NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger's military junta's priorities are to clean up the socio-political environment and restore democracy by holding transparent elections, spokesman Col. Abdulkarim Gukoye told reporters on Wednesday. The junta, which calls itself the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, last week overthrew President Mamadou Tandja, who had ruled the West African uranium exporter for more than ...

The United States stepped up calls Monday for a peaceful and early transition from military to civilian rule in uranium-rich Niger where a military coup has overthrown President Mamadou Tandja. The appeal came after the junta promised to hand over power to civilian rulers and return the west African state to democracy as soon as politicians agreed on a new ...

The United States stepped up calls Monday for an early transition from military rule in uranium-rich Niger as hundreds poured onto the streets of the deposed president's home town to celebrate his ouster. The demonstrators in Tandja's southeastern home city of Diffa lauded the military junta for saving Niger from authoritarian rule and called for early elections, state ...

Thousands of people took part in fresh demonstrations Sunday in support of Niger's new military junta, state radio said, as UN and African envoys arrived for urgent talks with the coup leaders. The officers who led an assault on Niger's presidential palace on Thursday are still holding President Mamadou Tandja and five of his ministers, said Tandja's ...