US News Roundup: Russia jails ex-U.S. marine; contract for NASA spaceflight operations and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Russia jails ex-U.S. marine for 16 years on spying charges

A Russian court convicted former U.S. marine Paul Whelan of spying for the United States on Monday and sentenced him to 16 years in jail, a move the U.S. ambassador to Moscow called a violation of human rights that would damage ties. Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports, was detained by agents from Russia’s Federal Security Service in a Moscow hotel room on Dec. 28, 2018 as he prepared to attend a wedding.

Black Americans disproportionately die in police Taser confrontations

As police confront protesters across the United States, they're turning to rubber bullets, pepper spray, tear gas and other weapons meant to minimize fatalities. But some are using a weapon that has potential to kill: the Taser. When those encounters have turned fatal, black people make up a disproportionate share of those who die, according to a Reuters analysis.

KBR wins $570 million contract for NASA spaceflight operations

Houston-based engineering company KBR Inc said on Monday it was awarded a $570.3 million contract by NASA to develop and execute spaceflight operations at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Under the contract, KBR will perform International Space Station payload operations and support the testing of NASA's flagship space launch system.

Exclusive: U.S. Democratic Party irked by council's 'insurgent' climate plan - sources

The Democratic National Committee's council on climate change irked party leadership when it published policy recommendations this month that ventured beyond presidential candidate Joe Biden's plan, according to three people familiar with the matter. The party tension shows the tricky nature of climate politics as Biden seeks to court young and more progressive voters without turning off voters in energy-producing swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, where a boom in shale gas drilling had created blue-collar jobs.

Record spikes in new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations sweep parts of U.S.

New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in record numbers swept through more U.S. states, including Florida and Texas, as most push ahead with reopening and President Donald Trump plans an indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Alabama reported a record number of new cases for the fourth day in a row on Sunday. Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma and South Carolina all had record numbers of new cases in the past three days, according to a Reuters tally.

Lone black Republican senator says he is open to 'decertification' of bad police

Tim Scott, the only black Republican member of the U.S. Senate, said on Sunday he is open to exploring whether to enact a new law that would decertify bad police officers as part of a larger law enforcement reform package. Speaking on CBS "Face the Nation," Scott said a new policy to decertify police who engage in misconduct could be a compromise as he negotiates with Democrats, who have called for more drastic measures, such as ending the "qualified immunity" legal doctrine that helps shield officers from liability.

Atlanta police shooting of black man was a homicide, coroner says

The death of Rayshard Brooks, a black man killed by a white police officer in Atlanta on Friday, was a homicide caused by gunshot wounds to the back, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office said on Sunday. Brooks' death reignited protests in Atlanta after days of worldwide demonstrations against racism and police brutality prompted by the death of George Floyd, an African American, in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

For U.S. blacks, Latinos, no sign of a broadly rising tide

The protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police have opened a broader discussion about racial inequality in the United States. The U.S. civil rights movement in the 1960s was a watershed when it came to formal de-segregation in housing, education, the workplace, and public spaces. But more than a half-century later, stark divisions remain in how the benefits of a $20 trillion economy are distributed among the largest racial and ethnic minorities and the country's white majority.

Trump economic adviser urges wearing of masks at Tulsa rally

People attending U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Oklahoma this week should wear masks, a White House adviser said on Sunday, as health experts cautioned against large gatherings such as political rallies during the coronavirus pandemic. New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in record numbers swept through more U.S. states including Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, while Oklahoma reported record new cases over the weekend.

Trump says he won't watch NFL, U.S. soccer if players kneel during anthem

United States President Donald Trump has said he will not watch the National Football League (NFL) or U.S. soccer team matches if players do not stand for the national anthem. The U.S. Soccer Federation last week said it had dropped its requirement that players stand during the anthem, saying the policy was wrong and detracted from the Black Lives Matter movement.

(With inputs from agencies.)