Lindsey Hilsum , International Editor

West Africa is in the midst of a wave of military coups which have swept through the region playing havoc with many long-standing international relationships.

Many of the people who attempt the sea crossing from north Africa – especially Libya and Tunisia – have travelled long distances through central Africa to reach the Mediterranean shore, many seeking to escape famine or political turmoil back home.

France is withdrawing its ambassador from Niger – and says it will pull out its troops there by the end of the year – after the democratically elected president was overthrown by a military coup. 

After 24 hours of intensive bombardment, the President of Azerbaijan claims it has restored its sovereignty “with an iron fist” over Nagorno-Karabakh.

25 people have been killed today as Azerbaijan launched a military operation in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Five Americans who’ve spent years in jail in Iran are finally on their way home – after a prisoner swap deal was brokered by Qatar.

The North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has given his full support to what he called Russia’s “sacred struggle” – as he met Vladimir Putin for talks at a space facility in Russia’s far east. According to Kim, the two leaders agreed to “further strengthen strategic and tactical co-operation” – although there were no details…

A meeting of two isolated leaders, usually too afraid of leaving home. North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un left his country by armoured train for the first time in four years to meet President Putin in Eastern Siberia. 

We analyse what impact the recent spy claims will have on UK-China relations

The Ukrainian authorities have said that a devastating Russian strike on a town close to the front lines in eastern Ukraine has killed at least 17 people and left dozens injured.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has replaced his defence minister, after the department became embroiled in a series of corruption scandals. Although Oleksiy Reznikov has not been implicated, Mr Zelenskyy said it was time for “new approaches”. The change comes at a critical moment for Ukraine’s battle to win back territory from the Russians. Today…

Twenty four hours after the plane crash thought to have killed Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin has commented publicly on it.

Russian state television has confirmed the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin. He was listed as a passenger on a private jet which crashed north of Moscow.

In the weeks since he led a humiliating mutiny against Russia’s military leadership – Yevgeny Priogozhin’s whereabouts have been largely unknown. 

Intense battles have been raging around the Sudanese capital Khartoum between government troops and the paramilitary Rapid support forces.