Russian missiles slammed into a residential complex and a Ukrainian security service (SBU) building in Dnipro overnight, injuring at least nine people.
Two children were among the injured, according to Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor. The attack was branded as “Russian missile terror” by Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President.
Borys Filatov, Dnipro’s mayor, said it was the third time that the SBU building had been targeted.
Mr Filatov added that both of the buildings were mostly empty as the residential complex had only recently been completed and the apartments were in the process of being put up for sale.
“There were two hits in Dnipro at about 8.30pm, Iskander missiles, according to preliminary information,” Mr Lysak said.
“Part of the apartment building was destroyed. It was not even yet in use and there weren’t many people there. A few people were trapped but are now out. The security service building is partially destroyed.”
The United States will work to ensure full restoration of constitutional order in Niger after the military takeover, the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, in a phone call late on Friday, offering him his “unflagging support”.
The US is communicating with “a broad array” military leader in Niger, the state department said, after coup leaders declared Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani – the Nigerien military leader behind the detention of the country’s democratically elected president – the new head of state.
Tchiani, the head of the presidential guard since 2011, appeared on state television on Friday, saying he was the “president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland” and warning that any foreign military intervention would lead to chaos.
The general, who has previously kept out of public life, presented the coup as a response to “the degradation of the security situation” linked to jihadist bloodshed.
On Friday, the UN security council condemned “the efforts to unconstitutionally change the legitimate government” and called for Bazoum’s immediate release.
The White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, said Washington condemned any effort to seize power by force, warning a military takeover could cause the US to stop security and other cooperation with Niger.
The country in Africa’s semi-arid Sahel region is a key partner in the US fight against Islamist insurgents. US military personnel have been training local forces in Niger to fight militant groups.
US law on foreign aid prohibits most assistance to any country where the elected head of government has been deposed in a coup or by decree, unless the secretary of state determines that providing aid is in the national security interest of the United States.
There are about 1,100 US troops in Niger, where the US military operates from two bases. The Pentagon on Friday said the defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, was closely monitoring events.
“At this time, there have been no changes in US force posture nor has DoD received any formal requests for assistance,” a defence department spokesperson said.
On Saturday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, will chair a defence meeting on Niger. France has 1,500 troops in the west African nation, which is one of its last allies in the Sahel region, after French forces had to withdraw from neighbouring Mali earlier this year.
“This coup is completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous, for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the whole region,” Macron said, while also calling for Bazoum’s release and “the restoration of constitutional order”.
The coup has prompted mounting concern in the region – the Kenyan president, William Ruto, called the army takeover “a serious setback” for Africa.
“The aspirations of the people of Niger for constitutional democracy were subverted by an unconstitutional change of government,” he said in a video message.
West African leaders will meet on Sunday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to discuss the coup, the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, said.
Bazoum and his family have been confined since Wednesday morning to their residence at the presidential palace, located within the 700-strong presidential guard’s military camp.
He is said to be in good health and has been able to talk by telephone to other heads of state.
Since gaining independence in 1960, Niger has had four coups, as well as numerous other attempts – including two previously against Bazoum.
The 63-year-old is one of a dwindling group of elected presidents and pro-western leaders in the Sahel, where a jihadist insurgency has triggered coups in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
Russian missiles slammed into a residential complex and a Ukrainian security service (SBU) building in Dnipro overnight, injuring at least nine people.
Two children were among the injured, according to Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor. The attack was branded as “Russian missile terror” by Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President.
Borys Filatov, Dnipro’s mayor, said it was the third time that the SBU building had been targeted.
Mr Filatov added that both of the buildings were mostly empty as the residential complex had only recently been completed and the apartments were in the process of being put up for sale.
“There were two hits in Dnipro at about 8.30pm, Iskander missiles, according to preliminary information,” Mr Lysak said.
“Part of the apartment building was destroyed. It was not even yet in use and there weren’t many people there. A few people were trapped but are now out. The security service building is partially destroyed.”
The United States will work to ensure full restoration of constitutional order in Niger after the military takeover, the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, in a phone call late on Friday, offering him his “unflagging support”.
The US is communicating with “a broad array” military leader in Niger, the state department said, after coup leaders declared Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani – the Nigerien military leader behind the detention of the country’s democratically elected president – the new head of state.
Tchiani, the head of the presidential guard since 2011, appeared on state television on Friday, saying he was the “president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland” and warning that any foreign military intervention would lead to chaos.
The general, who has previously kept out of public life, presented the coup as a response to “the degradation of the security situation” linked to jihadist bloodshed.
On Friday, the UN security council condemned “the efforts to unconstitutionally change the legitimate government” and called for Bazoum’s immediate release.
