Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou says his government has foiled a coup plot and made a number of arrests, amid tensions ahead of next year's election.

Beijing authorities issue a second pollution "red alert", little more than a week after its first ever such warning.

An effective vaccine to protect against the Mers virus is a step closer, say scientists.

Rwandans are voting in a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would allow President Paul Kagame to potentially remain in power until 2034.

An Australian airport security officer is sacked after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was reportedly singled out for a security screening.

The Pentagon plans to transfer 17 Guantanamo Bay detainees, reports say - a move that would cut the controversial US prison camp's population to 90.

PM David Cameron says "really good progress" has been made at a EU summit in Brussels but talks on renegotiating UK membership will be "very difficult".

In a major setback for the opposition, Brazil's Supreme Court scraps a commission dealing with impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff.