Current US Events: Legal Settlements, Hurricanes, and Music AI

The latest US domestic news includes Hawaiian Electric's $4 billion settlement, Hurricane Debby's impending landfall, a Missouri man threatening NFL players, VP Kamala Harris's VP pick interviews, new AI music copyright disputes, Trump's 2020 election case meeting, a historic California wildfire, a Musk-backed PAC investigation, and notable Olympic achievements.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Hawaiian Electric has agreed to pay approximately half of a $4 billion settlement, compensating victims of the catastrophic Maui wildfires from last August. The wildfires ravaged Maui on August 8, 2023, killing over 100 people and causing an estimated $5 billion in damages, including the destruction of Lahaina.

Tropical Storm Debby is projected to strengthen into a hurricane before hitting Florida's Gulf Coast near the Big Bend region by midday Monday. The NHC has forecast potentially life-threatening conditions, with storm surges up to 10 feet and historic rainfall amounts that could result in catastrophic flooding across Georgia and South Carolina.

Missouri authorities have charged Aaron Brown, a 23-year-old Illinois man, with making terroristic threats against NFL players at a Kansas City concert. Brown was arrested at a Morgan Wallen concert attended by Kansas City Chiefs players.

Vice President Kamala Harris is interviewing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as potential running mates. Harris's decision is expected imminently, with a formal announcement and public appearance planned early next week.

Big music labels are heightening their fight against AI-generated music. Country musician Tift Merritt criticizes AI for making unauthorised copies of her style, while Sony, Universal, and Warner have sued AI companies Udio and Suno, accusing them of using copyrighted material to train their systems.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has set a pretrial meeting for August 16 in the case against Donald Trump, who is accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election results.

A historic wildfire in California's Central Valley continues to rage, becoming the state's fourth-largest fire. Firefighters are struggling against adverse weather as they battle the blaze.

An Elon Musk-backed political action committee is under investigation for potential legal violations in Michigan. The PAC has not yet pledged support to any candidates.

Olympian Katie Ledecky has won her ninth gold medal at the Paris Olympics, reinforcing her status as one of the greatest swimmers in history. French swimmer Leon Marchand also stood out with four gold medals.

Kamala Harris's presidential campaign is ramping up its efforts in key battleground states, energised by strong grassroots support and fundraising momentum, particularly in the Sun Belt region.

(With inputs from agencies.)