the antarctic sea—ice has declined to its lowest winter level on record — according to satellite data. and wales becomes the latest in europe to drop the speed limit in built up areas — from 30 to 20 miles per hour. hello, a warm welcome. i'm frankie mccamley. the european commission president has laid out an emergency plan of action following the arrival last week of thousands of migrants on the italian island of lampedusa. ursula von der leyen said european countries had to tackle the migration issue together. the italian prime minister giorgia meloni said the influx to the island and to italy had to be stopped — it wasn't enough to just redistribute migrants across the eu. mark lowen reports.

one of europe's migration choke points is gasping. more than 8000 arriving in lampedusa in just three days this week, more than the whole population of the italian island. the migrant centre built to hold 400 was at ten times its capacity congested, chaotic, some trying any futile way to get free. today, two new arrivals rather more planned. the italian prime minister, giorgio meloni, and the eu president, ursula von der leyen to see for themselves the turmoil at europe's door. italy's leader is under pressure, elected with promises to curb migration. numbers are now double the same period last year. translation: what is at stake here is the future, _ future that europe wants to set for itself. and it is very important to be able

to tackle the huge, massive challenges which lie ahead for us, especially in terms of illegal immigration. the eu president offered more help from the bloc�*s border force to crack the smugglers and more efforts to distribute migrants across europe, something several eu members have refused, prompting fears she was armed more with rhetoric than with workable solutions. migration is a european challenge and it needs a european answer and solution. it is concrete actions that will bring change on the ground. but lampedusa has repeatedly seen promises come as quickly as the migrant boats and vanish soon after. and patience here is wearing thin. translation: as far as i'm - concerned, europe's done nothing for lampedusa so far. theyjust come here to parade. we've been undergoing this extreme

situation for years, and it's not fair that we continue to suffer from it. the camp is emptying out as new arrivals are transferred elsewhere, but conditions remain grim. aid agencies stretched to breaking point. face to face with the dreams of europe turning to misery. the continent's leaders will try yet again to solve it, just as countless more of the desperate will try yet again to come. mark lowen, bbc news. we can speak now to andrew geddes, who's a director at the migration policy centre, which conducts research on the governance of international migration, asylum and mobility. andrew, migration, asylum and mobility. iwant andrew, migration, asylum and mobility. i want your take o visit? andrew, i want your take on today's visit? , , , , u, visit? this is hugely significant because for— visit? this is hugely significant because for the _ visit? this is hugely significant because for the italian - visit? this is hugely significant because for the italian prime l because for the italian prime minister being able to engage with the european union on a key policy challenge for the italian government is fundamental. they are focusing on

border security. we is fundamental. they are focusing on border security.— border security. we were 'ust heafina border security. we were 'ust hearing you i border security. we were 'ust hearing you know, i border security. we were 'ust hearing you know, big h border security. we were just i hearing you know, big promises border security. we were just - hearing you know, big promises and we were hearing in that report, promises to lampedusa, they come and they go. does this feel like this visit could bring change to the island? . , , , ., . island? that is the big question. we are talkin: island? that is the big question. we are talking about _ island? that is the big question. we are talking about the _ island? that is the big question. we are talking about the pressures - are talking about the pressures today, but if we go back eight years today, but if we go back eight years to 2015 and large numbers of syrians arrived, on the italian islands and also increase. since 2015, eu member states have been argumentative about the sharing of responsibility. the italian government has wanted to share responsibility but the member states and other member states have been reluctant to do that. member states like hungary and poland has been quite resistant to the idea of

sharing responsibility for arrivals in countries like italy. fine sharing responsibility for arrivals in countries like italy.— sharing responsibility for arrivals in countries like italy. one of the big problems _ in countries like italy. one of the big problems people _ in countries like italy. one of the big problems people have - in countries like italy. one of the big problems people have been i big problems people have been discussing on bbc news today is that how you combat migration at sea, because currently it is a case of helping people at sea, but how do authorities deal with that kind of issue? it authorities deal with that kind of issue? , . ., , authorities deal with that kind of issue? , , ., authorities deal with that kind of issue? , , ,, authorities deal with that kind of issue? ,, ,, issue? it becomes a pressing issue of our time- _ issue? it becomes a pressing issue of ourtime- for— issue? it becomes a pressing issue of our time. for most _ issue? it becomes a pressing issue of our time. for most people - of our time. for most people observing these images it is difficult to understand what is going on, why are the people leaving? 0ne going on, why are the people leaving? one thing the government is trying to do is intercept at source, trying to do is intercept at source, trying to do is intercept at source, trying to stop people making these journeys. but that means cooperating with governments like that of tunisia. the eu entered into an agreement with the tunisian government to try to stop people leaving. and for many people it is almost becoming the most alarming aspect of the issue, the boat

