Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Many US ice cream producers to phase out artificial food dyes by 2028

Dozens of U.S. ice cream producers are planning to remove artificial colors from their products by 2028, a dairy industry group and government officials said on Monday. The producers, which together represent more than 90% of ice cream sold in the U.S., are the latest food companies to take voluntary steps to remove dyes since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in April said the U.S. aimed to phase out many synthetic dyes from the country's food supply.

NHC says 40% chance system will form into cyclone near Florida

A low pressure area located just offshore of the east coast of Florida has a 40% likelihood of evolving into a cyclone within the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday. "This system is forecast to move westward across the Florida Peninsula today and tonight, then reach the northeastern Gulf by the middle part of this week," the NHC said in its latest advisory.

US delays rule on Gulf of Mexico whale protections by two years

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will delay by two years a final rule designating protections for the endangered Rice's whale in the oil and gas drilling region of the Gulf of Mexico, according to an agreement with environmental groups filed in a federal court. The U.S. Commerce Department's National Marine Fisheries Service agreed with green group Natural Resources Defense Council to finalize by July 15, 2027 the geographic area deemed critical for the Rice's whale survival. The previous deadline had been Tuesday, July 15, of this year.

Fed's inflation fears may start to be realized with June CPI data

The U.S. is expected on Tuesday to report that rising costs for imported goods lifted overall consumer prices in June, kicking off what might be several months at least of such increases and giving Federal Reserve officials highly awaited data on whether the Trump administration's tariffs are boosting inflation. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has pinpointed this summer as the time when the U.S. central bank will likely learn if inflation is responding to the tariffs applied by the Trump administration on trading partners and various industrial sectors.

Fate of US disaster relief agency FEMA still being discussed

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has no immediate plans to abolish the Federal Emergency Management Agency amid ongoing discussions about the disaster relief agency's future, the Washington Post reported. No official action was being taken to wind down FEMA and changes in the agency would probably amount to a "rebranding" that would emphasize state leaders' roles in disaster response, the newspaper reported, citing a senior White House official.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent says 'formal process' for Powell successor has started, Bloomberg News reports

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an interview on Bloomberg Surveillance on Tuesday, said that a "formal process" is already starting to identify a potential successor to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. "There are a lot of great candidates, and we'll see how rapidly it progresses," Bessent said.

Trump to unveil $70 billion in AI and energy investments

U.S. President Donald Trump will announce $70 billion in artificial-intelligence and energy investments on Tuesday, according to a White House official and a person familiar with the initiatives. Trump will reveal details of these new initiatives at an event near Pittsburgh, where he will be joined by Republican Senator David McCormick, who is hosting the first Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University.

US consumer prices increase as expected in June

U.S. consumer prices picked up in June, likely marking the start of a long-anticipated tariff-induced increase in inflation that has kept the Federal Reserve cautious about resuming its interest rate cuts. The Consumer Price Index increased 0.3% last month after edging up 0.1% in May, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Tuesday. That was the largest gain since January. In the 12 months through June, the CPI advanced 2.7% after rising 2.4% in May.

Trump joins tech and energy executives amid AI push

President Donald Trump will join executives from some of the largest U.S. tech and energy companies for a summit in Pittsburgh on Tuesday as the administration prepares fresh measures to power the U.S. expansion of artificial intelligence.

Top economic rivals U.S. and China are locked in a technological arms race over who can dominate AI as the technology takes on increasing importance everywhere from corporate boardrooms to the battlefield.

US opens national security probes into imported drones, polysilicon

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Monday it has opened national security investigations into the import of drones and related components as well as polysilicon, a key component in solar panels and semiconductors. The "Section 232" investigations, which were opened on July 1 but not publicly disclosed previously, could be used as a basis for even higher tariffs on imported drones and polysilicon and its derivatives.

US senators urge Trump administration to back older retirement age for pilots

A bipartisan group of three U.S. senators including Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged President Donald Trump's administration on Monday to support international efforts to raise the mandatory pilot retirement age. In 2023, Congress rejected a push to raise the mandatory airline pilot retirement age to 67 from 65. International rules prevent airline pilots older than 65 from flying in most countries outside the U.S.

US appeals court temporarily upholds protected status for Afghans

A U.S. appeals court has blocked for now a bid by President Donald Trump's administration to strip temporary protected status from thousands of Afghans in the United States, court documents showed, allowing them more time to argue the case. Monday's order by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted an administrative stay on the termination until July 21, following a request from immigration advocacy organization CASA.

Cuomo to stay in New York mayoral race despite losing Democratic primary

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will stay in the New York City mayoral race as an independent candidate despite his stunning loss in the Democratic Party's primary election to self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. "The fight to save our city isn't over," Cuomo said in a video published on Monday on the X social media platform. "The general election is in November and I'm in it to win it."

Fire at Boston-area senior living facility kills at least nine

A fire that broke out at an assisted living facility for the elderly near Boston on Sunday night killed at least nine people and injured 30 others, authorities said. About 70 people lived at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, where the fire broke out about 9:30 p.m. on Sunday (0130 GMT Monday), Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Security, said on Monday.

Elmo's X account gets hacked, posts antisemitic and racist messages

Hackers broke into the X account of Sesame Street character Elmo and posted antisemitic and racist messages, the makers of the children's TV show said on Monday. The Sunday posts, which have been deleted, called for violence against Jews, insulted President Donald Trump and demanded the release of government files on accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged clientele.

Avelo Airlines to close US West Coast base amid backlash over deportation flights

Avelo Airlines, a Texas-based budget carrier, said on Monday it will close its base at Hollywood Burbank Airport as it struggles financially, amid calls to boycott the airline over its decision to operate deportation flights under a contract with the Trump administration. Avelo signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in April to transport migrants to detention centers inside and outside the U.S.

US agencies shrink layoff plans after mass staff exodus

The Trump administration will reduce planned federal worker layoffs, a personnel official said on Monday, after tens of thousands of employees accepted buyouts or retired early to avoid dismissal. "Several agencies are now not planning to proceed" with staff cuts, Office of Personnel Management senior adviser Noah Peters said in a statement filed in federal court.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)