5 things to know for August 10: Maui fires, Trump, Ecuador, Boat dock brawl, AI

An American nurse and her daughter have been released in Haiti after being kidnapped around two weeks ago. This comes after the abduction garnered international attention and reignited conversation about Port-au-Prince’s kidnapping-for-profit epidemic.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Maui fires

At least 36 people have been killed in catastrophic wildfires raging across the Hawaiian island of Maui. Much of Lahaina, a tourist and economic hub of 9,000 people, has been destroyed and hundreds of families have been displaced. More than 270 structures have been impacted, including several historical sites that date back to the 1800s. Locals and visitors are struggling to leave as power and communication services have been knocked out in parts of the island. One resident described the scene as “apocalyptic” while another said it looks like “something out of a horror movie.” Most of the fires on Maui — fueled in part by violent winds from Hurricane Dora churning around 800 miles away — have not yet been contained.

CNN has partnered with nonprofit organizations on the ground to support relief efforts. Click here to help Hawaii wildfire victims.

2. Trump

Two employees of President Donald Trump are set to be arraigned today on new charges brought by the special counsel in the case regarding the alleged mishandling of classified documents. Carlos De Oliveira, a property manager at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, and Trump’s body-man Walt Nauta have been charged with multiple offenses related to Trump’s alleged unlawful retention of documents after leaving office. The charges Nauta and De Oliveira face include making false statements, conspiracy to obstruct justice and corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, or concealing documents. The indictment also alleges that the two men asked an employee if they could delete security footage at Mar-a-Lago. The pair also made false statements to investigators regarding their involvement in moving Trump’s boxes out of a storage room, prosecutors allege.

3. Ecuador

A candidate in Ecuador’s upcoming presidential election was assassinated at a rally in the country’s capital Wednesday as a deadly escalation of violence grips the South American nation. Fernando Villavicencio was fatally shot as he was leaving a campaign event at a school north of Quito, 10 days before the first round of the presidential election is set to take place. Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso vowed the killing would not go unpunished, saying the “full weight of the law will fall on them.” Lasso announced a state of emergency for 60 days, the immediate mobilization of armed forces across the country and three days of national mourning. The election, set for August 20, is scheduled to go ahead as planned.

4. Boat dock brawl

Two men charged in connection with a brawl at a Montgomery riverfront dock are in police custody, Alabama authorities say. A third man was also charged with third-degree assault in connection with the fight and had turned himself in earlier. Video of the incident shows the brawl escalate after a Black employee was attacked by several men, identified by authorities as White. One witness alleged in a sworn statement to police that a racial slur was used. However, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert told CNN his department still believes the brawl was not racially motivated. The police chief said local investigators worked with the FBI to examine whether to file hate crime charges in this case but were “unable to present any inciting a riot or racially biased charges at this time.”

5. Artificial intelligence

The Biden administration announced new rules Wednesday banning some US investments in advanced technology industries in China. The new restrictions, which notably restrict investments in Chinese artificial intelligence, are meant to prevent American knowledge and money from flowing to the country at a moment of heightened tensions with Beijing. The administration said the move will tighten the amount of cutting-edge technology available to the Chinese military and help better protect national security. China’s Foreign Ministry called the proposed investment restrictions a “blatant act of economic coercion and scientific and technological bullying” whose “real purpose” was to “deprive China of its right to development.”

BREAKFAST BROWSE

What’s happening at the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Italy’s Tower of Pisa was once feared to be tilting on the brink of collapse. As it celebrates its 850th birthday, experts now say its future is “bright.”

Even ‘Barbie’ may not be able to rescue AMC Theaters
Despite the massive success of “Barbie,” AMC Theaters still has a mountain of debt it may not be able to pay back.

‘Big Brother’ contestant ousted from show after using racial slur
CBS has kicked Luke Valentine off the show after he used a racial slur on Tuesday night’s live-streamed episode. Watch the video here.

Disney+ hikes prices as sales sink across the company
The streaming service’s ad-free subscription will cost $13.99 in October, an increase of $3 per month.

This luxury tent resort has celestial credentials
It can be challenging to stargaze in today’s artificial-light-filled world. Now, for the first time, there is lodging with official “dark sky” credentials.

IN MEMORIAM

Robbie Robertson, the five-time Grammy nominee and co-founder of The Band, has died after battling a long illness, his publicity agency announced Wednesday. He was 80.

TODAY’S NUMBER

12.8 million
That’s how many barrels of oil the US is projected to produce on average each day this year, according to federal estimates released Tuesday. That’s more oil than any other country on the planet produces — the next-closest nation, Saudi Arabia, produces about 10 million barrels per day. Recent domestic oil output increases, along with ones likely on the way, should help cushion the blow for US consumers at gas pumps, according to market analysts.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Our entire territory needs much more air defense systems than we have now.”

— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reiterating his call to allied nations for more military aid as Russia ramps up strikes on residential buildings in Ukraine. This comes as the White House is downplaying a CNN poll that shows most Americans oppose Congress providing additional funding to support Ukraine’s war against Russia.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY…

The “heartbeat” of the Hawaiian people
Hawaii is finding resilience and unity as it faces devastating wildfires. Watch this immersive video to be reminded of Hawaii’s beautiful culture.

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