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Weekend Briefing

From Reuters Daily Briefing

By Edson Caldas

Hello from London. I'm usually around here during weekdays, but this time I'm covering for Robert as he takes a well-deserved break. Today, we bring you the latest on the search for wildfire victims in Maui, a shocking incident of political violence in Ecuador, and the mixed results of the Amazon summit.

The charred remains after wildfires engulfed the historic town of Lahaina, August 9, 2023. Erin Hawk/Handout via REUTERS

Maui wildfire death toll rises to 80

'Like an apocalypse': Wildfires on Hawaii's Maui island and Big Island have killed at least 80 people and devastated the historic resort city of Lahaina. Search teams are combing through charred ruins looking for more victims. Witnesses spoke of their terror as the blaze consumed a town in what seemed to be minutes.
Lingering question: It remains unclear whether some residents had received any warning before the fire engulfed their homes. Maui has emergency sirens intended to warn of natural disasters and other threats, but they did not appear to have sounded during the fire. Meanwhile, California is turning to AI to help spot wildfires.

Assassinated Ecuador candidate mourned by family and public

A country in shock: Ecuador is reeling from the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, a former lawmaker and crusading anti-corruption journalist. He was honored on Friday at a funeral mass and public memorial in Quito, after the attorney general's office charged six suspects in his death.
Rising violence: Villavicencio was no stranger to threats and intimidation from powerful figures. His murder is a shocking example of a deteriorating security situation in the South American country and led some voters to weigh whether they will go to the polls on Aug. 20. It has made an unsettled election even harder to forecast.

Investors flag retaliation risks after Biden's China tech curbs

A long-awaited order: U.S. President Joe Biden this week signed an executive order that will prohibit some new investment in China in sensitive technologies like computer chips and require government notification in other tech sectors. While the markets mostly shrugged off Biden's move, investors said they are worried Beijing could retaliate.
Tick tock: The ban wasn't the only sign of tension between the two countries. On Thursday, Biden called China a "ticking time bomb" because of economic challenges including weak growth. "They have got some problems. That's not good because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things."

Obesity drug data could boost companies' case for US coverage

New data: Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk said a large study had shown its obesity treatment also had a clear cardiovascular benefit. The company said it will seek regulatory approval to have the cardiovascular benefit added to the drug's label. It also eyes other health benefits.
Hoping for a change of heart: U.S. law classifies weight-loss treatments as lifestyle drugs and bars the Medicare health plan for older Americans from covering them. Experts said the new data could lead the U.S. government to reassess that.

Before I forget…

A claim by scientists in South Korea has reignited a global race to prove the existence of a practical superconductor. But was their claim legit? In a special episode of Reuters World News, we go beyond the viral headline to find out what's really going on.

President Biden's son Hunter Biden may be headed for a criminal trial, U.S. Special Counsel David Weiss said shortly after his promotion into that role on Friday.

Russia launched a moon-landing spacecraft in a bid to be the first nation to make a soft landing on the lunar south pole, a region believed to hold coveted pockets of water ice. We have an explainer on the lunar gold rush.

Amazon rainforest nations emerged from their summit with a stronger hand to play at upcoming United Nations climate talks, despite the meeting's lackluster final agreement, according to environmental groups.

Argentina will hold primary elections on Sunday, a nationwide ballot that will act as a giant voter poll ahead of general elections in October. Meet the candidates.

And finally, many workers across the U.S. are turning to ChatGPT to help with basic tasks, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, despite fears that have led employers such as Microsoft and Google to curb its use. No chatbots were consulted in the making of this newsletter.

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