Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The new rule, which is set to take effect on April 18, will make Philadelphia the first major city in the United States to reimpose such a mandate. U.S. judge delays trial for men accused of assaulting Capitol police amid plea talks A federal judge on Monday postponed a June trial date for two men accused of assaulting police during last year's attack on the U.S. Capitol after an attorney for one of the defendants expressed optimism a plea deal could be reached.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Philadelphia to reimpose indoor mask mandate in public spaces

Philadelphia will again require masks in indoor public settings such as restaurants, schools and businesses starting next week, the city said on Monday, responding to what appears to be a fresh wave of coronavirus transmissions. The new rule, which is set to take effect on April 18, will make Philadelphia the first major city in the United States to reimpose such a mandate.

U.S. judge delays trial for men accused of assaulting Capitol police amid plea talks

A federal judge on Monday postponed a June trial date for two men accused of assaulting police during last year's attack on the U.S. Capitol after an attorney for one of the defendants expressed optimism a plea deal could be reached. Julian Khater and George Pierre Tanios had been slated to go to trial on June 6 on multiple criminal charges including assaulting at least three U.S. Capitol and Washington police officers with a chemical agent.

Ex-police officer found guilty in second Capitol riot jury trial

An off-duty police officer who breached the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack was found guilty of multiple felonies on Tuesday, a notable victory for prosecutors in one of the first trials relating to the attack. According to court documents, a federal jury in the District of Columbia found Thomas Robertson of Rocky Mount, Virginia, guilty on all six charges he faces, including obstructing an official proceeding of the U.S. Congress.

Stung by redistricting rulings, Republicans target state court elections

Republicans are vowing to spend record amounts in key state supreme court races this fall, seeking to take advantage of a favorable national political environment to elect conservative judges at the state level amid deep political divisions. A string of decisions throwing out Republican-drawn congressional maps in Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania has intensified the party's determination to install justices who could give lawmakers fresh opportunities to muscle through more advantageous maps.

California's PG&E to avoid criminal charges in settlements over two major wildfires

California utility PG&E Corp has reached settlement agreements with district attorneys representing Northern California counties to avoid prosecution over two major wildfires, with the company agreeing to pay $55 million. "As a result of these agreements, no criminal charges will be filed in the Dixie Fire (2021), and the criminal complaint regarding the Kincade Fire (2019) will be dismissed," the company said in a statement on Monday.

U.S. House Democrats introduce bill requiring time off for voting

A group of U.S. House of Representatives Democrats on Monday proposed legislation requiring employers give their workers paid time off to vote, following failed attempts by Congress to pass major voting rights legislation earlier this year. The "Time Off to Vote Act" would close gaps in state laws, U.S. Representative Nikema Williams of Georgia said in a statement, citing the long lines at polling places seen in her state and others during previous elections.

U.S. seeks to resume enforcing federal employee vaccine mandate

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday asked a federal appeals court to allow the Biden administration to resume enforcing a federal employee vaccine mandate that had been blocked by a lower-court judge in January. A 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel on Thursday reinstated President Joe Biden's executive order mandating that federal civilian employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. The White House last week had told federal agencies they "must continue to take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement" pending additional procedural steps by the court.

Two men accused of impersonating U.S. federal agents seek release from jail

Defense attorneys for two men accused of impersonating federal law enforcement agents and supplying Secret Service personnel with gifts asked a U.S. judge on Monday to release their clients from jail pending trial, saying the government's case was flimsy and lacked evidence they pose a threat. Prosecutors "have jumped to the wildest conspiracy theories imaginable," said Michelle Peterson, an attorney representing Arian Taherzadeh, 40, who is accused along with Haider Ali, 35.

Anger mounts along Texas-Mexico border over long delays to commercial crossings

Mexican truck drivers blockaded two busy bridges at the border with United States on Monday amid rising tensions on both sides over an order by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that has slowed commercial crossings between Mexico and Texas. "We're desperate because we have to wait up to 15 hours to cross into the United States," said truck driver Pedro Gonzalez as he and others protested at the Zaragoza bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez to El Paso.

Biden cracks down on 'ghost guns' with new rule to tackle gun violence

President Joe Biden unveiled a new rule to rein in so-called ghost guns and ban the manufacturing of the untraceable firearms on Monday as the administration faces growing pressure to crack down on gun deaths and violent crime in the United States. Ghost guns are privately made firearms that are not marked with a serial number and are difficult for law enforcement to trace when used to commit a crime.