West Africa regional bloc approves exit timeline for 3 coup-hit member states

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS approved Sunday an exit timeline for three coup-hit nations after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping. In a first in the 15-nation bloc’s nearly 50 years of...

West Africa bloc approves exit timeline for 3 coup-hit nations after failed peace efforts

Ex-Bolsonaro Cabinet minister arrested in Brazil over alleged coup plot

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police on Saturday arrested a former member of President Jair Bolsonaro’s Cabinet and his 2022 running mate in connection with investigations into an alleged coup plot, the Supreme Court said in a statement. Gen. Walter Braga Netto was formally...

US officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad, Blinken says

AQABA, Jordan (AP) — American officials have been in direct contact with the terrorist-designated rebel group that led the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday. Blinken, speaking at a news conference in Jordan, was the...

Middle East latest: Top diplomats from US, Arab League and Turkey discuss Syria's transition

Top diplomats from the United States, the Arab League and Turkey met in Jordan on Saturday to discuss how to assist Syria ’s transition after the fall of Bashar Assad's government a week ago. No Syrian representatives attended. The collapse of the Assad family’s more than...

Niger junta suspends BBC accusing it of 'spreading false news' in coverage of attack

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Niger's ruling junta suspended the BBC for three months over the broadcaster's coverage of an extremist attack that allegedly killed dozens of Nigerien soldiers and civilians, authorities said Thursday. “BBC broadcasts false information aimed at...

Rights group accuses Russian mercenaries of abuses against civilians in Mali

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Mali’s armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, committed abuses against civilians since the withdrawal of a U.N. peacekeeping mission late last year, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Thursday. Malian armed forces and the Russia-backed...

Here's how the US is countering the Islamic State group during Syria's upheaval

WASHINGTON (AP) — Massive U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Syria were meant in part as a message to the group and a move to ensure that it doesn't try to take advantage of the chaos following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad's government. The U.S. and its...

Burkina Faso's military junta sacks the prime minister and dissolves the government

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta issued a decree Friday dismissing Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and announcing the dissolution of the national government. The military's leader, Ibrahim Traore, said officials in the...

Burkina Faso's ruling military junta has issued a decree sacking the prime minister and dissolving the government