Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The former president easily bested the former South Carolina governor on Tuesday, but his carefully crafted strategy to drive Haley out of the race fell short, denying Trump the chance, for now, to focus all his attention on Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden and the November general election. Minnesota trooper charged with shooting murder of Black motorist A state trooper in Minnesota was charged with unintentional murder and manslaughter for shooting and killing Black motorist Ricky Cobb II last year in Minneapolis, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

British billionaire Joe Lewis pleads guilty to US insider trading charges

British billionaire Joe Lewis pleaded guilty to U.S. insider trading charges on Wednesday after being accused last year of a scheme that prosecutors said was designed to enrich friends and associates, and apologized to a judge for his conduct. Lewis, 86, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud under an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan. As part of the plea deal, Lewis can appeal if the judge in the case sentences him to prison time, his lawyer David Zornow said.

Trump furious as he fails to knock out Haley before South Carolina

Donald Trump didn't just want to win in New Hampshire, he wanted to beat Nikki Haley so badly that his sole rival for the Republican presidential nomination would drop out before the next competitive contest in South Carolina a month away. The former president easily bested the former South Carolina governor on Tuesday, but his carefully crafted strategy to drive Haley out of the race fell short, denying Trump the chance, for now, to focus all his attention on Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden and the November general election.

Minnesota trooper charged with shooting murder of Black motorist

A state trooper in Minnesota was charged with unintentional murder and manslaughter for shooting and killing Black motorist Ricky Cobb II last year in Minneapolis, prosecutors said Wednesday. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said during a press conference that trooper Ryan Londregan, 27, will face those charges, along with an assault charge, because the circumstances of the case did not justify his use of deadly force.

UAW, Fain endorse Biden, say Trump 'stands against everything we stand for'

The United Auto Workers union endorsed U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection bid on Wednesday, with the union president delivering a fiery speech in Washington that was also harshly critical of Republican former President Donald Trump. In a full-throated endorsement of the Democratic incumbent, UAW President Shawn Fain cited Biden's pro-union record and his decision to become the first president to join a union picket line this summer during a successful autoworkers strike for higher pay."Instead of talking trash about our union, Joe Biden stood with us," Fain said. Fain and Biden previously had sharp differences over electric vehicle policy, and the endorsement could be a strong boost to Biden in Michigan and other manufacturing states.

Supreme Court declines to halt first US nitrogen-gas execution in Alabama case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to halt Alabama from proceeding with the nation's first execution using nitrogen gas to carry out the death penalty on convicted murderer Kenneth Smith, who survived a botched lethal injection in 2022 that helped prompt a review of the state's death penalty procedures. The justices denied Smith's request to stay his execution, which is scheduled for Thursday, and declined to hear his legal challenge contending that a second execution attempt by Alabama - after the first failed attempt caused him severe trauma - would violate the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

Trump and Biden shift focus to general election rematch as Haley fights on

Donald Trump and Joe Biden attacked each other on Wednesday as they prepared for a likely general election rematch in November after Trump's win in New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary made his White House nomination increasingly likely, although his last remaining rival Nikki Haley vowed to stay in the race. Former Republican President Trump's back-to-back wins in nominating contests put him on an almost certain path toward a general election contest with Democratic President Biden. Both turned their fire on each other after Trump's New Hampshire victory over Haley on Tuesday night.

Exclusive-Biden administration urges US Congress to approve F-16 sale to Turkey -sources

U.S. President Joe Biden's White House sent a letter to members of Congress on Wednesday urging approval of a $20 billion sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Turkey, four sources familiar with the letter told Reuters. Turkey's parliament ratified Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delay. The sources said the letter was sent on Wednesday, and that the administration has not yet formally notified Congress of plans for the sale.

Jon Stewart is returning to ‘The Daily Show’ during US election cycle

Political comedian Jon Stewart is returning to “The Daily Show” as executive producer and will host every Monday starting Feb. 12, through the 2024 election cycle, Paramount announced on Wednesday. The show will feature a rotating lineup of hosts for the other three nights it airs each week, the company said.

Ohio lawmakers ban gender-affirming care for minors, overriding veto

Ohio's Republican-dominated Senate voted on Wednesday to ban gender-affirming care for minors and prohibit transgender athletes from competing on girls' and women's sports teams, overriding a veto and finalizing the measures as law. Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine had vetoed the legislation, in a break with his party, saying that he had heard from parents of transgender youth who told him gender-affirming care had been lifesaving for their children.

How Biden plans to fight Trump in 2024, hoping for a repeat win

U.S. President Joe Biden is getting the opponent he thinks he was made to beat in 2024. Donald Trump's decisive victory in the first two Republican presidential contests in Iowa and New Hampshire make almost certain what Biden's re-election campaign has predicted for months.