Maui emergency management chief resigns after defending not using sirens – National & International News – FRI 18Aug2023

Maui emergency management chief resigns after defending not using sirens.

Trump GA case: names, addresses of grand jurors posted online.

Fears grow over China’s economy as property giant seeks US bankruptcy.

NATIONAL NEWS

Maui emergency management chief resigns after defending not using sirens

Herman Andaya, head of Maui County Emergency Management, has resigned following backlash over comments at a news conference. Andaya defended the decision to not sound the sirens as the deadly blaze swept over Lahaina, killing at least 111 with 1,300 or so still missing. The sirens are usually sounded in the case of hurricanes. “The public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the siren is sounded,” Andaya said, explaining that the fire was coming from higher ground.

Andaya’s comments came after conflicting reports about whether there had been any attempt to sound the siren during the fire. The fire took place during the early morning hours and some residents have said the siren might have at least awoken people and given them a chance to realize there was a problem. By the time most realized what the trouble was, it was too late.

But Andaya and other local and state officials have also received criticized for the response and recovery effort after the fire. Days of confusion prevailed, with few supplies getting in and no apparent organized official response. Firefighters and other local first responders are overstretched with little help coming from outside the island. The locals themselves have attempted to set up relief efforts, handing out food and clothes. However, residents say that the state has blocked some of these grassroots efforts, citing security.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

Related: Before-and-after photos reveal scale of devastation in Maui (opens in new tab).

Trump GA case: names, addresses of grand jurors posted online

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after personal information of the grand jurors who returned indictments against Donald Trump was posted online. The unredacted names of grand jurors appeared in the indictment, which is public record, in accordance with Georgia law. The Sheriff’s office said it is working with state and federal agencies to track down any threats made in Fulton County or other jurisdictions.

Lists containing the names and addresses of the grand jurors were posted on Truth Social, Trump’s own social media platform, and others. Some Truth Social users responded with comments that could be construed as encouraging violence.

This information as well as photos and social media pages appearing to belong to the jurors have also been found on other pro-Trump sites and other right-wing forums that have been linked to terrorist attacks in the past.

District Attorney Fani Willis and other members of her staff have been facing threats for weeks. For a couple of weeks leading up to the indictment, the courthouse where the grand juries were meeting were on high alert with law enforcement blocking off the roads surrounding the building.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Fears grow over China’s economy as property giant seeks US bankruptcy

Just a few years ago, many foresaw China overtaking the US as the world’s number one economy over the next two decades. Now, cracks are appearing that could potentially be catastrophic. China’s runaway growth in the past few decades has been fueled in large part by new development and construction. But two Chinese property giants, Evergrande and Country Garden, are facing serious losses.

Evergrande, one of China’s single-largest developers, has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the US as it attempts to restructure back home. Evergrande also has controlling interests in major sports teams and a Chinese electric vehicle company. Last week, Country Garden predicted it would have at least a $7.6 billion loss in the first 6 months of this year.

On top of this, China is experiencing rapid deflation due to decreased demand for domestic goods. This is part because wages in China have remained stagnant for years, and several companies are engaging in price wars. To try to prevent a freefall, Beijing’s central bank has cut interest rates for the second time in three months. They’re also trying to make it easier for developers to get loans.

Last week, President Biden warned that China’s growing economic and social tensions made the country “a ticking time bomb“. Biden said, “That’s not good because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things”. A major collapse in the Chinese economy could have ripple effects in economies throughout the world.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).