Africa (except North Africa)

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — One week after a deadline passed for mutinous soldiers in Niger to reinstate the country’s ousted president or face military intervention, the junta has not acquiesced. No military action has been taken and the coup leaders appear to have gained the upper hand over the regional group that issued the threat, analysts say.

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The only way to avoid conflict in Niger between mutinous soldiers who ousted the president and regional countries threatening an invasion to reinstate him is to recognize the new regime, a rights defender with ties to the junta told The Associated Press.

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 11 (NNN-SANEWS) — It’s all systems go for the 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit, which will be held in Johannesburg later this month.

Taking place on Aug 22-24, government has indicated that it has concluded the BRICS outreach programmes for various sectors and communities.

BAMAKO, Aug 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mali has indefinitely suspended the issuance of visas to French nationals at its embassy in Paris.

In a statement, it said the move was reciprocal after it “learnt with surprise” that France had classified Mali to be in a “red zone” due to supposed “strong regional tensions”.

France earlier this week suspended the issuance of visas and closed the visa centre at its embassy in Mali’s capital, Bamako.

HARARE, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Going to bed and waking up in darkness had become the norm for Zimbabweans as the country endured rolling blackouts due to depressed power generation.

But now, according to Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the country is now energy sufficient following the completion of a China-funded expansion of the Hwange Power Station, the country's largest thermal power plant.

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Tensions are escalating between Niger’s new military regime and the West African regional bloc that has ordered the deployment of troops to restore Niger’s flailing democracy.

The ECOWAS bloc said on Thursday it had directed a “standby force” to restore constitutional order in Niger after its Sunday deadline to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum expired.

JOHANNESBURG/SHANGHAI, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Hobbled by the impact of sanctions against founding shareholder Russia, the New Development Bank (NDB) set up by the BRICS countries needs to increase its local currency fundraising and lending, South Africa's finance minister told Reuters.

South Africa will host leaders of the other BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India and China - as the bloc aims to widen its influence at a Johannesburg summit later this month.

NIAMEY, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Niger's junta appointed 21 ministers late Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of West African leaders who will discuss their response to a military coup in Niger.

Abdourahamane Tchiani, president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), a governing body established by the soldiers after the coup, signed a decree on the appointment of new cabinet members, none of them from the ousted government.

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s deposed president is running out of food and experiencing other increasingly dire conditions two weeks after he was ousted in a military coup and put under house arrest, an advisor told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

President Mohamed Bazoum, the West African nation’s democratically elected leader, has been held at the presidential palace in Niamey with his wife and son since mutinous soldiers moved against him on July 26.

JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is ready to host the much-anticipated 15th BRICS summit, said Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor on Monday.

"President Ramaphosa has confirmed South Africa's readiness to host the 15th BRICS summit in person, in Sandton, Johannesburg. The president has therefore invited 67 leaders from Africa and the Global South to attend the BRICS-Africa outreach and BRICS Plus dialogues," Pandor said while briefing the media about the country's preparations for the summit, which will be held on Aug. 22-24.