Lawyers

• Dilma Rousseff Impeachment Update: Lower House backs ousting of Brazilian President

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, is on the verge of impeachment following the accusations thrown at her involving graft and manipulation of government accounts. The lower House of Congress has decided to support the impeachment.

• Burkina Faso coup leader handed over to government: sources

  The leader of a short-lived coup in Burkina Faso, General Gilbert Diendere, was handed over to authorities on Thursday after seeking refuge in the Vatican embassy, sources in the transitional government said on Thursday.

• Thai junta hits royal critics with record jail time

  Just minutes after being locked up for 30 years for insulting Thailand’s monarchy, Pongsak Sriboonpeng described what he thought was the cause of his capture: a poorly chosen Facebook friend.

• Fighting flares after Burundi army chief says coup attempt failed

  The head of Burundi's army said on Thursday that an attempted coup had failed and forces loyal to President Pierre Nkurunziza were in control but heavy gunfire in the capital suggested the battle for power was not yet over.

• Violence flares in Venezuela on anniversary of 2014 fatalities

  Venezuelan security forces faced off with stone-wielding protesters on Thursday as supporters of President Nicolas Maduro also rallied on the anniversary of last year's fatal unrest.

• Ex-Thai PM's party vows calm, U.S. calls for inclusive politics

  Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai Party vowed on Monday it would not retaliate a five-year political ban imposed on the ousted leader, and a leading party figure said their movement could survive without the powerful family.

• Army clears protesters, fires warning shots in Burkina Faso

  Burkina Faso's army cleared thousands of protesters from the capital and fired warning shots at state TV headquarters on Sunday as it sought to tighten its grip on power following the resignation of President Blaise Compaore two days ago.

• Madagascar's ex-leader detained after return

  Madagascar's exiled former leader Marc Ravalomanana was detained on Monday after returning to the Indian Ocean island for the first time since he was deposed in a coup in 2009.

• Lesotho brings forward vote to ease political crisis

  Lesotho will hold elections earlier than scheduled in 2017, in an effort to ease a political crisis that resulted in an apparent coup last month, southern African regional leaders said on Tuesday.