Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. tops 130,000 deaths from COVID-19 after record surge in cases

The number of U.S. coronavirus deaths exceeded 130,000 on Monday, following a surge of new cases that has put President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis under the microscope and derailed efforts to restart the economy. The overall rate of increase in U.S. deaths has been on a downward trend despite case numbers surging to record levels in recent days, but health experts warn fatalities are a lagging indicator, showing up weeks or even months after cases rise.

'Crushing experience' awaits Ghislaine Maxwell at troubled jail

Ghislaine Maxwell was detained on Monday in a troubled U.S. jail in Brooklyn where she will undergo humiliating searches and be denied nearly all possessions, a far cry from the luxury estate where she was arrested as an accused accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell, 58, arrived at the federal Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn on Monday and is expected to appear in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday when a judge will consider a government request to detain her without bail.

U.S. to force out foreign students taking classes fully online

Foreign students must leave the United States if their school's classes this fall will be taught completely online or transfer to another school with in-person instruction, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced on Monday. It was not immediately clear how many student visa holders would be affected by the move, but foreign students are a key source of revenue for many U.S. universities as they often pay full tuition.

Trump assails NASCAR's leading Black driver, knocks ban of Confederate flag

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday criticized NASCAR'S ban of the Confederate flag from its events and assailed Black racecar driver Bubba Wallace's response to a noose found in his garage, an incident the Republican president referred to as a "hoax." Trump's comments, sent in a tweet, were his latest in a series of inflammatory statements related to race, which has become a top political issue ahead of the Nov. 3 election amid nationwide protests about civil rights and racial inequality.

White woman who accused Black man in New York's Central Park charged with false police report

New York prosecutors have charged a white woman who in May accused a Black man of threatening her life in New York's Central Park with filing a false police report, Manhattan's district attorney said on Monday. The district attorney Cy Vance said Amy Cooper, 41, faces an Oct. 14 arraignment over the incident, which was captured on a video that went viral and touched off a national conversation about "white privilege."

Trump slams Washington Redskins as team re-evaluates name

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Washington Redskins for reviewing their team name on Monday, as top retailers continued to pull the NFL franchise's merchandise from shelves. Under mounting pressure from sponsors and racial justice advocates, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder said on Friday the team would rethink its controversial name, with Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians following suit.

Atlanta mayor tests positive for COVID-19

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Monday that she has tested positive for COVID-19, but has not shown symptoms of the respiratory illness. "COVID-19 has literally hit home," the first-term mayor of Georgia's state capital city said on Twitter.

Kanye West's clothing brand, Hollywood production companies on pandemic loan list

Ventures backed by big-name entertainers Kanye West and Francis Ford Coppola were among those approved for loans under a U.S. government program to help businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic, according to a list released on Monday. Billionaire rapper West's clothing brand Yeezy received clearance for a loan of between $2 million and $5 million under the Paycheck Protection Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration said.

Hospitalizations jump 50% in California as coronavirus infections soar

New coronavirus cases soared in California over the July Fourth weekend, stressing some hospital systems and leading to the temporary closure of the state capitol building in Sacramento for deep cleaning, officials said on Monday. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has increased by 50% over the past two weeks to about 5,800, Governor Gavin Newsom said at a briefing.

U.S. Supreme Court curbs 'faithless electors' in presidential voting

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to free "faithless electors" in the complex Electoral College system that decides the outcome of presidential elections from state laws that force them to support the candidate who wins the state's popular vote. The justices unanimously rejected the idea that electors, who act on behalf of a state in the Electoral College vote that occurs weeks after voters go the polls, can exercise discretion in the candidate they back. The decision erased a potential complicating factor in the Electoral College as President Donald Trump seeks re-election on Nov. 3 against Democratic challenger Joe Biden.