US Domestic News Roundup: Nikki Haley set to win Nevada Republican primary, but victory will be hollow; South Carolina woman sues over state's six-week abortion ban and more

President Joe Biden is expected to easily win Tuesday's Democratic primary after dominating his party's first nominating contest, in South Carolina, on Saturday. South Carolina woman sues over state's six-week abortion ban A South Carolina woman, along with Planned Parenthood, on Monday filed a lawsuit asking a court to rule that state's abortion ban applies after about nine weeks of pregnancy, not six, saying that the law's language based on fetal "heartbeat" is ambiguous.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Deadly California storm triggers flooding, mudslides, power outages

A deadly Pacific storm, the second "Pineapple Express" weather system to sweep the West Coast in less than a week, dumped torrential rain over Southern California on Monday, triggering street flooding and mudslides throughout the region. Extreme-weather advisories for floods, high wind and winter storm conditions were posted on Monday across parts of California and southwestern Arizona where some 35 million people live, and authorities urged residents to limit their driving.

US FAA chief to face questions on Boeing after MAX 9 emergency

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration will face questions Tuesday from lawmakers about the agency's oversight of Boeing in the wake of a 737 MAX 9 mid-air emergency. "We will have more boots on the ground closely scrutinizing and monitoring production and manufacturing activities," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker will tell lawmakers. "We will consider the full extent of our enforcement authority to ensure Boeing is held accountable for any non-compliance."

California ammunition background check law can remain in effect, court rules

California can proceed with enforcing a law requiring people to undergo background checks to buy ammunition, after a divided federal appeals court on Monday put on hold a judge's ruling declaring it unconstitutional. A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel on a 2-1 vote stayed last week's ruling by U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego holding that the background checks law violated the right the bear arms protected by the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment.

US lawmakers hold first of two hearings on Biden's LNG pause

As Republican and some Democratic U.S. lawmakers slam President Joe Biden's pause on approvals of exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) a House subcommittee will hold a hearing on the issue on Tuesday, the first of two in Congress this week. The House Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee hearing at 10:00 ET will feature Toby Rice, the CEO of EQT the largest U.S. natural gas producer and Gillian Gianetti, a lawyer at the Natural Resources Defense Council non-profit that applauded Biden's move.

Nikki Haley set to win Nevada Republican primary, but victory will be hollow

Nikki Haley, the last remaining rival to frontrunner Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, is set to win Nevada's primary on Tuesday, but it will be a hollow victory as Trump will secure all of the state's delegates in a separate contest on Thursday. President Joe Biden is expected to easily win Tuesday's Democratic primary after dominating his party's first nominating contest, in South Carolina, on Saturday.

South Carolina woman sues over state's six-week abortion ban

A South Carolina woman, along with Planned Parenthood, on Monday filed a lawsuit asking a court to rule that state's abortion ban applies after about nine weeks of pregnancy, not six, saying that the law's language based on fetal "heartbeat" is ambiguous. Plaintiff Taylor Shelton in her lawsuit said the law's ban on abortion after "cardiac activity, or the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart" is ambiguous because it could mean either the first detectable electrical activity, around six weeks, or the formation of the heart's chambers, after nine weeks.

Trump seeks debate with Biden in 2024 presidential race

Former President Donald Trump, who has refused to debate any of his rivals for the Republican nomination, on Monday said he wanted to debate U.S. President Joe Biden immediately. "I'd like to debate him now because we should debate. We should debate for the good of the country," Trump said on a radio show hosted by conservative commentator Dan Bongino.

US Senate Republicans mull border deal, House counterparts urge rejection

The lead Republican negotiator in a bipartisan U.S. Senate bill to toughen border security said his caucus should decide by Tuesday whether to open debate on the proposal, while his party's leaders in the House of Representatives urged scrapping the deal. The Senate legislation, which would also provide aid to U.S. allies including Ukraine and Israel, is due for a procedural vote on Wednesday; 60 votes are needed to move forward with a floor debate.

Republican US House poised to vote whether to impeach Biden border chief

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday is expected to vote on whether to impeach President Joe Biden's top border official, accusing him of encouraging the record number of people who are entering the country illegally. The House last week approved two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a near-unprecedented step to take against a member of a president's cabinet over a policy dispute.

Nikki Haley's campaign requests Secret Service after security incidents

Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley, the last remaining rival to Donald Trump in the primary race, has requested U.S. Secret Service protection, the campaign said on Monday. While the campaign did not disclose any specific threats that prompted the request, Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was targeted in two "swatting" incidents, once on Dec. 30 and once on Jan. 1, Reuters previously reported.