US Domestic News Roundup: Trump tells supporters his $355 million fraud fine is election interference; Analysis-What's at stake for Trump, Haley in South Carolina's primary and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. US to soften tailpipe rules, slow EV transition through 2030 U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is set to ease proposed yearly requirements through 2030 of its sweeping plan to aggressively cut tailpipe emissions and ramp up electric vehicle sales, two sources told Reuters on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US to soften tailpipe rules, slow EV transition through 2030

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is set to ease proposed yearly requirements through 2030 of its sweeping plan to aggressively cut tailpipe emissions and ramp up electric vehicle sales, two sources told Reuters on Sunday. Automakers and the United Auto Workers had urged the Biden administration to slow the proposed ramp-up in EV sales. They say EV technology is still too costly for many mainstream U.S. consumers and that more time is needed to develop the charging infrastructure.

Hard hit by the US opioid crisis, Oregon reconsiders decriminalization

It's a common sight on the streets of downtown Portland, Oregon: people in front of stores, trendy restaurants and hotels, on sidewalks, corners, and benches, crouched over torch lighters held up to sheets of tinfoil or meth pipes. Some drape blankets over their heads, or duck behind concrete barriers. Others don't try to hide.

Trump tells supporters his $355 million fraud fine is election interference

Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at the New York judge who ruled he must pay $354.9 million in penalties for fraudulently overstating his net worth to dupe lenders, telling thousands of supporters at a campaign rally the decision was an "election interference ploy." Addressing supporters for the first time since Justice Arthur Engoron on Friday hit him with massive financial penalties, Trump made the unsubstantiated claim that the judge was part of a "left wing" conspiracy aimed at stopping him from becoming president again.

Analysis-What's at stake for Trump, Haley in South Carolina's primary

Donald Trump wants to make South Carolina the end of the road for Nikki Haley in their battle for the Republican nomination. Haley aims to survive and take their fight into the multistate Super Tuesday contest in March. Opinion polls show the former U.S. president with a clear advantage in South Carolina ahead of the state's primary on Saturday, despite the fact that Haley served as its governor for six years.

Democratic US senator opposes Biden pause on liquefied natural gas exports

Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet opposes President Joe Biden's decision to pause approvals of new exports of liquefied natural gas, saying on Sunday that it could undercut U.S. efforts to supply gas to Europe as it replaces Russian exports. Bennet's comments were a sign that Biden faces dissent from his fellow Democrats on the move, which attempts to balance his climate goals with support for Europe during Russia's war on Ukraine.

Explainer-When the double brood of cicadas will come out - and what to expect

Parts of the United States are about to experience a rare natural phenomenon with the simultaneous emergence of two enormous adjacent broods of periodical cicadas. More than a trillion of these noisy bugs are set to pop out of the ground starting around April.

California braces for more heavy rain - and possibly tornadoes

California is bracing for heavy rainstorms on Monday that forecasters said might produce tornadoes, a relatively rare phenomenon for a state that has experienced other forms of extreme weather recently. Much of California faces flood risks, but experts said the state was unlikely to experience damage like that produced by an atmospheric river two weeks ago. That phenomenon dumped up to a year's worth of precipitation in some areas, knocked out power to nearly 1 million customers and killed nine people.