Reuters US Domestic News Summary

In a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, late on Friday, the Democratic Congresswoman from Michigan repeated her calls for Biden to back a ceasefire in the almost month-long Israel-Hamas conflict. Biden trails Trump in states likely to decide 2024 US election, polls show Democratic President Joe Biden trails Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in five of the six most important battleground states exactly a year before the U.S. election as Americans express doubts about Biden's age and dissatisfaction toward his handling of the economy, polls released on Sunday showed.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

N.Y. judge widens Trump case gag order; limits in criminal case lifted

A judge on Friday issued an expanded gag order in the New York state civil fraud case against Donald Trump, while a federal appeals court temporarily lifted similar restrictions in a criminal case against the former U.S. president in Washington.

The order issued by Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan bars public statements by lawyers in the case about the judge's communications with his staff. The case brought by New York state's attorney general accuses Trump of inflating his assets and net worth to obtain favorable bank loans and lower insurance premiums.

Thousands of Black women claim hair relaxers gave them cancer

Sheila Bush, a cosmetologist, was lounging in the recliner at her St. Louis-area home last winter when an advertisement from a law firm flashed up on her television screen, urging viewers to call a toll-free number if they or a loved one had used hair relaxers and been diagnosed with uterine cancer. After seeing the ad three times, Bush, who said she had used hair relaxers every six weeks for most of her life and was diagnosed with uterine cancer about a decade ago, decided to pick up the phone.

Hundreds leave to join Mexico migrant caravan headed for US

A caravan of at least hundreds of migrants left from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula on Sunday, heading for the U.S. southern border. The smaller caravan plans to join a larger one that left six days ago and is currently stopped about 25 miles (40 km) north in the town of Huixtla.

Bidens visit sites of Maine shootings, mourn victims

U.S. President Joe Biden made a solemn trek on Friday to the two sites in Lewiston, Maine, where a gunman killed 18 people last month and said the latest mass shooting had opened painful wounds all across America. “We’re here to grieve with you, so you know you’re not alone," said Biden, who was joined by his wife Jill.

US Representative Tlaib accuses Biden of supporting genocide against Palestinians

U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress, has accused President Joe Biden of supporting a "genocide" against Palestinians and warned of repercussions in next year's election. In a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, late on Friday, the Democratic Congresswoman from Michigan repeated her calls for Biden to back a ceasefire in the almost month-long Israel-Hamas conflict.

Biden trails Trump in states likely to decide 2024 US election, polls show

Democratic President Joe Biden trails Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in five of the six most important battleground states exactly a year before the U.S. election as Americans express doubts about Biden's age and dissatisfaction toward his handling of the economy, polls released on Sunday showed. The polls were conducted by the New York Times and Siena College. Trump, leading the field for his party's 2024 nomination as he seeks to regain the presidency, leads in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania, with Biden ahead in Wisconsin, the polls showed. Biden defeated Trump in all six states in the 2020 election. Trump now leads by an average of 48% to 44% in the six states, the polls showed.

US appeals court upholds Illinois assault weapons ban

A U.S. appeals court on Friday upheld an Illinois state ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines enacted after a 2022 mass shooting in Chicago's Highland Park suburb that left seven people dead and dozens more wounded. In a 2-1 vote, a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a lower-court injunction imposed against the firearms restrictions in one set of cases and affirmed decisions keeping the law intact in another batch.

Iowa Governor Reynolds to endorse DeSantis' presidential bid, source says

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will endorse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's bid to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential race on Monday, according to a source familiar with the matter. An endorsement from Reynolds could be a critical boost for DeSantis, who has fallen far behind former President Donald Trump in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The DeSantis campaign and Reynolds's office did not respond to requests for comment. NBC News first reported the news.

Protesters oppose Biden war policy in large pro-Palestinian rally in Washington

Thousands of protesters gathered in Washington on Saturday to demand a ceasefire in Gaza where thousands have been killed in an Israeli offensive since an attack by Palestinian Islamists Hamas, and to denounce President Joe Biden's policy towards the war. Protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Palestinian Lives Matter," "Let Gaza Live" and "Their blood is in on your hands," as the U.S. government continued to reject demands to add its voice to calls for a blanket ceasefire.

More than 300 Americans got out of Gaza, more remain, White House says

More than 300 Americans and their family members have left Gaza but U.S. citizens remain in the besieged enclave and difficult negotiations continue on securing release of hostages taken by Hamas, a White House official said on Sunday. Those released included U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and their family members, Jonathan Finer, deputy national security adviser, said on the CBS program "Face the Nation."