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☆ Central African Republic President Meets Gabon Junta Leader for Talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Wilfried ObangomeLIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Central African Republic President Faustin Touadera held closed-door talks with Gabon's junta-appointed leader in Libreville on Tuesday in the wake of the main regional bloc's condemnation of the Aug. 30 coup. Central African bloc ECCAS has suspended Gabon's membership, but has so far stopped short of imposing sanctions in response to the non-violent military ouster of President Ali Bongo - West and Central Africa's eighth coup in three years. In a possible sign some internal political forces are rallying around the new authorities, the leader of Gabon's main opposition alliance, Albert Ondo Ossa, said he had spoken with Nguema on Tuesday. Military officers seized power shortly after Bongo was announced as its winner - a result they annulled and said was not credible. Apart from one video appeal for international support, little has been heard from Bongo since he was placed under house arrest during the coup.

Persons: Wilfried Obangome, Faustin Touadera, Ali Bongo, Brice Oligui Nguema, Bongo, Touadera, Nguema, Gabon's, Albert Ondo Ossa, Alessandra Prentice, Leslie Adler Organizations: Wilfried Obangome LIBREVILLE, Reuters, African, Gabon's, Central, Military Locations: Libreville, Gabonese, Gabon, Ondo

☆ Gabon coup leader sworn in as interim president in scene of jubilation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Gerauds Wilfried Obangome | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Gabon coup leader General Brice Oligui Nguema is sworn in as interim president during his swearing-in ceremony, in Libreville, Gabon, September 4, 2023. State TV showed images of a cheering crowd and armoured personnel carriers firing into the sea to mark the moment. PLEDGE TO RETURN POWER TO CIVILIANSNguema reiterated that his administration would organise free and fair elections, though he gave no timetable. "After this transition ... we intend to return power to civilians by organising new elections that will be free, transparent, credible and peaceful," he said. The coup had drawn cheering crowds onto the streets of the capital Libreville but condemnation from abroad.

Persons: General Brice Oligui Nguema, Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, Bongo, Ali Bongo, Nguema, Nellie Peyton, Karin Strohecker, Alessandra Prentice, Estelle Shirbon, Peter Graff, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Central Africa LIBREVILLE, Gabon's, Central, State, Central African, United Nations, African Union, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gabon, Libreville, West, Central, of Gabon

☆ Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber’s donut run embodies their wildly different styles
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Opposites are said to attract, but the poles between Hailey and Justin Bieber couldn’t be further apart — at least sartorially. Was Hailey off to a sophisticated dinner and drinks, while Justin had just nipped out for a packet of M&Ms and some laundry detergent? Hailey, on the other hand, has worked to market herself as a modern-day It Girl, a title which unsurprisingly demands a captivating wardrobe. Justin and Hailey’s clashing ensembles sparked a thorny discussion on the semiotics of dressing as a pair. Had Justin committed to a pair of slacks or a button-down, his partner could have had her moment with no distractions.

Persons: Hailey, Justin Bieber couldn’t, Alessandra Rich, Justin, Robert Kamau, ong, ustin, ike y ou’re, J Organizations: CNN, ust Locations: New York

☆ Burkina Faso says leader discussed possible military cooperation with Russian delegation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Russia's President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Burkina Faso's interim President Ibrahim Traore during a meeting following the Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2023. Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via REUTERS /File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOUAGADOUGOU, Aug 31 (Reuters) - A Russian delegation held talks with Burkina Faso's interim president Ibrahim Traore on Thursday at a meeting that included discussions on possible military cooperation, the Burkinabe presidency said in a statement. It said the visit, led by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, was a follow-up to talks between Traore and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July. It did not say if Russian military trainers would be sent to Burkina Faso. Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga Writing by Alessandra Prentice Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Burkina Faso's, Ibrahim Traore, Alexei Danichev, Yunus, Bek Yevkurov, Traore, Russian Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Thiam, Alessandra Prentice, Leslie Adler, Grant McCool Organizations: Sputnik, Rights, Russian, Russian Deputy, Wagner Group, Thomson Locations: Russia, Africa, Saint Petersburg, Rights OUAGADOUGOU, St . Petersburg, African, Moscow, Mali, Russian, Burkina Faso

