Reuters US Domestic News Summary

His leading potential Republican opponent, Donald Trump, would be 82 when he left office if he won in 2024. U.S. COVID public health emergency to stay in place The United States will keep in place the public health emergency status of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing millions of Americans to still receive free tests, vaccines and treatments until at least April of next year, two Biden administration officials said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

As Biden turns 80, Americans ask 'What's too old?'

The 2024 race for the White House could be uncharted territory in the United States, which celebrates youth, but where millions of Americans - including presidents - now keep working well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65. Ronald Reagan was 77 when he left the White House, but President Joe Biden, who turns 80 on Nov. 20, would be 86 by the time a second four-year term ends, should he win it. His leading potential Republican opponent, Donald Trump, would be 82 when he left office if he won in 2024.

U.S. COVID public health emergency to stay in place

The United States will keep in place the public health emergency status of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing millions of Americans to still receive free tests, vaccines and treatments until at least April of next year, two Biden administration officials said on Friday. The possibility of a winter surge in COVID cases and the need for more time to transition out of the public health emergency to a private market were two factors that contributed to the decision not to end the emergency status in January, one of the officials said.

Explainer-How Reuters analyzed emission rates for U.S. campus power plants

U.S. colleges like to stress their green credentials. Many also use some of the dirtiest fuels to power their campuses - and crank out pollution at higher rates than the typical commercial power plant, a Reuters Special Report shows. Here's how the news agency got the numbers behind the story.

A nation waits: U.S. election workers toil to count thousands of votes

Arizona and Nevada election workers were toiling on Friday to tally hundreds of thousands of ballots that could determine control of the U.S. Senate and the shape of President Joe Biden's next two years in office, in a vote count that officials in the two battleground states warn could drag on for days. Winning both contests would give either Democrats or Republicans a Senate majority, while a split would transform a Dec. 6 runoff Senate election in Georgia into a proxy battle for the chamber.

Top U.S. border official says Biden administration pushing him out - reports

A top U.S. border official said on Friday he had been asked to resign or be fired, a sign of tensions within U.S. President Joe Biden's administration over a record number of migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post that he had been asked to step down by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a Biden Cabinet member who oversees CBP, or be removed from the role. Magnus said he would not resign and defended his commitment to the agency, according to the reports.

Russia bans entry to 200 U.S. nationals, including Biden's relatives, press secretary

The Russian foreign ministry said on Friday it had banned 200 U.S. nationals from entering Russia, including a sister and two brothers of U.S. President Joe Biden, in response to personal sanctions from Washington. It said it had banned entry by Valerie Biden Owens, James Brian Biden and Francis William Biden.

With an eye on White House again, Trump lashes out at fellow Republicans

Days before he is expected to launch another White House run, Donald Trump is again at war with his own party, angrily denouncing potential rivals, airing old grievances and acting more like the insurgent who stormed to victory six years ago than a former president. The former one-term president has slapped the man seen as his main threat, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with the label "DeSanctimonious" and tried out a nickname with a racist tone for Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin as he looks to ward off any challengers for his party's 2024 nomination.

Elizabeth Holmes seeks to avoid prison for Theranos fraud

Elizabeth Holmes urged a U.S. judge not to send her to prison, as the founder of Theranos Inc prepares to be sentenced next week for defrauding investors in the blood testing startup.

In a Thursday night court filing, lawyers for Holmes asked that she receive 18 months of home confinement, followed by community service, at her Nov. 18 sentencing before U.S. District Judge Edward Davila in San Jose, California.

Nicole leaves 'unprecedented' building damage along part of Florida coast

The soaking remains of Hurricane Nicole brought heavy rains to Georgia and the Carolinas on Friday after it left a trail of destroyed and teetering beachside homes and damaged hotels and condos along Florida's Atlantic coast and killed at least four people. In Volusia County, local officials evacuated 24 beachside hotels and condos after the structures were deemed unsafe late on Thursday, hours after the storm slammed ashore as a Category 1 hurricane.

American Airlines pilots weigh possible merger with ALPA union

American Airlines Group's pilots said on Friday that their union has agreed to explore a merger with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents pilots at major U.S. carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The Allied Pilots Association said its board of directors unanimously agreed to create a merger committee to look at joining forces with ALPA, although members have yet to be appointed.