Reuters US Domestic News Summary

As state laws limiting abortions set in after the U.S. Supreme Court decided last month that they are no longer guaranteed by the constitution, the technology industry has fretted police could obtain warrants for customers’ search history, geolocation and other information revealing pregnancy plans. As business booms for people smugglers using trucks in Texas, risks grow Months before dozens of migrants died inside a sweltering tractor-trailer this week that had slipped through a Border Patrol checkpoint on a Texas highway, another truck driver was making the same journey carrying 52 migrants.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Google to delete location history of visits to abortion clinics

Alphabet Inc's Google will delete location data showing when users visit an abortion clinic, the online search giant said on Friday, following concern that a digital trail could inform law enforcement if an individual terminates a pregnancy illegally. As state laws limiting abortions set in after the U.S. Supreme Court decided last month that they are no longer guaranteed by the constitution, the technology industry has fretted police could obtain warrants for customers' search history, geolocation and other information revealing pregnancy plans.

As business booms for people smugglers using trucks in Texas, risks grow

Months before dozens of migrants died inside a sweltering tractor-trailer this week that had slipped through a Border Patrol checkpoint on a Texas highway, another truck driver was making the same journey carrying 52 migrants. Roderick DeWayne Chisley was stopped on December 17, 2021, driving a stolen rig on the I-35 highway, which runs north from Laredo to San Antonio. According to court documents, Chisley said his payment for agreeing to drive the vehicle with no questions asked was $50,000.

Biden predicts states will try to arrest women who travel for abortions

President Joe Biden predicted on Friday that some U.S. states will try to arrest women for crossing state lines to get abortions after the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedures nationwide. Thirteen Republican-led states banned or severely restricted the procedure under so-called "trigger laws" after the court struck down the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling last week. Women in those states seeking an abortion may have to travel to states where it remains legal.

Georgetown's ex-tennis coach gets 2-1/2 years in prison in U.S. college scandal

A former Georgetown University tennis coach was sentenced on Friday to 2-1/2 years in prison for helping children of wealthy parents get into the school in exchange for nearly $3.5 million in bribes as part of a vast college admissions fraud scheme. Gordon Ernst, Georgetown's former head tennis coach, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston after pleading guilty in October to conspiracy and bribery charges arising from the U.S. college admissions scandal.

Yellowstone reopens access to northern areas after historic flooding

Yellowstone National Park will reopen its north loop on Saturday in time for the U.S. Fourth of July holiday weekend after historic flooding forced the entire park to close on June 13 for the first time in 34 years. The park's south loop reopened on June 22 under restricted conditions. According to notices on its website, 93 percent of its roadways will be accessible to the 2.2 million-acres, but the north and northeast entrance roads with access from Montana will remain closed as temporary repairs are completed.

Texas power use to break records next week as heatwave returns

Power demand in Texas will likely hit new all-time highs next week as economic growth boosts overall use and homes and businesses crank up their air conditioners to escape another heat wave. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for more than 26 million customers representing about 90% of the state's power load, has said it has enough energy resources available to meet demand.

Millions hit the road, skies, for U.S. Fourth of July holiday

The number of people traveling by car and airplane for the Fourth of July holiday is expected to climb near pre-pandemic levels, a test for U.S. airlines that have struggled with inadequate staffing and flight cancellations this summer. The easing of COVID-19 restrictions and bottled-up travel demand are translating into the strongest summer since the pandemic for U.S. carriers.

Abortion drug maker says Mississippi can't ban pill despite Supreme Court ruling

The maker of a drug used in medication abortions has told a federal judge that the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling eliminating the nationwide right to abortion does not allow Mississippi to stop it from selling the pills in the state. GenBioPro Inc, which makes a generic version of the drug mifepristone, said in a Thursday filing in Jackson, Mississippi federal court that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of the drug should override any state ban.

Biles, Rapinoe among Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients

Four-times gymnastics Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles and twice soccer World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe are among 17 people set to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest United States' civilian honour, the White House said on Friday. The honour, awarded to those who have made "exemplary contributions" to the United States, global peace or other endeavors, will be presented on July 7.

Major U.S. airlines to allow gender-neutral option on ticket reservations

Major U.S. airlines have agreed to update computer systems by the end of 2024 to allow travelers to purchase tickets with an "X" gender marker, an airline trade group confirmed on Friday. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, in a letter to Airlines for America Chief Executive Nick Calio that was seen by Reuters, said member airlines committed to the change after he had engaged with the group. A spokeswoman for the airline group confirmed that Wyden's letter was accurate.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)