US News Roundup: Trump says he doesn't see agreement with Democrats on stimulus; 'Please stay home:' COVID-19 tightens grip on U.S. Midwest and more

Trump says he doesn't see agreement with Democrats on stimulus President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not see any way House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer "will be willing to do what is right for our great American workers, or our wonderful USA itself, on Stimulus." U.S. coronavirus hospitalizations hit two-month peak The number of COVID-19 patients in U.S. hospitals hit 40,000 for the first time since August on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the nation battles a surge in infections led by Midwest states.

The United States is likely to have enough safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines available to inoculate the most vulnerable Americans by the end of 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Wednesday. The U.S. government is "cautiously optimistic" that one or two vaccines, likely from Pfizer Inc or Moderna Inc, will be available by the end of the year and can begin to be distributed to Americans, officials said during a news conference.

Trump says he doesn't see agreement with Democrats on stimulus

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not see any way House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer "will be willing to do what is right for our great American workers, or our wonderful USA itself, on Stimulus."

U.S. coronavirus hospitalizations hit two-month peak

The number of COVID-19 patients in U.S. hospitals hit 40,000 for the first time since August on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the nation battles a surge in infections led by Midwest states. Hospitals have seen a 36% rise in coronavirus patients over the past four weeks and Midwest hospitals are setting new records every day.

Democrats seize on U.S. Supreme Court election deadlock in Barrett fight

The Supreme Court's deadlock this week in a key election case illustrates the power President Donald Trump's nominee Amy Coney Barrett could wield and reveals why Republicans are hurrying to install her as a justice, Democrats said on Wednesday in their latest pitch to block her U.S. Senate confirmation. Chief Justice John Roberts broke with the four other conservative justices and joined with the court's three liberals on Monday in denying a request by Republicans seeking to block a state court's ruling that extended the deadline for the delivery of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania by three days.

Explainer: Red mirage, blue mirage - Beware of early U.S. election wins

Imagine that the polls have closed in Florida, counties are beginning to report early vote counts, and it looks like former Vice President Joe Biden is way ahead. An hour later, Pennsylvania counties begin to report and it seems to be a slam dunk for U.S. President Donald Trump. Don't be fooled, voting experts and academics say. Early vote counts in the most competitive, battleground states can be particularly misleading this election because of the surge in mail-in or absentee ballots, and the different ways that they are processed.

Republicans to push ahead with U.S. Supreme Court pick despite Democrats' boycott

U.S. Senate Republicans pledged to go ahead with a vote on Thursday on President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, despite Judiciary Committee Democrats pledging to boycott a proceeding that they called "a sham." Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said in a statement on Wednesday that "Judge Barrett deserves a vote and she will receive a vote."

U.S. intelligence agencies say Iran, Russia have tried to meddle in 2020 election

U.S. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has accused both Russia and Iran of trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election, drawing swift denials from Moscow and Tehran. The announcement two weeks before the Nov. 3 election showed the level of alarm among top U.S. officials that foreign actors were seeking to undermine Americans' confidence in the integrity of the vote and spread misinformation in an attempt to sway its outcome.

After keeping low profile on campaign trail, Obama makes debut for Biden

Former U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first appearance on the campaign trail on Wednesday for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who is locked in a tight race with President Donald Trump in crucial states 13 days before the Nov. 3 election. Obama, who served eight years in office with Biden as his vice president, will urge supporters to vote early for Biden and other Democratic candidates in the general election at an outdoor drive-in rally in Pennsylvania's biggest city, Philadelphia, an aide to the former president said.

'Please stay home:' COVID-19 tightens grip on U.S. Midwest

Six U.S. states reported record day-over-day increases in COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, according to a Reuters analysis, as infections rose across the Midwest and elsewhere, prompting new clampdowns on residents, schools and businesses. Deaths attributed to COVID-19 hit daily records in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Kansas, Hawaii and Wisconsin, Reuters found. Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Colorado and Ohio reported record daily increases in new infections, the tally showed.