US News Roundup: Clash over fentanyl copycats; Pelosi calls for Acosta to resign and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Women's World Cup final draws 14.3 million U.S. viewers but misses record

More than 14 million Americans watched on television as the U.S. women's soccer team clinched their fourth World Cup title, broadcaster Fox said on Monday, but the TV audience failed to break records. Sunday's match in Lyon, France, in which the United States beat the Netherlands 2-0, was seen by 14.3 million Americans on Fox and its cable sports channels, the broadcaster said.

Trump administration drug officials clash over how to combat fentanyl copycats

Trump administration officials are divided over part of a proposal to crack down on illicit versions of fentanyl, the deadly synthetic painkiller that U.S. President Donald Trump targeted in declaring a national opioid abuse emergency. In an inter-agency dispute that highlights the challenges of curbing opioid abuse, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is publicly backing tighter rules for fentanyl analogs, which are slightly altered copycat versions of the powerful drug fueling an explosion in overdoses.

Financier Epstein pleads not guilty to sex trafficking charges involving girls

American financier Jeffrey Epstein pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of sex trafficking as prosecutors accused him of luring dozens of girls as young as 14 to his luxury homes in New York and Florida and paying them for sex acts. An indictment unsealed in federal court in Manhattan accused Epstein, 66, of arranging for girls to perform nude "massages" and other sex acts, and paying some girls to recruit others, from at least 2002 to 2005.

House Speaker Pelosi calls for Acosta to resign over Epstein deal

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for President Donald Trump's Labor secretary, Alexander Acosta, to resign amid renewed concerns over his handling of sex abuse charges involving wealthy U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein. Acosta "must step down," she said in a tweet late Monday night.

U.S. judge strikes down Trump administration rule requiring drug prices in TV ads

A federal judge on Monday dealt a blow to the Trump administration by striking down a new rule that would have forced pharmaceutical companies to include the wholesale prices of their drugs in television advertising. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington sided with drugmakers Merck & Co Inc, Eli Lilly and Co and Amgen Inc by halting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule from taking effect on Tuesday as planned.

Trump 'dossier' author grilled by Justice Department watchdogs: sources

Federal lawyers probing the origins of the investigation of ties between Russia and President Donald Trump's campaign have interviewed the author of a "dossier" that alleged misconduct between Trump and Moscow, prompting the lawyers to extend their inquiry. Three attorneys from the Inspector General's office of the U.S. Department of Justice met in person in early June with dossier author Christopher Steele in Britain, said two sources with direct knowledge of the lawyers' travels.

California expanding early quake detection and warning system

California officials are spending more than $40 million on an earthquake early warning system that in addition to alerting the public could also be used to automatically halt trains and open fire station doors moments before a major tremor actually strikes. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced after a magnitude 7.1 quake shook Southern California on Friday that the state has already installed 70 percent of the 1,115 early detection sensors it needs to have the system in place statewide.

Delaware chief justice to retire leaves mark on U.S. takeover law

Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court Leo Strine will retire in the next few months, Governor John Carney announced on Monday, a leadership change in the court system that decides disputes for more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies. The governor will nominate a replacement, who faces confirmation by the state Senate. A list of potential nominees will be drawn up by a selection committee and given to the governor, a process that usually takes months.

Weather system over eastern Florida has 50% chance of becoming cyclone - NHC

A low-pressure system located over eastern Florida has a 50% chance of becoming a cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday. The system is forecast to move southward to southwestward and emerge over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico later on Tuesday, the NHC said.

U.S. appeals court to take up constitutionality of Obamacare

The future of Obamacare could be at stake on Tuesday when a coalition of Democratic-led states and House of Representatives urge a federal appeals court to overturn a Texas judge's ruling that the U.S. healthcare reform law is unconstitutional. Republicans have repeatedly tried to repeal Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA), since its 2010 passage, and while the Justice Department would normally defend a federal law, the Trump administration has declined to defend its constitutionality against a challenge by 18 Republican-led states.