US Domestic News Round-up: Banks back Democrats, Melania praises Kavanaugh,

Melania Trump concluded her trip to Africa on Saturday by voicing support for her husband's controversial Supreme Court pick and urging people to pay less attention to what she wears

 

Banks back Democrats in bid to rebuild bipartisan support

Banks are going to bat for Democrats in the U.S. November midterm congressional elections as part of an ambitious strategy to rebuild the bipartisan support they enjoyed before the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Commercial banks have so far donated a total of $2.5 million to U.S. Senate Democrats in the 2018 election cycle, the largest sum since 2008, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Immigration violations, possible sex trafficking found at Nevada brothels

An investigation of three legal Nevada brothels owned by a reality TV star and candidate for the state legislature found immigration violations and indications of possible human trafficking, the county sheriff said. An inspection this week of the Bunny Ranch, Kit Kat Ranch and Love Ranch, all owned by Dennis Hof, capped a four-month probe by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Sheriff Al McNeil said in a statement.

Melania Trump praises Kavanaugh, laments attention on her clothes

Melania Trump concluded her trip to Africa on Saturday by voicing support for her husband's controversial Supreme Court pick and urging people to pay less attention to what she wears. The U.S. first lady said the message of her tour to Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt was to show the world that "we care."

Trump to announce pro-ethanol measure on Tuesday ahead of Iowa trip: sources

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce the lifting of a federal ban on summer sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline on Tuesday in Washington DC ahead of a trip to Iowa the same day, according to two sources familiar with the planning of the event. The move, expected sometime around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, is aimed at helping Republicans in competitive elections in the nation's farm belt. Iowa is the largest U.S. producer of ethanol.

After a fight that split U.S., Kavanaugh wins place on Supreme Court

The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate on Saturday confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, dismissing anger over accusations of sexual misconduct against him and delivering a major victory to President Donald Trump who has now locked in a conservative majority on the court. By a vote of 50-48, the deeply-divided Senate gave the lifetime job to Kavanaugh, 53, after weeks of fierce debate over sexual violence, alcohol abuse and his angry response to the allegations that convulsed the nation just weeks before congressional elections on Nov. 6.

New York limousine crash kills 20 in deadliest U.S. vehicle accident since 2009

Twenty people were killed in rural upstate New York when a limousine collided with another vehicle, New York State Police said on Sunday. The crash occurred just before 2 pm on Saturday afternoon in Schoharie, about 38 miles (61 km) west of Albany, on Route 30. The limousine sped through an intersection and drove into a parking lot outside an Apple Barrel Country Store, striking a vehicle and two pedestrians.

Tropical Storm Michael could form late Sunday, hit the U.S. midweek

A tropical storm is likely to develop in the northwestern Caribbean late Sunday and bring storm surges and heavy rainfall to the U.S. Gulf Coast by midweek, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. It is still too early to say how strong the storm could be, but the system is set to bring heavy rain and flash flooding to areas of Central America, western Cuba and Mexico's Yucatan peninsula in coming days, the centre said in an early morning advisory on Sunday.

Sparks or harmony with Kavanaugh on the U.S. Supreme Court?

When Clarence Thomas took a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991, he had only barely survived a series of bitter Senate hearings on allegations of sexual harassment that divided the country. But he said he was quickly welcomed by his eight fellow justices.

(With inputs from agencies.)