Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Kirby, who in past years has served as the top spokesperson at both the Pentagon and the State Department, will have a new title - White House national security communications adviser - and will be elevated to an assistant to the president from deputy assistant. Off-duty cops stop female shooter at Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch Two off-duty law enforcement officers in Houston took down a woman who opened fire on Sunday at Lakewood Church, one of the largest evangelical churches in the U.S. led by televangelist Joel Osteen, police said.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Biden calls on snack companies to stop 'shrinkflation'

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday called on snack companies to stop shrinkflation, which is when businesses cut product sizes but keep prices the same, describing the practice as "a rip-off." "Some companies are trying to pull a fast one by shrinking the products little by little and hoping you won't notice," Biden said in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, ahead of Super Bowl LVIII.

Biden national security aide John Kirby gets expanded role

John Kirby, President Joe Biden's top national security spokesperson, is getting a promotion and an expanded role at the White House, a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday. Kirby, who in past years has served as the top spokesperson at both the Pentagon and the State Department, will have a new title - White House national security communications adviser - and will be elevated to an assistant to the president from deputy assistant.

Off-duty cops stop female shooter at Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch

Two off-duty law enforcement officers in Houston took down a woman who opened fire on Sunday at Lakewood Church, one of the largest evangelical churches in the U.S. led by televangelist Joel Osteen, police said. A woman in her early 30s entered the megachurch shortly before 2 p.m. local time (2000 GMT), armed with a long rifle and accompanied by a child around 5 years old, and began firing, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner told reporters on Sunday.

Trump comments on Russia, NATO 'appalling and unhinged' -White House

The White House on Saturday rejected comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump about not protecting NATO allies from a potential Russian invasion as "appalling and unhinged." Trump, appearing to recount a meeting with NATO leaders during a political rally in South Carolina on Saturday, quoted the president of "a big country" that he did not name as asking, "Well sir if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia - will you protect us?"

Biden to skip traditional Super Bowl interview for second year

U.S. President Joe Biden will skip the traditional pre-game interview with the CBS television network before Sunday's Super Bowl, which is expected to become the most-watched American football game ever. It is the second year in a row that Biden has opted out of the interview.

Age, mental capacity dominates presidential campaign trail after report questions Biden's memory

The mental ability and age of the United States' presidential candidates took center stage on the campaign trail on Saturday, following a report that suggested President Joe Biden was suffering memory lapses. Former President Donald Trump accused both Biden, the Democrat he will likely face in November's general election, and Nikki Haley, Trump's last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination, of lacking the mental capacity to be president.

Crowd sets Waymo self-driving vehicle ablaze in San Francisco

A crowd vandalized and set fire to a Waymo self-driving car using a firework in San Francisco on Saturday, the Alphabet-owned company and authorities said, marking the most destructive attack so far on driverless vehicles in the U.S. On Saturday night, a crowd surrounded a white sport utility vehicle that was moving along a street in the city's Chinatown district, a company spokesperson said.

US Senate advances aid bill for Ukraine despite Trump opposition

A narrowly divided U.S. Senate moved closer to passing a $95.34 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Sunday, showing undiminished bipartisanship despite opposition from Republican hardliners and Donald Trump. The Democratic-led Senate voted 67-27 in a rare Sunday session to clear the latest procedural hurdle and moved the foreign aid measure toward an ultimate vote on passage in the coming days.

US Defense Secretary Austin taken to hospital for 'symptoms suggesting emergent bladder issue' - Pentagon

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was taken to a Washington, D.C. hospital on Sunday for treatment of "symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue", a Pentagon spokesman said. Austin, 70, was retaining his duties during his hospitalization, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a written statement.

Trump-backing US Senate Republicans souring on longtime leader McConnell

Top U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell's negotiations with Democrats to try to secure more Ukraine aid has drawn mounting attacks from hardliners within his party that some lawmakers say is a direct result of Donald Trump's rising influence. The Kentucky Republican, the chamber's longest-serving party leader at 81, has faced more heat from hardliners since Trump, the party's likely presidential nominee, torpedoed a bipartisan deal McConnell backed that aimed to stem the flow of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border and provide aid to Ukraine and Israel.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)