Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Residents of Florida's Gulf Coast headed for higher ground as the hurricane threatens to bring a deadly storm surge and more than a foot of rain to some areas. U.S. Congress' Jan. 6 hearing postponed due to hurricane Leaders of the U.S. congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol said the panel had postponed a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, citing the threat to the state of Florida by a major hurricane.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Prospective jurors in Oath Keepers trial compare Jan. 6 Capitol attack to 9/11

The trial of Oath Keepers founder, Stewart Rhodes, and four associates in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday heard some prospective jurors express fears that reliving that day would be too traumatic for them to be impartial. The case against the followers of the far-right militia, whose membership includes current and former U.S. military and law enforcement personnel, marks the most high-profile prosecution so far in the Justice Department's investigation into the deadly attack.

Airlines scrap over 2,000 U.S. flights as Hurricane Ian set to make landfall

Airlines canceled over 2,000 U.S. flights on Tuesday and Wednesday and some Florida airports halted operations as they braced for impact from Hurricane Ian, which was set to make landfall in the state. Airlines had scrapped 367 flights on Tuesday and 1,748 on Wednesday across the United States, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com.

Millions in Florida urged to evacuate as Hurricane Ian nears

Residents of Florida's Gulf Coast on Tuesday boarded up their homes, packed up their vehicles and headed for higher ground as Hurricane Ian drew near, threatening to bring a deadly storm surge and more than a foot of rain to some areas. Churning through the Caribbean on a path toward Florida, Hurricane Ian slammed into Cuba, forcing mass evacuations, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people and swamping fishing villages.

U.S. Republican McConnell backs Jan. 6-linked electoral reform bill

U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday voiced qualified support for a bipartisan Senate bill to clarify Congress' role in certifying presidential election results, calling it the only chance to prevent any future chaos like the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol assault. "I'll proudly support the legislation provided that nothing more than practical changes are made to its current form," McConnell said in a floor speech.

N.Y. Fed: Biggest student debt relief favors least well off

The Biden administration's plan to provide student loan debt forgiveness will most benefit Americans who live in less affluent parts of the country - the South in particular, a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Tuesday. The administration's plan "pushes more forgiveness dollars toward borrowers living in lower- and middle-income neighborhoods than borrowers living in higher-income communities," the New York Fed said in a post on the bank's website. If implemented, "the reduction in student debt prevalence and balances will create a substantial financial improvement for borrowers."

Biden approval edges up to 41%, Reuters/Ipsos finds

U.S. President Joe Biden's public approval rating edged higher this week, though he remains deeply unpopular, with just six weeks to go before the Nov. 8 midterm elections, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll completed on Tuesday found. The two-day national poll found that 41% of Americans approve of Biden's job performance, up from 39% a week earlier.

Disney to shutter Florida theme parks as Hurricane Ian draws near

Walt Disney Co will close its theme and water parks on Wednesday and Thursday as Hurricane Ian nears the coast of Florida, the company said on Tuesday. Residents of Florida's Gulf Coast headed for higher ground as the hurricane threatens to bring a deadly storm surge and more than a foot of rain to some areas.

U.S. Congress' Jan. 6 hearing postponed due to hurricane

Leaders of the U.S. congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol said the panel had postponed a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, citing the threat to the state of Florida by a major hurricane. In a statement on Tuesday, the Democratic chairperson, Bennie Thompson, and Republican vice chairperson, Liz Cheney, did not announce a new date for the House of Representatives Select Committee's hearing.

Analysis-Gaffe or insight? Deciphering Biden's unguarded answers

"Yes," U.S. forces will defend Taiwan if it is invaded by China. Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power." And the COVID-19 pandemic is "over." U.S. President Joe Biden's tendency to ad-lib in impromptu press situations is often referred to in Washington as his "gaffe" problem.

U.S. state legislative races carry high stakes for abortion access

Maine state Representative Reagan LaRochelle didn't spend much time discussing abortion with voters when she ran for office last year. But she said the conversation has changed after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right to abortion. In November's midterm elections, legislative races across half a dozen states - including Maine, North Carolina and Wisconsin - could determine whether millions of Americans see abortion access expanded or restricted.

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