☆ Ali Bongo: who is Gabon leader ousted in military coup?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] A still image from video shows Gabon President Ali Bongo being interviewed in Libreville, Gabon, September 24, 2016. Following a stroke, his fitness to rule was questioned, sparking a failed coup in 2019 as he convalesced in Morocco. Before sitting down for a televised interview with Reuters after his 2016 election win, Bongo removed a large silver watch and several gold rings. When Bongo won a 2016 election, accusations of vote meddling stoked public anger amid a period of low crude prices and belt-tightening. In 2019, a military coup was foiled, with the coup plotters citing a lack of information following Bongo's stroke in 2018.

Persons: Ali Bongo, Bongo, Michael Jackson, Omar, Junior, Alain Bernard Bongo, Ali, Keen, Britain's Prince Charles, Alessandra Prentice, Edward McAllister, Edmund Blair Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Omar's, WikiLeaks, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Gabon, Libreville, autocrats, Morocco, French, Congo Republic, France, U.S

☆ Gabon President Ali Bongo wins third term after disputed election
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 21, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLIBREVILLE, Aug 30 (Reuters) - President Ali Bongo has won a third term in the presidential election with 64.27% of the vote, the Gabonese Election Centre (CGE) said on Wednesday, after a delay-plagued general election that the opposition has denounced as fraudulent. Announcing the result in the early hours, CGE head Michel Stephane Bonda said Bongo's main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had come in second place with 30.77%. Bongo's team have rejected Ondo Ossa's allegations of electoral irregularities. Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ali Bongo Ondimba, Brendan McDermid, Ali Bongo, Michel Stephane Bonda, Bongo's, Albert Ondo Ossa, Bongo, Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, Alessandra Prentice, Clarence Fernandez, Gerry Doyle Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Gabonese Election, Thomson Locations: U.N, New York City, U.S, Rights LIBREVILLE, Ondo, Central African

☆ Explainer: What do we know about the Gabon military coup?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The opposition had denounced the Aug. 26 vote as fraudulent, which Bongo's campaign denied. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsWHO IS ALI BONGO AND WHY WAS HE OUSTED? If successful, the Gabon coup would end the Bongo family's 56-year grip on power. It remains unclear how long the transition promised by the military would be or what exactly the officers are planning. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad, and most recently in Niger, erasing democratic gains since the 1990s.

Persons: Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, Ali Bongo's, Bongo, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, Ali Bongo, Omar Bongo, Brice Oligui Nguema, Anait, Alessandra Prentice, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Military, Central African, Gabonese, Reuters Graphics Reuters, WHO, ALI, Monde, Thomson Locations: Libreville, Gabon, GABON, autocrats, Morocco, West, Central Africa, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Gabonese

☆ Gabon army officers say they have seized power after election in oil-rich country
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Gerauds Wilfried Obangome | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The officers said on television channel Gabon 24 that they represented all Gabonese security and defence forces. They said the election results were cancelled, all borders were closed until further notice and state institutions were dissolved. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad. "If this is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region," said the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Bongo, 64, succeeded his father Omar as president in 2009 and was re-elected in a disputed election in 2016.

Persons: Ali Bongo Ondimba's, Ali Bongo, Bongo, Elisabeth Borne, insurgencies, Josep Borrell, Albert Ondo Ossa, Omar, Eramet, Alessandra Prentice, Sofia Christensen, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Nellie Peyton, Simon Cameron, Moore, Edmund Blair Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Central African, OPEC, French, Military, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Gabonese, Centre, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: Gabonese, Gabon, Handout, LIBREVILLE, Libreville, France, West, Central Africa, Niger, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad . Niger

