger was among the dead, police said, adding that "speed is a factor" in the crash that took place on Saturday afternoon.

More than 1,400 U.S. flights canceled by winter storm in Northeast

More than 1,400 U.S. flights were canceled on Sunday after the nation's northeast states were walloped a day earlier by a deadly winter storm that prompted several states to declare emergencies. The total number of flight cancellations within, into, or out of the United States was about 1,450 as of Sunday afternoon, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.com. Another 1,774 U.S.-related flights were delayed, the data showed.

At a California hospital, Omicron leaves staff exhausted in body, and sometimes spirit

Alexandria Scott rests her head in her hand at the emergency room reception and hopes the worst is over after the COVID-19 Omicron variant swept into her Orange County, California, hospital. "It's been crazy," said the 26-year-old technician as patients lie on seats a few feet away at Providence Mission Hospital Mission Viejo, waiting for beds. "We have had literally 24-hour wait times, 18-hour wait times, and it's just people after people coming in."

Deal on Russia sanctions bill possible this week - U.S. senators

U.S. senators are very close to reaching a deal on legislation to sanction Russia over its actions on Ukraine, including some measures that may take effect before any invasion, two leading senators said on Sunday. Senators Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and James Risch, its top Republican, hoped to move forward on the bill this week.

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