US Domestic News Roundup: NY health network faces criminal investigation; Trump on Twitter and more

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET Friday versus its previous report published on Dec. 24.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

NY health network faces criminal investigation over COVID-19 vaccine

New York State Health officials said on Saturday they are investigating a Brooklyn-based healthcare provider on suspicion it violated state guidelines for distribution of COVID-19 vaccine. ParCare Community Health Network "may have fraudulently obtained COVID-19 vaccine, transferred it to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines and diverted it to members of the public - contrary to the state's plan to administer it first to frontline healthcare workers, as well as nursing home residents and staffers," state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a statement.

Factbox-Trump on Twitter (Dec. 26) - Defense Bill, Election, FBI

The following statements were posted to the verified personal Twitter account of U.S. President Donald Trump (@realDonaldTrump) The opinions expressed are his own. Reuters has not edited the statements or confirmed their accuracy.

Boston doctor has severe allergic reaction to Moderna COVID vaccine: NYT

A doctor in Boston with a shellfish allergy developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving Moderna's coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing the doctor. Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh, a geriatric oncology fellow at Boston Medical Center, said he had a severe reaction almost immediately after being vaccinated, feeling dizzy and with a racing heart, the NYT reported.

U.S. holiday retail sales rise 3% as online shopping booms- Mastercard report

U.S. retail sales rose 3% during this year's expanded holiday shopping season from Oct. 11 to Dec. 24, a report by Mastercard Inc said on Saturday, powered by a pandemic-driven shift toward online shopping. U.S. ecommerce sales jumped 49% in this year's holiday shopping season, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse report, underscoring the COVID-19 pandemic's role in transforming customers' shopping habits.

U.S. CDC reports 329,592 total deaths from coronavirus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 329,592 total deaths from the new coronavirus, an increase of 4,496 from its previous count, and said the number of cases had risen by 339,235 to 18,730,806. The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET Friday versus its previous report published on Dec. 24. https://bit.ly/2JkpCs https://bit.ly/2JkpCs3 The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.

Trump refuses to budge over aid bill, imperiling jobless benefits for millions

Millions of Americans are about to see their jobless benefits expire on Saturday as President Donald Trump has so far refused to sign into law a $2.3 trillion pandemic aid and spending package, insisting that it did not do enough to help everyday people. Trump stunned Republicans and Democrats alike when he said this week he was unhappy with the massive bill, which provides $892 billion in badly needed coronavirus relief, including extending emergency unemployment benefits that expire at the close of Dec. 26, and $1.4 trillion for normal government spending.

U.S. jobless benefit cut-off pushes millions to financial cliff-edge

When the U.S. Congress passed a pandemic aid bill on Monday, Meghan Meyer, a single mom from Lincoln, Nebraska, thought she would get some respite from the daily struggle to feed and house her two kids during an unprecedented health and economic crisis. But the next day President Donald Trump declared the long-awaited relief package "a disgrace" and said he would not sign it into law, decrying some of its spending measures while also demanding it include bigger stimulus checks for most Americans.

Nashville blast investigation leads U.S. agents to suburban home

Federal agents investigating the explosion of a motor home in Nashville were searching a two-story suburban house on Saturday for clues to the blast, which injured three people in the heart of America's country music capital on Christmas Day. Federal agents were also trying to identify apparent human remains found near the exploded vehicle.

U.S. judge again delays execution of lone woman on federal death row

A U.S. federal judge said that the Justice Department broke the law when it rescheduled the execution of the only woman on federal death row last month, potentially pushing her execution into Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's new administration. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss on Thursday vacated an order from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which is part of the Justice Department, that had rescheduled convicted murderer Lisa Montgomery's execution to Jan. 12.

Suspect in custody after three reported killed in Illinois shooting

Illinois police said they had arrested a suspect on Saturday after media reported three people had been were killed and three injured in a nighttime shooting at a bowling alley. "Suspect is in custody. This an active and ongoing investigation," tweeted https://bit.ly/37VtN7r the police in Rockford, west of Chicago.