crossing. we have seen it for a large number of years now a member states have tried to deal with the problem at source. but states have tried to deal with the problem at source.— states have tried to deal with the problem at source. but is it a case of those peeple — problem at source. but is it a case of those people that _ problem at source. but is it a case of those people that are _ problem at source. but is it a case i of those people that are encouraging those crossings taking money from people who are so desperate? is it a case of targeting those instead of the people making those crossings? how do we go about trying to truly address this issue. i am not asking you for one fits all solution, but like were saying, there were so many push and pull factors from immigrants here, how can leaders truly address the issue? that immigrants here, how can leaders truly address the issue?— immigrants here, how can leaders truly address the issue? that is the fundamental _ truly address the issue? that is the fundamental question. _ truly address the issue? that is the fundamental question. look- truly address the issue? that is the fundamental question. look at - truly address the issue? that is the | fundamental question. look at what eu member states are doing, they focus on people smuggling and we have familiar rhetoric about smashing the gangs and breaking the business model of smugness. 0thers business model of smugness. others may say it is the symptom of a

series of deeper problems. the deeper problems are probably the cost of living, conflict, instability, effects of climate change and the natural disasters we have seen recently as well as conflict and instability in the region of africa. the governments are focused on smuggling and tackling the smuggling gangs. 0thers, tackling the smuggling gangs. others, and a lot of research would point to this, the smuggling gangs are symptoms of a deeper set of problems and at the moment what we can see is those problems becoming more severe. and those are more difficult, probably longer term issues that are far more difficult to address. issues that are far more difficult to addres— issues that are far more difficult to address. , ., , ., to address. interesting to get your thou~hts. to address. interesting to get your thoughts. thank _ to address. interesting to get your thoughts. thank you _ to address. interesting to get your thoughts. thank you for _ to address. interesting to get your thoughts. thank you for coming i to address. interesting to get your| thoughts. thank you for coming on bbc news. ., ~ , ., the bbc and a producution company who made programmes for channel 4 are both investigating allegations of serious misconduct

against the comedian russell brand whilst he was presenting radio and television shows in the uk in the mid—20005. it follows allegations of rape and sexual assault in a joint investigation by the sunday times, the times and channel 4 dispatches. the report claimed concerns about brand's behaviour whilst working on shows were reported to production managers at endemol, the production company commissioned by channel four. in a statement, banijay uk, which purchased endemol in 2020, said, "in light of the very serious allegations relating to the alleged serious misconduct of russell brand while presenting shows produced by endemol in 2004 and 2005, banijay uk has launched an urgent internal investigation and will co—operate with any requests for information from broadcast partners and external agencies". the bbc has issued a statement this afternoon saying, "the reports contained serious allegations,

spanning a number of years. russell brand worked on bbc radio programmes between 2006 and 2008 and we are urgently looking into the issues raised". brand was working for channel 4, the bbc, and acting in hollywood films during the period of the claims, all of which he denied. david sillito has the latest. rape, multiple counts of sexual assault. today's headlines about russell brand come from four women who spoke to the programme dispatches and times newspapers. and as the story began to unfold last night, the comedian headed to a performance where, when he was on stage, he was met by fans with cheers and a standing ovation. but today, a women's charity, the trevie, said it was cutting links with the performer. his literary agents, tavistock wood have also dropped brand, saying they believe

they were misled by him. i phoned the offices and i asked to speak to his agent. the agency had been approached in 2020 by a woman, the program called alice, who said a relationship had begun when she was 16 and that she had been assaulted by brand. they believed the denials. the programme also catalogued concerns that went back to the beginning of his tv career, and the foreign secretary says it raises wider questions about the entertainment industry. there are some real challenges where you have these very, very acute differentials in power, whether that be in the entertainment industry, whether that be in politics. and we see this in the commercial world as well. and i think we have to be particularly careful when we listen to the voices of the people who are relatively powerless. these allegations pertain

