NIGER ACCUSES FRANCE OF DEPLOYING FORCES TO SEVERAL WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
Niger’s military regime accused France of deploying forces in several West African countries with a view to military intervention.
Relations with France, Niger’s former colonial power, degraded swiftly after Paris stood by ousted President Mohamed Bazoum following the July coup.
The Sahel state is also embroiled in a stand-off with the West African bloc ECOWAS, which has threatened to intervene militarily if diplomatic pressure to return Bazoum to office fails.
On August 3, Niger’s coup leaders renounced several military cooperation agreements with France, which has about 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country as part of a wider fight against jihadism.
On Sunday, President Macron reiterated France’s stance, demanding the release of President Bazoum.
He emphasised that the redeployment of troops would only occur upon request from the deposed head of state.
DOZENS KILLED IN ATTACK ON KHARTOUM MARKET.
At least 35 people have been killed after a crowded market in Sudan’s capital was hit with “explosive weapons.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) described it as “carnage”, saying more than 60 people had also been wounded in the attack.
Local residents say a military aircraft bombarded the Qouro market in southern Khartoum on Sunday.
Rival military factions have been fighting since April.
On Sunday MSF’s emergency co-ordinator Marie Burton said Khartoum “has been at war for almost six months”
MOROCCO RACES AGAINST TIME TO SAVE SURVIVORS OF EARTHQUAKE BURIED IN RUBBLE.
Morocco faces a race against time to save those trapped under the rubble by Friday’s earthquake, as emergency services battle to supply remote areas.
Villagers continue to dig by hand and shovel to find survivors, as response teams struggle to bring in machinery.
Those same tools may now be needed to prepare graves for some of the thousands killed in the quake.
Friday’s earthquake, the country’s deadliest in 60 years, struck below a remote cluster of mountainous villages south of Marrakesh.
The government reported that at least 2,122 people were killed and more than 2,421 injured, many critically.
The 6.8-magnitude tremor collapsed homes, blocked roads and swayed buildings as far away as the country’s northern coast.
UGANDA CHURCH BREAKS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD AFTER CLAPPING FOR OVER THREE HOURS.
A church in Uganda has achieved a notable feat by setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest applause.
The members of Phaneroo Ministries church in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, gathered for an event called “Clap For Jesus” to celebrate the church’s ninth anniversary.
The congregation clapped for a total of 3 hours 16 minutes, maintaining an average sound level of 88.5 dB. For the attempt to be valid, they had to remain above 80 dB for the entire duration.
During this event, 926 participants clapped continuously for three hours and 16 minutes. To make it an official Guinness World Record, “they had to remain above 80 dB for the entire duration.
===========÷=========
TWO FOREIGN AID WORKERS DIE IN RUSSIAN MISSILE STRIKE.
Kyiv says two foreign aid volunteers have been killed and two others injured in a Russian missile attack in eastern Ukraine.
Emma Igual, the Spanish director of Road to Relief, and Anthony Ihnat, a Canadian colleague, died on Saturday as their vehicle drove towards Bakhmut.
The NGO said German volunteer Ruben Mawick and Johan Mathias Thyr, a Swede, were badly injured by shrapnel.
The group said the vehicle suffered a “direct hit”, flipped and caught fire.
The aid workers had left from Slovyansk and were headed to the Bakhmut area to assess the needs of civilians “caught in crossfire” in the town of Ivanivske.
RUSSIA HAILS UNEXPECTED G20 MILESTONE AS UKRAINE FUMES.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has praised a joint declaration by G20 leaders in Delhi that avoids condemning Moscow for its war against Ukraine.
Lavrov said Russia had not expected consensus and agreement on the wording was “a step in the right direction.
The closing G20 statement denounced using force for territorial gain but made no mention of Russian aggression, prompting criticism from Ukraine.
The two-day summit also inducted a new permanent member, the African Union.
The 55-member bloc joins at the invitation of hosts India, one of whose key objectives while president has been to make the G20 more inclusive with greater participation of so-called Global South countries.
=====================÷÷÷==
BEAUTIFICATION MASS SERVICE HOLDS IN POLAND FOR CATHOLIC FAMILY.
A beatification Mass service has been held in Poland for a Catholic family murdered by Nazis for hiding Jews during World War Two.
Poland’s president and more than 30,000 pilgrims attended the outdoor service, led by Pope Francis’ envoy.
This was the first time an entire family has been beatified, a great honour and a step towards sainthood.
They were executed in 1944 with the Jews they sheltered in south-eastern Poland, after they were betrayed.
securityandsafetymatters 