US Domestic News Roundup: Biden administration cancels nearly $5 billion in student debt for 74,000 borrowers; Trump steps up attacks on Haley, courts her donors ahead of New Hampshire contest and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Pennsylvania cannot bar adults under 21 from carrying guns, court rules

A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that Pennsylvania laws that ban 18- to 20-year-olds from carrying firearms in public during a state of emergency are unconstitutional, citing a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded gun rights. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a 2-1 vote held that the right to keep and bear arms under the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment extended to adults under the age of 21.

Los Angeles Times plans 'significant' layoffs, guild says

Los Angeles Times plans to lay off a "significant" number of journalists, the newspaper's guild said on Thursday, adding that they would organize a one-day walk-out on Friday to protest against the planned move. The layoffs could impact at least 100 journalists or about 20% of the newsroom in a move to address the paper's financial pressures, the Los Angeles Times reported separately, citing people familiar with the matter.

Biden administration cancels nearly $5 billion in student debt for 74,000 borrowers

The Biden administration has approved debt cancellation of nearly $5 billion for an additional 74,000 student loan borrowers, the White House said in a statement on Friday.

Explainer-How is the 'war on the administrative state' faring at the Supreme Court?

Three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court will help determine the advance of the conservative push called the "war on the administrative state" that aims to weaken federal agencies that regulate key aspects of American life and business. The court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, is weighing cases challenging the power of federal agencies to issue regulations and enforce laws in areas ranging from finance to fish conservation, that could have far-reaching reverberations.

Trump steps up attacks on Haley, courts her donors ahead of New Hampshire contest

Donald Trump and his allies are going all out to deal Republican rival Nikki Haley a back-breaking blow in next week's New Hampshire primary, courting her donors, bashing her in TV ads and using racial-themed dog whistles that mock her heritage.

The multi-pronged effort is a sure sign that Trump's presidential election campaign views Haley as a threat they must neutralize quickly. Trump associates have been reaching out to Haley's top contributors, telling them the race for the Republican nomination is essentially over and suggesting it is time to come into the fold.

US Congress passes bill to avert government shutdown, sends it to Biden

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a stopgap bill to fund the federal government through early March and avert a partial government shutdown, sending it to President Joe Biden for final approval. The measure passed 314-108, with 106 Republicans and two Democrats in opposition.

Biden administration taking heat from all sides over Louisiana LNG project

The Biden administration faces mounting pressure over whether to approve a massive new Louisiana LNG export project, with environmentalists saying the facility would undermine U.S. climate goals and business interests arguing it is essential for global energy security. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a panel of three regulators, is expected to vote in weeks or months on approval of Venture Global's Calcasieu Pass 2, or CP2, liquefied natural gas terminal (CP2) project.

Florida public university system to vote on defunding diversity programs

Florida's public university system will decide next Wednesday whether to ban diversity spending and remove sociology classes as a way to fulfill social-science course requirements, a week after the state education board approved the measures for public colleges. The new rules, which easily passed in a Florida Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, would bring the state's public higher education institutions in line with a bill that Governor Ron DeSantis signed in May.

Texas school shooting victims 'deserved better' from police, US review finds

Police failed in their response to the 2022 elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers, the U.S. Justice Department concluded on Thursday, saying the victims "deserved better." The report faulted law enforcement officers for waiting more than an hour to breach the classroom where the 18-year-old gunman was holed up with 33 students and three teachers, despite calls for help from the children.

Hardline US Republicans who cried 'wolf' side-lined by spending deal

Hardline Republicans who repeatedly brought the U.S. House of Representatives to a halt last year were sidelined in this month's bipartisan push to avert a government shutdown, as even some in their own party tired of their demands. The House on Thursday passed a stopgap measure meant to give Congress a few more weeks to approve a $1.59 trillion spending deal negotiated by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson for the 2024 fiscal year that began Oct. 1.