At least 36 dead in Hawaii wildfires; death toll likely to rise – National & International News- THU 10Aug2023

At least 36 dead in Hawaii wildfires; death toll likely to rise.

MS Supreme Court blocks Favre’s attempt to dodge welfare fraud suit.

5 US citizens to be released after years in Iran prison.

Biden bans American investment in some China tech sectors.

NATIONAL NEWS

At least 36 dead in Hawaii wildfires; death toll likely to rise

Wildfires that have been burning out of control for days in Maui have claimed the lives of at least 36 people. Officials have warned that the death toll is likely to climb further. Thousands of panicked residents are fleeing burning homes, some having no choice but to seek refuge at sea. The US Coast Guard says it rescued 14 people, including two children, who dove into the water to escape. So far, this is the deadliest fire the US has seen since the 2018, when the Camp Fire in California killed 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise.

The worst of the fire was in the historic town of Lahaina, a settlement dating back to the 1700s and built mostly of wood. The historic buildings which were once the seat of Hawaii’s royal family have been reduced to ashes. Firefighters continue to battle quick moving blazes all over the island. Hurricane winds are fanning the flames, spreading the fires faster than they can be contained. Hawaii’s Big Island is also experiencing fires, though there are no reports yet of injuries or destroyed homes.

There’s no indication yet of how the fires started, but the island has been experiencing dry conditions for some time.

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Mississippi Supreme Court blocks Favre’s attempt to dodge welfare suit

The Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled against former NFL player Brett Favre in his bid to remove himself as a defendant in a lawsuit by the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS). Favre is just one of 47 defendants in the suit, which MDHS filed in an attempt to recoup over $77 million in funds stolen from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families fund.

Former non-profit head Nancy New has already pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to the fraud. Favre conspired with New, as well as current and former high-ranking state officials, to defraud the fund of several million dollars. This includes $5 million for a volleyball court at USM, Favre’s alma mater; $1.7 million for Favre’s drug company Prevacus (in exchange for New receiving stock); and $1.1 million in funds for speeches he never made.

According to state attorneys, Favre repaid the $1.1 million for the speeches, but not the other $6.7 million. He first asked Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Faye Peterson to dismiss him from the suit back in April. When she refused, Favre appealed to the state Supreme Court.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Five US citizens to be released after years in Iran prison

The US has struck a deal that would free 5 US citizens from Iranian detention, in exchange for returning $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to Iran’s government. The deal calls for the money to go to humanitarian causes, though it’s unclear how the US would enforce this.

The detainees include Siamak Namazi, 51, Emad Shargi, 58 and Morad Tahbaz, 67. The other two wished to have their identities remain confidential. Namazi, Shargi and Tahbaz have all spent years in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison where the regime keeps its highest-value political prisoners. Families for all three men say they have endured solitary confinement and other human rights abuses while at the prison. All three men had been charged with espionage, an accusation the US says is baseless.

This is the first time the US has negotiated a major prisoner release with Iran since 2016, a deal that coincided with the finalization of the Iran nuclear agreement.

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Biden bans American investment in some China tech sectors

President Biden has signed an executive order barring US firms from investing in some sensitive tech sectors in China. These fields include semiconductors, AI, and quantum computing. The order applies to venture capital firms, private equity firms and any US company that might be considering a joint venture in one of these fields in China. The White House says that this order is narrow in scope and targets any tech that may be used in a military capacity. US officials have long expressed concern about US tech know-how and capital being used against us by an adversary.

Beijing has accused the US of “weaponizing trade” and the ban couldn’t come at a worse time for China. After decades of continual growth, the Chinese economy is suffering a significant contraction. Currently, China is experiencing rapid deflation due to a drop in demand for Chinese-made goods both domestically and abroad. Some of this is due to the US encouraging companies to move away from investment in China, but domestic factors also play a role. Economic and political upheaval has kept Chinese workers’ wages stagnant since the pandemic.

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