The floods you might not have heard about

But Texas was far from the only area affected by the tragedies unleashed by skies, streams and seas in August. In Sierra Leone and South Asia, floods took more than a thousand lives. In Nepal, India and Bangladesh alone, 41 million people were affected in one way or another by heavy rains, the United Nations said. Read the full story by Max Bearak.

The inevitable question: Climate change?

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Climate change may not have “caused” Hurricane Harvey, but it seems likely that warming temperatures — the consequence of man-made greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere — exacerbated the storm conditions, writes Ishaan Tharoor.

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Five other important stories

1. This German political party is a complete joke — literally

The German elections are less than four weeks away, and Chancellor Angela Merkel is poised to claim a fourth term, polls show. But even if she wins, the extent of her victory will be judged by how many votes the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party receives.

One satirical party — with the motto “yes to politics, no to politics” — wants to prevent the rise of the anti-immigrant AfD by luring nonvoters to their joke movement instead.

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Read the full story by Isaac Stanley-Becker.

2. No escape?

More than 1.5 million migrants have surged into Europe since 2015. In a summit this week, several European and African leaders worked on a plan to stop the next mass migration before it starts. They agreed on a policy of registering “vulnerable” migrants at reception centers in Africa before they can seek asylum in Europe.

In Europe, the mood sours on immigrants

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In much of Europe, politicians are under pressure to stop the influx. In the left-wing Italian city of Pistoia, some were flabbergasted this summer when an anti-migrant, right-wing mayor was elected. But the majority who voted for him in this city of 90,000 are in good company in Italy, writes Michael Birnbaum from Pistoia.

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Opposition to immigration is also on the rise in once-welcoming Germany, although a new study has found that Muslims assimilate particularly well there, compared to other European countries.

Syrian refugees might be forced to return home

Anti-immigrant sentiments are not unique to Europe, of course. Countries much closer to Syria are discouraging refugees from settling permanently. There are few signs that mass returns will happen anytime soon, but the U.N. refugee agency is preparing to resettle the growing number who do cross back into Syria, writes Louisa Loveluck in Beirut.

5,000 Africans search for a way out. But there are only 16 spots.

As Europe debates how to stop the influx of African refugees, many continue to dream of a better life abroad. We visited the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya where about 5,000 students applied for 16 scholarship spots that come with Canadian citizenship and a chance to sponsor their families. Africa correspondent Kevin Sieff followed the story of 20-year old finalist Ayan Abdi.

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3. The North Korea dilemma

North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile over Japan this week signaled the country's rejection of U.S. threats and offers to talk, write Anne Gearan and Anna Fifield.

Arms control advocates are trying to prevent more nations from acquiring nuclear weapons. This week marked the opening of an internationally supported repository for nuclear reactor fuel, which its backers believe will dissuade countries interested in nuclear power from developing the capability to make atomic weapons, write David Filipov and Joby Warrick in Astana, Kazakhstan.

4. Privacy is a fundamental right, India's Supreme Court rules

The decision dealt a blow to government efforts to force all Indians to enroll in a massive identification system. By guaranteeing privacy as an intrinsic right, the ruling could have far reaching implications beyond biometric IDs, such as the possible decriminalization of homosexuality. Read the full story by Vidhi Doshi in New Delhi.

5. French President Macron has spent $30,000 on makeup services in just 3 months

Emmanuel Macron has often been described as a fresh face in French politics. As it turns out, the appellation may be literal as well. The revelation only added to a growing sentiment that Macron — who has an approval rating of just 36 percent — has gone too far in cultivating what some see as a kinglike persona.

Read James McAuley's dispatch from Paris.