Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor and New York City mayor, was charged last month along with former U.S. President Trump and 17 co-defendants with trying to overturn Trump's 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Jobless rate for Black Americans drops as others rise Black Americans were the only U.S. racial or ethnic group to see a drop in their jobless rate in August, helping drive the gap between the rates for Black people and white people back to near a record low.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US Capitol attack: Proud Boys leader gets 18 years in prison, matching longest

A leader of the far-right Proud Boys was sentenced on Friday to 18 years in prison over the U.S. Capitol attack, equaling the longest punishment in the case so far, while another member sentenced to 10 years yelled "Trump won" as he left court. The pair were the latest members of far-right groups sentenced for taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on Congress, an attempt to overturn Donald Trump's election defeat.

Biden trip to storm-damaged Florida to take place without DeSantis meeting

U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Florida on Saturday to survey damage from this week's Hurricane Idalia, but a visit with the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, is not scheduled, despite the president's assertion that they would meet. Biden, a Democrat who is running for re-election next year, told reporters at the White House on Friday that he would see DeSantis, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination to challenge Biden in 2024, during the trip.

Biden boosts spending request to help pay for disasters

The Biden administration on Friday added $4 billion to a supplemental funding request to Congress to help pay for relief efforts following a string of disasters that have ravaged large swathes of the U.S. in recent weeks. U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress in early August to approve about $40 billion in additional spending, including $24 billion for Ukraine and other international needs and $12 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund.

From ‘jorts’ to clear backpacks, US back-to-school spending to hit record high this year

See-through backpacks and jean shorts are among the popular last-minute purchases ahead of the new school year, several retailers said, as heat waves sweep the U.S. and security concerns grow at many middle- and high schools. Though U.S. student debt repayments will resume on Oct. 1, straining many Americans' budgets, 2023 is expected to be the most expensive back-to-school shopping season yet. The National Retail Federation, a retail trade group, predicts spending will surpass $135 billion, an increase of more than $24 billion from last year.

Trump ally Giuliani pleads not guilty to Georgia election subversion charges -court filing

Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, has waived a formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty in the Georgia election subversion case, according to a court filing on Friday. Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor and New York City mayor, was charged last month along with former U.S. President Trump and 17 co-defendants with trying to overturn Trump's 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden.

Jobless rate for Black Americans drops as others rise

Black Americans were the only U.S. racial or ethnic group to see a drop in their jobless rate in August, helping drive the gap between the rates for Black people and white people back to near a record low. A rise in the jobless rate to 6% for African Americans in June as rates for other key demographic groups fell or held steady had raised concerns among some economists that it might signal a broader weakening of the job market might be at hand. The unemployment rate for Black Americans historically has risen before an approaching recession and typically has turned higher before that of other groups.

Top US Senate Democrat Schumer warns against Republican 'brinkmanship' on spending

Top U.S. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer on Friday said House Republicans would be to blame if lawmakers are unable to reach a deal to keep the government funded past Sept. 30, triggering the fourth partial shutdown of federal agencies in a decade. KEY QUOTE

Ohio police release video of fatal shooting of pregnant Black woman

An Ohio police department on Friday released body camera footage showing an officer fatally shooting a pregnant Black woman in the parking lot of a grocery store two weeks ago after she refused to exit her car and instead bumped him with her vehicle. Video of the incident in Blendon Township on Aug. 24 followed demands by the family of the 21-year-old woman, Ta'Kiya Young, for the officer who fired the fatal shot to be held accountable.

US sues Southern California Edison over 2020 California wildfire

The U.S. government on Friday sued Southern California Edison, accusing the Edison International unit of negligence that caused the 2020 Bobcat Fire, which burned close to 180 square miles (466 sq km) in one of the largest wildfires ever in Los Angeles County. In a complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court, the government said the fire began on Sept. 6, 2020 when a poorly maintained tree contacted power lines, igniting vegetation on a branch that then fell to the ground, spreading the fire.

Democrats push abortion rights to heart of 2024 campaign

Abortion rights helped Democrats stave off a hefty defeat at midterm elections last year and the party aims to put the issue at the center of the 2024 fight for the White House. As Republican candidates propose new measures to restrict abortions and Republican-led states roll out tighter controls, President Joe Biden's re-election campaign last week released a new ad titled "These Guys", part of a $25 million campaign focused on women in key battleground states.