The White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, said Washington condemned any effort to seize power by force, warning a military takeover could cause the US to stop security and other cooperation with Niger.
The country in Africa’s semi-arid Sahel region is a key partner in the US fight against Islamist insurgents. US military personnel have been training local forces in Niger to fight militant groups.
US law on foreign aid prohibits most assistance to any country where the elected head of government has been deposed in a coup or by decree, unless the secretary of state determines that providing aid is in the national security interest of the United States.
There are about 1,100 US troops in Niger, where the US military operates from two bases. The Pentagon on Friday said the defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, was closely monitoring events.
“At this time, there have been no changes in US force posture nor has DoD received any formal requests for assistance,” a defence department spokesperson said.
On Saturday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, will chair a defence meeting on Niger. France has 1,500 troops in the west African nation, which is one of its last allies in the Sahel region, after French forces had to withdraw from neighbouring Mali earlier this year.
“This coup is completely illegitimate and profoundly dangerous, for Nigeriens, for Niger and for the whole region,” Macron said, while also calling for Bazoum’s release and “the restoration of constitutional order”.
The coup has prompted mounting concern in the region – the Kenyan president, William Ruto, called the army takeover “a serious setback” for Africa.
“The aspirations of the people of Niger for constitutional democracy were subverted by an unconstitutional change of government,” he said in a video message.
West African leaders will meet on Sunday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to discuss the coup, the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, said.
Bazoum and his family have been confined since Wednesday morning to their residence at the presidential palace, located within the 700-strong presidential guard’s military camp.
He is said to be in good health and has been able to talk by telephone to other heads of state.
Since gaining independence in 1960, Niger has had four coups, as well as numerous other attempts – including two previously against Bazoum.
The 63-year-old is one of a dwindling group of elected presidents and pro-western leaders in the Sahel, where a jihadist insurgency has triggered coups in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
It comes after Russia said on Friday it had intercepted two Ukrainian missiles over its southern Rostov region, bordering Ukraine.
Moscow said 15 people were hurt by debris falling in the southern port city of Taganrog.
EPA
The Russian defence ministry said the first S-200 missile was aimed at "residential infrastructure" in the city of around 250,000 people.
Shortly after, it said it downed a second S-200 missile near the city of Azov, with debris falling in an unpopulated area.
Rostov region Governor Vasily Golubev said 15 people suffered "light injuries" from shards in an explosion near the "Chekhov Garden" cafe in central Taganrog.
Taganrog is located on the coast of the Sea of Azov and about 25 miles (40km) from the border with Ukraine.
The city is also on a road leading to the port city of Mariupol, the strategic port city devastated by Russian shelling.
Trump says attorneys had ‘productive’ meeting with DOJ in Jan 6 probe
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Donald Trump and an aide were hit Thursday with a new set of federal charges related to alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving the White House.
Federal prosecutors accuse the former president of retaining defence information and conspiring with club employee Carlos De Oliveira to delete security footage to hide evidence of misconduct.
The new charges come as a seperate federal grand jury is considering indicting Mr Trump on charges over the January 6 Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
A court official in Washington announced to reporters that there would be no charges on Thursday, even as the former president’s legal and political teams are getting ready for the possibility that Mr Trump will be hit with his third criminal indictment. His legal team met with prosecutors in the morning.
Last week, Mr Trump said he had received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith’s office saying he is the target of a grand jury investigation.
Trump and aides allegedly plotted to delete Mar-a-Lago security footage
According to the new superseding indictment in the classified documents case, Donald Trump allegedly demanded that his staffers delete security camera footage at the Mar-a-Lago Club after investigators made a visit in June 2022 to collect classified documents he took with him after he left the White House.
In late June 2022, Carlos De Oliveira allegedly took another employee to a small room known as an “audio closet” and asked him to keep the conversation between the two of them. He then told the employee “that ‘the boss’ wanted the server deleted”.
When the unnamed employee, identified as Employee 4 in the documents, said he would not know how to do that, Mr De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, and asked: “What are we going to do?”
What do we still not know about Trump’s looming January 6 indictment?
Donald Trump is widely expected to be hit with his third indictment of the year imminently over his attempts to overturn the result of the 2020 US presidential election and his role in the ensuing Capitol riot of 6 January 2021.
Carlos De Oliveira: Who is second Trump aide now charged in Mar-a-Lago secret documents case
Prosecutors on Thursday announced additional charges against Donald Trump in the classified documents case, arguing that the former president asked a staffer to delete camera footage at his Florida estate in an effort to obstruct federal investigation.
The indictment includes new counts of obstruction and willful retention of national defense information.
