ECOWAS SAYS NIGER’S COUP CALL FOR THREE-YEAR TRANSITION UNACCEPTABLE.

A call by Niger’s coup leaders for a three-year transition back to democracy is unacceptable.

This is according to the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani who took power after army officers toppled President Mohamed Bazoum 26th July said over the weekend that a transition of power would not go beyond three years.

He spoke after a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) visited Niger for a final diplomatic push before deciding whether to take military action against Niger’s new rulers.

ECOWAS commissioner for politics and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah says the three-year transition is unacceptable, saying they want constitutional order to be restored as soon as possible.

In his televised address, Tiani charged ECOWAS with preparing to attack Niger by setting up an occupying force in collaboration with a foreign army, without referencing which country.

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SCALE OF JIScale of jihadist threat in post-coup Niger hard to assess

Niger has been hit by several jihadist attacks since its president was overthrown last month, but analysts caution against concluding that a long-running insurgency is shifting into higher gear as post-coup uncertainty mounts.

Since 2015, when jihadists started mounting cross-border strikes from Mali, thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.

Rebel officers who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 pointed to the “degradation of the security situation” under his watch — a belief shared by many Nigeriens.

But analysts say the situation is more complex than it may seem.

In the runup to the coup, the situation had in fact been improving, at least in statistical terms.

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UGANDA POLICE ARRESTS FOUR OVER ACTS OF HOMOSEXUALITY.

Ugandan police have announced the arrest of four people for allegedly engaging in same-sex activity, three months after the introduction of draconian anti-gay legislation sparked international outrage.

The law considered one of the harshest of its kind in the world contains provisions making “aggravated homosexuality” a potentially capital offence and penalties for consensual same-sex relations of up to life in prison.

A police spokeswoman, Hellen Butoto said the authorities had arrested four people including two women at a massage parlour in the eastern district of Buikwe.

She said the police operation was carried out following a tip-off by a female informant to the area security that acts of homosexuality were being carried out at the massage parlour.

The United Nations, foreign governments including the United States, and global rights groups have condemned the new legislation, which was signed into law in May.

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XI LEAVES FOR BRICS SUMMIT IN JOHANNESBURG.

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing for the 15th BRICS Summit holding in Johannesburg, South Africa, and a state visit to South Africa.

Xi is visiting at the invitation of President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.

While in South Africa, the two leaders would co-chair the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue.

Xi’s entourage includes Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Also part of the delegation are Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister and others.

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PRESIDENT BIDEN TOURS HAWAII WILDFIRE DAMAGE.

President Joe Biden has toured wildfire damage in Hawaii after scrutiny of his administration’s response to the state’s worst ever natural disaster.

He arrived in Maui 13 days after the deadliest US wildfire in over a century, telling survivors the nation “grieves with you”.

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden toured the charred ruins of the town of Lahaina and met first responders.

At least 114 people have died and 850 people are still missing.

Hawaii’s governor has said many of the victims may be children.

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DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE WILL BE ARRESTED THURSDAY IN GEORGIA.

Former United States President Donald Trump has said he plans to turn himself in on Thursday to a court in the state of Georgia to face charges of election interference.

A judge in Atlanta who is overseeing the former president’s case has set bail at $200,000 (£157,000).

The agreement says Trump can remain free pending trial so long as he does not attempt to threaten or intimidate witnesses.

Trump denies 13 charges, including racketeering and false statements.

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RUSSIA SAYS TWO UKRAINIAN DRONES DOWNED OVER MOSCOW REGION.

Russia’s defence ministry says it has thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack after it downed two drones over the Moscow region.

According to the ministry, two other drones were intercepted over the Bryansk region, north-east of the Ukrainian border.

It says Flights were temporarily stopped to and from Moscow’s airports early on Tuesday.

Airspace above Moscow has been closed several times in recent days as reports of drone strikes become more regular.

The defence ministry also said a Russian warplane had destroyed a Ukrainian reconnaissance boat in the Black Sea that had sailed near Russian gas production facilities.

Early on Tuesday, Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences had shot down two drones to the west of the capital in the Krasnogorsk and Shastsy districts.

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FORMER THAI PRIME MINISTER ENDS FIFTEEN YEARS OF EXILE.

Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been jailed upon returning to the country after 15 years in exile.

But many believe he has struck a deal that will keep him from serving more than a token period in prison.

He arrived on Tuesday in a private jet, ahead of a vote for the next Thai leader – the frontrunner is from Thaksin’s Pheu Thai party.

He has sentences of up to eight years outstanding from criminal cases he says were politically motivated.

Thaksin, Thailand’s most successful elected leader, has long been feared by conservative royalists, who have backed military coups and contentious court cases to weaken him.

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X REMOVES HOLOCAUST-DENYING POST AFTER AUSCHWITZ MUSEUM CRITICISM.

X, formerly called Twitter, has removed a post denying the Holocaust after criticism from the Auschwitz Museum.

The social media platform had initially said the post did not break its rules.

The offensive post was a reply to one from the museum about a three year-old Jewish girl murdered in the concentration camp’s gas chambers.

The post called her death a “fairy tale” and used anti-Semitic tropes.

X’s policies state that Holocaust denial is prohibited.

At least 1.1 million people were murdered in the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp in Poland.
Almost one million were Jews.

The museum notes more than 200,000 were children and young people.