Reuters US Domestic News Summary

That would lead to the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal workers and the suspension of a wide range of government services, from economic data releases to nutrition benefits, until Congress manages to pass a funding bill that President Joe Biden, a Democrat, would sign into law. Ohio urges top court to revive abortion ban ahead of statewide vote Ohio on Wednesday urged the state's highest court to let a ban on abortion at about six weeks of pregnancy take effect, just weeks before voters in the state will decide whether to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US government shutdown could add misery to air travel

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned on Wednesday that a partial government shutdown could disrupt air travel and said the government would need to furlough 1,000 air traffic controllers in training. If Congress does not fund government operations before Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates it would have to furlough more than 17,000 employees and halt the training.

US judge rejects Trump's request she step down from election trial

A judge on Wednesday rejected Donald Trump's request that she step aside from the federal case accusing him of illegally attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, rejecting arguments that she has shown bias against him. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington ruled that her prior remarks in court while sentencing people convicted of storming the Capitol during a riot by supporters of the former president did not require that she recuse herself from the case.

UAW could expand strikes at Detroit Three on Friday

The United Auto Workers union could strike additional Detroit Three automotive facilities on Friday if there is no serious progress in labor negotiations, a source familiar with the talks said. The union did not elaborate ahead of a planned video address by UAW President Shawn Fain at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Friday. Bargaining continues at Ford, General Motors and Chrysler parent Stellantis.

US Senator Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to corruption charges

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen, as calls for his resignation from fellow Democrats escalated. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan last week accused Menendez, 69, and his wife of accepting gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for the senator using his influence to aid Egypt's government and interfere with law enforcement investigations of the businessmen.

Judge leaves Trump asset sales up in the air after fraud ruling

The New York judge who found Donald Trump liable for fraud on Wednesday stopped short of addressing whether his scathing decision would force the former U.S. president to sell his prized real estate. Justice Arthur Engoron at a hearing on Wednesday was asked by Trump's lawyer Christopher Kise about what he intended a day earlier by ordering the cancellation of business certificates that let some of Trump's businesses operate.

Pilot error led to Alaska crash killing billionaire Petr Kellner, NTSB says

The March 2021 helicopter crash in Alaska that killed billionaire Petr Kellner and four others was likely caused by pilot error and inadequate training, a report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Wednesday. Kellner, who was at the time the Czech Republic's richest man and founder of investment group PPF, was killed in the crash on a heli-skiing trip in Alaska. The crash took place near Knik Glacier northeast of Anchorage.

Rights advocate Cardin replaces Menendez as US Senate Foreign Relations chair

Senator Ben Cardin will serve as chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, replacing Bob Menendez, who faces felony bribery charges, after the Senate agreed to a resolution on Wednesday naming him to the position. Menendez pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier on Wednesday.

Shutdown countdown: US Congress has four days to fund government

Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday rejected a stopgap funding bill advancing in the Senate, bringing Washington closer to its fourth partial shutdown of the U.S. government in a decade with just four days to go. That would lead to the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal workers and the suspension of a wide range of government services, from economic data releases to nutrition benefits, until Congress manages to pass a funding bill that President Joe Biden, a Democrat, would sign into law.

Ohio urges top court to revive abortion ban ahead of statewide vote

Ohio on Wednesday urged the state's highest court to let a ban on abortion at about six weeks of pregnancy take effect, just weeks before voters in the state will decide whether to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution. While the arguments before the Ohio Supreme Court focused on procedural questions and will not lead to a final ruling in the case, a decision reviving the ban even temporarily could draw attention to abortion rights in the weeks before the November referendum.

Biden raises money at Tom Steyer home in San Francisco

President Joe Biden raised money for his re-election campaign on Wednesday at the San Francisco home of billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer as part of an end-of-the-quarter push to bolster his 2024 chances. In his remarks, Biden warned about the dangers of climate change, among other topics.