Thousands of Niger coup supporters took to the streets on Friday to protest against plans by West African nations to deploy a military force to the country, as a key regional meeting on a possible intervention was scrapped.ECOWAS had approved a “standby force” to reinstate elected President Mohamed Bazoum, with the EU’s top diplomat expressing …

Niger coup supporters protest West African military forceSat, 12 Aug 2023 02:30:17 GMT Read More »

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the body’s mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is entering its “final phase”, but warned the situation in the conflict-hit country has “deteriorated sharply”.In a report addressed to the UN Security Council, Guterres delivered a stark assessment of the turmoil in the DRC and set out a plan …

UN mission in DR Congo entering ‘final phase’: GuterresFri, 11 Aug 2023 23:47:26 GMT Read More »

West African nations on Friday suspended a key military meeting on the crisis in Niger, a day after saying they would muster a “standby” force in their bid to reinstate the country’s deposed leader.Fears also mounted for elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted by members of his guard on July 26, with reports saying …

West African countries suspend key military meeting on Niger coupFri, 11 Aug 2023 21:19:00 GMT Read More »

Thousands of coup supporters rallied near a French military base in Niger on Friday, a day after West African leaders said they would muster a “standby” force in their efforts to reinstate the country’s deposed leader.Fears also mounted for elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted by members of his guard on July 26, with …

Thousands of coup supporters rally near French base in NigerFri, 11 Aug 2023 16:58:05 GMT Read More »

Fears for Niger’s detained president mounted on Friday, a day after West African leaders said they would muster a “standby” force in their efforts to return him to power.The European Union and African Union joined the United States and others in sounding the alarm for democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted by members …

Concern mounts for detained president in Niger’s coup crisisFri, 11 Aug 2023 14:59:07 GMT Read More »

Cecelia Johnson has voted in five Liberian presidential elections and lived through two brutal civil wars, but the 65-year-old small trader says the past few years have been some of the toughest, economically, in memory.When she goes to the polls for Liberia’s presidential and parliamentary elections on October 10, Johnson, like many Liberians interviewed by AFP, …

Rising prices, peace on Liberian voters’ mindsFri, 11 Aug 2023 13:40:25 GMT Read More »

A rubber dinghy brings back dozens of people from one of six boats the Tunisian coastguard intercepted in a 24-hour period off Sfax, a migrant launchpad for Europe.”Our priority is to save lives,” said Mouhamed Borhen Chamtouri, a commander of Tunisia’s coastguard, as the dinghy headed towards the speedboat that had spotted the migrants on …

Migrant crisis: 24 hours at sea with Tunisia’s coastguardFri, 11 Aug 2023 10:24:29 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma reported back to prison on Friday only to be swiftly released, in a government move lashed by the opposition as a “monumental insult” to the public.In the latest twist arising from a sentence for contempt of court, Zuma was ordered to report back to jail, arriving at 6:00 am …

S.Africa’s Zuma quickly released after reporting to prisonFri, 11 Aug 2023 09:48:33 GMT Read More »

West African leaders have approved the deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger, an intervention that will take place as soon as possible, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said Thursday.The ECOWAS regional bloc did not provide details on the force to be deployed or the timetable for action against the military …

West African bloc backs military ‘standby’ force for NigerFri, 11 Aug 2023 03:17:45 GMT Read More »

Four months into a battle both believed they would win, Sudan’s army has lost its grip on Khartoum to paramilitaries, who are unable to declare victory and instead are accused of waging war on civilians.When fighting began on April 15, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was certain it would be over “within two weeks”.His …

After 4 months, Sudan war stalemated and plagued by abusesFri, 11 Aug 2023 01:40:26 GMT Read More »