10 things you need to know today: September 8, 2019

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1. Trump reportedly called off secret meeting with Taliban
2. Hong Kong protesters march on U.S. consulate
3. Andreescu defeats Williams for U.S. Open title
4. Dorian, no longer a hurricane, makes landfall in Nova Scotia
5. MIT Media Lab director resigns over ties to Epstein
6. NOAA reportedly directed staffers not to contradict Trump's hurricane claims
7. Purdue Pharma expected to file for bankruptcy
8. Democratic candidates speak at New Hampshire party convention
9. Joker wins top prize at Venice Film Festival
10. Antonio Brown signs with Patriots

published 8 September 2019

1. Trump reportedly called off secret meeting with Taliban

President Trump said Saturday that he canceled secret meetings with Taliban leaders and, separately, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani that were apparently scheduled for Sunday at Camp David. The president called off the talks after the Taliban claimed responsibility for a recent attack in Afghanistan in which a U.S. solider was killed. The attack also prompted Trump to call off peace negotiations with the Taliban altogether. The peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban had reportedly been progressing toward a "framework agreement," but the Taliban has refused to agree to a ceasefire while they are ongoing. The possibility of an agreement between the two sides, which would have ended with the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, no longer seems as likely, though there reportedly remains a chance they can be revived.

Anti-government, pro-democracy protests continued in Hong Kong on Sunday, as thousands of demonstrators marched on the United States consulate in the city in an attempt to garner support from Washington. The protesters reportedly waved American flags and sang the "Star Spangled Banner" as they called on President Trump to "liberate" Hong Kong. More specifically, the rallygoers want Washington officials to back the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act which would require the U.S. government to assess Hong Kong's level of political autonomy to determine whether it should continue to have a special trade status under the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992. The bill, if passed, could reportedly put more pressure on Beijing, because losing the special status would affect investment in mainland China.

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Bianca Andreescu defeated Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 to win the U.S. Open on Saturday. It was the first Grand Slam for the 19-year-old, who is currently ranked no. 15 in the world. Andreescu's victory means Williams still has 23 major championships, one shy of Margaret Court's all-time record. "Being able to play against Serena, a true legend in this sport, is amazing," Andreescu said after the match. "Oh, man, it wasn't easy at all." Williams said Andreescu was "unbelievable," but added that she was disappointed in her own performance. "I just wish I could have played better," she said. The men's side of the tournament will wrap up Sunday, when Rafael Nadal faces off against Daniil Medvedev.

What was once called Hurricane Dorian is now in it's post-cyclone phase, but the storm remained powerful as it made landfall in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia on Saturday. Dorian's winds reached 100 mph, knocking down trees and cutting power to more than 450,000 homes, and it could dump has much as eight inches of rain in the area. It is expected to continue over northern Newfoundland and eastern Labrador on Sunday. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people in the Bahamas are still in need of assistance after Dorian swept through the Caribbean nation last Sunday when it was still a Category 5 hurricane, United Nations officials said. The storm resulted in at least 49 deaths, but officials believe hundreds of bodies have yet to be found.

Joichi Ito, the head of the MIT Media Lab, resigned Saturday, a day after The New Yorker reported the lab kept hidden donations from millionaire financier and alleged sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in August. A former staffer at the lab, Signe Swenson, said the lab's leadership made it clear Epstein's donations were to remain under wraps. Swenson added that Epstein was referred to as "Voldemort," or "he who must not be named," because the order of discretion was so well-known among the staff. Earlier this week, Ito acknowledged taking more than $500,000 from Epstein for the lab in addition to $1.2 million for investment funds under Ito's control.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration surprised meteorologists Friday when the agency publicly backed President Trump's claims that Hurricane Dorian once threatened Alabama. As it turns out, a top NOAA official warned staff against contradicting the president. In an agency-wide directive sent Sept. 1 to National Weather Service personnel, hours after Trump's assertions, staff was told to "only stick with official National Hurricane Center forecasts if questions arise from national level social media posts which hit the news this afternoon." They were also told not to "provide any opinion." The agency reportedly sent a similar message on Sept. 4 after Trump showed what appeared to be a doctored hurricane map that put Alabama in the cone of uncertainty. Former NOAA officials have criticized the agency, saying its defense of Trump risks its credibility.

Purdue Pharma, the maker of the painkiller OxyContin, is expected to file for bankruptcy after it was unable to reach a settlement over its alleged role in the deadly opioid crisis currently plaguing the United States. The Sackler family, which owns Purdue, reportedly rejected two offers for a settlement and declined to make any counteroffers. The impasse in talks means the first federal trial over the opioid epidemic should begin next month. At least 30 states and 2,000 state, local, and tribal governments have filed lawsuits claiming Purdue is responsible for the crisis. All the lawsuits have been consolidated under a single federal judge in Cleveland and include several other drug manufacturers. A bankruptcy filing by Purdue would reportedly remove the company from the first federal trial, and its cases could be handled separately down the road.

New Hampshire's most influential Democrats hosted 19 Democratic presidential candidates in the Granite State on Saturday for the state party's annual convention. Former Vice President Joe Biden continues to lead polls in the state, which holds the country's first primary, but Politico reports both Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) received more support than Biden among 100 surveyed New Hampshire delegates who have already made up their minds. Warren also appeared to receive the warmest welcome among the candidates, The New York Times reports. Her introduction reportedly included a two-minute standing ovation and her speech was frequently interrupted by applause. The Times notes, however, that plenty of attendees came to New Hampshire from out of state.

Todd Phillips' Joker won the prize for best film Saturday evening at the Venice Film Festival. The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character and traces the origins of the supervillain who becomes Batman's nemesis. During his acceptance speech, Phillips thanked "Warner Bros. and DC for stepping out of their comfort zone and taking such a bold swing on me and this movie." The win might be a sign that Joker could make some noise during awards season, as films like The Shape of Water and Roma also took home the top prize in Venice. Roman Polanski won the second-place prize at the festival for An Officer and a Spy.

Shortly after Antonio Brown was released by the Oakland Raiders on Saturday without having ever played a game for the franchise, the All-Pro wide receiver signed with the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. Brown, who has been the source of locker room drama with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland, leading to bitter divorces from both teams, inked a one-year contract with New England worth up to $15 million including a $9 million signing bonus. Brown is one of the most talented players in the league, despite the off-the-field drama he carries with him, and he should prove to be a formidable weapon for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, especially after the retirement of tight end Rob Gronkowski. Brown will not be eligible to play in New England's opener against the Steelers on Sunday night.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.