Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The Department of Justice asked in an Alaska federal district court filing that the court vacate a 2019 decision by the Trump-era Environmental Protection Agency to remove protection of the Bristol Bay watershed. U.S. Congress Republicans attack Biden's vaccination mandates U.S. President Joe Biden's plan to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all federal workers and vaccines or testing for employees of large companies drew protests on Thursday from congressional Republicans who accused him of overstepping his authority.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Fox News, former anchor Henry must face ex-producer's sexual misconduct lawsuit

Fox News and former anchor Ed Henry must face a lawsuit accusing Henry of promising career advancement to coerce an employee into a sometimes violent sexual relationship including rape, and accusing the network of allowing a hostile work environment, a U.S. judge ruled on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams in Manhattan said that former associate producer Jennifer Eckhart could try to show Henry engaged in sex trafficking, and "victim shamed" her by posting what he claimed were nude photos of Eckhart in the court docket.

After 9/11, one student's mission became healthcare for all disaster victims

On September 11, 2001, Lila Nordstrom was taking an architecture class on the 10th floor of Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan, overlooking the World Trade Center. "Suddenly we heard a huge explosion, and we looked out the window, and there was a fireball on top of the World Trade Center," she recalled 20 years later.

Biden administration moves to protect key Alaska watershed

The Biden administration said on Thursday it will relaunch a process that could permanently protect a vital Alaskan watershed from development of the contentious Pebble Mine project https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-alaska-pebblemine/u-s-rejects-permit-for-alaskas-pebble-mine-company-vows-appeal-idUSKBN2852XM that has been pursued for more than a decade. The Department of Justice asked in an Alaska federal district court filing that the court vacate a 2019 decision by the Trump-era Environmental Protection Agency to remove protection of the Bristol Bay watershed.

U.S. Congress Republicans attack Biden's vaccination mandates

U.S. President Joe Biden's plan to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all federal workers and vaccines or testing for employees of large companies drew protests on Thursday from congressional Republicans who accused him of overstepping his authority. Under the plan, all employers with 100 or more workers would be required to ensure they either have been vaccinated or are tested weekly for the highly-contagious COVID-19. Healthcare workers also would be required to be vaccinated as would teachers.

U.S. sues to block Texas abortion ban, calls it 'unconstitutional'

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday sued Texas, seeking to block enforcement of a new law almost entirely banning abortion in the state, as Democrats fear the right to abortion established almost 50 years ago may be at risk. The U.S. Supreme Court last week https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/texas-six-week-abortion-ban-takes-effect-2021-09-01 let stand the Texas law banning abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women realize they are pregnant.

Exclusive: Proud Boys leader urged group not to ‘turn on each other’ in riot probe

As four of his fellow Proud Boy leaders sat in jail this summer, charged with conspiracy in the violent Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the group’s chairman, Enrique Tarrio, sent out a private audio message to colleagues around the country. In the July audio, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, Tarrio said that “we are trying to f---ing avoid” a situation in which the senior members facing charges would cooperate with prosecutors. The four, who are jailed without bond, have pleaded not guilty.

U.S. doubling fines for travelers not wearing masks

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is doubling fines for first-time offenders who fail to wear masks, effective Friday, and said repeat offenders could face fines as high as $3,000. The White House said President Joe Biden was directing the higher fines to "ensure that masking requirements remain in place on the other modes of transportation as we continue to battle COVID-19."

Attacking anti-vaxxers, Biden mandates widespread COVID shots, tests

President Joe Biden on Thursday took aim at vaccine resistance in America, announcing policies requiring most federal employees to get COVID-19 vaccines and pushing large employers to have their workers vaccinated or tested weekly. The new measures https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bidens-new-covid-19-plan-includes-vaccine-test-mandates-2021-09-09, which Biden laid out in remarks from the White House, would apply to about two-thirds of all U.S. employees, those who work for businesses with more than 100 workers.

Shooting leaves multiple victims in East St. Louis, Illinois

A shooting on Thursday in East St. Louis, Illinois, has left multiple victims and authorities have mounted a manhunt for suspects who crashed a getaway car into a commuter train, according to the mayor and law enforcement cited by local media.

Few official details were immediately available to Reuters about the violence, which unfolded at about 4 p.m. local time.

White House COVID-19 test mandate could overwhelm already-strained suppliers

A White House plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccination or repeated testing for around two-thirds of U.S. workers announced on Thursday could be hampered by supply challenges as COVID-19 test manufacturers strain to keep pace with demand. U.S. President Joe Biden will require all federal employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the U.S. Department of Labor will issue a rule requiring private businesses with more than 100 employees to have their workers vaccinated or tested weekly, officials said on Thursday.