US Domestic News Roundup: Yelp to offer U.S. workers abortion travel benefit; New York lieutenant governor resigns after bribery charges and more

On his 102nd day in office, Adams, a former police captain, faced the latest challenge in his efforts to allay New Yorkers' fears: A gunman opened fire on a subway car Tuesday morning, shooting 10 people. U.S. envoy Kerry calls for renewables push, says Putin cannot control wind, sun The conflict in Ukraine shows now is the time to shift to clean and independent energy, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said at a conference on the pacific island of Palau as he urged nations to boost the use of offshore renewable power sources.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Yelp to offer U.S. workers abortion travel benefit

Yelp, Inc said on Tuesday it will cover expenses for its employees and their dependents who need to travel to another state for abortion services starting next month, making it the latest U.S. company to offer similar benefits to its workers. The crowd-sourced review platform for restaurants and other businesses will provide travel benefits to its U.S. employees who need to travel out of states like Texas and Oklahoma that have restricted access to abortion services.

New York lieutenant governor resigns after bribery charges

New York Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin, the state's No. 2 official after Governor Kathy Hochul, resigned on Tuesday after being charged with bribery and fraud for allegedly directing state funds toward a real estate developer in exchange for campaign contributions. Hochul, who handpicked Benjamin for the lieutenant governor's job last August, announced the resignation a few hours after the 45-year-old Benjamin pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to charges in a five-count indictment.

U.S. judge declines to jail two men accused of impersonating federal agents

A U.S. judge on Tuesday declined to jail two men accused of impersonating federal agents and supplying Secret Service personnel with gifts, dealing a blow to prosecutors who had argued that the defendants pose a danger and should be detained.

Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested last week and are accused of providing gifts worth thousands of dollars such as rent-free apartments and iPhones to Secret Service agents, including one who protected first lady Jill Biden. The Secret Service is the agency responsible for protecting the president and other top U.S. officials.

New York subway shooting new test of mayor's promise to police gun violence

Eric Adams ran for mayor of New York City with campaign ads featuring old photographs of him in his police uniform and a vow to secure a pandemic-scarred metropolis against the gun violence that surged alongside COVID-19. On his 102nd day in office, Adams, a former police captain, faced the latest challenge in his efforts to allay New Yorkers' fears: A gunman opened fire on a subway car Tuesday morning, shooting 10 people.

U.S. envoy Kerry calls for renewables push, says Putin cannot control wind, sun

The conflict in Ukraine shows now is the time to shift to clean and independent energy, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said at a conference on the pacific island of Palau as he urged nations to boost the use of offshore renewable power sources. Russia typically provides Europe with around 40% of its gas, complicating western efforts to impose economic sanctions on Vladimir Putin's government for Russian military actions in Ukraine.

As inflation surges, Biden's approval rating drops to 41% - Reuters/Ipsos poll

U.S. President Joe Biden's public approval rating fell to 41% this week, a blow to his Democratic Party's hopes of retaining control of Congress in November's elections, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll. Sagging under the weight of higher consumer costs, the 41% approval rating was just above Biden's all-time low of 40% hit in mid-March, one of the lowest levels of support in his presidency. The drop suggests that the small burst of momentum Biden briefly enjoyed last week, when he hit 45%, has stalled.

Search for New York subway gunman centers on man who rented U-Haul van

Police and federal agents searched into the early hours of Wednesday for a man who set off smoke bombs and sprayed fellow passengers with gunfire aboard a New York City subway car, injuring more than 20 people before he fled the scene. The attack erupted during the Tuesday morning commuter rush as the Manhattan-bound "N Line" train was pulling into an underground station in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood, the latest burst of seemingly random violence that has plagued the city's transit system in recent years.

Oklahoma governor signs near-total abortion ban, threatens prison for providers

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed a bill that makes it illegal to perform an abortion in the state except in medical emergencies, penalizing those who do with up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. The legislation, which is one of several anti-abortion measures advanced by the state's Republican-controlled legislature this year, will take effect this summer unless it is blocked in court.

Trucker protests expand at U.S.-Mexico border over lengthy wait times

Mexican truck drivers blockaded bridges at the U.S. border for a second day on Tuesday to protest an order by the Texas governor meant to increase safety inspections that has snarled traffic and led business groups to warn of supply chain disruptions. Mexico's government said in a statement it "rejects" the inspections imposed by Texas, estimating that two-thirds of normal trade was being held up and costing "significant revenue" for both U.S. and Mexican businesses.

U.S. Special Envoy for Horn of Africa to step down soon - sources

U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa David Satterfield will step down from his role before summer, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, after less than six months on the job and at a time of persistent political turmoil in the region. Deputy Special Envoy Payton Knopf will take over the post in an acting capacity, sources said, adding that Satterfield's departure was not imminent.