EU promises a new migration plan for Italy; US-China talks, and more

This is the world in brief from the Economist. Our top stories. Ursula Vonder Leon, the European Commission's president, promised that the EU would draw up an action plan to help Italy cope with a sudden influx of migrants. More than 7,000 people have arrived at the Italian island of Lampedusa in recent days. Nearly 115,000 migrants reached Italy by sea during the first eight months of 2023. On Sunday, Mrs Vonder Leon visited Lampedusa, where Georgia Maloney, Italy's far-right Prime Minister, has declared a state of emergency. America's National Security Advisor and China's Foreign Minister held, quote, candid, substantive and constructive talks in Malta this weekend, according to officials on both sides. The two powers have recently made several attempts to improve their fractious relationship. There is speculation that these may culminate in a rare meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, the American and Chinese presidents, later this year. Russia claimed it had repelled a Ukrainian attack on Crimea on Sunday, but the Ukrainian drones had disrupted air traffic in Moscow and caused a fire at an oil depot elsewhere. Earlier the first civilian ships to use a new, quote, humanitarian corridor to transport grain reached Ukrainian ports. Ukraine introduced the route after Russia backed out of a deal in July that had allowed its neighbour to export crops and fertiliser. The UN thinks that at least 11,300 people have now died after catastrophic flooding in Dernar, a coastal city in Libya. It reckons that some 10,000 people are still missing, leaving almost a quarter of the city's population either dead or unaccounted for. Storm Daniel, which made landfall in Libya on September the 10th, appears to be the deadliest cyclone worldwide since 2008. A head of the UN General Assembly in New York, Brazil insisted that wealthy countries should finance the energy transition worldwide. Alexandra Silvera, Brazil's energy minister, said that poor countries could not afford to overhaul their infrastructure. He also argued that rich countries will rely on poorer countries as sources of green energy, such as biofuels, of which Brazil is the largest producer after America. The simultaneous strikes organized by the United Auto Workers, a huge American union entered their third day on Sunday, with no hint of an imminent resolution. Nearly 13,000 workers have downed tools at the plants of three car-making giants, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. The UAW wants a 36% pay rise over four years, the companies have offered 20 to 21%. The union's president called progress, quote, slow. German climate activists sprayed paint over the Brandenburg Gate, one of Berlin's best-known landmarks. The group called the, quote, last generation, once Germany to stop using coal, oil and natural gas by 2030. The country can't be intends to reach net zero emissions by 2045, but has repeatedly missed its annual targets. Two German states are reportedly considering whether to classify the last generation as a criminal organization. And figure of the day, 2.6 million, the number of Britons not working because of long-term sickness.