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☆ Biden Declares Disaster for Maui
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jonathan Wolfe | More About Jonathan Wolfe | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Biden declares disaster for MauiPresident Biden issued a major disaster declaration for Maui as evacuation centers filled and tourists fled from the island in the wake of a fast-moving wildfire. The death toll climbed to 36, and hundreds of buildings were damaged in the tourist town of Lahaina and elsewhere on the western coast. Tad Craig, a wedding photographer who saw the wildfire on Tuesday in Lahaina, said gas tanks were exploding and smoke was blowing sideways. The fire, which officials said had been largely contained, prompted officials to evacuate 11,000 tourists from Maui, whose economy relies on tourism. Officials have strongly discouraged people from traveling to the island, one of America’s most beloved tourist destinations, while the crisis continues.

Persons: Biden, Tad Craig, ” Organizations: Maui, Flames, U.S . Coast Guard, Officials Locations: Maui, Lahaina

☆ U.S. Restricts Investment in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Jonathan Wolfe | More About Jonathan Wolfe | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. restricts investment in ChinaPresident Biden escalated his confrontation with China today by banning American investments in key Chinese tech industries that could enhance Beijing’s military and surveillance capabilities. The proposed rules would apply to U.S. private equity and venture capital firms investing in quantum computing, artificial intelligence and advanced semiconductors. U.S. firms investing in a broader range of Chinese industries would also be required to report their activity. At the same time, it has pushed to develop suppliers outside China, and ramped up restrictions on selling the country technologies like semiconductors for advanced computing. But venture capital and private equity firms have continued to seek out lucrative opportunities for partnerships as a way to gain access to China’s vibrant tech industry.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Investments, U.S Locations: China

The fourth criminal case against Donald Trump is likely to intensify next week, when Fani Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, Ga., is expected to take her election interference case to a grand jury. Willis has focused her investigation on the weeks after Trump lost the 2020 election, looking into calls that Trump made to pressure local officials, a plan by Trump allies to create a slate of bogus electors and the harassment of local election workers. One big question is how broad the indictments will be, according to our colleague Richard Fausset, who is based in Atlanta. The federal Jan. 6 case, whose indictments were announced last week, was a “very narrowly focused indictment,” Richard told us. “In Georgia, there is the possibility that this will be a multi-defendant indictment that would take in a wide rage of actors who would be accused of violating numerous state crimes in their effort to overturn the election.”

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Willis, Trump, Richard Fausset, ” Richard, “, ” Organizations: Trump Locations: Fulton County ,, Atlanta, Georgia

Ron DeSantis of Florida plainly stated that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, in an apparent change in strategy that may put him at odds with much of the Republican base. “Of course he lost,” DeSantis said in an interview with NBC News on Sunday. “Joe Biden’s the president.”DeSantis, who is polling well behind Trump, for years has dodged questions about whether he believed the election was stolen. The governor’s blunt stance may be a sign that Trump’s legal problems have sent his Republican competitors looking for some way to take advantage. While none of them are openly attacking Trump, they are trying to press on his weaknesses — acknowledging reality and defying the denial espoused by him and many Republicans.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, ” DeSantis, “ Joe Biden’s, Trump Organizations: Republican, NBC News, Trump Locations: Florida

Employers across the U.S. added 187,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment rate sank to a near record low of 3.5 percent, new data showed today. Most people who want to work can find jobs, according to the report. But the pace of hiring has slowed over the last two months, a sign that the economy is cooling as the Federal Reserve battles inflation. Health care and leisure and hospitality added many of the new jobs, while most other industries — including manufacturing, transportation and warehousing — were flat to negative on job growth. “While we never want to read too much into any one jobs report, the trend over the past few months is pretty clear: We’re getting back to something approaching normal,” our colleague Lydia DePillis said.

Persons: Lydia DePillis Organizations: Federal Locations: U.S

☆ What’s Next for Turkey?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Justin Porter | Jonathan Wolfe | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Although he fell just short of an outright majority, with 49.5 percent of the vote, signs point strongly to yet another Erdogan victory in two weeks. A third candidate, Sinan Ogan, received 5.2 percent, and his right-wing supporters are likely to vote for Erdogan in the runoff, analysts say. Erdogan’s party and its allies also maintained a commanding majority in the parliamentary vote after stepping up nationalist rhetoric. However, my colleague Ben Hubbard reported that Erdogan’s failure to secure an outright majority this weekend indicated that some voters had grown tired of his financial management and drastic consolidation of power. Turkey has been struggling with a sinking currency and painful inflation that exceeded 80 percent last year.

☆ The Trump Rape Trial Enters its Final Phase
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Jonathan Wolfe | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Trump rape trial enters its final phaseLawyers delivered closing arguments today in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of battery and defamation. Carroll, a former columnist for Elle magazine, accused Trump of raping her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a department store, in the mid-1990s. Trump did not testify nor did he attend the two-week trial. “The last few days really highlighted the gravity of a former president being on trial for a civil rape allegation,” said my colleague Kate Christobek. Trump’s lawyers, who called no witnesses, portrayed the accusations as improbable because the store was a public place and Trump was already famous at the time.

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