Key US News: Biden's Strategy, Nuclear Power Concerns, Abortion Rights, and More

This summary covers recent US news including President Joe Biden's $50 million ad campaign targeting Trump's felony convictions, China's nuclear power advances, ongoing abortion rights litigation post-Roe reversal, Maryland governor's mass pardon on marijuana convictions, and the challenges with weight-loss options for US youth.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

New $50 million Biden ad campaign targets Trump felony convictions

President Joe Biden's campaign will target Republican challenger Donald Trump's felony convictions as part of a $50 million ad campaign ahead of the first presidential debate between both candidates on June 27. The move marks a notable shift in Biden's approach to Trump's conviction after the president's initial reluctance to weigh in on the issue, to avoid engaging with Trump's legal woes.

US as many as 15 years behind China on nuclear power, report says

The U.S. is as many as 15 years behind China on developing high-tech nuclear power as Beijing's state-backed technology approach and extensive financing give it the edge, a report said on Monday. China has 27 nuclear reactors under construction with average construction timelines of about seven years, far faster than other countries, said the study by Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute.

US abortion rights still in flux two years after Roe reversal

Nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, litigation over abortion has exploded. Justice Samuel Alito wrote in 2022's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that the court's longstanding precedent had "enflamed debate and deepened division." He said it was time to take the abortion issue out of the hands of the court and return it "to the people's elected representatives."

Maryland governor plans mass pardon on marijuana convictions

The governor of Maryland told the Washington Post in an interview published on Sunday that he will issue a mass pardon of 175,000 low-level marijuana convictions. Governor Wes Moore told the Post that he would make the mass pardon on Monday morning. He said that the timing was meant to coincide with this week's Juneteenth holiday, a day that marks the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.

Weight-loss options for US youth are hard to come by

For many U.S. parents seeking help for a child with obesity, the most widely-endorsed treatment is out of reach - and it's not the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy. Leading medical groups recommend intensive behavioral counseling - 26 hours within one year - to teach children and their families practical ways to eat healthier and move more. But these programs are not widely available, and wait lists can run for several months. They are often not covered by health insurance and require a time commitment that is difficult for many families to make, according to interviews with more than a dozen doctors and parents. As a result, fewer than 1% of the nearly 15 million U.S. children with obesity get this type of structured care, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Reuters. Efforts by the CDC and others to expand insurance coverage have stalled, doctors involved in the process told Reuters. "The coverage for these programs was never good, and we're not seeing any movement toward improvement," said Dr. Joseph Skelton, a professor of pediatrics and an obesity medicine specialist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The prevalence of obesity among U.S. children has steadily increased, from 5% in 1980 to nearly 20% now, according to the CDC. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy was approved for adults in 2021 and for adolescents in late 2022, offering a highly effective way to lose weight for the first time. Novo still cannot meet demand for the drug among adults, with at least 25,000 first-time prescriptions dispensed each week. A much smaller, but growing, number of families are seeking the drug for their adolescents, Reuters found in February. Many doctors and parents are wary of using the medication without data on whether Wegovy can affect a child's development, or pose other long-term risks. CHANGING HABITS Ruth Medina of Holyoke, Massachusetts, wanted to see if a change in family habits, rather than medication, could help her 15-year-old daughter, Jelainie, when she reached 200 pounds this year. The family has a history of type 2 diabetes, she said, a condition exacerbated by excess weight. "I don't want to go down that path. That's when I got scared," Medina said. Jelainie's pediatrician recommended the healthy weight program at Holyoke Health Center where children and their parents come for visits with a dietician and community health worker to set individual goals, plus group sessions about cooking, deciphering nutritional labels and other lifestyle changes. Dr. Vinny Biggs, who oversees the program, said families face a four-month wait to enroll. Medina and her daughter's participation is covered, in part, by the state Medicaid health insurance program, Biggs said. At the family's first session this month, Jelainie cut up cauliflower, carrots and other vegetables to prepare a paella dish alongside her instructors. Mother and daughter said they liked the meal and took home leftovers and the recipe. Jelainie has lost some weight. She started walking more, playing tennis and snacking on fruits and vegetables. Her mother still worries about the appeal of the many fast-food restaurants close to their home. "We walk by so many temptations," Medina said. "I want to do whatever I can to get her to a healthy weight." RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an influential federal panel of experts, says it's better to stick to lifestyle changes for adolescents with obesity until more data on the long-term safety and effectiveness of the drugs are available, according to a draft recommendation published in December. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that youth aged 12 and older should be offered medications for obesity, but only as an "adjunct to health behavior and lifestyle treatment."

Biden slams Supreme Court at $30 million fundraiser with Obama, Clooney, Julia Roberts

President Joe Biden slammed the U.S. Supreme Court as "out of kilter" at a glitzy fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday with former President Barack Obama and top Hollywood celebrities that has raised over $30 million. Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel began by showing a video montage contrasting Biden's record with that of his predecessor and current Republican challenger Donald Trump. He drew cheers from the audience at a packed Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, where Hollywood celebrities George Clooney and Julia Roberts were among the guests.

California wildfire burns 12,000 acres, forces evacuations

A wildfire burning northwest of Los Angeles on Sunday has forced the evacuation of over 1,000 people from a popular outdoor recreation area and burned over 12,000 acres, authorities said. Some 400 firefighters armed with 70 firetrucks and two bulldozers are battling the Post fire, which is just 2% contained, according to Cal Fire. It is burning south of Gorman, California, about 60 miles (96.5 km) northwest of Los Angeles.

Suspect dead, 9 wounded including children in shooting at Detroit area water park

An armed man shot and injured nine people, including two children, at a water-park near Detroit on Saturday evening before shooting himself after being cornered by police, authorities said. Authorities called the incident random gunfire and said they cornered the suspect in a house nearby, where he died after shooting himself.

CNN rules for first US presidential debate: no props, muted microphones

The first U.S. presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump on June 27 will include two commercial breaks, no props and muted microphones except when recognized to speak, CNN said Saturday. In May, the candidates agreed to face off in two debates including one this month that will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta, while the other on Sept. 10 will be hosted by ABC.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)