Georgia’s Trump case looms

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/briefing/trump-georgia-storms-blacksea-wegovy.html

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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.”

Nearly 20 people are known to have been told they could face charges.

The Georgia case overlaps with elements of the federal indictment brought by Jack Smith, the special counsel, but has one key difference: If Trump were to be re-elected, he could theoretically pardon himself or dismiss the federal charges. But presidents do not hold such sway in state matters.

“What that means for Donald Trump is that he can’t pardon himself,” Richard said.

Communities from Tennessee to New York were clearing debris a day after a wide-ranging storm system tore through the Eastern U.S. It killed at least two people, grounded hundreds of flights and left more than a million homes and businesses without power.

By this afternoon, airlines appeared to have largely recovered from the weather-related mess. The storm system moved on to New England and brought heavy rains that prompted flash flood warnings in New Hampshire and Maine.

In Europe, floods, fires and heavy rains have battered the continent this week, causing evacuations and deaths.

The Black Sea has become an increasingly dangerous cauldron of military and geopolitical tensions since Russia’s decision last month to end a deal ensuring the safe passage of Ukrainian grain. After it pulled out of the agreement, Russia pulverized Ukrainian Black Sea ports to stymie grain shipments. Ukraine has retaliated with two strikes on Russian ships.

The battle for control of the Black Sea could have implications for global energy markets and food supplies. It will also almost certainly raise new challenges for NATO as it seeks to uphold a central tenet of international law — free navigation of the sea — without entering directly into conflict with Russian forces.

A new obesity drug, Wegovy, slashed the risk of serious heart problems by 20 percent in a major trial, the drug’s maker said today. The trial was the first to demonstrate that a new class of obesity drugs could also protect patients’ heart health.

The findings, which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, could put pressure on insurers to cover the in-demand treatment. It also bolstered the idea that the new obesity drugs can deliver long-term health benefits in addition to helping patients lose weight.

Supreme Court: The justices temporarily revived the Biden administration’s regulation of “ghost guns” — kits that can be bought online and assembled into untraceable homemade firearms.

Elections: Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida replaced his campaign manager in another effort to get his struggling presidential run on track.

Niger: A leader of the coup rejected a request from a visiting U.S. diplomat to release the country’s democratically elected president and bring back constitutional order.

China: Facing bleak employment prospects, China’s college graduates are being told that they shouldn’t be so picky about jobs.

Alabama: Police officers in Montgomery detained several people over the weekend after a brawl broke out when a group of white boaters appeared to attack a Black security guard.

New York: A woman was bitten by a shark at Rockaway Beach in the first confirmed shark bite in the city in decades.

Work: An emerging group of restaurateurs across the U.S. are paring back hours, including establishing a four-day workweek.

Women’s World Cup: Colombia (narrowly) and France (easily) joined the quarterfinals.

Science: Scientists observed tubeworms and other complex ocean creatures dwelling beneath hydrothermal vents for the first time.

Cooking videos have never been more persuasive, inescapable, addictive or entertaining. They’ve also never been a more powerful driver of popular culture. TikToks with the hashtag #FoodTok have been viewed more than 64 billion times.

Today, a successful cooking video is just not about creating a delicious recipe, but grabbing someone’s attention. Our colleagues Priya Krishna and Umi Syam found that there are three main genres: The turbocharged M.C., who injects every slice and sauté with personality; the gentle storyteller, who tells a winding story over hands-and-pans clips; and the mad scientist, who prepares Frankenfood designed to outrage.

The rapper made his first concert appearance yesterday since a series of antisemitic remarks last year that led to his alienation from the music industry and the loss of lucrative fashion deals.

Ye appeared as a guest during a concert in Rome by Travis Scott, one of his protégés, in to celebrate Scott’s chart-topping new album, “Utopia.” “There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West,” Scott told the crowd. “There is no Rome without Kanye West.”

Hidden-city travel: The travel hack can net big bargains, but airlines are cracking down.

Thirsty Americans: A rush of Americans visiting Europe this summer has spawned dozens of TikTok videos about how little water the locals seem to drink.

Work from work: Zoom, the video conferencing company that became a verb during the pandemic, is making its employees return to the office.

You made me IJBOL: This acronym is replacing LOL and ROFL on social media.

Cook: This recipe transforms spicy tuna crispy rice into an any-night meal.

Watch: In light of William Friedkin’s death, here are nine of his films you can stream right now, including “The French Connection” and “The Exorcist.”

Read: David James Duncan’s long-awaited novel “Sun House” follows seekers and strivers in a Montana valley.

Listen: Rhiannon Giddens, the singer and actress who won a MacArthur “genius grant,” released her first full album of her own songs.

Write: A journaling coach argues that her practice is good for corporate America.

Unblock: Do you get constipated while traveling? Here’s what to do about it.

Play: Today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. For more, find all of our games here.

When it’s too hot to garden during the day, what is there to do but garden at night?

Daytime heat forced Daryln Brewer Hoffstot, a writer who lives on a farm in western Pennsylvania, to change her routine. She discovered that without the brilliance and chatter of the day, her little plot fell under an enchanting quiet that reminded her of a meditation retreat.

The singing birds were gone, replaced by the darting shadows of bats. And as the sun faded, the magical twinkle of fireflies offered a different kind of light show.

Have a cool and quiet evening.

Thanks for reading. — Justin and Jonathan