to the time when i was... in response russell brand has issued a video message vehemently denying the allegations. i was very, very promiscuous. now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships i had were absolutely always consensual. i was always transparent about that then almost too transparent. and i'm being transparent about it now as well. and to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that i absolutely deny. makes me question, is there another agenda at play? but the people behind the investigation say there is evidence beyond the testimony. a woman, the programme called nadia says she was raped by brand. he's grabbing at my underwear, pulling it to the side. i'm telling him to get off me and he won't get off. this, the apologetic text message they say he sent to her afterwards. they also contacted people who they say heard screams from another assault. |and he pulled me aside and he said to me, i have never forgiven myself for not running in that house to save you _ russell brand, meanwhile, is due

to continue a tour of britain. he has millions of followers on social media. this is anti—establishment, anti—authoritarian. where he has cast himself as a voice of dissent against mainstream media, a mainstream media that is today carrying out some urgent inquiries. the white house national security adviser, jake sullivan, has held two days of talks with the chinese foreign minister wang yi in malta. the two parties were said to have discussed topics from the war in ukraine to taiwan's independence. sullivan's meeting follows a series of high—level talks between the us and china. they point to the possibility of a meeting between president biden and president xijinping later this autumn. live now to anna ashton, who is a director at eurasiagroup, where she examines the business implications of policy developments in china.

thank you forjoining us on bbc news. first of all, could you talk through your talks on the significance of this latest meeting? you know, it is one that follows several others over the course of the summer. we have had a summer of diplomatic meetings between the us and china following a rocky start to the year with the balloon debacle in february. but it is clear that both sides are, for the time being at least, quite committed to continue engagement. that doesn't mean that they are not also continuing to perceive each other as strategic competitors. they do perceive each other as serious strategic competitors. but there is a mutual recognition that it is not good for either country's priority, interest or good for the world to have a lack of communication when the stakes are so high.

of communication when the stakes are so hiuh. ., ., so high. you mentioned the balloon issue, communication _ so high. you mentioned the balloon issue, communication between - so high. you mentioned the balloon issue, communication between the | so high. you mentioned the balloon . issue, communication between the two countries is a key issue. following those issues, the spy balloons, tiktol semiconductors, can it be restored? , , ., tiktol semiconductors, can it be restored? , ., ~ restored? definitely not. we don't think there — restored? definitely not. we don't think there is _ restored? definitely not. we don't think there is the _ restored? definitely not. we don't think there is the possibility - restored? definitely not. we don'tj think there is the possibility where it would be constructive or harmonious, the way that it was during the first decade and a half of this century. for the foreseeable future, we are in a different era, but it doesn't have to be an area that leads to conflict. i think that is what this engagement is about, ensuring there is adequate communication to dispel any misunderstandings, to resolve crisis scenarios and prevent a worse case

situations from developing. just lookinu situations from developing. just lookin: at situations from developing. just looking at china, the leadership currently faces distinctive challenges, economic problems, record youth unemployment, how does the leadership there perceive the us in the context of those challenges? certainly, those challenges... the leadership, not that they are playing it down, but they are emphasising that they can overcome the economic growth and get the country on a better track and they just need enough time to do that. that they have the policies and they have been rolling out a variety of policies to try to ease pressures on the property sector, so it is less of a drag on the economy. but it is clear that there is an economic struggle at play and i do think there is plenty of evidence that it is affecting china's foreign policy. it is making it harderfor china to

be assertive or aggressive and its relationships abroad because it needs to focus its attention on the domestic situation. that being said, is that the reason there is a talk with the united states? no, i think there would be a desire for some stabilisation, regardless of what the economic situation looks like this year. you need look no further avi xi jinping this year. you need look no further avi xijinping and a meeting on the sidelines in bali to see that there was an intent to express even then. 0k, thank you for your thoughts on bbc news. now it's time for a look at today's sport. we will start with the rugby world cup because england havejust

started their second half. fiji have beaten australia forjust the third time in their history and that result totally changes the pool. and that includes wales and that means there will be a lot riding on the game between australia and wales. south africa, in the same group as ireland and scotland beat romania. arsenal have beaten everton 1—0 a goodison park to move to fourth place in the premier league table. arsenal replaced aaron ramsdale, but he had little to do as the goal was enough to secure victory at a ground they have struggled on recently. the result leaves everton without a league win so far this season and in the bottom three.

