Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

New U.S. COVID cases fall sharply last week, deaths lowest since October

New cases of COVID-19 in the United States fell 16% last week to about 409,000, the biggest percentage drop in weekly new cases since February, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county data. Deaths from COVID-19 fell 4% to 4,972 in the week ended April 25, dropping below 5,000 for the first time since October.

U.S. to probe Louisville, Kentucky, police after Breonna Taylor death

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday launched a civil probe of the Louisville, Kentucky, police department whose officers last year fatally shot Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman, in a botched raid, sparking street protests against police violence. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the probe, which will focus on the police department and the Louisville-Jefferson County government, will evaluate whether the police routinely use unreasonable force, including on protesters, as well as if they routinely conduct unconstitutional searches.

U.S. Homeland Security to investigate domestic extremism in its ranks

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will investigate the potential threat of domestic violent extremism within its own ranks, the department said on Monday. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did not say what prompted the internal review at DHS, but referred to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. He said it highlighted the threat of U.S.-based extremists.

Police 'executed' Black man in North Carolina shooting, lawyers say

Attorneys for the family of Andrew Brown Jr., a Black man shot by sheriff's deputies in North Carolina during an attempted arrest last week, said body camera footage showed Brown had been "executed" and accused officials of withholding evidence. Lawyers said the 42-year-old Brown had his hands on the steering wheel of his car and was complying with orders when multiple deputies began firing at him in his driveway in Elizabeth City, a riverfront community near the Virginia border.

Exclusive-Before Jan. 6, FBI collected information from at least 4 Proud Boys

Among the far-right groups whose members are suspected of planning the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are the Proud Boys. In March, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s director told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he “absolutely” wished the agency had penetrated the group beforehand, or knew its plans. “I do not consider what happened on January 6th to be an acceptable result,” Director Christopher Wray said. “We are focused very, very hard on how can we get better sources, better information, better analysis.”

Drive to recall California governor has enough signatures to make ballot

A Republican-led effort to recall California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has garnered enough valid signatures to make the ballot, state election officials said on Monday. Newsom will likely face a recall next fall in a race that is already shaping up to be chaotic, as three Republicans - including transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner - have already said they will run to replace him.

U.S. Supreme Court takes major case on carrying concealed handguns

The U.S. Supreme Court stepped back into the heated debate over gun rights on Monday, agreeing to hear a challenge backed by the National Rifle Association to New York state's restrictions on people carrying concealed handguns in public in a case that could further undermine firearms control efforts nationally. The justices took up an appeal by two gun owners and the New York affiliate of the NRA, an influential gun rights group closely aligned with Republicans, of a lower court ruling throwing out their challenge to the restrictions on concealed handguns outside the home.

Hearing on objections to Amazon union election to start May 7: labor group

The labor group that did not secure enough votes from Amazon.com Inc warehouse workers in Alabama to form a union said on Monday the hearing on its objections to the election is set to start on May 7, citing a government filing. The U.S. National Labor Relations Board did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. census hands more House seats to Republican strongholds Texas, Florida

Texas, Florida and North Carolina are among the states that will gain congressional seats based on new population data from the U.S. census, a shift that could boost Republican chances of recapturing the U.S. House of Representatives from Democrats in next year's midterm elections. The overall U.S. population stood at 331,449,281, the Census Bureau said on Monday, a 7.4% increase over 2010 representing the second-slowest growth of any decade in history.

Harris to lead Biden task force promoting unions, labor organizing

President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Monday that will create a task force to promote labor organizing, the White House said, at a time when just over 6 percent of U.S. private-sector workers belong to unions. The White House task force will be headed by Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh will serve as vice chair of the group.

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