Tuesday morning news - September 1, 2020

Trump to visit Kenosha, Wis. today » President Trump will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin today over the objections of Governor Tony Evers. 

The White House said the president will meet with law enforcement and survey the damage in the city from recent rioting and looting. 

Trump spokesman Hogan Gidley said Monday…

GIDLEY: He wants to go there and begin to work to heal what has happened there. I mean, these people are divided. They’re angry. They’re upset. They’re scared to see what their communities have devolved into. This just anarchy cannot continue.  

But Evers said Trump’s visit will only make things worse. In a letter to the president this week, Evers wrote “I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together.”

Democrats, White House trade blame for violent unrest » Trump’s Wisconsin visit comes as Democrats and the White House continue to trade blame over the ongoing unrest. 

Presidential rival Joe Biden said Monday that the president—quoting here—“can’t stop the violence because for years he’s fomented it.” 

BIDEN: You know, he may believe mouthing the words ‘law and order’ makes him strong. But his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is. 

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also blamed President Trump this week for the violence. 

But White House spokesman Judd Deere said this week that the blame lies with—his words—“liberal politicians and their incompetent policies that have failed to get control of these destructive situations.”

Meantime, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced late Sunday that state police will step up patrols in Portland. 

A Trump supporter was fatally shot on Saturday after right and left wing groups clashed on city streets. The head of a group called Patriot Prayer said the victim was a member of the group. Police are still investigating the incident and have made no arrests. 

First direct Israel-UAE flight lands in Abu Dhabi amid deal » An Israeli commercial jetliner emblazoned with the Star of David made history on Monday when it landed in the United Arab Emirates. 

The jet carried a high-ranking American and Israeli delegation from Israel to Abu Dhabi in the first-ever direct commercial flight between the two countries.

Among the U.S. officials on the flight was national security adviser Robert O’Brien. 

O’BRIEN: These two great nations are beginning the process of exchanging ambassadors and are cooperating in a broad range of fields including finance, education, healthcare, trade, and security. 

The flight came after the Trump administration brokered a historic deal to normalize relations between the two countries. 

President Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner was also aboard the plane. Kushner said the flight made history for another reason and thanked the government of Saudi Arabia. 

KUSHNER: Also historic was the kingdom of Saudi Arabia granting permission for this Israeli commercial flight to use its airspace. This is the first time that this has ever happened. 

The plane was decorated with the words for peace in Arabic, Hebrew and English above the pilot’s window.

LA County terminates parking agreement with MacArthur’s church » Los Angeles County is evicting a church in Sun Valley, Calif., from a parcel of land it has leased for more than 40 years. And lawyers for the church say the move amounts to harassment and retaliation. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more. 

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Worshippers have nearly filled Grace Community Church’s 3,500-seat auditorium at times during the past several weeks in peaceful defiance of state and county health orders. 

So far, L.A. County hasn’t made good on threats of fines or imprisonment against the church or its pastor, John MacArthur. But the county’s Department of Public Works has informed the church that it has 30 days to vacate a large part of a nearby parking lot … that it has leased since 1975. 

Jenna Ellis, special counsel to Thomas More Society, which is representing the church, said the eviction is—quote—“harassment, abusive, and unconscionable.” 

A judge has declined several requests from the county to issue a temporary restraining order forbidding the church from gathering for indoor worship. A state court will hold a full hearing on the church’s religious liberty claims against the county on Friday.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin. 

Hall of Fame college basketball coach John Thompson dies » Hall of Fame college basketball coach John Thompson has died. 

Thompson became the first black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1984. 

Georgetown reached two other title games with Thompson at the helm. The Hoyas lost to Michael Jordan’s North Carolina team in 1982 and to Villanova in 1985.

In a 1999 interview, Thompson said he was proud not just of his successes, but of his failures. 

THOMPSON: For 27 years, I was at Georgetown and working as hard as I possibly could and probably made far more mistakes than I ever had success because we attempted to do things. And anytime you attempt to do things, you’re going to fail far more than you ever succeed. 

Thompson led Georgetown to 14 straight NCAA tournaments from 1979 to 1992, and won six Big East tournament championships.

In a statement, family members said “Our father was an inspiration to many and devoted his life to developing young people not simply on but, most importantly, off the basketball court.” 

In an Instagram post, former NBA superstar Alan Iverson posted a picture of himself with Thompson and wrote “Thanks for saving my life coach.” 

John Thompson was 78.

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Washington. 

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