☆ Niger orders troops to go on 'maximum alert'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Boureima Balima | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The document, which was shared widely online on Saturday, said the order to be on maximum alert would allow forces to respond adequately in case of any attack and "avoid a general surprise". The main West African bloc ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the leaders of the July 26 coup, but has said it is ready to deploy troops to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts fail. On Friday, the bloc downplayed this threat and said it was "determined to bend backwards to accommodate diplomatic efforts," although an intervention remained one of the options the table. "For the avoidance of doubt, let me state unequivocally that ECOWAS has neither declared war on the people of Niger, nor is there a plan, as it is being purported, to invade the country, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray told reporters. Additional reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Omar Alieu Touray, Camillus, Alessandra Prentice, David Holmes Organizations: West, ECOWAS, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, Camillus Eboh, Abuja

☆ Gabon to vote as president Bongo seeks to extend 56-year family dynasty
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Gerauds Wilfried Obangome | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 21, 2022. These include the introduction of a single ballot that requires voters to pick a presidential candidate and lawmaker from the same party. Bongo's camp has positioned him as the firm favourite to win the race, although there has been no reliable polling. His main threat comes from joint opposition candidate Albert Ondo Ossa, 69, an economics and management professor who has campaigned on the need for change and better economic opportunities. I am convinced that this year there will be changeover in Gabon", said pensioner Alain Moussavou at the opposition rally.

Persons: Ali Bongo Ondimba, Brendan McDermid, Ali Bongo's, Bongo, Remadji Hoinathy, Hoinathy, Albert Ondo Ossa, Alain Moussavou, Alessandra Prentice, David Gregorio Our Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Security Studies, Ondo, Thomson Locations: U.N, New York City, U.S, Rights LIBREVILLE, Africa, Bongo, Libreville, Gabon

☆ Niger allows Mali, Burkina Faso troops to enter its territory in case of attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An aerial view of the streets in the capital Niamey, Niger July 28, 2023. Any escalation risks further destabilising the insurgency-torn region as Niger's junta-led neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, have said they would back Niger in any conflict with ECOWAS. On Thursday, the three allies' foreign ministers said they had met in the Nigerien capital Niamey to discuss boosting cooperation on security and other joint issues. The statement said the ministers welcomed the signing on Thursday by Niger junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani of two orders "authorising the Defense and Security Forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to intervene on Nigerien territory in the event of an attack." Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo Writing by Alessandra Prentice Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: General Abdourahamane Tiani, Tiemoko Diallo, Alessandra Prentice, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, West, ECOWAS, Niger, Defense and Security Forces, Burkinabe, Malian Ministers, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Rights BAMAKO, Mali, Burkina, Burkina Faso, Nigerien

[1/2] Thousands of young Nigeriens gather as they heed call to sign up as non-military volunteers to back up the junta in the capital Niamey, Niger August 19, 2023. That is what made us halt this census," Hima said by the stadium after the crowds dispersed. POSSIBLE ATTACK"They called on the youth to respond to a possible attack on our soil. An ECOWAS delegation flew into Niamey on Saturday to hold talks with the junta, showing that efforts to resolve the standoff peacefully are still underway. At the stadium on Saturday, 35-year-old Kader Haliou said patriotism was not the only motivation for those wanting to help the junta.

Persons: Mahamadou, Mohamed Bazoum, Younoussa Hima, Hima, Tahirou Seydou, nodded, Kader Haliou, Alessandra Prentice, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Niger's, Young People, Fatherland, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, World Bank, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, NIAMEY, West, Africa's

☆ West Africa delegation met ousted president Bazoum during Niger visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 19 (Reuters) - A delegation from West Africa's main regional bloc met Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum and junta leader General Abdourahmane Tiani during a visit to the capital Niamey on Saturday, a Nigerian presidential spokesperson said in an online post. Reporting by Felix Onuah Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Mike Segar, Niger's, General Abdourahmane Tiani, Felix Onuah, Alessandra Prentice, Alison Williams Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: U.N, New York City, U.S, West Africa's, Niamey

