These are the headlines you Need2Know:
* **Manafort Stands Trial:**
Jury selection begins Tuesday in the trial of Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort has been charged with 18 violations of tax and bank fraud, and prosecutors have also alleged that he concealed millions of dollars he earned while lobbying for Ukrainian officials. The trial is expected to last three weeks. For more information on the story, check out [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/31/politics/paul-manafort-trial-begins/index.html).
* **Firefighters Get Defensive in Northern California:**
Changing weather patterns sparked more fires in Northern California. There are 17 fires burning in what may be the most destructive wildfire season in California history. Fire officials said Monday they were optimistic the fires could be contained. See the latest pictures of the blazes [here](https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/996332/California-fire-locations-Redding-Carr-fire-latest-update-active-wildfire-map-cause).
* **Carmelo Anthony Leaves Atlanta:**
Melo returned $2.4 million to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, allowing him to sign with the Houston Rockets. Even after his worst season in his NBA career, Melo is still expected to receive most of his $27.9 million salary from the Rockets. For more, check out [ESPN](http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24233957/carmelo-anthony-finalizes-buyout-atlanta-hawks).
* **The Summer of Trump:**
President Donald Trump said on Monday he would meet with Iranian officials “whenever they want," more than a week after threatening Iran's leaders in a bellicose tweet. Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal in May. Trump had threatened North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in tweets before sitting down with Kim in Singapore in June to try to curb the North Korean leader's nuclear ambitions. For more, [read here](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/31/iranian-adviser-us-must-return-to-nuclear-deal-for-talks.html).
* **Should Americans “Sleep Well Tonight”?:**
More than a month after the Singapore summit, the [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-spy-agencies-north-korea-is-working-on-new-missiles/2018/07/30/b3542696-940d-11e8-a679-b09212fb69c2_story.html) obtained satellite images that show North Korea is developing ballistic missiles in a suburb outside of Pyongyang. The construction does not technically violate the any of the points that the two leaders discussed in June, but it may indicate that North Korea is trying to deceive the United States, according to American intelligence agencies.
Cheddar's Jill Wagner gets into the latest.
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Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer impact that many economists foresaw from the administration’s trade policies hasn’t materialized, some popular gift items have been affected more than others. Most toys and electronics sold in the U.S. come from China. So do most holiday decorations. Jewelry prices have risen due to the cost of gold.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to block states from regulating artificial intelligence. He argues that heavy regulations could stifle the industry, especially given competition from China. Trump says the U.S. needs a unified approach to AI regulation to avoid complications from state-by-state rules. The order directs the administration to draw up a list of problematic regulations for the Attorney General to challenge. States with laws could lose access to broadband funding, according to the text of the order. Some states have already passed AI laws focusing on transparency and limiting data collection.
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
House Republicans in key battleground districts are working to contain the political fallout expected when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act. For a critical sliver of the GOP majority, the impending expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 could be a major political liability as they potentially face midterm headwinds in a 2026 election critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda. For Democrats, the party’s strategy for capturing the House majority revolves around pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on Republicans.
