US Domestic News Roundup: Convicted ringleader in Michigan governor kidnapping plot faces sentencing; 'Once-in-a-lifetime' blizzard kills at least 27 in western New York and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Convicted ringleader in Michigan governor kidnapping plot faces sentencing

The convicted leader of a foiled plot by members of right-wing militia groups to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer faces a possible life term in prison when he is sentenced on Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Adam Fox was found guilty in August by a federal court jury in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on one count each of conspiring to abduct Whitmer and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction in a scheme prosecutors said was intended to spark a "second American revolution."

'Once-in-a-lifetime' blizzard kills at least 27 in western New York

A blizzard that paralyzed western New York over the Christmas weekend has killed more than two dozen people, local officials said on Monday, as crews struggled to dig out the snow-bound region around Buffalo from its fiercest winter storm in decades. With snow continuing to fall on top of more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) dumped on Buffalo since the blizzard took shape on Friday, New York's second-largest city stood as ground zero for a storm the governor called an "epic, once-in-a-lifetime" weather disaster.

Migrants dropped outside VP Harris's home on blustery Christmas Eve

Busloads of migrants were dropped over Christmas weekend near Vice President Kamala Harris' residence in Washington amid freezing temperatures, having traveled from the southwest border in Texas, immigrant aid groups said on Sunday. Approximately 110-130 of the migrants seeking asylum in the United States, many of them families with children, were placed on buses by Texas officials, said Tatiana Laborde, managing director of SAMU First Response, a relief agency working with the city of Washington, D.C.

White House assails Texas Governor Abbott over Christmas Eve migrant drop

The White House on Monday accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of endangering lives after busloads of migrants from the southwest border in Texas were dropped near Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Washington, D.C., on a cold Christmas Eve. The Republican Abbott, a vocal critic of Biden administration immigration policies, has not acknowledged the Christmas Eve drop and his office has not claimed responsibility. President Joe Biden is a Democrat.

Arizona governor-elect asks court to sanction election denier Lake

Arizona's Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs asked a court on Monday to sanction defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake over her failed effort to overturn the state's election results. An Arizona judge on Saturday rejected Lake's lawsuit that challenged the counting and certification of the November electoral contest in a bid to be declared the winner despite a lack of evidence of voter fraud.

Southwest cancels thousands more U.S. flights as weather stays bitter

Southwest Airlines Co led U.S. airline cancellations on Tuesday as the low-cost carrier struggled to recover from harsh winter weather that has wrecked holiday plans for many. Shares of the Dallas-based airline were down 3.4% at $34.90 before the bell, after it canceled 2,503 flights as of Tuesday 5.50 am ET and another 2,474 for Wednesday, according to tracking website FlightAware.

Biden approves U.S. emergency relief for New York after blizzard

U.S. President Joe Biden authorized federal support for New York state on Monday after a severe winter storm left at least 27 people dead in the Buffalo area and tens of thousands of residents without power, the White House said in a statement.

Weather disruptions linger for U.S. flights, led by Southwest Airlines

Weather-related flight cancellations and delays that snarled U.S. commercial air traffic over the holiday weekend dragged on through Monday, with Southwest Airlines accounting for the bulk of the lingering disruptions a day after Christmas.

More than 3,800 U.S. airline flights were canceled on Monday, including 2,800 operated by Southwest, or nearly 70% of the carrier's total scheduled for the day, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.

Thousands lose power after three substations targeted in Washington state, sheriff says

Thousands of residents were without power near Tacoma, Washington, after three electrical substations were vandalized, local authorities said on Sunday, adding that it was not yet clear if the Christmas Day incidents were linked. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department said robberies were reported at two substations belonging to Tacoma Public Utilities and another belonging to Puget Sound Energy. Deputies cited forced entry into the fenced-in area, with equipment vandalized but nothing taken from the sites, it said. More than 14,000 customers were affected.