US Domestic News Roundup: 'Trump fatigue' in New Hampshire complicates 2024 White House bid; Biden attacks Republicans over 'mind-boggling' debt ceiling threat and more

Harris will be joined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, along with other representatives from state and local government, water utilities, labor leaders, NGOs, and the private sector, a White House official said. Two to be sentenced for roles in Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol police officer Two men will be sentenced on Friday for their roles in the pepper-spray assault of a U.S. Capitol police officer who died the day after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, whose family are asking the judge to impose the harshest possible penalty on his attackers.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. says it 'hacked the hackers' to bring down ransomware gang, helping 300 victims

The FBI on Thursday revealed it had secretly hacked and disrupted a prolific ransomware gang called Hive, a maneuver that allowed the bureau to thwart the group from collecting more than $130 million in ransomware demands from more than 300 victims. At a news conference, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Deputy U.S. Attorney General Lisa Monaco said government hackers broke into Hive's network and put the gang under surveillance, surreptitiously stealing the digital keys the group used to unlock victim organizations' data.

'Trump fatigue' in New Hampshire complicates 2024 White House bid

When Donald Trump trounced his Republican rivals in New Hampshire's 2016 primary, the stunning win announced to other states the reality TV showman was a serious contender. Trump went on to capture the Republican nomination and then the White House. But as the former president kicks off his bid to recapture the White House in 2024 with a speech in New Hampshire on Saturday - his first event in an early primary state - he will find the political landscape more treacherous than he did six years ago, according to party activists, members and strategists in the state.

Memphis braces for video of fatal police encounter with Black motorist

The police department in the city of Memphis was set on Friday to release body-camera video of a violent confrontation between a Black motorist and five police officers charged with murder in his death earlier this month. In a Tennessee grand jury indictment returned on Thursday, the five officers, all Black, were each charged with second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression in the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old father.

Biden attacks Republicans over 'mind-boggling' debt ceiling threat

President Joe Biden cast Republicans as representing the party of "chaos and catastrophe" on Thursday and sharply criticized their refusal to approve an increase in the U.S. debt ceiling unless they get a deal on spending cuts. In an impassioned speech at a steamfitters union hall in Virginia, Biden launched attack after attack on Republicans who control the U.S. House of Representatives, saying some of their proposals are dangerous for the American economy.

Five ex-Memphis police officers charged with murder in death of Tyre Nichols

Five former Memphis police officers were charged on Thursday with murder in the death of a Black motorist, Tyre Nichols, from injuries he sustained in a violent encounter following a traffic stop, prosecutors said. Nichols, a 29-year-old father, died while hospitalized on Jan. 10, three days after the confrontation during his arrest by the five police officers.

Judge blocks sale of machine gun converters after U.S. sues

The U.S. Department of Justice said it has obtained a court order blocking two firearms companies from imperiling public safety by illegally selling devices to convert AR-15 style rifles into machine guns. U.S. District Judge Nina Morrison in Brooklyn on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order against Rare Breed Triggers LLC and Rare Breed Firearms LLC, and their owners Lawrence DeMonico and Kevin Maxwell.

Anti-abortion protesters break into Walgreens AGM meeting room

Anti-abortion protesters broke into the room where Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc held its annual shareholders meeting in Newport Coast, California on Thursday for its decision to start selling abortion pills, the pharmacy chain said. Walgreens and CVS Health Corp said on Jan. 4 that they plan to offer abortion pills following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug in the country for the first time.

VP Harris hosts White House summit to replace lead pipes

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will host a summit at the White House on Friday to speed up the removal of lead pipes across America - an issue she has previously called a public health crisis. Harris will be joined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, along with other representatives from state and local government, water utilities, labor leaders, NGOs, and the private sector, a White House official said.

Two to be sentenced for roles in Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol police officer

Two men will be sentenced on Friday for their roles in the pepper-spray assault of a U.S. Capitol police officer who died the day after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, whose family are asking the judge to impose the harshest possible penalty on his attackers. Prosecutors are seeking a 7-1/2 year prison term for Julian Khater, 32, who deployed the pepper spray against Officer Brian Sicknick and two other police officers and pleaded guilty last year to two counts of assaulting police.

U.S. EPA administrator contemplating stepping down -sources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan is considering stepping down, according to four sources familiar with the matter. Regan has been thinking seriously about departing and has been exploring options outside the Biden administration but has not made any decisions, one source said.

(With inputs from agencies.)