Un auto aparece aplastado junto a un edificio colapsado en Jojutla, estado de Morelos, el martes 19 de septiembre de 2017. Un sismo de 7,1 grados de magnitud dejó al menos 142 fallecidos en todo el paÃs. (AP Foto/Carlos RodrÃguez) (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
TOP OF THE MORNING … It's Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, and welcome to Fox News First, your home for all the headlines you need to start the day ... If you are a subscriber to Top Headlines, you can continue to get your early-morning news fix and so much more right here … In the meantime, please spread the word: Tell your friends they can subscribe to Fox News First by clicking here at FoxNews.com/first.
Here's your Fox News First 5 - the first five things you need to know today:
- The death toll in Mexico rises to more than 200 following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake as the search for survivors continues
- President Trump's fiery speech before the U.N. General Assembly against "rogue regimes" is earning both international praise and attacks at home from Hillary Clinton and the mainstream media
- Residents of Puerto Rico are urged to evacuate or face "life-threatening" floods as Hurricane Maria takes aim as a Category 5 storm
- The Iran nuclear deal should be "revisited," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tells "Special Report with Bret Baier"
- Toys R Us's filing for bankruptcy could be the latest sign of a retail apocalypse sparked by the rise of Amazon
Let's take a deeper dive into these stories, shall we? ...
THE LEAD STORY: The death toll in Mexico following Tuesday's magnitude 7.1 earthquake has jumped to 248 as rescue teams continue to search for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings in Mexico City and surrounding states ... The magnitude of the tragedy is growing by the hour as the death count could continue to rise today. The earthquake occurred just two weeks after a magnitude 8.1 temblor in the south of the country killed more than 90 people. Tuesday was also the 32nd anniversary of the devastating 1985 earthquake that killed thousands of people in the capital.
TRUMP GIVES A "DANGEROUS" AND "COURAGEOUS" SPEECH AT U.N.: President Trump's first speech before the U.N. General Assembly won some praise for targeting "rogue regimes" and bluntly warning "Rocket Man" Kim Jong Un that the United States will "totally destroy" North Korea if Kim does not stop his nuclear program ... "In over 30 years in my experience with the UN, I never heard a bolder or more courageous speech," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. However, Hillary Clinton slammed the speech as "very dark, dangerous" in an interview with Stephen Colbert. Some hysteria came from the mainstream media. MSNBC's Chris Matthews said Trump "lowered the bar for human decency' in his speech. ABC's Terry Moran said Trump's vow to destroy North Korea was a borderline threat to commit a "war crime."
- Two must-read takes on Trump's UN speech in Fox News Opinion: (1) Sticking to script, Trump sticks it to UN (2) Erick Erickson: The best speech by President Trump so far
EVACUATE OR DIE: Hurricane Maria is taking aim at Puerto Rico as a Category 5 storm and is expected to make landfall today ... "You have to evacuate. Otherwise, you're going to die," said Hector Pesquera, Puerto Rico’s public safety commissioner. "I don't know how to make this any clearer." Gov. Ricardo Rossello warned that the storm could hit “with a force and violence that we haven’t seen for several generations.” The warnings from Puerto Rican officials came after Maria left "mind-boggling devastation" on the island of Dominica. Click here to track Hurricane Maria's path.
HAND-WRINGING OVER IRAN NUKE DEAL: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told "Special Report with Bret Baier" that the 2015 nuclear deal between the U.S., five other world powers and Iran "really has to be revisited." ... Tillerson said a key sticking point in the current agreement is the "sunset clause," which automatically lifts most key restrictions on Iran's nuclear program by 2030. "Unfortunately, this is what [U.S.] governments in the past did with North Korea," Tillerson said. "They just simply entered into agreements that were short-lived or were easily cheated on.” Tillerson's comments came hours after Trump called the Iran nuke deal "an embarrassment to the United States" in his speech before the U.N. General Assembly.
THE RETAIL APOCALYPSE IS UPON US, THANKS TO AMAZON: Toys R Us has filed for bankruptcy right before the holiday shopping season, becoming the latest brick-and-mortar retailer to fall victim to the growth of e-commerce and discount stores ... More than 300 companies have filed for bankruptcy in 2017. The rise of e-commerce outlets like Amazon has made it harder for traditional retailers to attract customers to their stores and forced companies to change their sales strategies.
