US Domestic News Roundup: New York sues to break up NRA; Trailing in election polls, Trump says rival Biden opposes God and guns and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Explainer: Trump wants to bypass U.S. coronavirus aid talks with executive order. Can he?

With congressional Democrats and White House negotiators so far unable to agree on a deal to salve the heavy economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump has threatened to bypass Congress with an executive order. Some of his proposals exceed his legal authority and would face immediate legal challenges, though in at least one case House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the nation's top Democrat, told him to just go ahead.

New York sues to break up NRA, accuses it of corruption

New York state's attorney general sued to dissolve the National Rifle Association on Thursday, alleging senior leaders of the non-profit group diverted millions of dollars for personal use and to buy the silence and loyalty of former employees. The lawsuit filed in a Manhattan court by Attorney General Letitia James alleges NRA leaders paid for family trips to the Bahamas, private jets and expensive meals that contributed to a $64 million reduction in the NRA's balance sheet in three years, turning a surplus into a deficit.

White House, Congress to resume coronavirus talks on major issues

Top congressional Democrats and White House officials will try again on Thursday to find a compromise on legislation that would enable Congress to come to the aid of Americans reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As talks neared the end of their second week, the four principal negotiators appeared to be near agreement on some topics, but still trillions of dollars apart on major issues including the size of a federal benefit for tens of millions of unemployed workers.

Government health experts warn U.S. cities of 'trouble ahead'

White House health experts are warning of an uptick in the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 in U.S. cities including Boston, Chicago and Washington, urging local leaders to maintain health safety measures to avoid a surge. "This is a predictor of trouble ahead," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Thursday.

Trailing in election polls, Trump says rival Biden opposes God and guns

U.S. Republican President Donald Trump asserted on Thursday that his Democratic opponent in November's election, Joe Biden, is "against God," even though Biden frequently discusses how his Catholic faith has guided his actions as a public official. With Trump trailing Biden in four recent polls in Ohio, the president is fighting to win voters in the traditional swing state as the coronavirus pandemic threatens his chances of a second term. After addressing a small crowd at a Cleveland airport on Thursday, Trump went on to deliver a campaign-style speech at a Whirlpool plant in Clyde, Ohio.

Trump signs executive order to boost U.S. drug manufacturing

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at boosting U.S. production of medicines and medical equipment, lowering drug prices and protecting the United States against shortfalls in a future pandemic. Trump said the order would also support advanced manufacturing processes that would benefit U.S. pharmaceutical companies.

Pandemic just a bump in the road for Sturgis motorcycle rally

At least 100,000 people are expected to attend the 10-day annual Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota's Black Hills opening on Friday, with its economic heft overriding concerns it could be a coronavirus super-spreading event. This year is the 80th anniversary of the event that in normal years sees upward of 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts descend on the small town of Sturgis and the surrounding area. The rally injects $800 million into South Dakota's economy.

Trump loses bid to add fourth debate with Biden in early September

U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election campaign on Thursday lost its bid to add a fourth debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden in early September. In rejecting the request, the Commission on Presidential Debates said it remains committed to the current schedule of three 90-minute debates beginning in late September.

Ohio governor tests positive for coronavirus, then tests negative

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced on Thursday he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, prompting him to bow out of a meeting in Cleveland with U.S. President Donald Trump, but the governor said hours later that a second test came back negative. DeWine, 73, a Republican, said he underwent a diagnostic screening for the coronavirus as part of a safety protocol ahead of an appearance he was scheduled to make with Trump before the president's visit to a Whirlpool Corp washing-machine factory.

Justice Department to send agents to St. Louis and Memphis to fight crime

Federal law enforcement agents will be sent to St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee, to help fight violent crime, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday. The announcement marks an expansion of "Operation Legend," a plan introduced last month in several cities to address spikes in crimes such as murder.