Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Hunter Biden could face trial, newly named US special counsel says

President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden may be headed for a criminal trial, U.S. Special Counsel David Weiss said shortly after promotion into that role on Friday, in a sign that courtroom drama could play an outsized role in the 2024 presidential election. A potential trial raises the possibility of an unprecedented spectacle in U.S. history: The son of a sitting president facing criminal charges while his father campaigns for re-election, likely against Republican Donald Trump, who faces at least three upcoming criminal trials of his own.

Gun laws or second amendment is a 'false choice,' Harris says in Chicago

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris jumped into another divisive American issue ahead of the 2024 re-election campaign on Friday, vowing support for activists trying to end gun violence and accusing gun law opponents of "hypocrisy." Harris, who has embraced a more combative role as President Joe Biden's re-election campaign kicks into gear, took a swipe at Republicans who have blocked Democrats' proposed gun safety laws, saying such changes are no threat to Americans' constitutional gun rights.

Judge warns Trump not to threaten witnesses in 2020 election subversion case

A federal judge on Friday granted former U.S. President Donald Trump leeway to publicly share some non-sensitive evidence that will be used in his trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, but she warned him to tread carefully before making inflammatory public statements about the case. "Even arguably ambiguous statements by the parties or their counsel- if they can be reasonably interpreted to intimidate witnesses or to prejudice potential jurors - can threaten the process," U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said on Friday.

Three-year-old migrant girl dies en route to Chicago from Texas

A 3-year-old girl from Venezuela being transported to Chicago from Texas by bus with other migrants died at a local Illinois hospital after showing signs of illness, the Texas Department of Emergency Management said on Friday. "Once the child presented with health concerns, the bus pulled over and security personnel on board called 9-1-1 for emergency attention," the TDEM said in a written statement.

Illinois top court upholds state's assault weapons ban

The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday upheld a Democratic-backed ban on assault-style rifles and large-capacity magazines enacted after a deadly mass shooting in Chicago's Highland Park suburb in 2022 that left seven people dead and dozens of others wounded. The state's high court in a 4-3 vote rejected arguments by a group of plaintiffs led by a Republican state Representative Dan Caulkins, that the ban violated the Illinois Constitution by not applying the law equally to all citizens.

Maui wildfire kills 67, leaves painful questions in its wake

Hawaiian officials on Friday were still trying to determine what caused a deadly wildfire to sweep through Lahaina on Maui island with terrifying speed, killing at least 67 and decimating the historic resort town with little warning to residents. The death toll was expected to rise as search teams combed through the charred ruins of the town with the aid of cadaver dogs, after the fire torched 1,000 buildings and left thousands homeless in what officials say is the worst natural disaster in the state's history.

Court blocks Idaho law restricting trans students' restroom use

A federal judge temporarily blocked an Idaho law requiring public school students to use the restroom corresponding to their assigned sex at birth, in a lawsuit brought by the family of a transgender middle school student. U.S. District Judge David Nye said his temporary restraining order Thursday did not weigh on the merits of the case, but said that preserving the status quo until he could fully consider it was "the most fitting approach at the current juncture."

Who is David Weiss, US special counsel in the Hunter Biden case?

Prosecutor David Weiss has spent years probing allegations involving President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. Now as a U.S. special counsel, he will have a chance to dig deeper while facing intense scrutiny from the president's opponents. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss, the Delaware U.S. attorney, to the special counsel job on Friday, two weeks after a federal judge held off accepting Weiss's deal to let Hunter Biden plead guilty to failing to pay taxes and unlawfully owning a firearm while addicted to illegal drugs.

Exclusive-Biden taps Jackson for economic adviser, signals focus on education

U.S. President Joe Biden is tapping C. Kirabo Jackson, a labor economist whose research advocates robust public spending on schools, to fill out his three-member Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), according to a White House official. The selection suggests public education will be a key area of focus for Biden's brain-trust ahead of a 2024 re-election bid expected to turn on the strength of the economy. The position does not require Senate confirmation.

Biden calls China economy a 'ticking time bomb,' misstates GDP growth

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday called China a "ticking time bomb" because of economic challenges including weak growth, but misquoted the country's growth rate. "They have got some problems. That's not good because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things," Biden said at a political fundraiser in Utah.

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