US Domestic News Roundup: US Supreme Court's Roberts urges 'caution' as AI reshapes legal field; US Supreme Court's Roberts urges 'caution' as AI reshapes legal field and more

Javier Aguilar, 49, is the first individual to stand trial in the United States as part of a sprawling Justice Department probe into commodity trading firms paying bribes to win business from state-run companies across Latin America, a scandal that has roiled energy markets from Mexico to Brazil. Factbox-Who is the Republican 2024 US presidential hopeful Nikki Haley? U.S. presidential contender Nikki Haley has enjoyed a bump in support among voters and donors over the last four months, and she is now locked in a battle for second place in the Republican nominating contest with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Ex-Vitol oil trader heads to US trial on Ecuador bribery charges

A former employee of the world's largest oil trader, Vitol, is set to go on trial in the United States this week on charges of bribing officials in Ecuador to win a $300 million contract from state oil company Petroecuador. Javier Aguilar, 49, is the first individual to stand trial in the United States as part of a sprawling Justice Department probe into commodity trading firms paying bribes to win business from state-run companies across Latin America, a scandal that has roiled energy markets from Mexico to Brazil.

Factbox-Who is the Republican 2024 US presidential hopeful Nikki Haley?

U.S. presidential contender Nikki Haley has enjoyed a bump in support among voters and donors over the last four months, and she is now locked in a battle for second place in the Republican nominating contest with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. While she remains in third place behind DeSantis nationally and in Iowa, the first state to hold a Republican nominating contest, she is in second place in other states that could give her momentum, namely New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Eddie Bernice Johnson, trailblazing former US Representative, dies at 88

Former U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Democrat who retired from the House of Representatives after 30 years in office, died at 88, her family said on social media on Sunday. Johnson, who represented a district in Texas that includes downtown Dallas, was the first person of color to serve as Chair of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology and was the oldest member of the House when she left office in January 2023.

Factbox-Who is Vivek Ramaswamy, 2024 US presidential candidate?

Vivek Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire former biotech executive, hopes to jump-start his ebbing 2024 Republican presidential bid with a stronger-than-expected showing on Jan. 15 in the Iowa caucus, the first state Republican nominating contest. Here are some facts about Ramaswamy's life and career:

US Supreme Court's Roberts urges 'caution' as AI reshapes legal field

Artificial intelligence represents a mixed blessing for the legal field, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said in a year-end report published on Sunday, urging "caution and humility" as the evolving technology transforms how judges and lawyers go about their work. Roberts struck an ambivalent tone in his 13-page report. He said AI had potential to increase access to justice for indigent litigants, revolutionize legal research and assist courts in resolving cases more quickly and cheaply while also pointing to privacy concerns and the current technology's inability to replicate human discretion.

Joe unplugged: Biden fundraisers clash with US script, please donors

As president, Joe Biden has relied heavily on Teleprompters and pre-written scripts for his public speeches, a mostly disciplined approach that's been in sharp contrast to his decades of free-wheeling, sometimes less-than-diplomatic remarks. But holding a microphone in a room of donors who support his 2024 re-election campaign, Democrat Biden in recent months has dug into the Chinese government, the Republican Party and U.S. ally Israel for its bombing of the Gaza Strip.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough dies at age of 84

Cale Yarborough, who won three consecutive NASCAR Cup championships in a Hall of Fame racing career that included four Daytona 500 wins, died at age 84, NASCAR said on Sunday. The news comes after NASCAR Vice President John Dodson in April said Yarborough "was not doing well" and asked fans to keep him in their prayers.

Thousands gather in Times Square for New Year ball drop

After standing in New York City's Times Square for more than a dozen hours, thousands of revelers cheered in the New Year on Sunday night with the annual ceremony of a descending crystal-clad ball. Many had arrived early in the morning for a spot in one of the barricaded pens set up by the New York Police Department, ahead of musical performances by Megan Thee Stallion and LL Cool J before the final countdown to midnight.

Factbox-Who is Ron DeSantis, 2024 US presidential candidate?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, once seen as Donald Trump's leading rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, needs a solid performance in the Jan. 15 Iowa caucus, the first party nominating contest, to save his struggling campaign. DeSantis trails former President Trump by over 30 points and needs to place a strong second. A blowout loss or third-place finish behind former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley would raise questions about the future of his candidacy.

Reckitt's Mead Johnson Nutrition recalls baby formula powder from US -FDA

Reckitt Benckiser Group's Mead Johnson Nutrition (MJN) is voluntarily recalling select batches of Nutramigen Powder from the U.S. market due to a possibility of contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria in product sampled outside the United States, the Food and Drug Administration said on Sunday.

Nutramigen Powder, a specialty infant formula for the dietary management of Cows Milk Allergy (CMA) in 12.6- and 19.8-ounce cans, went through extensive testing by MJN and tested negative for the bacteria, the FDA said.