NIGER PRESIDENT SAYS DEMOCRACY WILL BE SAVED.
Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum has said the country's "hard-won achievements will be safeguarded" after soldiers announced a coup on national TV.
"All Nigerians who love democracy and freedom will see to it," according to a statement on the detained leader's account on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The foreign minister posted on the same platform calling for all democrats and patriots to make efforts to defeat this "dangerous adventure".
Hassoumi Massoudou was also quoted by the AFP news agency as telling France24 that the elected government was the "legitimate and legal authority".
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NIGER SOLDIERS DECLARE COUP ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.
Soldiers in the West African country of Niger have announced a coup on national TV.
They said they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation's borders.
Niger President Mohamed Bazoum has been held by troops from the presidential guard since early on Wednesday.
He was promised Washington's "unwavering support" in a call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres also said he had spoken to the president and offered the UN's full support.
Bazoum is a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militancy in West Africa.
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ECOWAS CHAIRMAN DESCRIBES DEVELOPMENT IN NIGER REPUBLIC AS UNACCEPTABLE.
The Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, has described as unacceptable, the unfolding development in Niger Republic.
Tinubu says all players in the Republic of Niger, the leadership of the ECOWAS Region and all lovers of democracy around the world will not tolerate any situation that incapacitates the democratically-elected government of the country.
He said in a swift reaction to the detainment of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum by members of the Presidential Guard, who have been given an "ultimatum" by the army.
Earlier, disgruntled members of the guard sealed off access to the President's residence and offices, and after talks broke down "refused to release the President."
Bazoum was democratically elected in 2021, taking the helm of one of Africa's poorest and most coup-prone countries.
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ECOWAS SAYS BENIN PRESIDENT TO VISIT NIGER OVER ATTEMPTED COUP.
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, says President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic will head to Niamey, the capital of Niger, to address a hostage situation involving President Mohamed Bazoum.
President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, revealed this after a meeting with the Benin President at the Presidential Villa.
Speaking to journalists, Tinubu condemned any attempt to seize power and undermine constitutional authority in Niger Republic.
He reiterated his commitment to work with other ECOWAS leaders to promote stability and peace in the West African region.
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KENYANS VOICE HOPE FOR END TO PROTESTS.
Weary Kenyans have voiced cautious optimism for an end to political unrest after President William Ruto said he was ready to meet opposition leader Raila Odinga "anytime" following months of anti-government protests.
Since veteran politician Odinga urged Kenyans to take to the streets in March, his Azimio alliance has held nine days of protests against the government, with the demonstrations sometimes spiralling into looting and deadly clashes with police.
Late Tuesday, Ruto expressed his willingness to meet Odinga in a social media post addressing the opposition leader.
There was no immediate response to the offer from Odinga, who has urged Kenyans to "come out" for parades and vigils for anti-government protesters killed in the demonstrations.
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DEATH TOLL FROM CAMEROON BUILDING COLLAPSE RISES TO FORTY.
The death toll from a building collapse in Cameroon's business hub Douala has risen to forty.
The four-storey block of flats collapsed onto another residential building in the north of the city overnight on Saturday.
The toll, which has risen from the 37 dead announced on Monday, remains provisional and could rise further.
The current toll is 40, with 20 others injured, including four in critical condition, according to the communications office of Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, governor of the Littoral region.
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UKRAINE'S WESTERN ARMOUR STRUGGLES AGAINST RUSSIAN DEFENCES.
The general in charge of Ukraine's stuttering offensive in the south says Russia has created multi-layered minefields and fortified defensive lines which were making it difficult for military equipment, including tanks and armoured vehicles supplied by the West, to move forward.
Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskyi says that is why most of the tasks have to be performed by troops.
He says Russia's military has displayed "professional qualities" by preventing Ukrainian forces from "advancing quickly".
So far there's little evidence that Western supplied tanks and armoured vehicles have been able to tip the balance in Ukraine's favour.
Several Leopard tanks and US Bradley fighting vehicles were damaged or destroyed in the first days of the offensive, near the city of Orikhiv.
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KIM JONG UN SHOWS OFF NORTH KOREA MISSILES TO RUSSIA DEFENCE CHIEF SHOIGU.
Kim Jong Un showed off North Korea's latest weapons to Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Pyongyang invited the Russian delegation led by Shoigu, and Chinese officials.
They will attend Pyongyang's celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, marked typically by massive military parades.
The weapons on display included the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile.
Successfully tested in April, it is believed to be the country's first ICBM to use solid propellants, which makes it quicker to launch than liquid-fuel ones.
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EVACUATIONS AS NEW BLAZES BREAK OUT IN GREECE.
Evacuation orders have been issued for areas close to two central Greek cities threatened by new outbreaks of wildfires.
Citizens in areas around Volos and Lamia have been told to move to safety as the country remains in the grip of a severe heatwave.
Meanwhile, fires continue to rage on the islands of Rhodes, Corfu and Evia.
Greece is one of a number of countries currently grappling with wildfires, in which more than 40 people have died.
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SINGAPORE TO EXECUTE WOMAN ON DRUGS CHARGE.
Singapore is scheduled to execute a woman for the first time in almost 20 years.
Singaporean national Saridewi Djamani, 45, was found guilty of trafficking 30g of heroin in 2018.
She will be the second drug convict to be executed in three days, after fellow Singaporean Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, and the 15th since March 2022.
Singapore has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws, which it says are necessary to protect society.
Aziz was convicted of trafficking 50g of heroin. Under Singapore law, the death penalty can be applied for trafficking of more than 15g of heroin and more than 500g of cannabis.
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