Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Ex-Trump aide Manafort beats Manhattan prosecutor's bid to revive NY fraud charges A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld the dismissal of state fraud charges against Paul Manafort, saying that reviving the case against U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman would violate double jeopardy rules.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. U.S. Senate panel poised to advance Trump Supreme Court pick as Democrats boycott

The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on Thursday on President Donald Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to a lifetime U.S. Supreme Court post, with Democrats boycotting the proceedings after fiercely opposing her confirmation. Barrett, a federal appeals court judge whose confirmation would expand the top U.S. judicial body's conservative majority to 6-3, was poised to win the 22-member committee's approval with unified support among its 12 Republican members even with the Democrats vowing to stay away. More than 47 million ballots cast in U.S. election, eclipsing 2016 early turnout

U.S. voters have cast more than 47 million votes for the Nov. 3 presidential election, eclipsing total early voting from the 2016 election with 12 days to go, according to data compiled by the U.S. Elections Project. Some 47.5 million Americans have turned in ballots, roughly eight times the number of early votes cast at about same point before the 2016 presidential contest, and above the 47.2 million early votes that were cast before Election Day in 2016. California drivers sue Uber over in-app messages asking to support ballot measure

California Uber Technologies Inc drivers on Thursday sued the ride-hailing company over in-app messages regarding an upcoming gig worker ballot measure that the drivers say violate a California law protecting their political rights. The lawsuit says Uber is unlawfully pressuring drivers via the app to support the Nov. 3 company-sponsored ballot measure, known as Proposition 22, via the app. Gilead's remdesivir gets U.S. FDA approval for hospitalized COVID-19 patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir for treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19, making it the first and only drug approved for the disease in the United States. Remdesivir, given intravenously, was one of the drugs used to treat U.S. President Donald Trump during his bout with COVID-19. Ex-Trump aide Manafort beats Manhattan prosecutor's bid to revive NY fraud charges

A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld the dismissal of state fraud charges against Paul Manafort, saying that reviving the case against U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman would violate double jeopardy rules. In a 4-0 vote, the intermediate-level Appellate Division rejected Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's claim that his case against Manafort warranted an exception to a state law against trying him twice for the same conduct. White House Chief of Staff Meadows says coronavirus relief talks in new phase

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Thursday said negotiations with lawmakers on a coronavirus relief package, now totaling $1.9 trillion, have entered a new phase with congressional committee chairs meeting and the two sides trading technical language. Meadows reiterated that his boss President Donald Trump is willing "to go bigger" on a coronavirus deal but only to boost certain line items, namely including direct payments to families. Walmart sues federal government over opioid case

Walmart Inc said on Thursday it had filed a lawsuit against the federal government, seeking clarity on the roles and legal responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacies in filling opioid prescriptions. Walmart said certain officials in the U.S. Justice Department are threatening to sue the retail giant, claiming pharmacists should have refused to fill otherwise valid opioid prescriptions. Exclusive: Biden campaign tells miners it supports domestic production of EV metals

Joe Biden's campaign has privately told U.S. miners it would support boosting domestic production of metals used to make electric vehicles, solar panels and other products crucial to his climate plan, according to three sources familiar with the matter, in a boon for the mining industry. The Obama administration enacted rigorous environmental regulations that slowed U.S. mining sector growth during its time in office. Biden, who served as Obama's vice president and is well-regarded in conservation circles, has been expected to continue in that vein. 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. Pelosi, White House see progress on COVID-19 aid talks; Senate Republicans wary

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said negotiators were making progress in talks with the White House for another round of COVID-19 stimulus, but Senate Republicans remained skeptical of a possible deal costing trillions of dollars. "I think we're not going anywhere. A lot of talk, no action," Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby told reporters.