US Domestic News Roundup: VVigorous but coughing, COVID-positive Biden appears virtually at the White House meeting; Suspect accused of attacking U.S. Rep Zeldin faces federal charges and more

Speaking remotely at the meeting to discuss White House efforts to lower gas prices, Biden appeared vigorous and in good spirits but with a noticeably deeper voice, hours after his doctor released a statement saying his symptoms had improved. Suspect accused of attacking U.S. Rep Zeldin faces federal charges A man accused of trying this week to stab Republican U.S. Representative and New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin was arrested on Saturday on a federal charge of assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon, authorities said.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Vigorous but coughing, COVID-positive Biden appears virtually at the White House meeting

U.S. President Joe Biden appeared virtually at a White House meeting of economic advisers on Friday to highlight his good health a day after testing positive for COVID-19. Speaking remotely at the meeting to discuss White House efforts to lower gas prices, Biden appeared vigorous and in good spirits but with a noticeably deeper voice, hours after his doctor released a statement saying his symptoms had improved.

Suspect accused of attacking U.S. Rep Zeldin faces federal charges

A man accused of trying this week to stab Republican U.S. Representative and New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin was arrested on Saturday on a federal charge of assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon, authorities said. David Jakubonis, 43 of Fairport, appeared before a magistrate judge on Saturday and was ordered held until a bail hearing on Wednesday.

U.S. launches probe of Houston illegal dumping over alleged discrimination

The Justice Department on Friday opened an investigation into whether the city of Houston's response to illegal dumping discriminated against Black and Latino communities, citing environmental and health risks. The Justice Department's civil rights division will lead the environmental justice investigation with support from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas. It will examine whether Houston's environmental enforcement and solid waste management operations, policies and practices resulted in discriminatory dumping in Black and Latino communities.

Explainer-What charges could Trump face for trying to overturn 2020 election?

A U.S. congressional committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol has sought to build a case that then-President Donald Trump behaved illegally when he tried to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat, but what charges could prosecutors bring against Trump and how might he defend himself?

'Baked Alaska' pleads guilty to a misdemeanor for a role in U.S. Capitol riot

The far-right media personality is known as "Baked Alaska" pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to a single misdemeanor charge stemming from his role in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Anthem "Tim" Gionet, 34, also admitted in a "statement of offense" filed with his guilty plea in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to being part of the mob that entered the Capitol without authorization and occupied the building for hours.

Termination vote for Uvalde schools police chief called off

The school board in Uvalde, Texas, said on Friday it has postponed a vote on whether to fire the school district police chief criticized for his handling of the shooting rampage that killed 19 children and two teachers, but the chief has been suspended from duty in the meantime. The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees has been scheduled to consider the employment fate of Pete Arredondo during a special meeting on Saturday, according to a public agenda for the meeting posted earlier in the week.

Explainer-What is behind the heat waves affecting the United States?

Virtually all the contiguous United States experienced above-normal temperatures in the past week, with the more dangerously hot weather forecast. The U.S. heat wave followed record heat that killed hundreds if not thousands of people and sparked wildfires in Europe.

California truckers halt 'gig-worker' law protests over the weekend as port activity slows

Independent truckers who have been protesting at California's busy Oakland seaport over the past week against a new state law known as the "gig-worker" law took a break on Saturday when the port business slowed to a crawl. But some truckers said protests may resume on Monday when normal port traffic is scheduled.

Biden has a sore throat and body aches, but COVID symptoms improving -physician

President Joe Biden's COVID-19 symptoms continue to improve and now include "less troublesome" sore throat, runny nose, loose cough, and body aches, his physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in a memo on Saturday. Biden's lungs remain clear and his oxygen saturation "continues to be excellent on room air," the doctor said.

Truck blockade of major California seaport stretches into day three

Independent truckers protesting California's new "gig worker" law blockaded California's No. 3 seaport for the third straight day on Friday, stranding cargo at the state's top agricultural trade hub and adding to U.S. supply chain headaches. Truck gates at all four Port of Oakland marine terminals remain closed to truck traffic on Friday. Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT), which handles about 70% of port cargo, restarted some work on ships, a port spokesperson said.

(With inputs from agencies.)