First Thing: Death toll passes 1,000 in devastating floods across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand | US news
Good morning.
Sri Lanka and Indonesia have deployed their militaries to help victims of floods that have killed more than 1,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia in recent days.
Millions of people were affected by tropical cyclones and heavy monsoon rains, and the ensuing floods killed at least 502 people in Indonesia, 355 in Sri Lanka and 170 in Thailand. Three deaths were reported in Malaysia.
The loss and damage is the worst since the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, which killed nearly 31,000 people and left more than a million homeless, while for Indonesia it is the deadliest since the 2018 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Sulawesi that killed more than 2,000 people.
Marco Rubio says ‘more work’ needed after talks in Florida on ending war with Ukraine
US and Ukrainian representatives said the latest round of talks in Florida on ending the war in Ukraine were “productive”, but US secretary of state Marco Rubio said “more work” was needed.
The talks took place ahead of the visit to Moscow of Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to discuss the Ukraine issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Paris on Monday to meet French president Emmanuel Macron and French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot, and told La Tribune Dimanche: “Peace can be achieved if Vladimir Putin gives up his illusory hope of restoring the Soviet empire by first conquering Ukraine.”
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How do Ukraine’s European allies view the peace talks? There is frustration over Europe’s exclusion, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying “the Ukrainians are alone there.” But he called on the bloc to continue increasing pressure on Moscow through sanctions and by providing “military, financial and humanitarian support” to Ukraine. Head to our live blog for the latest information.
Trump ‘wouldn’t want’ second attack on Caribbean boat survivors
Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that he would investigate reports that the US military launched a second attack on a boat it suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean, killing survivors of the first missile attack.
The US president said he “did not want” a second attack on the ship during the September 2 incident; It was the first publicly reported attack in a series of attacks that Washington says are aimed at combating the drug trade. In this attack, the US military saw two people who survived the initial attack cling to the burning ship and then hit the boat again, the Washington Post reported.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk called on Washington to investigate the legality of the attacks, saying there was “strong evidence” that they constituted “extrajudicial” executions.
In other news…
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Hundreds of Palestinians face eviction from East Jerusalem We comply with the decisions of the Israeli court in favor of the settlers.
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Police are looking for the suspect who killed 4 people. including three children Eleven people were injured in a shooting at a family party in Stockton, California, on Saturday night.
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Rising levels of hatred are pushing women out of Swedish public life. the country’s equality body warned.
Stat of the day: UNAids says there will be 3.3 million more new HIV infections than expected by 2030
UNAids predicts there will be 3.3 million more new HIV infections than expected by 2030 after the Trump administration (and subsequently other governments) cut overseas aid funding. Foreign health aid is estimated to be 30% to 40% lower in 2025 than in 2023.
Don’t miss this: Irish politician Cara Hunter speaks out about ‘extremely pornographic’ deepfake that nearly ended her career
When Cara Hunter thinks about the moment she learned that a pornographic deepfake video of herself was circulating, she likens it to “watching a horror movie.” The year was 2022 and he was 27 years old; Deepfake technology did not have the mainstream status it does now, and the Northern Ireland parliamentary elections were less than three weeks away. She describes the reaction of her party, the police and those around her, and her fears that experiences like hers will deter young women from entering politics.
Climate control: Law changes could soon bring balcony solar power to millions across US
Clean energy advocates hope solar energy can quickly become mainstream with legislative changes that will make the technology accessible to millions of Americans. While installing solar panels at home isn’t currently possible for many homes, panels that plug into a regular wall outlet may be coming to a balcony or patio near you after lawmakers in New York and Pennsylvania introduced bills to legalize them. These panels can cover a household’s electricity costs.
Latest Thing: The rise of the intrepid female solo traveler
Travel companies are seeing an increase in bookings from solo travelers, as mostly older women set out to explore destinations on their own. The Guardian listened to what they learned from six women who have embraced the open road, one of whom said: “What I love about solo travel is being in my element, free from the societal roles of wife, mother, worker.”
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