Military Takeover In Madagascar
The military has taken over power in the tiny Indian Ocean African Island nation of Madagascar.
The military, led by Colonel Michael Randriaririna, said it had seized power and would constitute a transition administration that would cap in a democratic poll in two years time.
News of the putsch , against which the African Union, AU, had warned, was largely welcomed in parts of the country, especially the capital, Antananarivo, which had been engulfed in protests .
The announcement by the military junta was immediately followed by an adhoc closed door meeting of its brass and elements of the civil.political class.
It came strong on the heels of the move by the National Assembly to Impeach runaway President, Andry Rajoelina.
The Senate had, yesterday, voted by an impressive 130 ballots , against one invalid one, to impeach Rajoelina, who, on Sunday night, made a video broadcast in which he said he had taken refuge in an unnamed secret location, for his own safety.
The military has yet to make a definite pronouncement on the fate of democratic institutions in the country, including the National Assembly.
The putsch ends 16 years of the leadership of Rajoelina, who, in the swan says of his administration, had been dogged by crisis arising from the youth- led protests against unemployment, corruption ,and shortfalls in public power and energy supplies.
The United Nations (UN) claims that 22 persons were killed in the protests in which the elite unit of the country’ s military, led by the coup leader and now leader of the country, Col Randriaririna, later participated.
Other sources put the casualty figures much higher.
Kenya
Former Kenyan PM, Opposition leader, Raila Odinga, Dies In India
Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, and other parts of the country have been thrown into mourning following the death at dawn today of the country’ s former Prime Minister and lead opposition figure, Raila Odinga.
He was 80 years old.
Odinga, a staunch Pro- democracy activist, was Prime Minister of the country between 2008 and 2013.
He died in the Indian state of Erala, of heart attack , while undergoing medical treatment.
Odinga was jailed multiple times for his Pro- democracy activism.
The Kenyan government was yet to issue a formal statement on his passing, at press time.
America
Trump Okays $20 billion Economic Support For Argentina
American President, Donald Trump, has okayed a lifeline of $20 billion in aid for cash – strapped Argentina.
The controversial move, coming just weeks before crucial parliamentary polls which the party of the Argentine President, Javier Milei, is trailing in exit polls, has raised grave concerns in America even among Trump’s loyalists.
Milei is visiting America, and is due to attend a crucial session of the World Bank, also called the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ( IBRD) .
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank (IBRD) are also called the Bretton Woods Institutes
Announcing the package at a meeting with visiting Milei, Trump said America would not sustain the support of Argentina, if Milei ‘s unnamed opponent in the polls, whom he tagged a die- hard communist, earns victory in the decisive imminent polls.
Critics say the gesture of Trump vitiates not only his America First policy, but also represents an attempt to influence the outcome of a set of polls in a foreign country.
Israel
Israel Begins Scale Down of Gaza Aid Inflow
Israel today began implementing the significant scale down of the volume of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza, in fulfilment of its earlier threat in that regard.
The Jewish nation had signed up to allowing a minimum of 600 aid trucks into the enclave daily, under the aegis of the peace deal with Hamas.
But now it said it has shrunk the size by half from 600 trucks per day, citing the failure of Hamas to release all of the living and dead hostages in its custody, as spelt out under the deal.
Israel had notified the United Nations (UN) officially if its intent in that direction, and by early this morning, began effecting the threat.
The development means that only a maximum of 300 trucks of Humanitarian aid could enter Gaza daily.
Tek Aviv has not clarified if it would allow for the entry of the full volume of 600 trucks per day if Hamas released all hostages in its custody.
So far, Hamas has released eight (8) of the dead hostages and all 20 living ones to Israel via the Red Cross.
Israel has claimed that one of the bodies it received from Hamas was not of a hostage.
The Red Cross says releasing all of the hostages would be difficult because of the scale of the destruction of the enclave by Israeli troops.
Indonesia
Indonesia Begins Decontamination Exercise
Indonesia has begun the decontamination of a site of a shrimp export firm , following its link to Cesium contaminant.
The decontamination is holding at the premises of a firm that had been involved in the export of shrimps to America.
The exercise began after America’ s food regulatory agencies, found traces of Cesium -137 in the imported shrimps.
Cesium id a by- product of nuclear fusion, a prelude to the making of the atómic bomb.
The exercise is to ensure that all traces of Cesium in the area are eroded and for the export of shrimps to resurge .
Qatar
Qataris Savour First On-Field WC Qualification
Tens of thousands of Qataris flooded the streets last night after their national football team picked a ticket to the Football World Cup championship holding in America, Mexico and Canada.
The Qataris beat their opponents from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by two goals to one to earn the ticket, their first from the field if play.
Qatar has only participated in the tournament as hosts, and lost all its three preliminary found games.
Following the victory over the UAE team, the streets of Doha, the capital, and other parts of the emirate erupted in joy as revellers hit entertainment spots across the tiny country.
Pakistan
Again, Afghan,Pakistani Troops Trade Gunfire
For the second time in just a week, troops of both Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded gunfire across their common border.
The clashes came just three days after both sides first had skirmishes around Torkam along their common border.
There were no words, at press time, regarding cadualties , but following the skirmishes, both countries have shut their common borders.
