Reuters US Domestic News Summary

But they also indicated they might permit the laws to regulate certain non-expressive internet services such as the provision of email, direct messaging or car-sharing. Prosecutors seek Trump gag order in NY hush money criminal case Prosecutors have asked a judge for a gag order to restrict Donald Trump from making public comments about witnesses or exposing the identities of jurors in the former president's New York trial involving hush money paid to a porn star, court filings made public on Monday showed.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Explainer-How Super Tuesday could be Haley's last chance to stop Trump

Fifteen states and one U.S. territory hold Republican nominating contests on Super Tuesday, the biggest day of votes when more than a third of delegates will be assigned in the battle to decide if Nikki Haley can stop frontrunner Donald Trump from winning the Republican presidential nomination. Democrats also head to the polls for primaries and caucuses around the nation on March 5, but President Joe Biden is a shoo-in for the nomination with only one long-shot challenger remaining.

US court tries to bring SpaceX lawsuit against US labor board back to Texas

A U.S. appeals court in an unusual step on Monday moved to claw back rocket maker SpaceX's lawsuit claiming a U.S. labor board's structure is unconstitutional, after a judge in Texas granted the agency's request to send it to California. A panel of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a brief order said the Los Angeles federal court should not have processed the transfer last week, days after the appeals court paused it pending an appeal by SpaceX.

Republican Party leader Ronna McDaniel to step down after pressure from Trump

Republican Party leader Ronna McDaniel said on Monday she was stepping down, in a power shakeup that followed weeks of public pressure from the party's likely 2024 nominee, Donald Trump. The move reflected the former president's sway over the party as he prepares for a likely rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in November.

Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting trial set for July

Actor Alec Baldwin's manslaughter trial is set for July 10 for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the Western movie "Rust", a New Mexico judge ruled on Monday. Should his case reach trial, it would be remarkable as Hollywood has little precedent for an actor being held criminally responsible for an on-set shooting. Charges against Baldwin have been dropped once already.

'Chaotic' US Congress hurtles toward new government shutdown deadline

The U.S. Congress on Monday showed no sign of moving forward on spending bills to avoid a partial government shutdown in just five days, as lawmakers entered a new week of political chaos over funding and aid to U.S. allies. The top Democrats and Republicans in Congress on Tuesday are due to visit the White House to meet with Democratic President Joe Biden, who has been pushing for months for fresh aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as urging lawmakers to avoid a shutdown.

Pentagon absolves itself after Austin's secret hospitalization

The Pentagon on Monday released the results of a 30-day review that effectively absolved itself of any wrongdoing in U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's secret hospitalizations in December and January. The report is unlikely to quell political furor or temper expected questioning of Austin by lawmakers later this week when the Pentagon chief appears before the House Armed Services committee to address the matter.

US Supreme Court torn over Florida, Texas laws regulating social media companies

U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday expressed reservations about Republican-backed laws in Florida and Texas meant to restrict the power of social media companies to curb content that the platforms deem objectionable, but signaled they may not be ready to block them in their entirety. During nearly four hours of arguments in the cases, the justices expressed concern that the laws could undermine the editorial discretion of the platforms in violation of free speech protections. But they also indicated they might permit the laws to regulate certain non-expressive internet services such as the provision of email, direct messaging or car-sharing.

Prosecutors seek Trump gag order in NY hush money criminal case

Prosecutors have asked a judge for a gag order to restrict Donald Trump from making public comments about witnesses or exposing the identities of jurors in the former president's New York trial involving hush money paid to a porn star, court filings made public on Monday showed. The requests by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office noted Trump's "longstanding history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, judges and others involved in legal proceedings against him."

US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy

A U.S. military service member who had set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington over the weekend, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza, has died, local police said on Monday. Officer Lee Lepe, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department, confirmed the U.S. airman's death.

Moon lander Odysseus mission to be cut short after sideways touchdown

Engineers on Earth expect to lose radio contact with the private U.S. moon lander Odysseus on Tuesday, effectively cutting short the mission five days after its sideways touchdown, the company behind the spacecraft, Intuitive Machines, said on Monday. NASA, which has several research instruments aboard the six-legged vehicle, had said those payloads were designed to operate for seven days on solar energy before the sun was due to set over the landing site near the moon's south pole.