US Domestic News Roundup: Michael Bloomberg outlines succession plan for media empire - NYT; Biden sets up White House office on gun violence prevention and more

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, speaking at a news conference hours later, said it appeared likely "a faulty front tire contributed to the accident," though the cause of the wreck remained under investigation. Alabama seeks to execute prisoner using nitrogen gas asphyxiation The Supreme Court of Alabama is weighing whether to allow the state to become the first to execute a prisoner with a novel method: asphyxiation using nitrogen gas.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Michael Bloomberg outlines succession plan for media empire - NYT

Michael Bloomberg, co-founder of Bloomberg LP, outlined a succession plan for the financial information and news company, saying that his foundation Bloomberg Philanthropies will inherit it and then eventually sell it, the New York Times reported. The former New York City Mayor made the announcement at the Climate Summit hosted by the newspaper on Thursday.

Ex-FBI agent tied to Russian oligarch to plead guilty to lying about payment

A former senior FBI agent is expected to plead guilty on Friday to charges he concealed $225,000 in cash payments from a former Albanian intelligence officer who became a source in an FBI investigation, court records show. Charles McGonigal, who led the FBI's counterintelligence division in New York before retiring in 2018, is scheduled to appear at a plea hearing in Washington federal court at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT).

US gov't shutdown could slow House Republicans' Biden impeachment inquiry

The looming U.S. government shutdown that some hardline Republicans, including Donald Trump, are cheering for could slow one of their other priorities: The recently launched impeachment inquiry of Democratic President Joe Biden. Republican House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy launched the inquiry on Sept. 12, an escalation after months of probes into Biden's son, Hunter Biden, with the first hearing set for Sept. 28 -- just two days before the shutdown deadline.

Analysis-DeSantis embraces risky abortion stance to draw contrast with Trump

As Ron DeSantis' path to the Republican presidential nomination appears to be narrowing, the Florida governor has decided to go all-in on perhaps his most divisive and potentially toxic policy stance: support of a six-week abortion ban. A hardline position on abortion is fraught with political risk. Polls show that a majority of Americans favor making the procedure available early in the pregnancy, and some major donors are worried that DeSantis' viewpoint will sink his chances with moderate voters next year.

Anti-affirmative action group, emboldened by US Supreme Court, targets scholarships

A non-profit group opposing race-based education policies has filed more than a dozen U.S. civil rights complaints this year against universities, challenging the legality of offering minority scholarships, summer study and residency programs to promote racial diversity. The challenges are part of a growing campaign against diversity initiatives after a U.S. Supreme Court landmark ruling in June outlawed use of race in college admissions, commonly known as affirmative action. Conservative activists say the decision should extend to all educational programs, and some groups have also challenged corporate diversity policies.

Bus carrying high school band rolls off highway in New York, killing two

A bus carrying members of a high school marching band on a trip to a music camp ran off a highway and tumbled down a steep ravine in New York state on Thursday, killing two people and injuring dozens of others, several of them severely. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, speaking at a news conference hours later, said it appeared likely "a faulty front tire contributed to the accident," though the cause of the wreck remained under investigation.

Alabama seeks to execute prisoner using nitrogen gas asphyxiation

The Supreme Court of Alabama is weighing whether to allow the state to become the first to execute a prisoner with a novel method: asphyxiation using nitrogen gas. Last month, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall asked the court to allow the state to proceed with gassing Kenneth Smith, who was convicted of murder in 1996, using a face mask connected to a cylinder of nitrogen intended to deprive him of oxygen.

Rupert Murdoch exit may give Trump a Fox News 'reset,' Republican strategists say

Rupert Murdoch's departure as the chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp could provide an opportunity to mend the relationship between former President Donald Trump and Fox News as the 2024 election campaign heats up, said a former adviser to Trump and Republican strategists. A mutually beneficial relationship between Trump and Fox News broke down after the 2020 election in the wake of the network's coverage of the election and the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riot by Trump supporters that left five dead and injured more than 140 police officers.

Biden sets up White House office on gun violence prevention

U.S. President Joe Biden is establishing a new office of gun violence prevention at the White House to implement existing laws and work with local authorities to pass gun safety legislation at the state level, officials said on Thursday. The new office will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris and run with the help of gun safety advocates who are joining the administration, officials told reporters on a conference call.

Striking Hollywood writers, studios to meet again Friday

Negotiators for Hollywood's major studios and striking film and television writers plan to meet again on Friday, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) said in a statement. The two sides on Thursday negotiated for more than 10 hours but failed to reach an agreement to end a months-long stalemate over pay and the use of artificial intelligence, CNN reported.