Donald Trump

Around the World: Sept. 18, 2017

Here's what's happening across the United States and around the world today


How Trump's advisers schooled him on globalism
On a sweltering Washington summer day, President Donald Trump's motorcade pulled up to the Pentagon for a meeting largely billed as a briefing on the Afghanistan conflict and the fight against the Islamic State group.
There, in the windowless meeting room known as "The Tank", Trump was to be briefed on the state of America's longest-running war as he and his top aides plotted ways ahead. But, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the meeting, it was, in reality, about much more.
Trump's national security team had become alarmed by the president's frequent questioning about the value of a robust American presence around the world. When briefed on the diplomatic, military and intelligence posts, the new president would often cast doubt on the need for all the resources. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson organized the July 20 session to lay out the case for maintaining far-flung outposts — and to present it, using charts and maps, in a way the businessman-turned-politician would appreciate.
The session was, in effect, American Power 101 and the student was the man working the levers. It was part of the ongoing education of a president who arrived at the White House with no experience in the military or government and brought with him advisers deeply skeptical of what they labeled the "globalist" worldview. In coordinated efforts and quiet conversations, some of Trump's aides have worked for months to counter that view, hoping the president can be persuaded to maintain — if not expand — the American footprint and influence abroad.
The result of the meeting and other similar entreaties may start to become clear this week, as Trump heads to New York for his first address to the United Nations General Assembly. The annual gathering of world leaders will open amid serious concerns about Trump's priorities, his support for the body he is addressing and a series of spiraling global crises.

Trump's week anchored by speech to UN General Assembly
President Donald Trump is making his debut at the United Nations and taking his complaints about the world body straight to the source.
In his first appearance as president, Trump on Monday was addressing a U.S.-sponsored event on reforming the 193-member organization he has sharply criticized.
As a candidate for president, Trump labeled the U.N. as weak and incompetent, and not a friend of either the United States or Israel. But he has softened his tone since taking office, telling ambassadors from U.N. Security Council member countries at a White House meeting this year that the U.N. has "tremendous potential."
Trump more recently has praised a pair of unanimous council votes to tighten sanctions on North Korea over its continued nuclear weapon and ballistic missile tests.
Trump and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will speak at the meeting. The U.S. has asked member nations to sign a declaration on U.N. reforms, and more than 100 have done so. The president wants the U.N. to cut spending and make other operational changes.

10 Things to Know for Today
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. HOW TRUMP'S ADVISERS SCHOOLED HIM ON GLOBALISM
Aides laid out the case for maintaining far-flung diplomatic, military and intelligence outposts — and used charts and maps as a key part of the presentation.
2. DOZENS ARRESTED AS ST. LOUIS READIES FOR MORE PROTESTS
The acquittal of a white former police officer charged with killing a black man went from nonviolent demonstrations to some acts of vandalism for the third straight night.

Dozens arrested as St. Louis readies for more protests
Hundreds of police officers in riot gear mobilized in downtown St. Louis after another day of peaceful protests over an ex-police officer's acquittal in the death of a black man, making dozens of arrests amid reports of property damage and vandalism in the streets.
Authorities made the arrests shortly before midnight, saying people had ignored orders to disperse after the peaceful protests.
A judge ruled Friday that Jason Stockley, a 36-year-old who left the department and moved to Houston three years ago, was not guilty in the 2011 death of Anthony Lamar Smith. The ruling set off raucous protests throughout the weekend. Another peaceful demonstration was expected later Monday.
On Sunday, hundreds of people marched through downtown streets, the posh Central West End, and the trendy Delmar Loop area of nearby University City. Protesters also marched through two shopping malls in a wealthy area of St. Louis County. The protest began at the police headquarters downtown.
Following the same pattern of the previous days, well over 1,000 people marched peacefully for several hours. By nightfall, most had gone home. The 100 or so demonstrators who remained grew increasingly agitated as they marched toward the core of downtown. Along the way, they knocked over planters, broke windows at a few shops and hotels, and scattered plastic chairs at an outdoor venue.

Hurricane Maria nearing already battered Caribbean islands
A strengthening Hurricane Maria churned toward the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean on Monday as forecasters warned it was expected to become a major hurricane by early Tuesday.
Maria swiftly grew into a hurricane Sunday, and forecasters said it was expected to become much stronger over the coming hours following a path that would take it near many of the islands wrecked by Hurricane Irma and then on toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Hurricane warnings were posted for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Martinique. A tropical storm warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Lucia. Other islands were warned to stay alert for changes in the storm. Hurricane watches were up in Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the island shared by French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten, St. Barts and Anguilla.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Maria had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph) early Monday. It was centered about 130 miles (215 kilometers) east-southeast of Dominica — or 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Martinique — and heading west-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph).
The hurricane center said hurricane conditions should begin to affect parts of the Leeward Islands by Monday night, with storm surge raising water levels by 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) near the storm's center. The storm was predicted to bring 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain across the islands, with more in isolated areas.

