Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The comments by district court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer came after the armorer charged in the 2021 shooting filed a motion to block appointment of a new special prosecutor after the previous one resigned. Biden calls for assault weapons ban after Nashville shooting U.S. President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban after six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, the White House said.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Judge says 'Rust' district attorney cannot be co-prosecutor

A New Mexico judge on Monday told the district attorney overseeing the "Rust" movie-set shooting case that she could not appoint a new special prosecutor and remain on the case herself, marking another potential setback for the prosecution. The comments by district court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer came after the armorer charged in the 2021 shooting filed a motion to block appointment of a new special prosecutor after the previous one resigned.

Biden calls for assault weapons ban after Nashville shooting

U.S. President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban after six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, the White House said. "We have to do more to stop gun violence. It’s ripping our communities apart,” Biden said at the White House. "I call on Congress again to pass my assault weapons ban."

US Senate advances bill to repeal decades-old Iraq war authorizations

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly on Monday to advance legislation to repeal two decades-old authorizations for past wars in Iraq, as Congress pushed to reassert its role over deciding whether to send troops into combat. The vote was 65 to 28 to limit debate on the measure, more than the 60 votes required in the 100-member Senate, paving the way for a vote on passage later this week. All 28 "no" votes were from Republicans.

US lawmakers make new push to bar convicted violent passengers from flights

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday will make a new push for legislation to bar passengers fined or convicted of serious physical violence from commercial flights after a series of recent high-profile incidents. Three lawmakers said on Monday they plan to reintroduce the "Protection from Abusive Passengers Act," saying the enhanced penalty is a strong deterrent and needed to improve aviation worker and passenger safety and "minimize disruptions to the national aviation system and restore confidence in air travel."

A Christian school that 'celebrates childhood' becomes killing scene in Nashville

The 200 young children enrolled at the Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, start each day with chapel, and study the Bible twice a week. "The beauty of a PreSchool-6th school is in its simplicity and innocence," the introductory paragraph of the school's website reads. "Students are free to be children."

USDA official who oversaw Envigo beagle inspections to step down -email

The top animal care official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture who was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury last year as part of a criminal probe into animal researcher breeder Envigo's abuse of beagles is retiring, according to an internal email seen by Reuters on Monday. Dr. Betty Goldentyer, a deputy administrator of the animal care program within the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced her plans to step down at the end of April in an email to USDA staff.

US Supreme Court inclined to allow law against encouraging illegal immigration

Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday appeared inclined to uphold a federal law that made it a crime to encourage illegal immigration, signaling agreement with President Joe Biden's administration that the measure does not violate constitutional free speech protections. The justices heard arguments in the administration's appeal of a lower court's decision in a case from California to strike down the decades-old provision, part of a larger immigration statute, as overly broad because it may criminalize legitimate speech protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

Three children, 3 adults shot dead by ex-student at Tennessee Christian school

A heavily armed 28-year-old fatally shot three children and three adult staffers on Monday at a private Christian school the suspect once attended in Tennessee's capital city before police killed the assailant, authorities said. The motive was not immediately known but the suspect had drawn detailed maps of the school, including entry points for the building, and left behind a "manifesto" and other writings that investigators were examining, Police Chief John Drake told reporters.

Trump N.Y. grand jury hears from former National Enquirer publisher again -source

A former National Enquirer publisher testified on Monday before a Manhattan grand jury hearing evidence about former President Donald Trump's role in a hush-money payment to a porn star, said a person familiar with the matter. David Pecker, who testified in January, came back for about 45 minutes on Monday, the person said. Pecker could not immediately be reached for comment.

Newly fired Fox News producer seeks to recant testimony in $1.6 billion Dominion lawsuit

A newly fired Fox News producer is seeking to recant testimony she said network lawyers coerced her into providing as Fox defends against Dominion Voting Systems' $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit. Abby Grossberg said Fox's lawyers left her feeling she "had to do everything possible to avoid becoming the 'star witness' for Dominion or else I would be seriously jeopardizing my career at Fox News."