US Domestic News Roundup: US House Republicans plot next moves on leader, McCarthy says he would go back; Hollywood's minority writers fear diversity to fall farther down the agenda after strike and more

Prosecutors said last week they planned to call Ellison, the former co-chief executive officer of Bankman-Fried's Alameda Research hedge fund, to take the stand once Wang finishes his testimony. US House Republicans face tangled path to picking a new speaker Republicans who control the U.S. House of Representatives will try to move closer to picking a successor to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday, under mounting pressure from a war in the Middle East and another looming government shutdown.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US House Republicans plot next moves on leader, McCarthy says he would go back

Less than a week after becoming the first U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives voted out by his own caucus, Republican Kevin McCarthy said on Monday he would take the job back if asked to, as his colleagues contemplated their next move. McCarthy at a press conference stressed the need for House leadership at a time of international crisis with Israel at war with Palestinian militant group Hamas. But rather than putting himself forward for the top job, he said the decision should be taken by his fellow Republicans.

Hollywood's minority writers fear diversity to fall farther down the agenda after strike

After the Writers Guild of America approved a new three-year contract with major studios, Hollywood writers from underrepresented groups, many nervous about their job security in the rapidly changing industry, aim to refocus studios' attention on increasing diversity. The WGA represents 11,500 film and television writers, but many minority members – people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, disabled people and women – hoped the negotiations would have made diversifying the business a priority.

San Francisco police fatally shoot driver of car that crashed into Chinese consulate

Police officers fatally shot the driver of a vehicle that plowed through the Chinese consulate in San Francisco and into the lobby of the building's visa office on Monday, city police said. Official details of the incident were sketchy, and police said the identity of the motorist and what precipitated the crash were not yet known. There was no mention of anyone else being injured in the incident.

Biden says at least 11 US citizens killed in Hamas attack in Israel

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed in Israel following the weekend's attacks by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Washington believes it is likely U.S. citizens are also among those being held hostage by Hamas, Biden said in a statement.

Trump ally Kari Lake to launch US Senate bid in Arizona

Arizona Republican Kari Lake, a far-right ally of Donald Trump, on Tuesday is expected to announce her candidacy for her party's U.S. Senate nomination, in what could be a highly competitive three-way general election race in November 2024. Arizona is already one of the most politically competitive U.S. states but its Senate race became all the more so after Senator Kyrsten Sinema in December dropped her Democratic affiliation and declared herself an independent.

Sam Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend set to take stand as fraud trial's star witness

Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial is set to resume on Tuesday with testimony from his former colleagues at the now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, including his onetime girlfriend Caroline Ellison. The fifth day of the former crypto mogul's trial on charges of stealing billions of dollars in FTX customer deposits will kick off with defense lawyers' cross-examination of Gary Wang, the exchange's onetime technology chief. Prosecutors said last week they planned to call Ellison, the former co-chief executive officer of Bankman-Fried's Alameda Research hedge fund, to take the stand once Wang finishes his testimony.

US House Republicans face tangled path to picking a new speaker

Republicans who control the U.S. House of Representatives will try to move closer to picking a successor to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday, under mounting pressure from a war in the Middle East and another looming government shutdown. The House Republican majority was due to hear from at least two candidates for the top congressional post - Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan - at an evening closed-door forum, a day before party members were expected to vote on a nominee by secret ballot.

Closing arguments set for trial of Colorado officers in Elijah McClain's death

Closing arguments are expected on Tuesday in the trial of two Colorado police officers charged in the killing of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who died in 2019 after being roughly restrained and injected with the sedative ketamine. In the first of three trials in the case, prosecutors have argued that officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt unnecessarily brutalized McClain when they stopped him and that they gave false information to paramedics which contributed to the medical workers administering a large dose of ketamine. Both officers are charged with reckless manslaughter and second-degree assault.

Biden interviewed by special counsel in classified documents case

President Joe Biden was interviewed as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents by Special Counsel Robert Hur, the White House counsel's office said on Monday. The Democratic president's interview was voluntary and conducted over two days, concluding on Monday, said Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House counsel's office.

South Carolina Democrat's House bid runs through US Supreme Court

South Carolina Democrat Michael B. Moore, the great- great-grandson of a Black Civil War hero and pioneering 19th century congressman, is aiming to help his party retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives from Republicans in 2024. But his political fortunes may be in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court as he seeks election in a coastal House district that includes parts of Charleston. The justices on Wednesday are set to hear an appeal by state officials seeking to implement a Republican-drawn map for the district that a federal three-judge panel found illegally diluted the power of Black voters.