chelsea's stuttering start continued at bournemouth. that game finished goalless. both sides had chances but couldn't convert and chelsea have had just one win from their first five league games. they are down to 14th place and bournemouth are still chasing their first victory of the season and one place below chelsea in the table. real madrid are in action against real sociedad at the moment of the round 20 minutes gone and it is currently 1-1. a win would put madrid top of the league standings ahead of barcelona but they do need to come back in that match. to formula i when max verstappen's record ten race winning streak came to an end in the singapore grand prix. carlos sainz won the race ending red bull's dominance. there was a challenge from george russell but the british driver crashed out on the last laugh.

after ia predictable races, formula 1 after ia predictable races, formula i finally delivered fireworks in singapore with max verstappen starting 11, the road was clear for carlos sainz to lead from the start. every race at the marina bay street circuit has seen a safety car and this was no different. that prompted a flurry of pit stops is charles leclerc slip down the order. red bull's tactics so max verstappen struggle, but he recovered to fit. mercedes gambled fresher tyres would see lewis hamilton and george russell beat their rivals. russell almost could take the podium champagne but ended up with a singapore sling. carlos sainz held on to claim the second win of his career ahead of lando norris and lewis hamilton.— career ahead of lando norris and lewis hamilton. incredible feeling, incredible weekend. _ lewis hamilton. incredible feeling, incredible weekend. i _ lewis hamilton. incredible feeling, incredible weekend. i want - lewis hamilton. incredible feeling, incredible weekend. i want to - lewis hamilton. incredible feeling, | incredible weekend. i want to thank everybody in ferrari for making this huge effort and we managed to win after a tricky beginning. we did

everything we had to do, we get a perfect and i'm sure italy and ferrari will be proud and happy today. ferrari will be proud and happy toda . , . , . today. this was the excitement formula 1 _ today. this was the excitement formula 1 fans _ today. this was the excitement formula 1 fans had _ today. this was the excitement formula 1 fans had been - today. this was the excitement | formula 1 fans had been hoping today. this was the excitement - formula 1 fans had been hoping for this season. the big question is, will red bull make a comeback in japan next weekend? madrid cycling, it is the first time one team has won all three grand tours in the same year. just to keep you up—to—date on the rugby world cup, the game between england and japan is fascinating. england are just

leading japan at the moment 13—12. thank you for the update. the united nations says the number of people killed in last week's floods in libya has reached more than 11,000. another 10,000 people are still missing. two dams failed in a storm a week ago today which saw large parts of the eastern city of derna washed away. 0ur correspondent anna foster is there and has this update on the situation. all the time, there are still recovery teams arriving to continue their work here in derna. we know now that more than 10,000 people are still missing, so that attempt to try and recover those bodies is continuing in this area, which you can see just a small bit of the devastation, but this is repeated right the way through the heart of this city. one thing we are starting to see now is the beginning of international aid arrivals from different countries around the world. in the beginning, it was very much local libyans who were doing that job, but various countries, including the uk, have pledged aid and that now is starting to arrive here in derna.

of course, the scale of this catastrophe, as we have been saying, is such that a huge amount of aid is still needed, but it is starting to come in and starting to reach the places that need it. specialist teams are also starting to come into this area, who can help with the recovery operation, help with finding and identifying the bodies. and crucially, to help those survivors who are still living in the middle of, in many ways, a nightmare. ukraine is claiming to have recaptured another village, during its offensive in the east of the country. it says that the small village of klishchiivka, has now been cleared of occupying russian forces. the village is just a couple of miles from bakhmut, the city captured by russian forces in may after a long battle. since then, ukraine says it has been re—taking land surrounding bakhmut — including andriiv—ka, which it claims to have ta ken on saturday. russia has denied ukraine's claims.

