Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. On the trail: Biden battles to secure needed victory in South Carolina

Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to stump hard in South Carolina on Friday, aiming to solidify support in the Southern state where a lead among black voters may give his campaign for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination a needed boost. Rivals including Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, currently leading among Democrats in national opinion polls, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg will also be crisscrossing the state, which holds its presidential nominating contest on Saturday. Apache tribe marches to protect sacred Arizona site from copper mine

Hundreds of Apache tribe members and supporters marched for four days to a sacred campground in southeastern Arizona earlier this month, hoping to protect the land from copper mining while bringing awareness to injustices against Native Americans. The 45-mile march, from the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, ended Sunday, Feb. 23 on what is known as Oak Flat, a 2,400 acre (970 hectares) parcel of public land in the Tonto National Forest near Superior, Arizona. 'Wall-to-wall campaign': Californians bombarded with Bloomberg ads

Elizabeth Isabella, a homemaker in Burbank, California, was driving car pool when her 10-year-old son Lachlan started reciting YouTube ads by U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg. "Mike will get it done," he said, repeating the slogan that played on his Fortnite and Minecraft gaming videos. Stocks plunge on coronavirus fears even as U.S. ramps up fight against spread

U.S. stocks plummeted on Thursday as fears about the effect of the coronavirus outbreak on economic growth flared even as U.S. officials pledged that they were stepping up efforts to safeguard Americans from the virus' spread. A day after President Donald Trump told Americans that the risk from coronavirus remained "very low," the S&P 500 logged its fastest drop of at least 10% in history in a sixth straight day of declines. The broad market average has lost 12% since hitting a record close on Feb. 19. California monitoring 8,400 people for possible coronavirus

California is monitoring more than 8,400 people who arrived on commercial flights for coronavirus symptoms from "points of concern," but the state lacks test kits and has been held back by federal testing rules, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday. California has only 200 test kits, but has appealed for testing protocols to be expanded to include Americans who may catch the virus as it spreads through U.S. communities, Newsom told a news briefing in Sacramento, the state capital. Exclusive: U.S. mulls using sweeping powers to ramp up production of coronavirus protective gear

President Donald Trump's administration is considering invoking special powers through a law called the Defense Production Act to rapidly expand domestic manufacturing of protective masks and clothing to combat the coronavirus in the United States, two U.S. officials told Reuters. The use of the law, passed by Congress in 1950 at the outset of the Korean War, would mark an escalation of the administration's response to the outbreak. The virus first surfaced in China and has since spread to other countries including the United States. How the Democratic nominating battle could end in a messy 'brokered convention'

Seemingly every four years, political pundits speculate about a "brokered" U.S. presidential convention - only to see a nominee selected with little or no drama. But that may not be the case in 2020. With the field of Democratic contenders deeply fragmented ahead of the all-important Super Tuesday contests in 14 states on March 3, chances are growing that no contender will amass the majority of delegates needed to clinch the nomination outright. Underwear as empowerment: Delaware design student aims to fill a need for trans women

When graduate student Haobo Zhang decided to design underwear specifically for transgender women, his ambition was more high-minded than simply turning in a project to complete his master's degree in fashion at the University of Delaware. Zhang wanted to fill a need that would help bring comfort and respect to the millions of people around the world who identify as transgender. Super Tuesday contests offer big rewards, challenges in Democratic presidential race

Fourteen states and one U.S. territory host Super Tuesday primaries next week, a flurry that could bring more clarity about which Democratic presidential contender voters prefer to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in November. More than a third of delegates will be doled out in Tuesday's nominating contests, compared with less than 5% awarded from the four states voting in February. A candidate needs 1,991 delegates to win the Democratic nomination at the party's national convention in July. California regulator proposes record $2.14 billion fine on PG&E over wildfires

California's utilities regulator has proposed an increased $2.14 billion fine on PG&E Corp for its role in causing the devastating 2017 and 2018 wildfires in Northern California. The decision raises the penalty by $462 million and would be the largest ever imposed, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) said.