This Morning’s Top Headlines – Aug. 6 | Morning News NOW

Weather & Environment - Extreme weather events are impacting tens of millions of people across the US, including floods, fires, and smoke [1] - Wildfires in central California are burning over 83,000 acres, threatening nearly 900 structures and causing evacuations [2] - Smoke from Canadian wildfires has triggered air quality alerts in at least 10 states across the Northeast and Midwest [3] - Canada has burned about 168 million acres of land, and is on track to have its second-worst wildfire season ever, with 756 active wildfires [7] - The US Southwest is experiencing above-normal temperatures, with Albuquerque running 11 degrees above normal at 100 degrees [10] - Parts of the Carolinas have seen more than 5 inches of rain, leading to flooded roadways and homes [5] Politics & Redistricting - Texas Governor is seeking court permission to remove a Democratic state representative, escalating the redistricting battle [15] - Texas House Democrats fled the state to delay Republican efforts to redraw the congressional map, potentially giving Republicans five more seats [16] - The President suggested the FBI could get involved to compel the Democratic lawmakers to return to Texas [18][21] - Democrats are considering a "fire with fire" approach, potentially redrawing lines in blue states to plus up potential seats [27] Legal & Justice - The House Oversight Committee is subpoenaing the Department of Justice for all records on the Epstein files [29] - Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers are pushing back against the public release of grand jury transcripts, citing her constitutional rights [30][31] - Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security camp in Texas, which she was technically ineligible for, raising questions about a potential deal with the government [42][44] Trade & Tariffs - New tariffs are set to take effect, potentially increasing prices on groceries, clothing, coffee, cars, and energy costs [50][51] - A 20% effective tariff rate on Vietnam could impact the price of shoes and other items from that country [52] - A 50% tariff on Brazil could impact the cost of coffee beans [52] - The President threatened higher tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, potentially reaching 250%, to encourage domestic manufacturing [54][56]