buildings have caught fire in sudan's capital after heavy fighting between the army and rivalforces. videos posted online showed one of the city's most recognisable landmarks, the greater nile petroleum 0perating company tower, engulfed in flames. the senior architect who worked on its design described the destruction of the 18 storey tower as senseless and truly painful. let's get some of the day's other news now. police in berlin arrested fourteen people, after six pillars of the brandenburg gate monument were sprayed with paint. a group describing itself as a climate campaigning organisation said it had taken the action. officials in brazil say they believe all of the people who died in a plane crash during a storm in the amazon were brazilian nationals. there were no survivors among the 1a people on board the flight. first reports suggest the crash was caused by the plane starting its descent too late, and skidding off

the end of the runway. north korea's kimjong—un has left russia, after a six day visit. he's making the journey back to pyongyang in his armoured train — he's not expected to arrive until later on monday. the us actress drew barrymore has paused the new season of her tv talk show. it follows a backlash against her decision to resume filming during the ongoing hollywood writers strike. many on social media suggested she was not standing in solidarity with the cause. she issued a tearful on—camera apology for continuing her cbs talk show "the drew barrymore show" — which was due to return to screens on monday. i deeply apologise to writers. i deeply apologise to unions. i deeply apologise... i don't exactly know

what to say because sometimes when things are so tough it's hard to make decisions from that place. so all i can say is... that i wanted to accept responsibility. stay with us here on bbc news. hello. we've had some pretty big downpours across some parts of the country in the last few hours. thunder and lightning, too, but dry weather as well in one or two spots, in fact. clear spells also expected through this evening and overnight. and very mild conditions. the air still is coming in from the south. so mid—teens expected overnight. in fact, if you look at the motion of the cloud, you can see drifting in, gently drifting in from the south.

and these are the storm clouds that affected the south. and then through the evening hours, the storm clouds will have drifted northwards. outbreaks of rain elsewhere across scotland and northern ireland and then early hours of the morning, the possibility of further heavy showers with thunder and lightning across the south east of the uk. here are the temperatures again, 15 or 16 in the south, there double figures first thing in the morning. here's the weather map for monday. quite a large area of low pressure here and a couple of cool fronts or cold fronts. that means that relatively speaking, the air behind these weather, france is fresher and a little bit cooler or less warm, i should say, because it's not particularly cold air at all. this means rain for a time in the morning for some of us with gusty winds. and then it's the case of sunny spells and showers. and you'll notice these temperatures still reaching 20 degrees in the south east, 17 in newcastle, and about 1a expected in belfast,

middle of the day. tuesday into wednesday quite a strong jet stream is expected to sweep in an ex tropical cyclone. this storm actually moved across the north east of the united states. it's an ex—tropical weather system, meaning that there's a lot of warmth and moisture in it. so despite the wind and the rain and basically turbulent gusty weather, those temperatures will still reach around 19 in hull, around merseyside, 20 or so in london, a little bit fresher there in the lowlands around 15. and it's a large weather system, a broad weather system, meaning that will be feeling the effects of this low into wednesday. if anything, the winds can be even stronger, easily gusting to 50 miles an hour inland, really quite blustery for the time of the year, but it is the middle to second half of september. so we are expecting this kind of weather to become more frequent. now, we could see spells of warmer weather wafting our way over the coming days. but i think it's a safe bet that from now onwards there is certainly not going to be any more hot weather returning our way. bye— bye.

this is bbc news, the headlines the president of the european commission, ursula von der leyen, and italy's prime minister have visited the italian island of lampedusa. it's seen huge numbers of people arriving from north africa this week. the bbc and banijay uk, the company who employed russell brand whilst he was presenting shows for channel a in the mid—2000s, have launched an �*urgent investigation' after allegations of rape and sexual assault

are made against him — he denies the claims. anger grows among survivors in libya's flood—ravaged city of derna — as authorities in the east of the country blame nature for the disaster. the united nations says the number of people known to have died has reached around eleven thousand three hundred. the antarctic sea—ice has declined to its lowest winter level on record — according to satellite data. here in the uk, the senior mp who's in charge of co—ordinating labour's general election campaign has refused to say if the party would build the h52 high speed railway —

in full — if it wins power.