Wednesday, November 08, 2023 |
|
|
Wednesday, November 08, 2023 |
|
|
Good Wednesday afternoon. Lester Holt and Kristen Welker are moderating tonight’s Republican presidential primary debate in Miami. Also, Ivanka Trump is testifying in her father’s fraud trial, and a massive fire is burning after a chemical plant explosion in Texas. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
|
|
Ivanka Trump testifies in father’s $250 million fraud trial |
Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter of former President Donald Trump, said she was not “privy” to his financial statements, as she testified today in the $250 million civil fraud trial in New York that could crumble the former president’s business empire. “I would assume he would have personal financial statements for accountants but those were not statements I was privy to,” Ivanka Trump said on the stand. She also denied having any role in preparing her father’s financial statements. The civil lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accuses Trump, his two adult sons, and the Trump Organization of falsely inflating Trump’s net worth to maintain his wealthy image and receive more favorable loan terms. In Trump’s own contentious testimony Monday, he acknowledged having a role in creating his financial statements. Ivanka Trump was dismissed as a defendant in the case in June, after an appeals court found the claims against her were too old. |
|
|
House Republicans subpoena Hunter and James Biden |
House Republicans have issued subpoenas for Hunter and James Biden, as well as Hunter Biden’s former business associate Rob Walker, as they ramp up their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Oversight Committee Chair James Comer issued the subpoenas, which focus on the Biden family’s business dealings. The committee has also requested transcribed interviews with Hunter Biden’s wife, Melissa Cohen, and James Biden’s wife Sara Biden, as well as with Hallie Biden, the widow of the president’s late son Beau, and her sister. The White House responded by accusing House Republicans of conducting a “smear campaign” against Biden to “distract from their repeated failures to govern.” |
Texas chemical plant explosion forces evacuations |
A massive explosion at a chemical plant forced evacuations and shelter-in-place orders today about 60 miles northeast of Houston, officials said. Aerial video shows a massive plume of smoke rising from the site of Sound Resource Solutions, a petroleum processing facility. The company said one employee was injured in the incident, and is being treated for minor burns. A nearby school was evacuated, and residents were asked to shelter in place, but that order was lifted after several hours. |
|
|
Republican presidential hopefuls face off tonight in Miami |
Five Republican presidential candidates will meet on stage tonight at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami for their third presidential primary debate, as they look to steal the spotlight from the GOP frontrunner, former PresidentTrump. Trump is once again skipping the debate, and will instead hold a rally in nearby Hialeah. Scheduled to participate are: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. One of the main storylines to watch will be the expected showdown between DeSantis and Haley, who have been ramping up attacks on each other in recent weeks. Haley is looking to build on her momentum, after our recent poll showed her pulling even with DeSantis in Iowa. DeSantis got his own boost in Iowa this week, when Gov. Kim Reynolds broke with state tradition and gave him her endorsement. But DeSantis and Haley both still trail Trump in Iowa by 27 points. Our coverage of the Republican presidential primary debate begins at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, NBC News NOW and Peacock. |
Democrats score major wins on election night |
Tonight’s Republican debate is taking place a day after the GOP got some major warning signs from voters on the issue of abortion. Ohio voters approved a measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution by double digits, NBC News has projected. Ohioans also voted to legalize recreational marijuana. In deep-red Kentucky, NBC News projects Gov. Andy Beshear, the Democratic incumbent who ran on his support for abortion rights, has won re-election over his Republican challenger, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Virginia Democrats kept their majority in the state Senate and flipped the state House, a major blow to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s push for a 15-week abortion ban, and his 2024 presidential buzz. But Democrats came up short in Mississippi, where Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has won re-election over Democrat Brandon Presley — the cousin of Elvis Presley — who conceded late Tuesday. For more key takeaways from the 2023 elections, click here. |
U.S. pushes for three-day pause in Israel-Hamas fighting, diplomats say |
The U.S. is discussing a proposal with Israel and Qatar to pause the fighting in Gaza for up to three days, to allow for more humanitarian aid and the possible release of more hostages held by Hamas, according to two foreign diplomats and a U.S. official. Qatar has been mediating talks with Hamas over a possible pause for weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained Hamas must release all of the estimated 240 hostages it’s holding before Israel will agree to a cease-fire, but he has not ruled out a “tactical pause.” Israel says its troops are now fighting “in the heart of Gaza City,” where they are targeting Hamas leaders and infrastructure. About 15,000 Palestinians fled the fighting in northern Gaza on Tuesday alone, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. For the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war, visit our NBC News live blog. |
National Zoo’s giant pandas leave for China |
It’s a sad day at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., after three giant pandas departed for China, bringing an end to the zoo’s panda program after more than 50 years. Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji, are flying back to China aboard a FedEx plane that’s been dubbed the “Panda Express.” The pandas were on loan from China, and the Smithsonian’s contract to house them has expired after 23 years. Their return comes at a time of rising tensions between the U.S. and China. Zoo Atlanta is now the only place in the U.S. to see giant pandas, but that loan agreement is set to expire next year. |
|
|
What else we're watching: |
An FBI SWAT team and police are searching the woods in New Jersey for a former National Guard police sergeant wanted on charges related to the January 6th attack, federal authorities said. |
Ten alleged members of the Gambino crime family were indicted in New York today on charges including racketeering conspiracy and extortion, according to court documents. |
Federal prosecutors said three people have been arrested for running “sophisticated high-end brothels” in the Boston area and eastern Virginia, with clients that allegedly include elected officials, high-powered executives, doctors, and military officers. |
A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck West Texas early this morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. |
The FDA has approved a new weight loss drug, joining a booming market that includes Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. |
Caught on camera: A black bear in Florida stole a $45 Taco Bell order from a home’s front porch — then came back later to swipe the drinks too. |
|
|
Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
|
|
30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 |
|
|
|