☆ West African bloc holds talks in Niger with junta
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defense staff brief the press on plans to deploy its standby force to the Republic of Niger, in Accra, Ghana, August 18, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko Acquire Licensing RightsABUJA, Nigeria Aug 19 (Reuters) - A delegation from West Africa's main regional bloc ECOWAS flew to Niger's capital Niamey on Saturday to hold talks with the junta, an ECOWAS source told Reuters, as the bloc pursues diplomatic ways to overturn the July 26 coup. ECOWAS has taken a harder stance on the Niger coup, the wider region's seventh in three years, than it did on previous ones. The credibility of the bloc is at stake because it had said it would tolerate no further such overthrows. Reporting by Felix Onuah Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Francis Kokoroko, Mohamed Bazoum, Omar Touray, Felix Onuah, Alessandra Prentice, Toby Chopra Organizations: Chiefs, Defense, REUTERS, Rights, ECOWAS, Thomson Locations: Republic of Niger, Accra, Ghana, Rights ABUJA, Nigeria, West Africa's, Niamey, Niger

☆ At least 21 civilians killed in central Mali attack - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BAMAKO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed at least 21 civilians in an attack on a village in central Mali's insurgency-hit Mopti region on Friday, two local sources said on Saturday. The unidentified assailants struck in the afternoon, targeting the village of Yarou near the town of Bandiagara, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The toll is heavy between 20 and 30 killed and wounded," one of the sources said by phone. The second source said the reported death toll stood at 21 and included women, while 11 others were wounded. Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tiemoko Diallo, Alessandra Prentice, Alison Williams Organizations: Reuters, Islamic, Thomson Locations: BAMAKO, Yarou, Bandiagara, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Sahel, Mali

REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko Acquire Licensing RightsABUJA/NIAMEY, Aug 19 (Reuters) - A delegation from West Africa's main regional bloc ECOWAS met Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum and held talks with junta leader General Abdourahmane Tiani in the capital Niamey on Saturday, a Nigerian presidential spokesperson said. The group that flew in was led by Nigeria's former military leader Abdulsalami Abubakar and included ECOWAS commission president Omar Touray, the source said. "After meeting .... (junta leader) General Abdoulrahmane Tchiani, the ECOWAS delegation in Niger have also visited President Mohamed Bazoum this evening," he wrote on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. There was no immediate comment from the junta, which has held president Mohamed Bazoum since seizing power despite international calls for his release. ECOWAS has taken a harder stance on the Niger coup, the wider region's seventh in three years, than it did on previous ones.

Persons: Francis Kokoroko, Niger's, Mohamed Bazoum, General Abdourahmane Tiani, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Omar Touray, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, General Abdoulrahmane Tchiani, Tiani, Alessandra Prentice, Toby Chopra, Jane Merriman Organizations: Chiefs, Defense, REUTERS, Rights, ECOWAS, West, Twitter, Islamic, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: Republic of Niger, Accra, Ghana, Rights ABUJA, NIAMEY, West Africa's, Niamey, Niger, al Qaeda, Islamic State

☆ Seven children killed in fire at Congolese camp for displaced flood victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of Congo, Aug 19 (Reuters) - At least seven children were killed in eastern Congo on Saturday after a fire broke out at camp for people displaced by flooding, local official Thomas Bakenga said. The children killed in the fire were aged between one and five, while four adults were in a critical condition in hospital, Kalehe territorial administrator Bakenga told Reuters. The deaths bring further tragedy to a community still grieving the loss of at least 460 people in the floods. Overall, close to 9,000 people were impacted by the disaster, which saw flood waters bury buildings in mud and cut off roads. Reporting by Crispin Kyala; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: BUKAVU, Thomas Bakenga, Bakenga, Crispin Kyala, Alessandra Prentice, Alison Williams Organizations: Democratic, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Kalehe, Bushushu, South Kivu