Interior secretary recommends shrinking 6 national monuments
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is recommending that six of 27 national monuments under review by the Trump administration be reduced in size, with changes to several others proposed.
A leaked memo from Zinke to President Donald Trump recommends that two Utah monuments - Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante — be reduced, along with Nevada's Gold Butte and Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou.
Two marine monuments in the Pacific Ocean also would be reduced under Zinke's memo, which has not been officially released. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the memo, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Trump ordered the review earlier this year after complaining about improper "land grabs" by former presidents, including Barack Obama.
National monument designations add protections for lands revered for their natural beauty and historical significance with the goal of preserving them for future generations. The restrictions aren't as stringent as for national parks, but some policies include limits on mining, timber cutting and recreational activities such as riding off-road vehicles.

Trump's childhood home becomes showcase for refugees
President Donald Trump's childhood home in New York had some new occupants over the weekend — refugees who shared their stories as a way to draw attention to the refugee crisis as the United Nations General Assembly convenes this week with Trump in attendance.
The three-story Tudor-style home in Queens that Trump's father, Fred, built in 1940 is now a rental available on Airbnb that anyone can stay in for $725 a night. It was auctioned off to an unidentified buyer in March for $2.14 million, its second time going up for auction.
The international anti-poverty organization Oxfam rented it Saturday and invited four refugees to talk with journalists. The Republican president's administration issued travel bans on people from six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees. After various court challenges, the Supreme Court last week allowed the restrictive policy on refugees to remain temporarily. The justices will hear arguments on the bans Oct. 10.
"We wanted to send a strong message to Trump and world leaders that they must do more to welcome refugees," said Shannon Scribner, acting director for the humanitarian department of Oxfam America.
Trump lived in the house on a tree-lined street of single-family dwellings until he was about 4, when his family moved to another home his father had built nearby.

Politics, diverse winners, new voices top key Emmy moments
It was, not surprisingly, a night for politics, with everyone from host Stephen Colbert to Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Alec Baldwin getting in zingers about Donald Trump — all to be upstaged by Sean Spicer himself, in a controversial appearance that set social media afire. But Emmy night was not only about politics.
It was also about diversity and new voices, with notable wins, among others, for Sterling K. Brown, the first black actor in nearly 20 years to win for lead actor in a drama; for Lena Waithe, the first black woman to win for comedy writing, and Donald Glover, the first black director to win the comedy award (and best actor, too.) Stories about women won big: "Big Little Lies," ''The Handmaid's Tale" and "Veep" won the top three categories. But there was a notable paucity of Latino and Asian winners.
Some notable moments:
YES, THAT WAS REALLY HIM
Colbert had been hitting on Trump early and often in his opening monologue, but there were gasps of genuine shock in the crowd when he called out for "Sean," and the former White House press secretary wheeled a podium onstage to spoof his highly dubious claims on Trump's behalf about the inauguration crowd size. "This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys period," he announced in faux seriousness, "both in person and around the world." There were plenty of laughs, but on Twitter, many questioned whether Spicer should have been there at all. "congrats to @seanspicer for his new job as the punchline to an unfunny joke," wrote Dan Pfeiffer, one of President Barak Obama's former aides.

Lady Gaga postpones European leg of world tour
Lady Gaga has postponed her world tour's European leg until next year because of ongoing health problems, the tour's promoter said Monday.
The six-week part of the Joanne World Tour was set to kick off in Barcelona on Sept. 21 and end on Oct. 28 in Germany. Lady Gaga was also due to perform in Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Britain, Denmark and Sweden.
"Lady Gaga is suffering from severe physical pain that has impacted her ability to perform," tour promoter Live Nation said. "She remains under the care of expert medical professionals who recommended the postponement."
The promoter said the 31-year-old singer-songwriter "plans to spend the next seven weeks proactively working with her doctors to heal from this and past traumas that still affect her daily life, and result in severe physical pain in her body."
Lady Gaga, whose hits include "Bad Romance" and "Poker Face," also pulled out of a performance last week in Brazil after being hospitalized with "severe physical pain." Earlier this month, Lady Gaga postponed a Montreal concert.

Falcons with a repeat performance in 34-23 win over Packers
New season. New stadium. Same ol' result.
Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons picked up where they left off against the Green Bay Packers, building a big halftime lead on the way to a dominating 34-23 victory Sunday night. The rematch of last season's NFC championship game was essentially a repeat: Ryan threw for 252 yards and a touchdown, Devonta Freeman had a couple of scoring runs, and Desmond Trufant darted to the end zone off an attempted pass by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers that was ruled a fumble.
"We came out aggressive," said Julio Jones, who had five catches for 108 yards. "We did a great job and got after them."
Back in January at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta earned a trip to the Super Bowl by racing to a 31-0 edge early in the third quarter on the way to a 44-21 blowout of the Packers.
In the first regular-season NFL game at $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium — and the first sporting event in which the facility's camera lens-like roof was open — the Falcons put on quite a show to mark the occasion.


That's what's happening. Read more stories to jump start your day in our special Breakfast Buzz section.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us