US Domestic News Roundup: U.S. Senate Democrat unveils 'billionaires tax' for Biden agenda; Slavery-era Georgia law is key defense argument in trial over Ahmaud Arbery's killing and more

In a 50-50 Senate where all Republicans oppose the spending plan, Democrats can only pass it if every one of their members signs on and Vice President Kamala Harris casts a tie-breaking vote. Questions swirl in Alec Baldwin shooting case ahead of sheriff's update Almost a week after actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a crew member on a Western movie set in New Mexico, local authorities will speak publicly about their search for answers into how a gun used as a prop turned out to be deadly.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. Senate Democrat unveils 'billionaires tax' for Biden agenda

U.S. billionaires would pay tax on unrealized gains from their assets to help finance President Joe Biden's emerging social-policy and climate-change legislation, according to a proposal unveiled on Wednesday by the top Senate Democrat for tax policy. The so-called billionaires tax, announced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, is part of a two-pronged legislative strategy that also includes a proposed 15% corporate minimum tax on the most profitable U.S. corporations, which was unveiled on Tuesday.

Slavery-era Georgia law is key defense argument in trial over Ahmaud Arbery's killing

A pivotal defense argument of the three white men on trial in Georgia for killing Ahmaud Arbery, a Black jogger, is that they were trying to make a citizen's arrest under a Civil War-era law that was later repealed amid an uproar over the shooting. When the fatal encounter occurred on Feb. 23, 2020, it was legal in Georgia for people to arrest someone where they had "reasonable and probable grounds of suspicion" that the person had just committed a felony. Outcry over the killing led to lawmakers revoking the statute in May.

Gunman in Idaho shopping mall shooting spree dies of injuries

A man who opened fire with a handgun at a shopping mall in Boise, Idaho, killing two people and injuring several others, including a police officer, died on Tuesday from wounds sustained during the violence a day earlier, authorities said. Investigators have yet to determine whether the fatal injuries resulted from an exchange of gunfire with police at the scene, or from a self-inflicted gunshot before he was taken into custody, according to Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee.

Southeast Asian states announces new strategic pact with Australia

Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed at a summit on Wednesday to establish a "comprehensive strategic partnership", a sign of Canberra's ambition to play a bigger role in the region. The pact would further strengthen Australia's diplomatic and security ties in a fast-growing region that has become a strategic battleground between the United States and China.

Airlines brace for early 'long lines' when U.S. lifts travel restrictions

Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian said on Tuesday that travelers should be prepared for initial long lines when the United States lifts international travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers on Nov. 8. "It's going to be a bit sloppy at first. I can assure you, there will be lines unfortunately ... but we'll get it sorted out," Bastian said at a U.S. travel event.

Caravan of hundreds of migrants press north across Mexico

Hundreds of migrants from Central America and the Caribbean trekked across Mexico on Wednesday, the latest in a series of caravans that have sought to reach the U.S. border in recent months. The United States has registered record levels of migration this year, with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents apprehending or expelling more than 1.7 million migrants over the last 12 months.

U.S. lawyers tell UK court Assange can safely be extradited

Lawyers for the United States launched a fresh attempt on Wednesday to have Julian Assange extradited from Britain, arguing that concerns about the WikiLeaks founder's mental health should not prevent him from facing U.S. justice. The 50-year-old Australian is wanted in the United States on 18 criminal charges, including breaking a spying law, after WikiLeaks published thousands of secret U.S. files and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Big Oil hearing to kick off U.S. probe into climate disinformation -lawmaker

A Congressional hearing this week into whether oil companies misled the public about climate change marks the start of a broad probe that may extend to other industries from advertising to social media, according to a lawmaker leading the effort. The sweeping nature of the Democrat-led investigation reflects rising urgency within the party to address global warming as Republicans and moderate Democrats block climate provisions at the heart of President Joe Biden’s spending bill, and as global leaders prepare to meet on climate change in Glasgow, Scotland next month.

Explainer: Democratic Senator Manchin upends Biden's hope to reshape economy

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin has leveraged his party's slim majority in Congress to reshape President Joe Biden's spending bill, slashing its initial price tag of $3.5 trillion and blocking policy proposals on climate and social programs. In a 50-50 Senate where all Republicans oppose the spending plan, Democrats can only pass it if every one of their members signs on and Vice President Kamala Harris casts a tie-breaking vote.

Questions swirl in Alec Baldwin shooting case ahead of sheriff's update

Almost a week after actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a crew member on a Western movie set in New Mexico, local authorities will speak publicly about their search for answers into how a gun used as a prop turned out to be deadly. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies will take questions from the media on Wednesday about the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal for the movie "Rust."

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