U.S. and world news for Sept. 8

G20 Summit: Biden Administration officials are hopeful that differences between India and the U.S. will begin to be worked out as a result of today’s visit to New Delhi by President Biden and meetings between top officials from the U.S. and India. Biden is in New Delhi for a summit meeting of the Group of 20, which is composed of nations with the world’s largest economies. Chinese President Xi has decided not to attend, but is sending other Chinese representatives. Biden is expected to make a stop in Vietnam after the G20 Summit.

Giuliani fundraiser: Rudy Giuliani’s son Andrew said yesterday that last night’s fundraiser staged by Donald Trump at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club was expected to raise $1 million to help Rudy Giuliani pay his legal bills. Tickets for the event cost $100,000 each, which would indicate that Andrew Giuliani expected only about 10 people to attend. Trump has paid the legal bills for some of his associates facing criminal charges in connection with actions they took on behalf of Trump but Giuliani has not been one of them.

Shooting investigation: New York State Attorney General Letitia James has opened an investigation into the shooting deaths of two Black teenagers in Dewitt, New York, which is near Syracuse. A sheriff’s deputy said he was forced to shoot the boys, ages 15 and 17, after the car they were in appeared to be close to running him over. The deputy had been investigating a store holdup when he got a call that some boys who matched descriptions of the holdup perpetrators were seen putting items into a car nearby and went to see what was happening.

Romania’s concerns: Officials in Romania ware expressing concern today that Russia’s war against Ukraine could spill over inside of Romania. Romania is a member of NATO. Romania has discovered debris of what it believes to be Russia drones inside of its territory. If it confirmed that Russian drones have invaded Romanian territory, Romania would consider it a violation of its territory and sovereignty. NATO member nations are pledged to defend each other”™s territory and sovereignty.

IRS audits: The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will be using artificial intelligence in a new campaign to audit high-income earners, partnerships, large corporations and promoters that it says abuse the nation’s tax laws. The IRS said it would ensure audit rates do not increase for those earning less than $400,000 a year. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said, “This new compliance push makes good on the promise of the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure the IRS holds our wealthiest filers accountable to pay the full amount of what they owe.”

Pennsylvania manhunt: Pennsylvania State Police say there have been at least eight sightings of escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante within about a five mile area surrounding the Chester County Prison, about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. Cavalcante, serving a life sentence for murder, escaped from the prison on Aug. 31 by climbing up walls and over razor wire. Prison guards failed to see him escaping.

Cover photo courtesy Palácio do Planalto / Wikimedia Commons