Retired colonel interim leader

BAMAKO Retired colonel Bah Ndaw was sworn in as Mali’s interim president on Friday, tasked with presiding over an 18-month transition back to civilian rule.

Malian officials hope the inauguration will lead the country’s neighbours to lift punishing sanctions imposed after the Aug. 18 overthrow of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita as president.

Ndaw, 70, served as defence minister in 2014 and previously headed the air force. He has been described as “principled.”