The air and sea drills close to Taiwan are seen as a response to a visit of its Vice President William Lai to the US. China has derided Lai as a "troublemaker" who backs "Taiwanese independence" separatists.

Authorities said military police officers shared messages promoting a coup and had prior knowledge of the pro-Bolsonaro riots. They have been charged with attempted coup d'etat and other crimes.

The ECOWAS force is on standby for military intervention in Niger if there's no peaceful end to the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, an official for the regional bloc said.

July's general election produced a hung parliament in which no clear ruling majority has been formed. The king now decides who will go on to form a new government.

A rise in violence towards hospital staff in Sudan has cut short the training of medical staff - despite the dire need for doctors and nurses amid the conflict in the country. However, new opportunities are meanwhile opening up for young medical professionals in Tanzania.

The Nigerian Army has buried not fewer than 22 officers and soldiers who were killed in action by terrorists in Niger State a few weeks ago. The military had last week revealed that 36 personnel were slain during an ambush by the terrorists at Zungeru-Tegina road and the subsequent jet crash that happened in Chukuba area of Shiroro, all in Niger State.

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

The UN urged donors who had pledged aid to deliver on their promised contributions. Meanwhile, Sudan's military ruler left the capital to visit army bases, on a rare trip since the start of the fighting.

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.

Sudan military ruler arrives in Egypt on first trip abroad since war began. Aug 29 (Reuters) - Sudanese military ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met his Egyptian counterpart on Tuesday in his first trip abroad since the April outbreak of war in Sudan, a day after rejecting calls for fresh negotiations

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.

Gabonese hope for jobs, eventual civilian rule following military coup