Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Firefighters beat back Southern California wildfire as winds lighten

Firefighters working overnight to contain a Southern California wildfire made significant headway on Sunday, containing 50% of the blaze with the aid of cooler weather and lighter winds after it burned thousands of acres of dry brush and farmland. The Maria Fire, which broke out on Thursday near the community of Santa Paula about USEN70 miles (110 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, had destroyed two structures and burned more than 9,400 acres (3,800 hectares), the Ventura County Fire Department said on Sunday.

Instacart workers protest as pressure mounts on gig companies

Instacart's "gig" workers on Sunday will target the grocery shopping and delivery firm with a three-day work action aimed at disrupting service and forcing executives to fix inequalities in pay structures that they say are getting worse every year. Discontent in the ranks of the nation's estimated 75 million freelance, or "gig", workers is simmering as the richly funded Silicon Valley startups that depend on those laborers are under growing pressure to show that they can turn profits.

Trump campaign aide pushed Ukraine hacking theory: documents

President Donald Trump clamored for the speedy release of emails hacked from Democrats during the 2016 election campaign, and a top Trump aide promoted the idea that Ukraine, rather than Russia, was behind the cyber attack, documents from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe showed on Saturday. The Justice Department released 500 pages of interview summaries, emails and other documents related to Mueller's report detailing Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. They were released after a court battle with BuzzFeed News and CNN.

Judge blocks Trump rule requiring prospective immigrants have health insurance

A federal judge in Oregon on Saturday temporarily blocked a Trump administration proclamation that would have required prospective immigrants to prove they would have U.S. health insurance within 30 days of their arrival or enough money to pay for "reasonably foreseeable medical costs." Judge Michael Simon in U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, granted a 28-day temporary restraining order that prevents the rule from taking effect on Nov. 3. The legal challenge against it will continue.

Former top U.S. diplomat urges unity, sidesteps impeachment debate in speech

Former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Saturday that Republicans and Democrats need to work together for the good of the United States, while avoiding a direct reference to the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. Tillerson, whom Trump fired in a tweet in March 2018 amid friction between the two over North Korea, Iran and Russia policies, has largely refrained from discussing politics publicly since leaving Washington.

Trump views mixed martial arts fight at New York's Madison Square Garden

U.S. President Donald Trump presided over a bruising Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) showdown on Saturday in his first visit to New York City after declaring his exodus from the Big Apple and as an impeachment inquiry looms over his presidency. Days after being booed at a World Series game in Washington, Trump's arrival prompted a mix of cheers and boos from fans of the contact sport gathered to watch fighter Jorge Masvidal defeat Nate Diaz in an Ultimate Fighting Championship match at Madison Square Garden.

Republicans, Democrats, 'SNL' attack Warren's U.S. 'Medicare for All' plan

Senator Elizabeth Warren's $20.5 trillion plan to provide healthcare for all Americans was attacked and mocked over the weekend by Democrats, Republicans, and "Saturday Night Live," the long-running New York comedy show. The 20-page "Medicare for All" plan, which Warren's 2020 presidential campaign released on Friday, calls for cuts in defense spending and passing immigration reform to increase tax revenue from newly legal Americans, two steps that would face an uphill battle in Congress.

Whistleblower offers Republicans testimony as Trump pushes to unmask

The U.S. official whose whistleblower complaint led to the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump offered to communicate directly with Republicans on the intelligence committee leading the inquiry, his lawyers said on Sunday. The action was in response to Republican efforts, led by Trump, to unmask the whistleblower, a member of the U.S. intelligence community whose identity has not been released, lawyer Mark Zaid said. Republicans have "sought to expose our client's identity which could jeopardize their safety, as well as that of their family," Zaid wrote on Twitter.

New York marathon jumpstarts 50th anniversary party

As thousands of runners cross the finish line inside leafy Central Park on Sunday, the race will just be starting for the organizers of the New York City Marathon, as they begin a year-long celebration of a half century of running in 2020. A early "50 for the 50th" drawing for amateur runners opens on race day and will see the first 50 participants selected for the New York City Marathon's golden anniversary next year, long before the general application opens in January.

Airbnb bans 'party houses' after Halloween shooting in California

Airbnb Inc banned "party houses" on Saturday after five people were killed in a shooting at a large Halloween gathering inside a rental home in Northern California that was advertised on the online listing service. Police were still searching for the shooter who opened fire on Thursday night at the costume party, which authorities say was attended by more than 100 people at the house in Orinda, less than 20 miles (30 km) east of San Francisco.