US News Roundup: Biden camp considers legal action over agency's delay in recognizing transition; Fate of Obamacare law rests with U.S. Supreme Court once again and more

Senate's McConnell says Trump has right to probe election 'irregularities' The top Republican in the U.S. Congress on Monday said President Donald Trump was well within his rights to look into charges of "irregularities" in last week's election, which has been called for Democrat Joe Biden, but did not offer any evidence of fraud.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Biden camp considers legal action over agency's delay in recognizing transition

President-elect Joe Biden's transition team is considering legal action over a federal agency's delay in recognizing the Democrat's victory over President Donald Trump in last week's election, a Biden official said on Monday. The General Services Administration (GSA) normally recognizes a presidential candidate when it becomes clear who has won an election so that a transition of power can begin.

Fate of Obamacare law rests with U.S. Supreme Court once again

The conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday dives back into politically perilous waters as it hears arguments over a Republican challenge backed by President Donald Trump's administration aiming to invalidate the Obamacare healthcare law. President-elect Joe Biden has criticized Republican efforts to throw out the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as the law is formally known, in the midst of a deadly coronavirus pandemic and hopes to buttress Obamacare after taking office on Jan. 20.

Trump campaign sues to halt Pennsylvania from certifying Biden win

U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign on Monday filed a lawsuit in a Pennsylvania federal court, seeking to block state officials from certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the state. The lawsuit, brought by the campaign and two registered voters, alleged Pennsylvania's mail-in voting system "lacked all of the hallmarks of transparency and verifiability that were present for in-person voters."

Storm Eta drenches South Florida, forecast to strengthen over Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Storm Eta unleashed torrential rain on South Florida overnight and on Monday after making landfall in the Keys, flooding roads and residential neighborhoods and knocking out power for thousands as it moved back over the Gulf of Mexico. Eta, which was located 140 miles west-southwest of the Dry Tortugas and moving further into the Gulf, was expected to slow down and strengthen Monday night into Tuesday, a National Hurricane Center advisory said.

Exclusive: FAA in final stages of Boeing 737 MAX review; could approve as early as Nov. 18

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is in the final stages of reviewing proposed changes to Boeing Co's 737 MAX and expects to complete the process in the "coming days," the agency's chief told Reuters on Monday. Three sources briefed on the matter told Reuters the FAA is set to lift its grounding order on the plane as early as Nov 18.

U.S. renewable fuels legislation could garner bipartisan support under Biden

Renewable fuels are a niche market for now, but with Democratic President-Elect Joe Biden set to enter office with a divided Congress, legislation supporting demand for products like renewable diesel could garner bipartisan support. Biden, elected president last week, defeating Republican Donald Trump, has pledged to move the United States to a zero-carbon emissions scheme by 2050. Under a divided Congress, however, ambitious plans to tackle rising emissions may be put on ice.

Disneyland furloughs more workers, citing 'limbo' on reopening

Walt Disney Co said on Monday it was furloughing additional workers from its Disneyland theme park in Southern California, because it still does not know when the state will allow it to reopen because of the coronavirus pandemic. The number of furloughs, which include executive, salaried and hourly workers, was not known. It comes on top of the 28,000 employees who were laid off in September, mostly across Disney's U.S. theme parks, in California and Florida.

Senate's McConnell says Trump has right to probe election 'irregularities'

The top Republican in the U.S. Congress on Monday said President Donald Trump was well within his rights to look into charges of "irregularities" in last week's election, which has been called for Democrat Joe Biden, but did not offer any evidence of fraud. Trump, a Republican, has yet to acknowledge defeat two days after Biden secured enough votes in the state-by-state Electoral College to win. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he backed Trump's launch of a legal fight into claims of voter fraud.

Trump mounts legal assault as Barr authorizes probes of vote irregularities

President Donald Trump will push ahead on Tuesday with legal challenges to the results of last week's election after U.S. Attorney General William Barr told federal prosecutors to look into any "substantial" allegations of voting irregularities. Barr's directive to prosecutors prompted the top lawyer overseeing voter fraud investigations to resign in protest. It came after days of attacks on the integrity of the election by Trump and Republican allies, who have alleged widespread voter fraud, without providing evidence.

U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations surge to record of just over 59,000 patients: Reuters tally

There were just over 59,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the United States on Monday, the country's highest number ever of in-patients being treated for the disease, with new infections at record levels for the sixth consecutive day. The harsh statistics tallied by Reuters cemented the United States' position as the nation worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, even as drugmaker Pfizer Inc provided some hope with successful late-stage tests of its vaccine.