EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Italy's premier Giorgia Meloni have visited a migrant center on Italy's southernmost island after a surge in the number of migrants arriving there.

Not for the first time, EU leaders are facing growing calls to take a firmer line with Azerbaijan. With a gas deal in place and myriad geopolitical considerations, hopeful Armenians shouldn't hold their breath.

The Indian government is exploring the idea of holding simultaneous elections at the national, state and local levels. But the opposition has slammed it, saying it goes against the spirit of federalism.

Pakistan's parliamentary elections will be held next January, the country's election authority announced on Thursday, delaying the vote that was initially tabled for November. The Election Commission of Pakistan said the elections are scheduled for the last week of January.

Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy, speaks to Talking Europe from New York, where he is attending the annual United Nations General Assembly. We discuss the big issues facing the EU in the world: Ukrainian grain exports and food security; the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia; the EU's strategy in the Sahel, and migration.

The UN chief has called it an epidemic of coups. In Africa, since 2020, military officers have seized power, or attempted to do so, in numerous sub-Saharan countries. Just in the last two and a half months, soldiers in Gabon announced a takeover of power, while in Niger, members of the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum and announced that they were seizing power.

Poland's Foreign Ministry has rejected accusations that officials accepted bribes in exchange for visas. But the EU isn't satisfied with the explanations coming from Warsaw.

The EU has approved changes to its asylum policy but a late amendment is now on the table. The German foreign minister warned Berlin won't back plans to allow more flexibility during periods of large-scale migration.

Mali's military leadership has said presidential elections could not be held on schedule due to "technical" reasons. Since taking power in 2020, the junta has promised to hold elections, but has repeatedly issued delays.

Malaysia intends to double the quantity of palm oil it exports to China, in an effort to counterbalance the EU's push to cut down on its own imports.

X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, is not a signatory to the EU-wide code of conduct to crack down on fake news on social media platforms and advertising companies

Social and political issues continue to plague South Africa even 30 years after the end of apartheid. Instead of blaming poor leadership and a corrupt government, many are turning their anger against foreigners, with xenophobic attacks on the rise. One anti-immigrant group now even wants to run for office in the 2024 elections. But are migrants linked at all to the state of affairs in the country?