The pact allows Mali and Burkina Faso to provide military assistance to Niger in the event of military intervention against the putschists there.

"A no is a no," said Friedrich Merz, chairman of the largest German opposition party CDU. He has pledged not to cooperate with the far-right AfD at any level.

Ukraine is known as one of Europe's biggest grain producers. But it also possesses highly valuable natural resources such as iron ore and coal — which Russia is keen to exploit.

A group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on national television in the early hours of Wednesday and said they had taken power, minutes after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday, placing President Ali Bongo under house arrest and naming a new leader after the Central African state's election body announced Bongo had won a third term.

A year ago, Russia stopped gas flows to the EU via the Nord Stream pipeline to inflict pain on the bloc for its overwhelming support for Ukraine. The weaponization of its gas supplies has ended up hurting Moscow more.

Gabonese hope for jobs, eventual civilian rule following military coup

The regional bloc CCAS, and the country's opposition coalition, have urged international partners to push for a rapid return to civilian rule. Also in this edition: In Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 48 protesters are reported to have been killed in the eastern city of Goma. And finally: In South Africa, the death toll rises to 76 after the devastating Johannesburg fire at an abandoned apartment block that housed dozens of homeless people and squatters.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday an inquiry into a U.S. allegation that a Russian ship had picked up weapons in South Africa late last year found no evidence the vessel had transported weapons to Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is urging Russia to return to a deal allowing Ukraine to export grain, easing a global food crisis. However, Moscow is seeking concessions that only the West can offer.

Blacklisting the Wagner Group would put it on the terror list with al-Qaida, meaning that it would be a criminal offense to be a member of or support the mercenary outfit under UK laws.

Military coups are resurging in Africa. A phenomenon that once plagued the continent. There have been over 70 coups in Africa since countries on the continent gained independence from colonial rule. Here are the African countries currently being led by military juntas.