5 things to know for August 14: Maui fires, Trump, Ukraine, Eiffel Tower, Toyota recall

Employees at luxury stores are on edge as retail thieves appear to be escalating their brazen heists. In some states, like California and New York, police are seeing a pattern of coordinated “flash mob” burglaries involving dozens of people, rather than a few petty shoplifters. On Saturday, a massive group of thieves stole up to $100,000 worth of merchandise from a Los Angeles mall after overwhelming staff.

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

1. Maui fires

The death toll from the Maui wildfires has reached 96, and there are warnings it could climb further as people remain unaccounted for. The blaze that devastated the historic town of Lahaina is now the deadliest US wildfire in over 100 years, with loss estimates approaching $6 billion, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said. Hawaii officials are launching a formal review of the state’s emergency response, including why it did not activate an extensive warning siren system. Additionally, a lawsuit filed against Hawaii’s main electric provider alleges that power lines blown over by high winds during Hurricane Dora led to the spread of the deadly Lahaina wildfire. However, an official cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

2. Trump

Former President Donald Trump may be facing his fourth indictment in the coming days. Atlanta-area prosecutor Fani Willis, a Democrat, is expected to seek charges against more than a dozen individuals when her team presents its case before a grand jury this week. She has signaled that her probe into the ex-president’s bid to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia — a vital swing state — is nearing its conclusion, and more than a dozen people could be charged. Trump believes he will be among those who face charges, casting them as Democratic efforts to interfere in the 2024 election. This comes as investigators in the Georgia criminal probe have gathered evidence indicating there was a top-down push by Trump’s team to access sensitive voting software to produce evidence that could back up the former president’s baseless claims of widespread fraud.

3. Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond with “completely fair retaliation” after Russian shelling on Sunday killed at least two dozen people, including a newborn baby, in the Kherson region. “Everywhere our warriors retaliate against the occupiers’ terror. There is not a single day when Russian evil does not get our completely fair retaliation,” Zelensky said in his daily address. His remarks come as Moscow’s defense ministry and several Russian regional officials reported Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks on Russian territory. Meanwhile, Russia’s ruble hit a 17-month low against the dollar today, highlighting the growing squeeze on Russia’s economy from Western sanctions as Moscow’s war in Ukraine takes a heavy toll.

4. Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was evacuated for several hours Saturday over a bomb threat. Traffic was diverted and a large security perimeter was established so a team of deminers could assess the situation. The Paris attraction reopened to the public once authorities combed through the area and confirmed the safety of the premises. All three floors of the tower, as well as the courtyard, were evacuated, according to CNN affiliate France BFMTV. “It’s a usual procedure in this kind of situation, which is rare nevertheless,” a spokesperson for SETE, the operating company for the landmark, said. Evacuations of the Eiffel Tower are rare, but not unknown. In 2019, the monument was evacuated and closed after a man was spotted climbing up the side.

5. Toyota recall

Toyota has announced a voluntary recall for more than 168,000 vehicles — the automaker’s largest recall of the year. The manufacturer said last week that certain 2022 and 2023 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid trucks in the US could have a plastic fuel tube that could “rub against a brake line and develop a fuel leak.” The leak could cause a fire “in the presence of an ignition source,” Toyota added. The company plans to notify vehicle owners who are affected by the faulty part by early October and will install protective materials for free in the meantime. This is the seventh recall involving the 2022 or 2023 Tundra model. Previous recalls included problems with the vehicle’s parking brake system, loose axle nuts, and a software issue with the rearview camera.

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TODAY’S NUMBER

5
That’s how many people have been charged for participating in the brawl along the Montgomery, Alabama, riverfront on August 5. The fifth person to turn himself in was the man seen swinging a chair in the viral video of the fight.”

TODAY’S QUOTE

“We are confident that this is an isolated issue.”

— Nestlé USA, announcing a recall of some Toll House “break and bake” chocolate chip cookie dough bars due to the potential presence of wood chips. The company issued the recall last week after it said a “small number” of consumers reported wood fragments in the bars. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this action represents to both our consumers and retail customers,” the company said.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY…

Saving lives at 6,000 feet
Many relief workers in Haiti undertake dangerous missions to provide medical care to those in need. Watch this video to see an air ambulance in action.

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