US Domestic News Roundup: Alec Baldwin was aiming at camera when gun discharged - affidavit; Former Saudi spymaster seeks U.S. help for his jailed children and more

Democrats were forced to shift to the unorthodox plan in the face of opposition from one of their own senators, Kyrsten Sinema, to raising the corporate tax rate and the top personal income tax rate to pay for the hefty spending plan, which is a pillar of Democratic President Joe Biden's domestic agenda. Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine protective, safe in young children Moderna Inc said on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine generated a strong immune response and was generally well-tolerated in children aged six to 11 years, citing interim data from a study.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Alec Baldwin was aiming at camera when gun discharged - affidavit

Alec Baldwin was drawing a revolver across his body and pointing it at a camera during rehearsal on the set of "Rust" when the weapon fired and struck the cinematographer in the chest, according to an affidavit released on Sunday. The affidavit provided additional details about Thursday's accidental shooting in New Mexico that killed 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Baldwin had been handed the prop gun and told it was unloaded, authorities in Santa Fe have said in court documents.

Former Saudi spymaster seeks U.S. help for his jailed children

A former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday of targeting him, and made an unprecedented public plea to the Biden administration to help obtain the release of his children jailed in Saudi Arabia. Saad al-Jabri was long an aide to another Saudi royal, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, whom bin Salman, or MbS, ousted as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup. MbS is now de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and a U.S. ally.

With corporate tax off table, U.S. Democrats turn to billionaires to fund spending bill

U.S. Democrats are expected to unveil a tax plan on Monday that would seek to raise hundreds of billions of dollars from the country's roughly 700 billionaires to help pay for expanding the social safety net and tackling climate change. Democrats were forced to shift to the unorthodox plan in the face of opposition from one of their own senators, Kyrsten Sinema, to raising the corporate tax rate and the top personal income tax rate to pay for the hefty spending plan, which is a pillar of Democratic President Joe Biden's domestic agenda.

Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine protective, safe in young children

Moderna Inc said on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine generated a strong immune response and was generally well-tolerated in children aged six to 11 years, citing interim data from a study. The company said it planned to submit the data to U.S., European and other regulators soon.

New Mexico, site of Baldwin set shooting, plays key role for Hollywood

The dusty desert landscapes of New Mexico have provided the perfect backdrop for Hollywood Westerns, but the state also has served as a filming location for everything from drug-dealing drama "Breaking Bad" to sci-fi mystery "Stranger Things." New Mexico's role in the TV and movie business was thrust into the spotlight last week when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of "Rust", a Western that was being filmed at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe. Actor Alec Baldwin fired the prop gun that killed Hutchins after being told it was not loaded according to authorities.

U.S. to outline Nov. 8 international travel reopening, vaccination rules

The Biden administration plans to unveil on Monday its detailed rules requiring nearly all foreign air visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting Nov. 8, sources told Reuters. The White House first disclosed on Sept. 20 it would remove restrictions in early November for fully vaccinated air travelers from 33 countries.

Mudslides, power outages as storm drenches burn-scarred California

A powerful storm drenched wildfire-scarred Northern California on Sunday, triggering mudslides and flooding, while heavy winds toppled utility poles and downed trees in what meteorologists called a "bomb cyclone." Up to 10 inches (25 cm) of rain were expected to wash over the West Coast, said meteorologist Marc Chenard of the Weather Prediction Center at the National Weather Service.

Analysis: Capitol Hill drug pricing reform opponents among the biggest beneficiaries of pharma funds

Democratic Party lawmakers holding up proposed drug pricing reforms are among the largest beneficiaries of the pharmaceutical industry's push to stave off price cuts, a Reuters analysis of public lobbying and campaign data shows. The industry, which traditionally gives more to Republicans, channeled around 60% of donated campaign funds to Democrats this year. It has spent over $177 million on lobbying and campaign donations in 2021.

Fauci says vaccines for kids between 5-11 likely available in November

Vaccines for kids between the ages of 5 and 11 will likely be available in the first half of November, top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Sunday, predicting a timetable that could see many kids getting fully vaccinated before the end of the year. "If all goes well, and we get the regulatory approval and the recommendation from the CDC, it's entirely possible if not very likely that vaccines will be available for children from 5 to 11 within the first week or two of November," Fauci said in an interview with ABC's This Week.

President Biden to attend ASEAN-U.S. summit on Tuesday

U.S. President Joe Biden will attend a meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday, the U.S. embassy in Brunei told Reuters. Biden will lead the U.S. delegation for the ASEAN-United States summit, the embassy said. The virtual summit will be held as part of ASEAN leaders' meeting this week.

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