By Dan Donahue, NBC Nightly News |
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Good Tuesday afternoon. Amy Coney Barrett has been in the hot seat all day before the Senate, and Apple has announced the new iPhone 12. |
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Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Eli Lilly’s coronavirus antibody treatment trial halted |
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Drugmaker Eli Lilly has paused a government-sponsored trial of its leading antibody treatment for the coronavirus over potential safety concerns, the company has confirmed. |
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“Safety is of the upmost importance to Lilly,” the company said in a statement to NBC News. “We are aware that, out of an abundance of caution, the ACTIV-3 independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) has recommended a pause in enrollment.” |
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The treatment is similar to the antibody cocktail created by Regeneron, which President Trump has touted for his rapid improvement in his own battle against the coronavirus. |
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The announcement comes a day after Johnson & Johnson said it was pausing final trials of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine, due “unexplained” illness in one of the participants. |
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U.S. approaches 8 million Covid-19 cases, with increases in 36 states |
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The total number of cases nationwide is rapidly nearing 8 million, with a death toll of more than 216,000 according to the latest tally by NBC News. |
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Across the country, 36 states are experiencing a percentage increase in new cases over the past 14 days. |
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Four of those states have seen a spike of 100 percent or more, while 20 states are seeing an uptick of 25 percent or more. |
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Other Covid-19 headlines: |
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Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for the coronavirus.Hospitalizations in New York City have hit their highest total since July.A 25-year-old man in Nevada is the first confirmed case of a patient in the U.S. becoming reinfected. His second infection was considered more severe than the first.A Dutch woman is believed to be the first person in the world to die after being re-infected with Covid-19.A recent survey found 52 percent of Americans plan to stockpile food and essentials like toilet paper, over fears of a fall surge and potential unrest following the election.China’s government says it is testing all 9 million people in the city of Qingdao after nine cases were linked to a hospital.Delta Air Lines posted a $5.4 billion net loss for the third quarter, as the pandemic took a heavy toll on what is usually peak travel season. |
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U.S. nears 8 million coronavirus cases |
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Amy Coney Barrett faces first day of questioning at confirmation hearings |
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With opening statements out of the way, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is facing her first day of questioning at her Senate confirmation hearing. |
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Barrett has been confronted with a barrage of questions on key issues like abortion, the Affordable Care Act, the election and LGBTQ rights. |
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Like many nominees in the past across the political spectrum, Barrett has largely avoided committing herself to positions, saying she would reserve judgment until hearing specific cases. |
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Republicans are pushing to confirm Barrett before the election, but with early voting already underway in many states, Democrats say whoever wins should fill the seat. |
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Barrett’s answers on hot button issues |
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Abortion: Barrett would not say whether she agreed with the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s belief that Roe v. Wade was “wrongly decided.” |
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“I can't pre-commit or say ‘yes I'm going in with some agenda’ because I'm not. I don't have any agenda,” Barrett said. |
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Barrett has twice in the past signed onto newspaper ads as a law professor, condemning Roe, and has given speeches critical of the ruling. |
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A devout Catholic, Barrett pledged today to set aside her religious beliefs on the bench if she is confirmed. |
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Affordable Care Act: Barrett also declined to say whether she would recuse herself, as Democrats have called for, in a case challenging the Affordable Care Act, set to be heard by the Supreme Court on Nov. 10, a week after the election. |
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The judge testified that she has never discussed with the president or anyone else whether she would vote to repeal the act, also known as Obamacare. |
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Barrett has been critical of the Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld the ACA in 2012, saying it pushed the law “beyond its plausible meaning.” |
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Election disputes: Barrett was also quizzed about whether she would recuse herself from any cases involving the 2020 election. |
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“I cannot offer an opinion on recusal without short-circuiting that entire process,” Barrett said. |
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Barrett also declined to say whether the president has the power to delay the election, a notion Trump raised over the summer. |
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"If I give off-the-cuff answers, then I would be, basically, a legal pundit,” Barrett said, “and I don’t think we want judges to be legal pundits." |
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LGBTQ rights: Barrett was asked whether she agreed with Scalia’s view that the Constitution does not guarantee gay people a fundamental right to marry. |
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She said she would not “embrace or disavow” Scalia’s position, but added, “I have never discriminated on the basis of sexual preference and would not ever discriminate on sexual preference.” |
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Visit our NBC News live blog for the latest updates on the hearings. |
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Barrett asserts 'discrimination is abhorrent,' but dodges questions on LGBTQ rights |
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Trump and Biden hit the battlegrounds just 21 days until election |
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With exactly three weeks left until the election, Donald Trump and Joe Biden are holding dueling events today in different battleground states. |
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Trump is will hold a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania tonight, after making his official return to the campaign trail in Florida on Monday, a week after he was released from Walter Reed Medical Center, where he was treated for Covid-19. |
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Trump told the crowd he would like to give them a “big fat kiss,” and claimed to be immune to the coronavirus — though the CDC has cautioned there is not definitive evidence of immunity among Covid-19 survivors. |
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In a memo released Monday, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said that Trump had tested negative on “consecutive days,” though he did not specify which days. |
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Conley also mentioned that Trump had tested negative using the Abbott/BinaxNOW antigen card. The CDC, however, “does not recommend using antigen tests to make decisions about discontinuing isolation.” |
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Biden is paying a visit of his own today to Florida, his third trip to that critical battleground in less than a month. |
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The Democratic nominee, after being accused by Republicans of repeatedly dodging questions about whether he would expand the Supreme Court if he wins the election, said on Monday that he is “not a fan of court packing.” |
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Apple unveils iPhone 12 with 5G capability |
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Apple is joining the 5G revolution. |
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The tech giant revealed its new iPhone 12 today, with access to 5G networks, which offers stronger and faster wireless connections. |
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The company unveiled four versions: the iPhone 12 Mini ($699), iPhone 12 ($799), iPhone 12 Pro ($999), and iPhone 12 ProMax ($1,099) |
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Also announced today, a new MagSafe wireless charger for iPhones. |
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Watch: Apple unveils new iPhone 12 models |
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What else we’re watching: |
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The far-right militia members accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also discussed “taking” Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, an FBI agent testified today.The Supreme Court rejected an effort by Democrats to revive a lawsuit against President Trump that alleges he has illegally profited off his presidency.Amazon’s annual Prime Day event is under way. Here’s a roundup of some of the best deals. |
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Virginia Gov. Northam addresses kidnapping plot, says 'no imminent threat' |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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