☆ West African militaries meet to finalise possible Niger intervention
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Military personnel gesture as the ECOWAS anthem is played during a meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Defense staff on the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force in the Republic of Niger, in Accra, Ghana. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko Acquire Licensing RightsACCRA/NIAMEY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - West African army chiefs were due to hold a second and final day of talks on Friday in Ghana's capital Accra, where they have been hashing out the details of a possible military intervention in Niger if diplomacy fails to reverse a military coup. Military officers deposed Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and have defied calls from the United Nations, the West African bloc ECOWAS and others to reinstate him, prompting regional powers to order a standby force to be assembled. He said most of the bloc's 15 member states were prepared to participate in the standby force excepting those also under military rule - Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea - and tiny Cape Verde. Any escalation would further destabilise West Africa's impoverished Sahel region, which is already battling a decade-old Islamist insurgency.

Persons: Francis Kokoroko, Mohamed Bazoum, Security Abdel, Fatau Musah, Alessandra Prentice, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: ECOWAS, Chiefs, Defense, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, West African, Political Affairs, Peace, Security, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Republic of Niger, Accra, Ghana, Rights ACCRA, NIAMEY, Ghana's, Niger, West Africa, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Cape Verde, Sahel, al Qaeda

CNN —A Brazilian hacker said Thursday that former President Jair Bolsonaro asked him if he could hack into voting machines, according to his testimony to a congressional inquiry set up to investigate Brazil’s election results and the storming of governmental buildings on January 8, 2023. Walter Delgatti Neto’s told the Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) that during an August 2022 meeting with Bolsonaro, the former president offered to pardon the hacker if he suffered any legal consequences. Bolsonaro’s defense team denied allegations of wiretapping or illegal activity against any political entity in Brazil following Delgatti’s testimony. “I don’t know anyone who had an individual meeting with the president that last an hour and a half. Lie and lie and lie,” said Wajngarten.

Persons: Jair Bolsonaro, Walter Delgatti Neto’s, Bolsonaro, Delgatti, “, ” Fabio Wajngarten, Wajngarten, ”, CPMI, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Organizations: CNN, Parliamentary, Brazilian, Federal Police Locations: Brazil

☆ Factbox: What you need to know about Niger's ousted president
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum participates in a Peace, Security and Governance Forum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/PoolAug 14 (Reuters) - Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum was toppled by a military junta on July 26. Bazoum's victory in the 2021 election led to Niger's first transition from one democratically elected leader to another. Niger strengthened its alliances with Western powers under Bazoum, becoming a hub for French, U.S., German and Italian forces. Days before Bazoum was sworn in as president in 2021, a military unit tried to seize the presidential palace in an attempted coup.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Evelyn Hockstein, Niger's, Bazoum, Mahamadou Issoufou, Abdourahamane Tiani, Alessandra Prentice, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Security, Governance, Africa, REUTERS, Islamic, Nigerien, International Crisis, West, United Nations, Thomson Locations: U.S, Washington , U.S, France, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Nigeria, West Africa's, United States

☆ Niger junta: ousted president could be prosecuted for high treason
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File PhotoNIAMEY, Aug 14 (Reuters) - The junta that seized power in Niger in a July 26 coup said late on Sunday that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum could be prosecuted for high treason. Colonel Amadou Abdramane, a spokesperson for the junta, said on state TV that it had "assembled the necessary elements to prosecute the ousted president ... for high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger." The bloc's parliament on Saturday said it wanted to send a committee to meet the junta in Niamey. Writing by Anait Miridzhanian and Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Alexander Winning and Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Mike Segar, Bazoum, Amadou Abdramane, Anait Miridzhanian, Alessandra Prentice, Alexander Winning Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Sunday, ECOWAS, Security, Central, Thomson Locations: U.N, New York City, U.S, NIAMEY, Niger, West, Niamey, Union

☆ Victoria's Secret is getting slammed by Skims fans online. They're accusing the brand of ripping off Kim Kardashian's campaign.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Victoria's Secret launched a new campaign with supermodels Gisele Bündchen, Adriana Lima, and Candice Swanepoel. Their photos in Victoria's Secret catalogs made them household names — the brand even dubbed them "Angels" to further cement their place as modeling royalty. Critics on social media pointed out that the new Victoria's Secret campaign looks eerily similar, even down to the name: It's called "The Icon" while Kardashian's was "Icons." Swanepoel posted about her return to modeling for Victoria's Secret in an Instagram post. "What a wonderful sense of belonging to come home to my VS family for this Iconic campaign!"

