Wednesday's Headlines: Powerful earthquake rocks Italy, killing at least 38

Turkey and U.S.-backed forces take on Islamic State border town in Syria; Clinton's high-dollar fundraisers spotlight a lasting vulnerability; Inside Trump's new strategy to counter the view that he is racist; Did Trump make donations for flood relief in Louisiana? Here's what we know.;   The morning's most important stories, selected by Post editors   Top Stories Powerful earthquake rocks Italy, killing at least 38 Rescue workers scrambled to reach survivors buried under rubble in isolated towns and villages across central Italy after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks struck the region, collapsing homes and rattling buildings as far away as Rome and Venice. By Anthony Faiola  •  Read more » Turkey and U.S.-backed forces take on Islamic State border town in Syria The offensive came hours before Vice President Joe Biden was due to land Turkey for a crucial visit aimed at tamping down tensions that arose in the wake of last month's failed coup. By Erin Cunningham, Liz Sly and Karen DeYoung  •  Read more »   Clinton's high-dollar fundraisers spotlight a lasting vulnerability A slew of exclusive events in August, which helped the Democratic Party raise at least $32 million in three weeks, poses a jarring contrast with Hillary Clinton's efforts to cast herself as an ally of those left out of prosperity. By Matea Gold and John Wagner  •  Read more »   Inside Trump's new strategy to counter the view that he is racist Guided by his new campaign leadership, Donald Trump has ordered a full-fledged strategy to court minority voters with a more measured approach that could also help the Republican nominee make inroads with white voters turned off by his inflammatory rhetoric. By Philip Rucker, Robert Costa and Jenna Johnson  •  Read more »   Did Trump make donations for flood relief in Louisiana? Here's what we know. During a tour of flood-damaged areas, Donald Trump promised to donate $100,000 to a Baton Rouge-area church. But the church's interim pastor said the gift had not yet been paid. By David A. Fahrenthold  •  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   Opinions   Hillary's heel By Kathleen Parker  •  Read more »   From Jill Stein, disturbing echoes of Ralph Nader By Dana Milbank  •  Read more »   The latest Clinton emails show what an ethics agreement shouldn't look like By Editorial Board  •  Read more »   The Federal Reserve's dirty little secret By Sebastian Mallaby  •  Read more »   Wendy Sherman: The world can't believe Donald Trump By Jonathan Capehart  •  Read more »   China's rise presents a dilemma for Australia By David Ignatius  •  Read more » ADVERTISEMENT   More News   Chinese students seeking admission to top colleges flock to U.S. high schools "A lot of Chinese families are realizing that they have to get into the process earlier," a researcher said, and see a U.S. high school education as a way to gain an edge in admissions. The move also is changing the makeup of schools not known for their diversity. By Daniel A. Gross  •  Read more » Howard Johnson's used to have more than 800 restaurants. One will remain. The closing of one of the last two eateries in a couple of weeks will mark the end of its fried clam strips, ice cream and other menu staples that nourished baby boomers — and leave the chain on the brink of extinction. By David Sharp | AP  •  Read more » Officials investigate trooper's fatal shooting of a deaf man in North Carolina The incident happened in Charlotte, after a driver failed to stop when a trooper tried to pull him over for speeding, according to the State Highway Patrol. By Sarah Larimer  •  Read more » McDonald's recalls activity trackers in Happy Meals after complaints of burns The fast food chain manufactured 33 million of the wristbands for the promotion in the U.S. and Canada. By Steven Overly  •  Read more » A Texas teacher stopped assigning homework. The Internet gave her an A. "I ask that you spend your evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success," the second-grade teacher wrote. By Lindsey Bever  •  Read more » Attempted hack of N.Y. Times in Moscow might fuel more talk of Russia assisting Trump It could be possible for Donald Trump to influence the selection of hacking targets without knowing it, especially if Russia would prefer to see him in the White House. By Callum Borchers  •  Read more » Federal appeals court says no to restoring extra days of early voting in Ohio The judges rejected an attempt to restore "Golden Week," which allowed Ohioans to register and vote on the same day. By Mark Berman  •  Read more » A guide to Hillary Clinton’s many ‘illnesses,’ as diagnosed in the conservative media According to the National Enquirer, the Democratic presidential candidate should be dead already. By Callum Borchers  •  Read more » 'We run toward the screams': Meet the Aleppo rescue team that saved 5-year-old Omran Syria's White Helmets have saved thousands. The group's daily missions — running toward the sites of attacks as others flee — are among the most dangerous in the world. By Louisa Loveluck  •  Read more »         Share Today's Headlines:       Twitter      Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. You received this email because you are signed up for Headlines. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2016 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071