US Domestic News Roundup: Defendant in Trump's Georgia case accuses DA, prosecutor of 'improper' relationship; Russia detains U.S. citizen on drugs charges and more

Zhao, who had faced a maximum of 20 years in prison, was also fined $5,500, the U.S. justice department said in a statement. Explainer-Did Pentagon chief Austin's secret hospitalization break the rules? U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin may have violated the law by failing to report his recent hospitalization to his boss, but likely only faces a reprimand from U.S. President Joe Biden, despite some calls for his resignation, two legal experts said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Defendant in Trump's Georgia case accuses DA, prosecutor of 'improper' relationship

A co-defendant in former U.S. President Donald Trump's Georgia 2020 election interference case on Monday accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and the case's special prosecutor of engaging in "an improper, clandestine personal relationship." The accusation came in a filing by co-defendant Michael Roman, who is seeking to have his indictment dismissed.

Russia detains U.S. citizen on drugs charges

A U.S. citizen has been detained in Russia on drugs charges which can carry up to 20 years in prison, a Moscow court said on Tuesday. Moscow's Ostankino District Court said that on Jan. 6 Robert Romanov Woodland had been remanded in custody until March 5 on charges relating to the illegal acquisition or possession of drugs.

Biden denounces 'poison' of white supremacy in South Carolina Black church

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday denounced white supremacy and political violence in a direct message to Black voters during a visit to South Carolina aimed at shoring up a critical constituency whose support has waned since he took office. Biden spoke from the pulpit of the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, where avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof gunned down nine Black parishioners in 2015.

US Navy sailor given 27 months in jail for sharing military data with China

A U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced to 27 months in jail on Monday for accepting nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for photos of unclassified private U.S. military information. Petty Officer Wenheng "Thomas" Zhao, 26, pleaded guilty last October to conspiracy and receiving a bribe. Zhao, who had faced a maximum of 20 years in prison, was also fined $5,500, the U.S. justice department said in a statement.

Explainer-Did Pentagon chief Austin's secret hospitalization break the rules?

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin may have violated the law by failing to report his recent hospitalization to his boss, but likely only faces a reprimand from U.S. President Joe Biden, despite some calls for his resignation, two legal experts said on Monday. WHAT DID AUSTIN DO?

LaPierre turned NRA into 'Wayne's World,' NY lawyer says at graft trial

Wayne LaPierre ran the National Rifle Association (NRA) as "Wayne's World" for decades, a lawyer for New York state said at the start of the gun rights group's corruption trial, three days after LaPierre suddenly resigned as chief executive. New York Attorney General Letitia James had sued the NRA and its longtime leader in August 2020, saying the group diverted millions of dollars to fund luxuries for top officials, including travel expenses for LaPierre to several resorts.

US investigators probing whether Boeing 737 MAX panel was properly bolted

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said late on Monday it could not yet tell whether a recovered cabin panel that blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane in mid-air last week had been properly attached. The comments came after Alaska Airlines and the other U.S. 737 MAX 9 operator, United Airlines, said on Monday they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft, raising new concerns among industry experts about how Boeing's best-selling jet family is manufactured.

Texas explosion likely caused by gas leak injures 21

At least 21 people were injured Monday in an apparent gas leak explosion at the Sandman Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, the city's fire department said. Nobody was killed in the explosion and authorities were investigating the cause.

Biden administration issues rule that could curb 'gig' work, contracting

The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday issued a final rule that will force companies to treat some workers as employees rather than less expensive independent contractors, in a move that has riled business groups and will likely prompt legal challenges. The rule is widely expected to increase labor costs for industries that rely on contract labor or freelancers, such as trucking, manufacturing, healthcare and app-based "gig" services.

Trump expected in court as he seeks immunity from 2020 election charges

Donald Trump plans to be in a Washington courtroom on Tuesday as his lawyers argue that the former U.S. president should be immune from charges that he illegally sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election. His visit is likely to serve as a campaign stop, with the courthouse serving as a backdrop.