Monday morning news: September 4, 2023

Hurricane aftermath update » Along Florida’s Gulf Coast, many residents are still sifting through shattered lumber and hauling off debris. It’s just the beginning of a long rebuilding process in the wake of Hurricane Idalia.

President Biden surveyed the damage over the the weekend:

BIDEN: Here in Live Oak, massive trees were uprooted from intense hurricane force winds, flooding and severe damage of homes and businesses.

He said the federal government is committed to providing whatever help state and local governments need.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday visited the coastal community of Yankeetown. He said storm waters completely washed away many homes along the water.

DESANTIS: Others had 4 or 5 feet of water in them. They’re not liveable right now. You probably can salvage them, but you’ve got to gut the drywall. You’ve got to do all that, and that just takes a lot of time.

Moody’s says the price tag for Hurricane Idalia’s destruction could reach $20 billion dollars.

McCarthy in Maui » House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visited the Hawaiian island of Maui over the weekend, where a deadly wildfire incinerated an entire town.

McCARTHY: We want to get the resources to individuals they could rebuild their life we've got to focus on the children for the schools get them back into the education so they don't miss out.

He promised federal help for those who lost their homes, jobs or even family members in the blaze.

More than 100 people are confirmed dead, but nearly 400 others remain missing.

Erdogan meets with Putin on grain deal » The president of Turkey will meet with Vladimir Putin today, hoping to revive a grain deal with Russia and Ukraine. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher reports.

JOSH SCHUMACHER: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is sitting down with Putin today in Sochi on Russia’s southern coast.

He’s hoping to persuade the Russian leader to re-join the Black Sea grain deal after Putin pulled the plug on that pact in July.

The agreement allowed Ukraine to safely ship grain out of its Black Sea ports to countries around the world.

The Kremlin refused to renew the agreement six weeks ago and has since bombarded Ukrainian ports and grain supplies with air attacks.

The United Nations said Russia’s withdrawal hurt millions in developing countries already struggling to stave off famine.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

GOP politics » Republican White House hopefuls continue to pound the pavement in early voting states.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has fallen to fifth place in recent GOP polls, just behind former Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. But Pence says his campaign’s internal numbers in Iowa are solid.

PENCE: There’s plenty of time between now and the Iowa caucuses and when these primaries get underway.

Republican presidential polls continue to show that the ongoing legal drama swirling around Donald Trump isn’t hurting him a bit with GOP voters.

In March, an average of primary polls showed Trump with 43% support. But after a series of criminal indictments, he is now polling at 54%.

It’s less clear what his legal troubles might mean in a general election rematch against President Biden. Head-to-head polls show Trump in a virtual tie with the incumbent.

Jimmy Buffett obit » Jimmy Buffett has died.

MUSIC: “Margaritaville”

The singer of hits like “Margaritaville” battled a rare form of skin cancer for several years.

The 76-year-old was known for his Carribean-flavored pop music and barefoot live performances.

While his biggest hit was a song about beach bumming and alcohol, friends say behind the scenes, he was a workaholic. He wrote several novels and opened a series of “Margaritaville” resorts.

Bill Richardson obit » Bill Richardson also died over the weekend. The two-term Democratic governor of New Mexico also held several national offices, including that of Energy Secretary under President Bill Clinton.

RICHARDSON: Mr. President, thank you for honoring me by nominating me to a second cabinet position.

Richardson heard there in 1998 after serving as Clinton’s U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations following 14 years in Congress.

He also launched an unsuccessful campaign for president in 2008.

Richardson died in his sleep at his summer home in Massachusetts. He was 75.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: The impact of changes to the military justice system on Legal Docket. Plus, the WORLD History Book.

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