Reuters US Domestic News Summary
Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.
Harvard, MIT seek temporary halt to Trump administration rule on international students
Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, seeking to block a new rule that would bar foreign students from remaining in the United States if their universities move all courses online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The two universities filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston asking for an emergency temporary restraining order on the directive issued by the government on Monday.
From scarves to masks: White House's Birx seeks to make coronavirus fashion pivot
U.S. coronavirus official Dr. Deborah Birx, who attracted a cult following for wearing colorful scarves, on Wednesday sought to convince Americans that wearing face masks is not only sensible but stylish too. "I know some of you do watch what I wear. I'm wearing this specially today," said Birx, showing a white mask with the words "Stay Safe! Stay Strong!"
Worsening U.S. outbreak prompts tough actions in states hit early in pandemic
New Jersey adopted a stringent coronavirus face-mask order on Wednesday, and New York City unveiled a plan to allow public school students back into classrooms for just two or three days a week, as COVID-19 cases soared elsewhere in the United States. Officials in New Jersey and New York, the hardest-hit states at the outset of the U.S. outbreak, want to preserve progress against the virus in the face of its resurgence elsewhere, primarily the U.S. South and West.
Trump says 'may cut off funding' if U.S. schools do not open
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pushing states to open American schools in the fall, on Wednesday threatened to cut off federal funding to those that did not open. "The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families. May cut off funding if not open!" Trump said on Twitter, pointing to schools reopening in some European countries with no problems.
White House says it did not pressure CDC over education guidelines
The White House did not pressure the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise its guidelines on how schools can safely open in the fall after criticism from President Donald Trump, a White House spokeswoman said on Wednesday. Vice President Mike Pence announced earlier on Wednesday that the CDC plans to issue new guidelines for reopening schools after Trump slammed the agency's recommendations as too expensive and impractical.
Explainer: Why is the new U.S. policy for international students causing backlash from colleges?
The administration of President Donald Trump issued new rules this week that could force tens of thousands of international students to leave the United States if their schools hold all classes online amid the coronavirus pandemic, causing panic among colleges and foreign students. Two of the country's most elite universities, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), sued to try to stop the rule, and the attorney general of Massachusetts, which is home to both schools and numerous other colleges and universities, signaled her state was likely to bring a legal challenge as well.
New York attorney general recommends reducing mayor's power over police
New York Attorney General Letitia James recommended that New York City's mayor give up sole control over the city police commissioner's hiring, in a preliminary report released on Wednesday on her investigation into the policing of recent protests. She urged the creation of a commission with representatives from the mayor, City Council, public advocate and comptroller who would oversee hiring and promotion of senior New York Police Department officials. The commission would have final say on the department's budget and officer discipline.
U.S. Supreme Court delivers for Christian conservatives in trio of rulings
The U.S. Supreme Court has cemented its reputation as a friend to Christian conservatives with a trio of rulings embracing religious exemptions to certain federal laws and paving the way for public money to go to religious schools. Religious conservatives welcomed the rulings with delight after expressing disappointment last month after the court found that federal civil rights law protects gay and transgender workers from employment discrimination and invalidated a restrictive Louisiana abortion law.
Trump niece describes 'malignantly dysfunctional family' in new book
In a new book, a niece of President Donald Trump applies her training in psychology to conclude that the president likely suffers from narcissism and other clinical disorders - and was boosted to success by a father who fueled those traits. In "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man," Mary Trump writes of a "malignantly dysfunctional family" dominated by a patriarch, Fred Trump, who showed little interest in his five children other than grooming an heir for his real-estate business.
U.S. Supreme Court rulings due Thursday on Trump financial records cases
The U.S. Supreme Court is due on Thursday to rule on President Donald Trump's bid to block his financial records from being obtained by Democratic-led House of Representatives committees and a New York prosecutor. The court announced on Wednesday that it will issue on Thursday the final rulings of its current term, which began last October. They include three cases focused on Trump's efforts to block subpoenas issued to third parties - not the Republican president himself - to hand over his financial records, which he has fought hard to keep secret through his entire presidency.
