Junta leaders’ meeting overshadows West African summit

A West African leaders’ summit opens on Sunday amid political turmoil after the military rulers of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso cemented a breakaway union at a rival meeting.The three countries announced they were forming a new confederation, and their defiant first gathering on the eve of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit marks another test for the regional bloc they split away from earlier this year.ECOWAS is already wrestling with sweeping jihadist violence, financial trouble and the challenges of mustering a regional force.It was not clear how the weakened…