Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Exclusive: FBI probes use of Israeli firm's spyware in personal and government hacks - sources

The FBI is investigating the role of Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group Technologies in possible hacks on American residents and companies as well as suspected intelligence gathering on governments, according to four people familiar with the inquiry. The probe was underway by 2017, when Federal Bureau of Investigation officials were trying to learn whether NSO obtained from American hackers any of the code it needed to infect smartphones, said one person interviewed by the FBI then and again last year.

Shadow of Kobe Bryant hangs over first Lakers game since his death

Kobe Bryant's former team the Los Angeles Lakers will make an emotional return to the court on Friday for the first time since his death earlier this week in a helicopter crash that shook basketball fans in the city and worldwide. Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other people died on Sunday when the helicopter they were taking to a girls' basketball tournament crashed in foggy weather on a hillside northwest of Los Angeles.

Players say safety key in debate over 17-game regular season

Members of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on Thursday said player safety would have to come first amid discussions over the potential addition of a 17th game to the regular season. The NFL and its players' union are in negotiations for their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), with the current deal expected to expire in March 2021 and with issues like another game added to the standard 16-game regular season on the agenda.

U.S. Coast Guard officer accused of plotting attack on Democratic politicians faces sentencing

A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant accused by prosecutors of plotting to attack Democratic politicians and TV personalities was due to be sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to illegally possessing guns and opioid painkillers. Christopher Paul Hasson, 50, has been in federal custody since his arrest in February last year, when investigators found more than a dozen guns, hundreds of bullets and scores of Tramadol pills in his home in Silver Springs, Maryland.

U.S. confirms its first person-to-person coronavirus transmission

The husband of an Illinois woman diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from a trip to China has also become infected, marking the first known person-to-person transmission of the disease within the United States, health authorities said on Thursday. The latest Illinois case brought the tally of confirmed U.S. coronavirus infections to six, none fatal, according to the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), as the number of Americans potentially exposed to the virus and placed under medical observation continued to rise.

Where Democratic presidential candidates stand on 'Medicare for All'

Perhaps no issue has divided the field of Democratic 2020 presidential hopefuls more than "Medicare for All." Liberal candidates favor the sweeping proposal, which would replace private health insurance with a single government-run plan. Moderate candidates have embraced less drastic measures they say would achieve broader healthcare coverage while allowing individuals to choose their plan.

Trump mocks Democrats, revives border wall promise in Iowa campaign speech

U.S. President Donald Trump campaigned on Thursday in Iowa - the state that kicks off the presidential nominating race next week - basking in the support of his base while the U.S. Senate trial considering his impeachment continued in Washington. Reviving some of the most polarizing speech lines from his 2016 campaign and mocking his potential Democratic opponents, Trump regaled the crowd with a series of campaign promises, including revamping the U.S. healthcare system and continuing to build a wall along the country's southern border with Mexico.

End draws near in Trump impeachment trial as Democrats likely to fall short in vote

President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial faces a climactic vote on Friday, when senators are due to decide whether to call witnesses and prolong the historic proceeding or instead bring them to the swift conclusion that Trump wants. Senate Democrats have been arguing throughout the two-week trial that lawmakers need to hear from witnesses like John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser. But they do not appear to have enough support from Republicans who control the chamber.

Weinstein accuser expected to testify about alleged rape, relationship with producer

A onetime aspiring actress who prosecutors say maintained a relationship with Harvey Weinstein after he raped her because she felt "trapped" is expected to testify against the former Hollywood producer at his Manhattan criminal trial on Friday. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to raping the aspiring actress, Jessica Mann, and to sexually assaulting another woman, Mimi Haleyi. Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

U.S. State Department warns Americans against China travel over virus

The U.S. State Department increased its travel advisory for China on Thursday, as the death toll from a fast spreading virus rose to over 200 and the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency. In a notice posted on its website, the State Department said: "Do not travel to China due to novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China."