US Domestic News Roundup: Georgia county validates thousands of voters challenged by Trump allies; U.S. lawmakers pile pressure on big banks over China ties, Taiwan and more

During a hearing before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Republican congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer pressed bank chief executives on how they would respond in the hypothetical event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Woman who falsely accused Black bird-watcher loses lawsuit against ex-employer The white woman who falsely told police she was threatened by a Black bird-watcher in New York City's Central Park has lost a lawsuit accusing her former employer Franklin Templeton of illegally firing her and portraying her as racist.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Georgia county validates thousands of voters challenged by Trump allies

A Georgia county has validated 15,000 to 20,000 registered voters whose status was challenged ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm election, officials said on Wednesday, leaving another 16,000 pending cases to resolve, according to the group leading the challenge. The voter challenge campaign in Gwinnett County, a suburb of Atlanta, is led by VoterGA, which backs Donald Trump's false claims that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 election. Supported by prominent allies of the former president, VoterGA has contested 37,000 voter registrations in the county of about 562,000 active voters.

U.S. lawmakers pile pressure on big banks over China ties, Taiwan

Top U.S. bankers came under pressure from lawmakers on Wednesday to take a tougher stance on doing business with China amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan's sovereignty and China's human rights record. During a hearing before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Republican congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer pressed bank chief executives on how they would respond in the hypothetical event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Woman who falsely accused Black bird-watcher loses lawsuit against ex-employer

The white woman who falsely told police she was threatened by a Black bird-watcher in New York City's Central Park has lost a lawsuit accusing her former employer Franklin Templeton of illegally firing her and portraying her as racist. In a decision on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams rejected Amy Cooper's claim that she was defamed when Franklin Templeton and its Chief Executive Jenny Johnson referred on three occasions to the incident and said they did not tolerate racism. A video of the incident went viral.

Republicans spend millions on TV ads for midterms, but why doesn't Trump?

Fundraising groups tied to Republican Party leaders are sharply increasing spending on campaign ads to help the party win control of Congress in the Nov. 8 general elections. But not Donald Trump's Save America, a PAC fundraising group that under U.S. election law can fund the Republican former president's political allies and his frequent rallies but not any election campaign of his own.

With an eye on the U.S. ballot box, Democrats to push policing bills on Thursday

Democrats, accused by Republicans of being soft on crime, hope to burnish their crime-fighting credentials before the Nov. 8 midterm elections with a vote on Thursday on a major policing bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The "Invest to Protect Act" aims to beef up federal funding for community policing activities in smaller jurisdictions, which often lack the money for officer body cameras and "de-escalation" training aimed at avoiding death or injury during law enforcement activities.

Explainer-Trump was sued by New York's attorney general. What legal woes does he face?

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, three of his adult children and his family company were sued on Wednesday for what New York state's attorney general called a decade of fraudulent misstatements of the values of real estate properties to secure favorable loans and tax benefits. Here is a look at some of the numerous investigations and lawsuits that Trump faces as he considers another run for the presidency in 2024.

Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court justice, to answer Jan. 6 committee questions - lawyer

The U.S. congressional panel probing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol reached an agreement to interview Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, in the coming weeks, her lawyer told Reuters on Wednesday. The Washington Post has previously reported the committee obtained emails between Ginni Thomas and attorney John Eastman, who advised Donald Trump that then-Vice President Mike Pence could thwart formal congressional certification of Trump's 2020 election loss.

Florida's DeSantis traverses the U.S. as 2024 White House talk advances

Days after sending two planeloads of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flew 1,000 miles (1,600 km) across the country to speak to voters in a Kansas hotel ballroom. He ostensibly made the trip to stump for a fellow Republican. But introduced as "America's governor," DeSantis' one-hour speech sounded like a presidential-style campaign address heavy on his Florida track record.

U.S. appeals court says Trump criminal probe can resume classified records review

The U.S. Justice Department can resume reviewing classified records seized by the FBI from former President Donald Trump's Florida home pending appeal, a federal appellate court ruled on Wednesday, giving a boost to the criminal investigation into whether the records were mishandled or compromised. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request by federal prosecutors to block U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's stay barring them from using the classified documents in their probe until an independent arbiter, called a special master, vets the materials to weed out any that could be deemed privileged and withheld from investigators.

Florida asks U.S. Supreme Court to revive law targeting social media 'censorship'

Florida on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revive a state law aimed at stopping social media companies from restricting users' political speech after a federal appeals court blocked it earlier this year. The law, which had been challenged by industry group NetChoice, would require social media companies to disclose the rules they use for banning or censoring users and to apply them consistently and would limit their ability to ban candidates for political office from their platforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)