Persons: supermodels Gisele Bündchen, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Secret, Kim Kardashian, Gisele Bündchen, Kim Kardashian's, Kardashian, Skims, Swanepoel, Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Alessandra Ambrosio —, Kardashian's, Mikael Jansson, SKIMS, —, Blakely Thornton, Ryan Reynolds, Pelton, Justin Long, Ed Razek, Naomi Campbell, Adut Akech, Hailey Bieber, Paloma Elsesser, Sui, Emily Ratajkowski Organizations: Service, Victoria, New York Times Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Niger junta names government, West African leaders to discuss next steps
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

General view as supporters of Niger's coup leaders take part in a rally at a stadium in Niamey, Niger, August 6, 2023. West African heads of state hold a summit in Nigeria aiming to agree on a plan of action for Niger, where coup leaders have refused to stand down despite the bloc's threat that it could use force to restore democracy. Since the July 26 power grab shocked the region, the defiant junta has rebuffed diplomatic overtures and ignored an Aug. 6 deadline from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reinstate ousted president Mohamed Bazoum. The bloc's leaders are expected to agree on next steps, which could include military intervention - something an ECOWAS official has said would be a last resort. Envoys of the Nigerian president, and ECOWAS chair, Bola Tinubu met coup leaders in the capital, Niamey, on Wednesday, offering a glimmer of hope for dialogue after previous missions were spurned.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Roufai Laouali, Antonio Guterres, Bola Tinubu, Alessandra Prentice, Sofia Christensen, Robert Birsel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, NIAMEY, ABUJA, West, Nigeria, Abuja, Mali, Burkina Faso

☆ West Africa bloc pins hopes on Niger coup mediation ahead of summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Members of a military council that staged a coup in Niger attend a rally at a stadium in Niamey, Niger, August 6, 2023. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has scheduled the summit to discuss its standoff with the Niger junta, which seized power on July 26 and ignored an Aug. 6 deadline to stand down. In a sign of the United States' interest in the country, U.S. acting deputy secretary of state Victoria Nuland flew to Niamey on Monday. MILITARY ACTION PLANThe 15-nation ECOWAS bloc has taken a harder stance on the Niger coup than it did on other recent government overthrows. "It is fundamentally not in the interests of regional states."

Persons: Mahamadou, Mohamed Bazoum, Antony Blinken, Victoria Nuland, Bazoum, Ben Hunter, Alessandra Prentice, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Gareth Jones, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, West African States, French, RFI, ACTION, ECOWAS, Thomson Locations: Niger, Niamey, NIAMEY, West, Central Africa, United States, Europe, China, Russia, Africa

☆ Niger waits for West African bloc's response after junta rejects ultimatum
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Members of a military council that staged a coup in Niger attend a rally at a stadium in Niamey, Niger, August 6, 2023. On Sunday as the deadline expired, the junta closed its airspace until further notice, citing the increased threat of military intervention. I hope that the ultimatum of ECOWAS, which expired last night at midnight, will be extended today," Tajani told La Stampa newspaper. The United States are very cautious about this, it is unthinkable that they would start a military intervention in Niger," Tajani added. Writing by Alessandra Prentice and Alexander Winning; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Antonio Tajani, Tajani, Antony Blinken, Alessandra Prentice, Alexander Winning, Lincoln, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, NIAMEY, West African, West African States, La Stampa, Thomson Locations: Niger, Niamey, Europe, China, Russia, juntas, Mali, Burkina Faso, Italy, United States, U.S

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