Why Nigerien Protesters Want French Army Out & Wave Russian Flags

"The latest protests in Niger were organized by the M62 movement, a group of NGOs which reportedly describes itself as "peaceful" and committed to "the dignity and sovereignty of the Nigerien people." Seydou Abdoulaye, the coordinator of the M62 Movement, told Agence France Presse (AFP) that Nigeriens demand the immediate departure of French troops from Niger as the military deployment violates Niger's sovereignty and destabilizes the Sahel.

France has beefed up its presence in Sahel since January 2013 when it launched Operation Serval to halt the advance of a coalition of Tuareg rebel and Islamist fighters in Mali. The French intervention came on the heels of the 2011 destruction of Libya by NATO. Following the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi’s government by NATO-backed rebels, the power vacuum saw greater destabilization in the region. The French-led Operation Barkhane succeeded Operation Serval in August 2014: approximately 4,500 French troops were deployed between Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad.

The fact that Nigeriens carried Russian flags during the protests could be explained by the people's belief that "Russia’s presence in the region may rescue them and Russia as a strong nation is maybe able to secure the region by fighting the insurgency," according to Dr. Ismael Buchanan.

On the other hand, the pro-Russian sentiment in Niger could be driven by Mali's decision to invite Russian military advisers from the PMC Wagner Group to cope with the rebel and jihadism threat following France's unilateral decision to pull out from the country." Sputnik

Pakistan PM's Legs Were 'Trembling' During Meeting With Vladimir Putin

"Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan mocked the behavior of the nation's current
leader Shehbaz Sharif during the latter’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Samarkand.

A video of the meeting, which has been widely shared online, shows Sharif struggling to plug in his translator earphone in front of the Russian President.

The video was also featured on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, a popular American comedy talk show." Sputnik.