The prosecutors also added a third defendant to the case, Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, who they say schemed with Mr Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta, to conceal the footage from investigators.
After his plea deal derails, what’s next for Hunter Biden?
The unravelling of Hunter Biden‘s plea agreement has thrust his criminal case into uncertain waters and given new fodder to Republican critics in Congress as they push ahead with investigations into the president’s youngest son.
Feinstein appears confused and is instructed to vote ‘aye’ by fellow senator at meeting
One of the frequent instances in which Senator Dianne Feinstein has appeared confused and unsure of the business of the Senate at hand has been caught on camera, a day after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze at a press conference and was ushered away after appearing unable to talk.
The Democratic senator from California was attending a meeting Thursday of the Senate Appropriations Commitee, where during votes she appeared to lose track of the proceedings and began to motion for a vote that was already in progress.
Biden won’t pardon son for tax and firearms charges, White House says
The White House on Thursday said President Joe Biden would not use his authority as president to grant any pardons or other relief that would short-circuit the criminal case against his son, Hunter Biden.
The younger Mr Biden, an attorney and lobbyist turned visual artist, is currently facing two misdemeanour charges for allegedly failing to pay taxes for two years, as well as a felony charge for allegedly lying on a gun background check form.
Trump campaign leaps to support Byron Donald against DeSantis
Trump 2024 campaign spokesperson Jason Miller calls the “smear” of Congressman Byron Donalds over the topic of African American history teaching in Florida by the office of Governor Ron DeSantis a “disgrace”.
Trump says attorneys had ‘productive’ meeting with DOJ in Jan 6 probe
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
Donald Trump and an aide were hit Thursday with a new set of federal charges related to alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving the White House.
Federal prosecutors accuse the former president of retaining defence information and conspiring with club employee Carlos De Oliveira to delete security footage to hide evidence of misconduct.
The new charges come as a seperate federal grand jury is considering indicting Mr Trump on charges over the January 6 Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
A court official in Washington announced to reporters that there would be no charges on Thursday, even as the former president’s legal and political teams are getting ready for the possibility that Mr Trump will be hit with his third criminal indictment. His legal team met with prosecutors in the morning.
Last week, Mr Trump said he had received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith’s office saying he is the target of a grand jury investigation.
Carlos De Oliveira: Who is second Trump aide now charged in Mar-a-Lago secret documents case
Prosecutors on Thursday announced additional charges against Donald Trump in the classified documents case, arguing that the former president asked a staffer to delete camera footage at his Florida estate in an effort to obstruct federal investigation.
The indictment includes new counts of obstruction and willful retention of national defense information.
The prosecutors also added a third defendant to the case, Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, who they say schemed with Mr Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta, to conceal the footage from investigators.
After his plea deal derails, what’s next for Hunter Biden?
The unravelling of Hunter Biden‘s plea agreement has thrust his criminal case into uncertain waters and given new fodder to Republican critics in Congress as they push ahead with investigations into the president’s youngest son.
Feinstein appears confused and is instructed to vote ‘aye’ by fellow senator at meeting
One of the frequent instances in which Senator Dianne Feinstein has appeared confused and unsure of the business of the Senate at hand has been caught on camera, a day after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze at a press conference and was ushered away after appearing unable to talk.
The Democratic senator from California was attending a meeting Thursday of the Senate Appropriations Commitee, where during votes she appeared to lose track of the proceedings and began to motion for a vote that was already in progress.
Biden won’t pardon son for tax and firearms charges, White House says
The White House on Thursday said President Joe Biden would not use his authority as president to grant any pardons or other relief that would short-circuit the criminal case against his son, Hunter Biden.
The younger Mr Biden, an attorney and lobbyist turned visual artist, is currently facing two misdemeanour charges for allegedly failing to pay taxes for two years, as well as a felony charge for allegedly lying on a gun background check form.
Trump campaign leaps to support Byron Donald against DeSantis
Trump 2024 campaign spokesperson Jason Miller calls the “smear” of Congressman Byron Donalds over the topic of African American history teaching in Florida by the office of Governor Ron DeSantis a “disgrace”.
GOP rep faces wrath of DeSantis campaign with call to ‘correct’ Black history standards
Republican US Rep Byron Donalds has repeatedly echoed other GOP officials in a specious crusade against “critical race theory” and “woke” indoctrination in American schools.
But on 26 July, the Florida congressman called on Florida’s Department of Education to “correct” newly approved curriculum guidelines for middle school students to learn how enslaved people “developed skills” that could be “applied for personal benefit”.
Which presidential candidates have met RNC debate criteria?
Seven Republican presidential candidates have met the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) new criteria to participate in the first GOP debate on 23 August.