There's so much more you should know as you start your day ... so, let's do this.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
Heard on Fox: "I think that the president's assessment of the Iranian nuclear agreement, is that it's not a stiff enough agreement, it doesn't slow their program enough and holding them accountable is difficult under the agreement." – Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on Trump's opposition to the Iran nuke deal brokered by President Obama on "Special Report with Bret Baier.” Click here to watch
ICYMI (And you didn't set your DVRs) ...
The Story with Martha MacCallum: Ex-Trump campaign aide: Establishment is punishing Trump
Tucker: "Witches" cast spell on "wicked" Trump to save the country
Hannity: "President Trump has been vindicated" by report of spying on Manafort
MINDING YOUR BUSINESS
Oil rises after Iraq signals possible OPEC cut extension
Investors seek Fed clues on inflation, economy
Ford trims production at five plants in North America as U.S. sales slow
Warren Buffett calls pessimists about United States "out of their mind"
FOX TROT ACROSS THE NATION
Sessions blasts California lawmakers for passing sanctuary state bill, says lives at stake
Report: Salt Lake City cop in nurse-arrest video wants to apologize
Ex-Chicago cop arrested on drug charges after 15 years on the run
Activists want ocean garbage patch to be new country
NEW IN FOX NEWS OPINION
Judy Miller: The two sides of Trump's U.N. speech -- pro-UN and America First
Planned Parenthood hooks up with OkCupid. Guess what this cynical partnership is really about
Wounded warrior Johnny "Joey" Jones: Dogs are being shamefully abused in VA labs. This must stop
Todd Starnes: Hobby Lobby's "racist" cotton decor triggers customer
HOLLYWOOD SQUARED
Trump "saddened" about Emmys' lackluster ratings
Jimmy Kimmel takes on Cassidy-Graham healthcare bill
Millionaire CEO slams neighbor Kathy Griffin in potty-mouthed tirade
Billy Bush and wife separate after 20 years
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?
Dr. Manny: Will the newest Apple Watch save lives?
Experts discover tomb of Mayan "God-King"
Obese dog drops 60 pounds after getting adopted
Just for you: The best fall treats that aren't pumpkin spice
DON'T MISS THIS TODAY
On Fox News:
All Day: Fox News meteorologists Janice Dean, Adam Klotz and Rick Reichmuth and the Fox News Weather Center will have the latest update on Hurricane Maria's path; John Roberts and Kevin Corke will have the latest reaction from the White House in the aftermath of President Trump's speech before the UN General Assembly
Fox & Friends, starting at 6 a.m.: Guests include: Sen. Rand Paul on why he opposes the Cassidy-Graham healthcare bill; Sen. Lindsey Graham, who will make his case for the Cassidy-Graham bill; plus White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders
America's Newsroom, starting at 9 a.m. ET: Guests include Sen. Ed Royce
Tucker Carlson Tonight, starting at 8 p.m. ET: Guests include radio host and author Mark Steyn
On Fox Business:
Mornings with Maria, starting at 6 a.m. ET: Guests include former Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno and Cargill CEO David MacLennan
Varney & Company, starting at 9 a.m. ET: Guests include Louisiana Sen. John Neely Kennedy
Cavuto: Coast to Coast, starting at 12 noon ET: Guests include David Stockman, Former Reagan budget director
The Intelligence Report, starting at 2 p.m. ET: Guests include Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of American Action Forum
Risk & Reward, starting at 5 p.m. ET: Guests include Adrienne Elrod, former Hillary Clinton strategic communications director
#OnThisDay
2000: Independent Counsel Robert Ray announced the end of the Whitewater investigation, saying there was insufficient evidence to warrant charges against President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton.
1999: Lawrence Russell Brewer became the second white supremacist to be convicted in the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper, Texas. (Brewer was executed on Sept. 21, 2011.)
1984: The Cosby Show and Who's the Boss? premiered on NBC and ABC, respectively.
1973: In their so-called "battle of the sexes," tennis star Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, at the Houston Astrodome
Thank you for joining us on Fox News First! Have a great day and see you in your inbox first thing tomorrow morning!
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