US Domestic News Roundup: Mississippi floods appear to hit peak; Trump kicks off Daytona 500 race with limo loop and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Mississippi floods appear to hit peak with parts of Jackson underwater

Floodwaters in central Mississippi appeared to hit their peak on Monday, potentially allowing the area around the state capital Jackson to avoid any casualties after the Pearl River reached its highest level in 37 years, officials said. The Pearl River rose to its third-highest point in recorded history after heavy rains last week filled the Ross Barnett Reservoir to capacity, forcing managers on Saturday to begin releasing water into the river just upstream from Jackson.

Trump kicks off Daytona 500 race with limo loop, Air Force One flyby

President Donald Trump took a loop around the Daytona 500 racetrack on Sunday in his presidential limousine, drawing cheers from fans at NASCAR's most prestigious race not long after completing a dramatic flyby on Air Force One. Ramping up his nationwide re-election effort after his acquittal in the U.S. Senate impeachment trial, Trump served as grand marshal at the annual National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing event, which takes place in the electoral swing state of Florida.

'Disown them:' Biden criticizes Sanders for supporters' online attacks

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday criticized the conduct of online supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders, saying his rival for the Democratic nomination for president has "some accountability." Biden, in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," waded into a spat between Sanders supporters and leaders of The Culinary Union, a powerful labor group in Nevada that has been critical of the senator's healthcare proposals. Nevada holds the next nominating contest in the Democratic presidential primary.

U.S. flies 338 Americans home from cruise ship, including 14 with coronavirus

More than 300 Americans who had been stuck on a cruise ship affected by the coronavirus were back in the United States on Monday, flown to U.S. military bases for two more weeks of quarantine after spending the previous 14 days docked in Japan. Among those repatriated on a pair of U.S.-chartered jets were 14 people who tested positive for the fast-spreading virus, seven on each plane. The Diamond Princess cruise ship held by far the largest cluster of cases outside China, with more than 400 people infected out of some 3,700 on board.

Trump attends wedding of immigration hardliner, adviser Stephen Miller

President Donald Trump attended the wedding on Sunday of one of his top aides, immigration hardliner Stephen Miller, to Vice President Mike Pence's spokeswoman, Katie Waldman. The wedding took place at the Trump International Hotel, a few blocks from the White House.

Sanders, Bloomberg trade insults as Democratic White House race heats up

Democratic White House contenders Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg stepped up their attacks on each other on Monday, with Sanders accusing the media mogul of trying to buy the election and Bloomberg saying the senator and his fervent supporters were hurting the party. Sanders compared the former New York mayor with Republican President Donald Trump, saying both were billionaires trying to use their wealth to bend a corrupt political system.

Former DOJ officials call on Attorney General Barr to resign

More than 1,000 former U.S. Justice Department officials on Sunday called for Attorney General William Barr to resign over his handling of the trial of a longtime adviser of President Donald Trump. The former officials, who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, criticized Barr, the country's top law enforcement officer, for overruling his own prosecutors in a case that has prompted accusations that the Trump administration is weakening the rule of law.

Democratic rivals tell billionaire Bloomberg: Let's debate

U.S. Democratic presidential candidates said on Sunday billionaire Michael Bloomberg should face the same rigorous scrutiny as his rivals and they would welcome the chance to square off with him in a 2020 presidential debate. Bloomberg, a media mogul, and former New York City mayor have vastly outspent other Democratic candidates in campaign advertisements. He was a late entry into the 2020 race for the nomination to face Republican President Donald Trump in November and has not qualified for any presidential debates.

New York drops fight against T-Mobile-Sprint merger

New York on Sunday dropped its fight against the $40 billion mergers of U.S. wireless carriers T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp, saying the state would not appeal a judge's approval of the deal. New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office would end the court challenge to the 2018 merger agreement between the third- and fourth-largest U.S. wireless carriers.

'True Grit' author Charles Portis dies at 86

Charles Portis, the reclusive Arkansas writer known for the classic Western novel "True Grit" and the wry humor that filled his works, died on Monday at the age of 86 after battling a long illness, the New York Times reported. Portis wrote five novels, numerous magazine articles, and short stories and one stage play.

(With inputs from agencies.)