Madagascar’s new government has stripped ousted president Andry Rajoelina of his Malagasy nationality in a decree published Friday, 10 days after he was removed in a military takeover.

According to AFP, the decree means that Rajoelina, who was impeached on October 14 after fleeing the island nation in the wake of weeks of protests, would not be able to contest future election.

The decree published in the official gazette said Rajoelina’s Malagasy nationality was revoked because he had acquired French nationality in 2014, local media reported, as photographs of the document were shared online.

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French broadcaster RFI said it had confirmed the decree with the entourage of the new prime minister, Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, who signed the order.

The decree cited laws stipulating that a Malagasy who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses their Malagasy nationality.

Rajoelina’s French nationality caused a scandal when it was revealed ahead of the November 2023 elections, nearly 10 years after it was granted.

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It triggered calls for him to be disqualified but he went on to win the contested polls, which were boycotted by opposition parties.

The 51-year-old politician fled Madagascar after army Colonel Michael Randrianirina said on October 11 his CAPSAT unit would refuse orders to put down the youth-led protest movement, which security forces had attempted to suppress with violence.

Rajoelina said later he was in hiding for his safety, but did not say where.

Randrianirina was sworn in as president on October 14, pledging elections within two years.

Former US vice president Kamala Harris said in a British television interview previewed in Saturday that she may “possibly” run again to be president.

Harris, who replaced Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate but lost to Donald Trump, told the BBC that she had not yet decided whether to make another White House bid.

But the 61-year-old insisted she was “not done” in American politics and that her young grandnieces would see a female president in the Oval Office “in their lifetime, for sure”.

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“I have lived my entire career a life of service, and it’s in my bones, and there are many ways to serve.

“I’ve not decided yet what I will do in the future, beyond what I am doing right now,” Harris told the British broadcaster in an interview set to air in full on Sunday.

The comments are the strongest hint yet that Harris could attempt to be the Democratic Party nominee for the 2028 election.

READ ALSO:Kamala Harris Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination

The interview follows the release of her memoir last month, in which she argued it had been “recklessness” to let Biden run for a second term as president.

She also accused his White House team of failing to support her while she was his deputy, and at times of actively hindering her.

AFP

The Police in India have uncovered a transnational drug distribution network allegedly operated by a group of Nigerian nationals, following a series of coordinated raids across the Delhi-NCR region over the weekend.

According to a report by thetimesofindia, three suspects, including two Nigerian women, were arrested for their roles in the trafficking of synthetic drugs such as MDMA and cocaine. The suspects, identified as Precious and Gift (believed to be a misspelling of Gift), were apprehended near Bakhtawar Chowk by officers from the Crime Unit, Sector 43.

According to investigators, the women had been staying at Food Empire, near the Bajaj showroom on Devli Road in Delhi, from where they allegedly managed deliveries to clients across Gurgaon and parts of Delhi.

“A total of 39 grams of MDMA, classified as a commercial quantity, was recovered from their possession,” the news platform quoted an unnamed police officer as saying. “They have been booked under Section 21(C) of the NDPS Act at Sadar Police Station, Gurgaon.”

READ ALSO:NDLEA Intercepts Drugs Concealed In Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs

Quoting police sources, the newspaper reported that the Nigerians entered India on medical visas two years ago but remained in India illegally after their visas expired. Apart from supplying drugs, they were said to be involved in sex work around MG Road at night.

It added that based on information obtained during interrogation, a team led by Inspector Narendra raided a building in Khanpur Extension, Delhi, on Sunday morning with assistance from the Delhi Police.

The operation led to the seizure of additional narcotics and drug-making equipment, including 22 grams of white MDMA, 3 grams of brown MDMA, 9 grams of cocaine, an electronic weighing machine, packaging materials, and mobile phones.

Another Nigerian woman, identified as Joy, was found at the premises. Police said her boyfriend, believed to be a key figure in the drug ring, had escaped a day earlier.

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“The entire building had been rented by Nigerians who were running a drug manufacturing and distribution setup,” Inspector Narendra said. “They produced MDMA and cocaine using chemical substances and distributed them nationwide through the dark web and other covert channels.”

Recall that in October, Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Police in India arrested a Nigerian national following the seizure of 523 grams of cocaine valued at approximately ₹5.23 crore (worth about N861,705,887.60) during an early morning operation on Saturday.

According to https://www.lokmattimes.com police sources said the operation was conducted around 4:15 a.m. near Diamond Ayva Hostel on Hansmukh Road, Vakola, after a patrol team noticed a man loitering suspiciously on the pavement.

Officers reportedly invited independent witnesses to the scene before carrying out a search.

A white nylon bag was allegedly found in the suspect’s possession, which contained a transparent plastic pouch holding the cocaine.