US News Roundup: Trump says he will leave the White House if Electoral College votes for Biden; Trump says coronavirus vaccine deliveries to begin next week and more

Speaking to reporters on the Thanksgiving holiday, Republican Trump said if Democrat Biden - who is due to be sworn in on Jan. 20 - is formally declared the winner by the Electoral College, he will depart the White House.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Americans defy pandemic, political leaders to travel for Thanksgiving

Americans defied pleas from state and local officials to stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday in the face of the surging coronavirus pandemic, triggering fresh warnings from health officials with the release of vaccines still weeks away. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden joined in the calls for safety, urging people to forgo big family gatherings, wear protective masks and maintain social distancing.

National math and reading tests in U.S. postponed until 2022 due to coronavirus

National math and reading tests used to track U.S. students' knowledge in those subjects are being postponed until 2022 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) said. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as "the nation's report card," previously had been planned to be held at the beginning of 2021 for hundreds of thousands of fourth and eighth graders in the United States.

Inching toward exit, Trump says he'll leave if Biden wins Electoral College vote

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden, the closest he has come to conceding the Nov. 3 election, even as he repeated unfounded claims of massive voter fraud. Speaking to reporters on the Thanksgiving holiday, Republican Trump said if Democrat Biden - who is due to be sworn in on Jan. 20 - is formally declared the winner by the Electoral College, he will depart the White House.

'Kind of lonely': America marks COVID-altered Thanksgiving

Americans marked a muted Thanksgiving Day holiday on Thursday, sometimes seeing family only by video after political leaders discouraged travel or large gatherings in the face of the surging coronavirus pandemic. Thanksgiving, typically celebrated with big family dinners, became the latest major event in American life to be altered or diminished by the coronavirus in 2020 as most U.S. states struggle with spiraling infections and deaths.

Biden urges safe Thanksgiving amid pandemic; Trump pardons ex-aide Flynn

President-elect Joe Biden pleaded with Americans on Wednesday to take steps to remain safe over the Thanksgiving holiday as COVID-19 cases soar, while President Donald Trump pardoned a former aide who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Biden gave a presidential-style speech acknowledging people's fatigue with restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic, but urged them to exercise caution as caseloads surge.

Trump says he will leave the White House if Electoral College votes for Biden

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden. In the nearest he has come to a concession, Republican Trump said if Biden is certified the election winner by the Electoral College he will depart the White House. Biden is due to be inaugurated on Jan. 20. Amazon to give $500 million in holiday bonuses to front-line U.S. workers

Amazon.com Inc said on Thursday it would spend more than $500 million on one-time bonuses for its front-line employees in the United States who are working the holiday season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Full-time operations staff in the United States who are employed by Amazon from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31 will receive a bonus of $300, while those in part-time roles will get $150, the online retailer said https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/amazon-recognizing-front-line-employees-with-an-additional-special-bonus-this-holiday-season in a blog post.

Trump says coronavirus vaccine deliveries to begin next week

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that delivery of the coronavirus vaccine would begin next week and the week after. Speaking to U.S. troops overseas via video link to mark the Thanksgiving holiday, Trump said the vaccine would initially be send to front-line workers, medical personnel and senior citizens.

Cuomo calls U.S. Supreme Court's religious gatherings ruling 'irrelevant'

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday dismissed as "irrelevant" a U.S. Supreme Court decision blocking coronavirus restrictions imposed on religious gatherings, saying it related to specific areas that were no longer considered at high risk. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, voted 5-4 late on Wednesday in favor of requests by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and two Orthodox Jewish congregations for an injunction to block the restrictions from being enforced.

Two New York cops, wounded earlier in week in shootout, released from hospital

Two New York City police officers who were shot and wounded earlier this week while responding to a domestic dispute were discharged from hospital on Thursday in time to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with their families, the city's police commissioner said. Joseph Murphy and Christopher Wells departed the hospital in the city's Queens borough in wheelchairs and were greeted with cheers from dozens of their fellow officers, according to video released by the commissioner, Dermot Shea.

(With inputs from agencies.)