"Here is the difference between religion and science.

Science is going outside your house at night and seeing here is one large moon orbiting the Earth. No matter where on Earth you are, you know there is one and only one large moon orbiting the Earth.

Religion is this tribe over here worshiping one god and this other tribe worshiping 3 gods and this other tribe way over there worshiping 17 gods." -- Michael Rivero

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Coup leaders in Niger have overturned an eight-year-old law criminalising migrant smuggling in the country.

The legislation allowed authorities to take action against smugglers who transported migrants through Niger's vast desert on to Libya and Europe.

But President Mohamed Bazoum - who had worked with the EU to stem the flow of people across the Mediterranean - was overthrown in July in a coup.

Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani has since declared himself the new head of state.

The U.S., Norway, and the UK are urging the government of South Sudan to withdraw its troops from the disputed region of Abyei amid violence in which at least 27 people have been killed in recent days.

“We renew our calls upon the transitional government (of South Sudan) to urgently withdraw its troops in line with its commitments" as part of the deal for South Sudan's independence in 2011, their embassies in South Sudan said in a statement Monday.

Inter-communal and cross-border clashes have escalated since South Sudan deployed its troops to Abyei in March.