US News Roundup: Kanye West's rambling late-night tweets; Portland protests and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Kanye West posts series of rambling late night tweets

Rapper Kanye West posted a series of tweets late on Monday claiming his wife was trying to have him locked up on medical grounds, comparing himself to Nelson Mandela and suggesting the movie "Get Out" was based on his own life. The late night flurry of activity on West's official Twitter account - the bulk of which was deleted a few hours later - came a day after he launched his U.S. presidential campaign with a rambling rally in Charleston, South Carolina.

Top U.S. Senate Democrat calls for details on Republican coronavirus bill

U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday called on Republicans to present a detailed plan for the next round of coronavirus legislation in Congress when lawmakers and Trump administration officials meet later in the day. "The Republicans don't seem to have their own act together. It's hard to negotiate when the president says one thing, Senate Republicans say another and many of them are divided," Schumer told CNN.

Fed, Walmart share the push to #maskup

Ask a Federal Reserve official what is the most important step needed to get the economy on track from the body blow dealt by the coronavirus pandemic, and you will likely get a short and fast answer: Wear a mask. It is a message now rolling out with greater repetition and urgency from the most influential U.S. economic players in both the public and private spheres as early signs of fast recovery have begun to fade amid a resurgence of the disease in most states and rising deaths.

U.S. official on Portland protests: 'we will maintain our presence'

A top U.S. Homeland Security official on Monday defended the federal crackdown on protests in Portland, Oregon, including the use of unmarked cars and unidentified officers in camouflage and said the practice will spread to other cities as needed. Ken Cuccinelli, the acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deputy secretary, said authorities received intelligence about planned attacks on federal facilities in Portland around July 4 and backed up the Federal Protective Service responsible for protecting them with other DHS law enforcement components.

Former Fox News employee's suit accuses Ed Henry of rape

Former Fox News employee Jennifer Eckhart filed a lawsuit on Monday in a New York federal court against Fox News and former network anchor Ed Henry, accusing him of raping her. The complaint says Henry "groomed, psychologically manipulated and coerced into having a sexual relationship with him, and that, when she would not comply voluntarily, he sexually assaulted her on office property, and raped her at a hotel."

Minneapolis judge to hear gag order appeal in Floyd case

A Minneapolis judge will hold a hearing on Tuesday to consider a request from media outlets and defense lawyers to relax a gag order in the case against four officers accused of killing George Floyd, which launched a global anti-racism movement. Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill issued a gag order on July 9 prohibiting parties from speaking publicly about the case and restricting access to case records. Cahill said pretrial publicity could taint a jury pool and impair the right to a fair trial.

Graphic: U.S. COVID-19 deaths rise for second week in a row

U.S. deaths from COVID-19 rose for a second week in a row to more than 5,200 people in the week ended July 19, up 5% from the previous seven days, a Reuters analysis found. The country reported over 460,000 new coronavirus cases last week, up nearly 15% from the prior week, according to the analysis of data from The COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer-run effort to track the outbreak.

Strip-club stimulus reveals lingering uncertainties over U.S. small-business aid

Backlights off, music quiet and poles bare, strip clubs across the United States closed earlier this year in the face of COVID-19 social-distancing measures that precluded the up-close nature of the exotic dancing industry. Like many businesses, these cabarets, lounges, and gentlemen's clubs hoped a $660 billion Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program would help them weather the lockdown. But nearly four months since the launch of the loan initiative known as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), it is still unclear whether the SBA can make it rain for them. The Trump administration has barred companies that "present live performances of a prurient sexual nature" from participating. Clubs sued, and two federal judges rebuked the SBA for excluding the establishments from receiving the forgivable loans meant to protect jobs amid the health crisis.

Biden to unveil caregiving proposal aimed at boosting U.S. economy

As part of his program to revive the coronavirus-battered U.S. economy, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden will unveil a sweeping child- and eldercare plan on Tuesday designed to help struggling Americans re-enter the workforce. The plan, which Biden will detail at a campaign event in New Castle, Delaware, seeks to make childcare more affordable and accessible for families and to make it easier for aging relatives and loved ones with disabilities to receive home or community-based care.

Pentagon chief looking to visit China this year amid tensions

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Tuesday he hoped to visit China by the end of the year to discuss areas of mutual interest, even as he condemned Chinese maritime activity in the South China Sea. "Before the year is out, I hope to visit the PRC for the first time as a secretary in order to enhance cooperation on areas of common interest, establish the systems necessary for crisis communications and reinforce our intentions to openly compete in the international system," Esper said, using an acronym for the People's Republic of China.