Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Lockheed gets $932 million Pentagon contract for THAAD interceptors

Lockheed Martin Corp was awarded a $932 million Pentagon contract on Tuesday for THAAD interceptor missiles, some of which are slated to be delivered to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new contract was a modification to a previously awarded agreement to produce the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor for Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said. Sewing machines become latest weapon against coronavirus as California volunteers swing into action

Smita Paul has been sewing scarves and clothing for her small fashion business since 2003 but ever since the coronavirus struck the Bay Area and created a shortage in personal protective equipment for hospital workers, she has switched from sewing scarves to sewing masks. “We are all horrified. The idea of one of my friends having to go into this situation without having any protective gear, I just can’t imagine," said Paul. "If we can do one little thing, we’re going to do it." New Jersey slaps terror charge on man over alleged supermarket cough threat

A New Jersey man has been charged with making terroristic threats after he was accused of coughing on a supermarket employee and saying he was infected with the coronavirus behind the ongoing pandemic, authorities said Tuesday. George Falcone, 50, was issued a summons for terroristic threats in the third degree and other charges over the incident, according to the office of New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. Amid worsening pandemic, Trump pushes to re-open U.S. for business by Easter

U.S. President Donald Trump pressed his case on Tuesday for a re-opening of the U.S. economy by mid-April despite a surge in coronavirus cases, downplaying the pandemic as he did in its early stages by comparing it to the seasonal flu. Trump and his coronavirus team on March 16 put in place recommendations for people across the country to cut down social and professional interactions for 15 days in a bid to reduce the virus' spread. Trump, Pence held call with investors on economy: administration official

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence held a conference call on Tuesday with Wall Street investors to discuss the U.S. economy, the Federal Reserve and other issues, an administration official said. The list of senior executives included, but was not limited to, Dan Loeb of Third Point, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone Group, Robert Smith of Vista Equity, Jeff Sprecher of ICE/NYSE, Paul Tudor Jones of JUST Capital and Citadel Chief Executive Ken Griffin. White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham tests negative for coronavirus

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham, under quarantine since contact with a Brazilian official earlier this month, tested negative for coronavirus and will be back at work on Wednesday, the White House said. Grisham, one of President Donald Trump's top aides, had been with the president at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 7 when Trump played host to a dinner with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and a Brazilian delegation. 'Humor is healing': Laughter soothes nerves during COVID-19 trauma

Americans are employing humor as a balm to soothe nerves during the coronavirus pandemic, flocking to new Instagram stars like Quentin Quarantino and sharing Facebook memes about taking off bras and pants and putting on weight in self-quarantine. Late-night TV hosts and hometown comedians are providing a mental health safety net for Americans living amid COVID-19 trauma, and medical experts say humor is a vital part of surviving the cascading catastrophe. Pompeo will not self-isolate after Afghanistan, Qatar trip

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will not self-isolate after returning from Afghanistan and Qatar on Tuesday because neither country was on a U.S. government list calling for such precautions when he visited, a State Department medical official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said Pompeo's choreographed movements in both places and the prior screening of people who came in contact with him meant it was a low or no-risk environment for him to catch the disease. Judge rejects ex-Trump lawyer Cohen's bid for freedom, even with COVID-19 risk

A federal judge on Tuesday denied Michael Cohen's request to be released early from prison, saying U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer should accept the consequences of his crimes rather than invoke the coronavirus pandemic to justify his freedom. U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan said the government acted within its discretion in deciding that Cohen's false statements and refusal to accept responsibility justified that he serve his three-year sentence. New York now epicenter of U.S. coronavirus outbreak, governor spars with Trump

New York state suffered another quick and brutal rise in the number of coronavirus cases on Tuesday as officials raced to make more hospital beds available and the World Health Organization said the United States could become the next epicenter of the global pandemic. New York City, home to more than 8 million people, had 157 deaths and some 15,000 cases of COVID-19, nearly one-third the U.S. total on Tuesday, despite imposing strict limits on travel, socializing and work.