Reuters US Domestic

By James Oliphant and Gram Slattery BRETTON WOODS, New Hampshire (Reuters) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is all but abandoning New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary next week and instead is relocating staff and focusing on South Carolina, where he hopes to pressure rival Nikki Haley in her home state. The decision highlights the extent to …

Struggling DeSantis sets sights on South Carolina, bypassing New Hampshire Read More »

(Reuters) – The Biden administration on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for solar energy projects on federal lands that identifies 22 million acres in 11 western states best suited for development. The announcement is part of the Interior Department’s push to site more renewable energy facilities on federal lands, a cornerstone of President Joe Biden’s goal …

US unveils solar energy plan for western public lands Read More »

By John Kruzel and Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared divided over a bid to further limit the regulatory powers of federal agencies in a dispute involving a government-run program to monitor for overfishing of herring off New England’s coast. The justices heard arguments in appeals by two fishing companies …

US Supreme Court appears split over US agency powers in fishing dispute Read More »

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. retail sales rose more than expected in December, boosted by an increase in motor vehicle and online purchases, keeping the economy on solid ground heading into the new year. The upbeat report from the Commerce Department on Wednesday, which prompted economists to upgrade their economic growth estimates for …

Strong US retail sales underscore economy’s momentum heading into 2024 Read More »

By Gram Slattery BRETTON WOODS, New Hampshire (Reuters) – The New Hampshire primary is only a week away but, so far, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has done most of his campaigning 1,000 miles (1,610 km) to the southwest in balmy South Carolina. Having spent a huge proportion of his time and resources in Iowa, which …

Ahead of New Hampshire, DeSantis’ struggling campaign sets sights on South Carolina Read More »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s aide asked for the ambulance picking up the Pentagon chief to keep its lights and sirens off during a New Year’s Day call to 911, according to audio of call obtained by Reuters. “Can the ambulance not show up with lights and sirens? We’re trying to remain …

US Defense Secretary Austin’s 911 call sought ‘subtle’ ambulance approach Read More »

GENEVA (Reuters) – The U.N. human rights office on Tuesday called on the U.S. state of Alabama to halt its first planned execution of a prisoner by nitrogen gas asphyxiation this month, saying it could amount to torture and violate U.S. commitments under international law. Kenneth Smith, convicted for a murder-for-hire committed in 1988, is …

First U.S. nitrogen-gas execution may constitute torture – UN rights office Read More »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A bill to avert a partial U.S. government shutdown beginning this weekend cleared a first procedural hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday, as lawmakers scrambled to pass the measure through Congress before a Friday deadline. The legislation is intended to give the Democratic-majority Senate and Republican-controlled House of Representatives more time to …

Bill to avert government shutdown advances in US Senate Read More »

By Brad Brooks LONGMONT, Colorado (Reuters) – A Colorado man who killed five people in a 2022 mass shooting at a gay nightclub has agreed to plead guilty to federal hate crime and gun charges, according to court documents unsealed on Tuesday. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 23, will plead guilty to 74 federal charges, according to …

Colorado gay nightclub shooter to plead guilty to hate crime charges Read More »