The West African country has now faced its fifth coup since becoming independent.

French nuclear fuels company Orano says its operations in Niger are continuing despite the unstable situation caused by the overthrow of the country’s elected president.

However, it says it is monitoring the situation and has set up a crisis unit “to prioritise the safety of its employees”.

In a statement announcing its half-year results, external, Orano said it did not consider the coup "to have any immediate impact on its activities in Niger or on the value of its assets".

Orano sources less than 10% of uranium from Niger for use by French nuclear power plants, the AFP news agency quotes the company as saying.

Niger has been in a crisis since soldiers announced a coup on Wednesday, saying they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation's borders.

BBC World Service
Newsroom

Image source, Getty Images

Civil defence forces in Tunisia say wildfires which spread across five provinces for several days have now been brought under control.

More than 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) of forest in the north western province of Jendouba have been destroyed, however, firefighters still remain on alert.

Image source, Getty Images

Countries around the Mediterranean are counting the cost of a week of fires fuelled by high temperatures.

In Greece, emergency services have tried to prevent new flare-ups in the central area of Magnesia.

Searing heat from wildfires triggered powerful explosions at an ammunition depot in the town of Nea Aghialos, prompting the Greek air force to evacuate fighter jets from their base on Thursday.

Tunisia has been battling wildfires with temperatures up to 49C (120F) recorded.

Read more:

• Tunisia fires: 'We had no water to douse the flames'

Egypt's leader says it is "essential" the deal allowing Kyiv to export produce be revived.

Image source, Reuters

Wagner mercenary boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has welcomed the military coup in Niger, according to an unverified audio message.

Niger has been a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in West Africa.

The US and France, the former colonial power, both have military bases in the uranium-rich country.

The unverified voice message from Mr Prigozhin appeared on a Telegram app channel associated with the group, saying the takeover was long overdue.

According to the Reuters news agency, the speaker had the same distinctive intonation and turn of phrase in Russian as the Wagner boss.

"What happened in Niger is nothing more than the struggle of the people of Niger against colonisers, who tried to impose their own rules of life," AFP news agency quotes him as saying.

"In order to maintain their actual slave system in the territories of these states, they deploy various foreign missions, which number tens of thousands of soldiers."

He went on to hail the "effectiveness" of Wagner, explaining a thousand of its fighters "are able to restore order and destroy terrorists, preventing them from harming the civilian population", AFP reports.

The release of voice message coincided with the publication on Telegram of photographs showing Mr Prigozhin in St Petersburg at the Africa-Russia summit.

He was seen shaking hands with Ambassador Freddy Mapouka, a senior official in the Central African Republic (CAR).

It is the first confirmed sighting of Mr Prigozhin in Russia since Wagner's failed mutiny in June.

Wagner has a security contract in CAR and through its network of companies allegedly trades there in conflict minerals and timber, as well as making beer and vodka.

The shadowy mercenary group is also in Mali, where it is believed to have about 1,000 soldiers and where its troops have been accused of carrying out atrocities.

Their deployment in December 2021 had followed a breakdown in diplomatic relations between Mali's military regime and France, prompting the former colonial power to withdraw its counter-terror troops.

According to Reuters, the Wagner boss was heard in a video released earlier this month telling his men, now exiled to Belarus, that they should gather their strength for a "new journey to Africa".

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Télé Sahel

Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, also known by the alias Omar Tchiani, has been named the leader of the junta that took power in Niger on Wednesday, ousting democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Here are five things we know about him:

• Gen Tchiani, 62, has been at the helm of the presidential guard since 2011
• The 700-strong force was established by the ousted president’s predecessor Mahamadou Issoufou to guard against military takeovers
• He was linked a 2015 coup attempt against Mr Issoufou. A subsequent court case in 2018 cleared him of involvement
• He was promoted to the rank of general in 2018 by Mr Issoufou
• Before the military takeover, President Bazoum had planned on removing the general as part of changes he had been making to the security forces, Niger's private L'Enqueteur newspaper reports.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News

The commander of Niger's presidential guard Omar Tchiani, also known as Abdourahamane Tchiani, had been named as the new military head of state.

His elite forces staged a coup on Wednesday, ousting President Mohamed Bazoum and are currently keeping him captive.

