'Start Here': G-7 wraps up with Trump shifting on China, Iran as world leaders pledge millions for Amazon fires
Here's what you need to know to start your day.
It's Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. Let's start here.
1. G-7 wraps up
President Donald Trump has returned from the Group of Seven summit in France after declaring there was "great unity" during the high-stakes trip, despite sharing policy disagreements with world leaders.
But Trump also appeared to shift his tone on his trade war with China and left the door open on possibly meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to restart nuclear negotiations, ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl tells "Start Here" from the summit.
"He was dropping all of the talk that we had heard about basically not just a trade war, but an all-out economic war with China," he says. "That seems to be at least for now something the president's put aside."
2. Amazon fire fight
Global leaders at the G-7 summit pledged to commit $20 million to fight the fires ravaging the Amazon rainforest as firefighters on the frontlines struggle to beat back the overwhelming speed of the flames.
The fires are spread over an area two-thirds the size of the U.S., according to ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman, who has seen the devastation firsthand on the ground and during a flyover.
"What was so astonishing to me having covered fires in California and the west for years now is the breadth of [these] fires," he tells the podcast. "There were hundreds of them going at one time."
3. The next debate(s)
A Wednesday deadline is looming for Democratic presidential candidates to meet the polling and donor thresholds for the next primary debate, hosted by ABC News in partnership with Univision.
Ten 2020 hopefuls out of over 20 contenders have made the cut for the debate stage in Houston on Sept. 12, according to an ABC News analysis, but there's still time for candidates like billionaire activist Tom Steyer and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, to qualify and extend the one-night affair into two debates.
"I am constantly hearing from Democratic voters that they're just a little bit overwhelmed by this many candidates and having all the candidates on one night might really help that in some way," ABC News Deputy Political Director MaryAlice Parks says.
4. Epstein accusers in court
Multiple alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein are expected to make statements in Manhattan federal court today before the criminal case against the accused sex trafficker is closed in the wake of his death, according to sources familiar.
"If this case had gone to trial... they might have had their opportunity to testify in an open setting," ABC News' James Hill says. "Now that [Epstein's] gone, this may be the last opportunity potentially in any official proceeding for them to have their voices heard."
Epstein's attorneys have also been invited to speak at the hearing set by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Berman and the lawyers may lay out plans for an investigation into the circumstances of their client's death, Hill tells the podcast.
Several civil lawsuits have been brought by alleged victims against Epstein's estate and more could still be filed.
"Start Here," ABC News' flagship podcast, offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn or the ABC News app. Follow @StartHereABC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for exclusive content and show updates.
Elsewhere:
'Don't shoot. My son is sick': The parents of a mentally ill man who was killed by an off-duty LAPD officer inside a Southern California Costco has described the sequence of events that led to all three of them being shot.
'Our department is mourning Ozzy's loss': A Southern California police K-9 named Ozzy died in his handler's hot car, launching a review of equipment and protocols by the department.
'It's so much fun': A New York man has figured out a way to beat the hectic New York City commute from New Jersey to Brooklyn with one inventive purchase -- a jet ski.
'We are devastated by these losses': Four former employees of a Florida nursing home will face charges after at least 12 residents died due to unbearably hot conditions inside the center after the air conditioning stopped working following Hurricane Irma in 2017.
From our friends at FiveThirtyEight:
'I’d regard him as an underdog': Even if Joe Biden's issues in Iowa are mostly linked to demographics, the state could still be a major concern for him because Iowa can affect the result of every state that votes after it.
Doff your cap:
The first day of school can be overwhelming for any child but Connor Crites, a rising second grader who has autism, was having a particularly emotional back-to-school day at Minneha Elementary in Wichita, Kansas. Then, fellow rising second grader Christian Moore, 8, entered the picture.
"He was kind to me," Connor told ABC's Wichita affiliate KAKE-TV. "I started crying and then he helped me. And, I was happy. … He found me and held my hand and I got happy tears."
The boys now have an "inseparable bond," said Christian's mother. "One act of kindness, you know, can change someone’s life."