Niger's junta accuses United Nations chief of blocking its participation at General Assembly

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The military government that seized power in Niger has accused United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of “obstructing” the West African nation's full participation at the U.N.'s annual meeting of world leaders in order to appease France, Niger's former...

Want a place on the UN stage? Leaders of divided nations must first get past this gatekeeper

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — It's one of the United Nations' more obscure bodies, with no space to call its own within the riverside headquarters. And there is scant insight into how it decides a question of far-reaching impact: Who gets let through the door? With an anodyne name, the...

Deposed Nigerien president petitions West African regional court to order his release, reinstatement

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The Nigerien president detained since July by the soldiers who deposed him has petitioned a regional court demanding his release and reinstatement, according to court documents seen by The Associated Press on Wednesday. President Mohamed Bazoum, in an...

Pentagon says surveillance flights, not counterterrorism ops, have restarted in Niger

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Thursday that it has not restarted counterterrorism operations in Niger, a day after the head of U.S. airpower for Europe and Africa said those flights had resumed. Gen. James Hecker, responding to a question from The Associated Press at a...

Niger's junta released a French official held for 5 days

PARIS (AP) — A French official detained in Niger last week has been released, the French government said Thursday. The arrest heightened tensions between France and Niger, where military officers deposed an elected president last month and ordered French officials to leave. ...

US military resumes drone flights and manned counterterrorism missions out of Niger bases

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AP) — The U.S. military has resumed flying drones and manned aircraft out of air bases in the Niger more than a month after a coup temporarily halted all those activities there, the head of U.S. Air Forces for Europe and Africa said Wednesday. Since the July...

France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger

PARIS (AP) — France’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and called for the junta to immediately release him. Military officers in Niger deposed elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July and last month ordered French...

France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and calls for his release. (CORRECTS: A previous APNewsAlert erroneously reported that a ministry official was arrested.)

PARIS (AP) — France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and calls for his release. (CORRECTS: A previous APNewsAlert erroneously reported that a ministry official was arrested.).

Niger junta accuses France of amassing forces for a military intervention after the coup in July

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Niger's new military leaders accused France of amassing forces for a possible military intervention in the country following the coup in July. French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that he would only take action at the demand of deposed Nigerien leader Mohamed Bazoum....

A national program in Niger encouraged jihadis to defect. The coup put its future in jeopardy

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — It took months of convincing before the former jihadi commander decided to defect, trading in his guns and wealth for amnesty and a chance to live with his family. Before leaving the Islamic State group, Mouhamadou Ibrahim was told by Niger's government that...