US Domestic News Roundup: From the air, drone footage of Salton Sea shows California drought impact; Biden zeroes in on Delta variant as U.S. nears 160 million fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and more

The Biden administration is now aiming to exempt families from the policy at the end of July after defending it for months as necessary to help stop the spread of COVID-19 across the southern border, according to three people familiar with the matter. Ex-US Marine Whelan to request transfer from Russia to U.S. to serve sentence -RIA The defence team of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, sentenced last year to 16 years in a Russian jail, will ask a Moscow court to move him to the United States to serve his sentence, the RIA news agency reported on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

From the air, drone footage of Salton Sea shows California drought impact

Drone footage taken at the Salton Sea, California's largest inland lake, shows the dramatic effects of the state's worst drought since 1977. Its receding shoreline has caused an ecological crisis as exposed silt is carried into surrounding areas.

Biden zeroes in on Delta variant as U.S. nears 160 million fully vaccinated against COVID-19

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday encouraged Americans who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get their shots to protect themselves from the widely-spreading, highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. Biden told reporters the United States will reach a mark of 160 million Americans being fully vaccinated by the end of this week, but he warned against complacency as the Delta variant spreads among those who have not been inoculated.

Oath Keeper charged with conspiracy in U.S. Capitol attack

An Oath Keeper on Tuesday became the latest member of the right-wing group charged with conspiracy for his alleged role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, as more than 535 people have now been arrested for joining in that deadly violence. The FBI said about 40 people, including members of the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys and Three Percenters, face conspiracy charges related to the Jan. 6 riot, when hundreds of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Congress from certifying his election defeat.

Yellen's next test: Persuading G20 that U.S. Congress will not block tax deal

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was able to help corral 130 countries to agree to a major revamp of international corporate taxation, but showing them she can bring a deeply divided U.S. Congress on board may prove equally challenging. Yellen is expected to face questions from G20 finance leaders at a meeting in Venice, Italy, this week about how the Biden administration will win legislative approval to increase the U.S. corporate minimum tax rate https://www.reuters.com/business/countries-backs-global-minimum-corporate-tax-least-15-2021-07-01 and implement new rules that would allow more countries to tax large, highly profitable multinational corporations.

More bodies found in Florida condo tower collapse, first funeral held

Search and rescue teams pulled the remains of eight more victims from the ruins of a Florida condominium tower on Tuesday, able to penetrate deeper into the site after demolition of a fragile section that had remained standing. With a confirmed death toll now of 36, 109 people who may have been inside Champlain Towers South when it fell on June 24 are still considered missing. That number could change as police detectives work to confirm the names.

Eric Adams poised to be New York's next mayor after winning Democratic nomination

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams won the Democratic nomination for New York mayor on Tuesday, positioning the former police captain who stressed enhancing public safety to become the next leader of America's largest city. Updated vote tallies posted online on Tuesday evening based on the city's new ranked-choice voting system showed Adams with what appeared to be an insurmountable lead over his nearest rivals, two weeks after Election Day.

Analysis-Biden kept a Trump-era border policy in place - that was a mistake, allies say

U.S. President Joe Biden has frustrated allies by keeping in place a Trump-era border expulsion policy opposed by human rights activists and health experts, and has appeared to gain little politically as Republicans criticize his handling of the border. The so-called Title 42 order has allowed U.S. officials to immediately expel migrants who cross the border illegally. The Biden administration is now aiming to exempt families from the policy at the end of July after defending it for months as necessary to help stop the spread of COVID-19 across the southern border, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Ex-US Marine Whelan to request transfer from Russia to U.S. to serve sentence -RIA

The defence team of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, sentenced last year to 16 years in a Russian jail, will ask a Moscow court to move him to the United States to serve his sentence, the RIA news agency reported on Wednesday. Russia convicted Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports, of spying last June and sentenced him to 16 years in jail. He denied spying and said he was set up in a sting operation. Washington demanded his release.

Sticker campaign targets slavery roots in New York City

A New York-based campaign is drawing attention to prominent New Yorkers whose names are emblazoned on streets, schools, and storefronts and who it says had ties to slavery.

The campaign - called 'Slavers of New York' - says there are at least 500 sites that feature the names of figures who owned slaves. Many of the slaveowners date from the 17th century when New York was New Amsterdam, including colonial governor Peter Stuyvesant and the Cortelyou family.

Elsa weakens to tropical storm, heads towards Florida Gulf coast

Elsa weakened to a tropical storm early on Wednesday and is expected to hit the north Florida Gulf coast later in the morning or early afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It had strengthened to a hurricane, the first of the season, on Tuesday night along south west of Tampa Bay.