Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. U.S. senator says Apple, Google need to show contact tracing will not violate privacy

Smartphone software makers Alphabet's Google and Apple will have to convince the public that any contact tracing technology to track who has been exposed to the new coronavirus will not lead to a violation of their privacy, Senator Richard Blumenthal said on Wednesday. "Apple and Google have a lot of work to do to convince a rightfully skeptical public that they are fully serious about the privacy and security of their contact tracing efforts," he said in a statement. Judge voids Puerto Rico pension law, delays effective date due to coronavirus

A U.S. judge ruled on Wednesday that bankrupt Puerto Rico cannot fund more than $300 million in annual pension and health costs for its municipalities, but suspended the effective date of the order for three weeks due to the ongoing coronavirus health crisis. Puerto Rico's federally created financial oversight board sued the U.S. commonwealth's governor and fiscal agency in July, contending a new law authorizing the funding does not comply with its fiscal plan and violates the 2016 federal PROMESA Act, which established the board and a restructuring process for Puerto Rico's $120 billion of debt and pension obligations. U.S. coronavirus deaths approach 30,000 - Reuters tally

Total U.S. coronavirus deaths were approaching 30,000 on Wednesday, after a record single-day increase in COVID-19-related fatalities the prior day, according to a Reuters tally. The United States reported 2,364 deaths on Tuesday, far above the previous daily high of 2,069 recorded on April 10, according to a Reuters tally. U.S. deaths on Wednesday stood at 29,751, up 1,305, with many states yet to report. Cases topped 615,000 in the United States and 2 million globally. Trump-branding of coronavirus relief checks won't cause delay: Treasury

President Donald Trump's name will appear on the coronavirus relief paper checks the U.S. Treasury will send to millions of Americans, a Treasury official confirmed on Wednesday, saying the change will not affect the timely mailing of the checks beginning next week. Even so, most of the "Economic Impact Payments" being issued under the CARES Act recently passed by Congress in response to the heavy economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak are expected to be made electronically by direct deposit to recipients bank accounts. As pandemic lingers, U.S. House looking 'very closely' at remote voting

The U.S. House of Representatives is now looking "very closely" at how its members could vote from outside the Capitol as a coronavirus-forced recess looks poised to last into at least next month, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat said on Wednesday. That marks a change from recent weeks when both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, were publicly dismissive of calls for remote voting. Gates ups pandemic funds to $250 million, says Trump WHO move makes 'no sense'

Pulling funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) is a dangerous and nonsensical move when the world is facing the health crisis brought by the COVID-19 disease pandemic, Melinda Gates said on Wednesday. Announcing an extra $150 million of funding from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help speed the development of treatments, vaccines and public health measures to tackle the new coronavirus outbreak, Melinda Gates said the WHO was "exactly the organization that can deal with this pandemic". Los Angeles mayor says large events not likely until 2021: CNN interview

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday large gatherings like concerts and sporting events were not likely to be allowed in the city until 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak. "Nothing I've heard would indicate that we would be in those large thousands of people gatherings anytime soon and probably not for the rest of this year," Garcetti said in an interview on CNN. Trump to announce 'guidelines' on reopening U.S. economy Thursday

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that data suggested the country had passed the peak on new coronavirus infections, and said he would announce "new guidelines" for reopening the economy at a news conference on Thursday. "The battle continues but the data suggests that the nation has passed the peak on new cases," Trump told his daily White House news briefing. Americans face 'new normal' of life with face masks

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the United States surged past 30,000 on Wednesday as governors began cautiously preparing Americans for a post-virus life that would likely include public face coverings as the "new normal." The governors of Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania each issued orders or recommendations of varying severity that residents wear face masks as they emerge from isolation in the coming weeks. The Centers for Disease Control previously recommended masks as a way to slow the virus' spread. Texas judge allows vote by mail amid coronavirus fears

A county judge in Texas said on Wednesday he would allow mail-in ballots from any voters who fear for their health because of the coronavirus pandemic, attorneys involved in the case said. In a hearing via video, Judge Tim Sulak in the 353rd civil district court told lawyers for the state attorney general's office and representatives of the Texas Democratic Party that he would approve a temporary injunction allowing any voter to use a mail-in ballot at least through July elections.