Nigerians miss out as Saudi Arabia limits Hajj 2021 to nationals, residents⁣ and more

Three West African countries ruled by military juntas have signed a mutual defense pact. Mali and Burkina Faso had previously promised to come to Niger's aid in the event of an attack.

Germany has wanted reform of the UN Security Council for years. But its bids to join the exclusive circle of permanent members have always failed.

The talks took place over Saturday and Sunday, as the diplomats try to seek common ground over thorny issues such as Taiwan. The meeting may pave the way for Presidents Biden and Xi to meet in the near future.

Many people in Libya have been left without fresh drinking water since the floods contaminated sources, but there's a new danger if they travel to get water: landmines displaced by strong currents.

This week, five US citizens freed from prison in Iran were able to embrace their loved ones back home. Under the deal brokered by Qatar, five Iranians detained in the United States were also released. The agreement included the unfreezing of nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets. So is the deal a sign of warming ties between Washington and Tehran? We put the question to David Smith, Washington bureau chief for the Guardian.

The United Auto Workers and the US's Big Three carmakers remain far apart in their negotiations as time is running out before the union plans to escalate its strike on Friday. Last week, workers walked off the job at three plants, each belonging to Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. Also in this edition, the US Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged. Plus, Japanese conglomerate Toshiba could go private after being on the stock market for 74 years.

The Indian government is exploring the idea of holding simultaneous elections at the national, state and local levels. But the opposition has slammed it, saying it goes against the spirit of federalism.

With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington seeking more help to fend off Russia's forces, US President Joe Biden said he was confident Congress would continue supporting Kyiv.

Brazil's Supreme Court has struck down an attempt to restrict Indigenous people's access to land. The ruling has been celebrated as a major win for Indigenous rights, setting precedent nationwide.

Some rhinoceros species have showed an uptick for the first times in a decade, conservationists report. But illegal killings remain a threat across the continent.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.

The Mega Plastic factory located in Ilupeju area of Lagos was gutted by fire on Saturday morning. An eyewitness told The Guardian that the fire incident started at about 6:30 a.m. Videos of the fire incident showed that the flames of the fire had covered the factory.