The 62-year-old, who has been in charge of the presidential guard since 2011, is addressing the nation now.

Image source, Reuters

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana appeared to be cruising to a first-ever victory in a Women's World Cup match with goals either side of half-time during their game against Argentina.

But their rivals produced a stunning comeback to draw 2-2 with South Africa.

After losing their opening matches in New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa both now have one point.

Banyana Banyana face Italy in their final group G match but could be without captain Refiloe Jane - who was taken off on a stretcher.

Jane's replacement Kholosa Biyana picked up another yellow card and is ruled out against Italy with suspension.

Read more:

• Stunning Argentina comeback denies South Africa first Women's World Cup victory

Richard Wheatley
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told a group of African leaders that he respects the proposal for peace in Ukraine which they put forward last month.

On the second day of the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg, Mr Putin said he would study the plan "carefully".

The Russian leader also said his country had written off $23bn (£18bn) worth of debt to African countries.

He did not name the countries nor did he specify the time period involved.

African leaders were also told that Russia was interested in greater military collaboration.

Analysis:

• Russia-Africa summit: Putin seeks to extend influence

Defence officials say the emails did not contain information that could compromise operational security.

Image source, @PoliceNG

Popular Nigerian comedian Abdulgafar Abiola, also known was Cute Abiola, is in trouble for wearing police uniforms in his skits.

He is being investigated by the police and may face prosecution for the “disrespectful and derogatory portrayal of the police uniform”.

"The law prohibits an individual, under whatever guise, from rubbishing the police institution or grossly violating its provisions with regards to the use of uniforms”, police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a statement tweeted by the force, external.

He cited two skits deemed offensive that Cute Abiola had posted on his social media on 20 and 24 July.

One shows the comedian dressed as an officer asking a motorist to give him money to get fuel for a police car that was out of petrol. Another also depicts a policeman seeking a bribe.

The police spokesman warned other skit makers to take note: “The force is committed to upholding the sanctity of the uniform and will pursue due legal process to ensure accountability for any individual or entity that seeks to bring disrepute to the uniform or the institution it represents.”

The comedian has been in trouble before - arrested in 2021 when he was a serving navy officer for violating the military’s social media policy.

He resigned from the military last year to join the Kwara state government as an official.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

The interior ministry of Niger's new ruling junta has banned all public demonstrations after supporters of the coup set fire to ousted president's party headquarters.

The small group of arsonists had broken away from a larger show of support for the coup leaders outside parliament on Thursday.

Police fired tear gas to disperse those who had gone to PNDS Tarraya party headquarters, where people were also stoning and burning cars.

“Public demonstrations for any motive whatsoever remain prohibited until further notice. The state will ensure that the law is enforced,” read a statement by the interior ministry.

"These actions, which were perpetrated by lawless individuals, constitute acts of vandalism and wickedness and will not be tolerated," it added.

The ministry called on the security forces to protect the public and their property.

• Read more: Niger coup makes the troubled Sahel region yet more fragile

Grant Ferrett
BBC World Service newsroom

Image source, AFP

The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused Rwandan soldiers of crossing into its territory.

The Congolese army issued a statement describing the alleged incursion into North Kivu province as an intolerable provocation.

It said the Rwandan soldiers had been forced back across the border.

There has been no word from Rwanda.

It has previously denied accusations by the DR Congo government that it backs a rebel group known as M23, which has carried out numerous attacks in eastern DR Congo.

Chris Ewokor
BBC News, Abuja

Image source, Getty Images

The United Nations says it has suspended its humanitarian operations in Niger, after soldiers announced the overthrow of the country’s elected president.

It says more than four million people in the country are currently in need of humanitarian assistance.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held captive by military officers.

The French foreign minister has said President Bazoum spoke to President Emmanuel Macron early on Friday and told him that he was "reachable" and "in good health".

Our proverb of the day:

Image source, Getty Images

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

The French foreign minister says the coup is not "final" as Niger's army backs the plotters.

The Mediterranean wildfires have killed dozens in Algeria and left Tunisian homes and business in ashes.

A selection of the best photos from the African continent and beyond.

One of the few democracies left in the Sahel, Niger now faces military rule just like its neighbours.

The young woman could face the death penalty if found guilty by a court in Mauritania.