Mali must appoint civilian government immediately, says regional bloc
MALI’S military coup leaders must hand over power to a civilian transitional government immediately, the chairman of the West African regional bloc said on said, as a deadline expired for the ruling junta to appoint interim leaders. The 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed economic sanctions after the August 18 overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and said a new president should be appointed by Tuesday. But the junta pushed through a charter on Saturday that says the interim president can be a soldier or a civilian and has not yet indicated when the new government would…