Amid heightened political tensions, authorities in Madagascar imposed a curfew on Wednesday (Nov 15) a day ahead of the presidential elections scheduled on Thursday (Nov 16), after a majority of opposition candidates boycotted the polls in the country.

Angelo Ravelonarivo, the police prefect in the capital, during a media briefing, said that the decision to adopt the measure was taken after "various acts of sabotage".

It follows "various acts of sabotage" including the "burning of a polling station", he said.

He said that the curfew would come into force at 09:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Wednesday and last until 04:00 am the next day.

The elections are scheduled to open at 06:00 am and close at 05:00 pm on Thursday (Nov 16). This comes after more than a month of staged street demonstrations.

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The Indian Ocean island nation has been dazed by a ferocious battle between President Andry Rajoelina, who is running for re-election, and most opposition leaders, who have claimed that an "institutional coup" was in favour of the incumbent.&nbsp;

<h2>Opposition candidates call on voters to disregard elections</h2>

Out of 12 opposition candidates, nearly 10 on Tuesday (Nov 14), urged the voters to disregard the elections taking into consideration the vote's regularity.

"We appeal to everyone not to vote. Conditions for a transparent presidential election, accepted by all, have not been met," said Roland Ratsiraka, one of the protesting candidates.

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"We do not want to participate in this fraud, it is a joke on Madagascar."

Since October, the opposition leaders have illegally staged street demonstrations in the capital city that have on an average drawn a dozen supporters and have been regularly dispersed by police.

Rajoelina, 49, has rebuffed criticism and expressed confidence that he will win another term in the first round.

His government has repeatedly denounced the protests as moved by a "desire to overthrow power" and to "sabotage the electoral process", accusing the opposition of "threatening the stability of the country".

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Amid heightened political tensions, authorities in Madagascar imposed a curfew on Wednesday (Nov 15) a day ahead of the presidential elections scheduled on Thursday (Nov 16), after a majority of opposition candidates boycotted the polls in the country.

Amid heightened political tensions, authorities in Madagascar imposed a curfew on Wednesday (Nov 15) a day ahead of the presidential elections scheduled on Thursday (Nov 16), after a majority of opposition candidates boycotted the polls in the country. Angelo Ravelonarivo, the police prefect in the capital, during a media briefing, said that the decision to adopt the measure was taken after "various acts of sabotage". It follows "various acts of sabotage" including the "burning of a polling station", he said. He said that the curfew would come into force at 09:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Wednesday and last until 04:00 am the next day. The elections are scheduled to open at 06:00 am and close at 05:00 pm on Thursday (Nov 16). This comes after more than a month of staged street demonstrations. Also read: Greenhouse gas concentration hit record high in 2022: UN The Indian Ocean island nation has been dazed by a ferocious battle between President Andry Rajoelina, who is running for re-election, and most opposition leaders, who have claimed that an "institutional coup" was in favour of the incumbent. Opposition candidates call on voters to disregard elections Out of 12 opposition candidates, nearly 10 on Tuesday (Nov 14), urged the voters to disregard the elections taking into consideration the vote's regularity. "We appeal to everyone not to vote. Conditions for a transparent presidential election, accepted by all, have not been met," said Roland Ratsiraka, one of the protesting candidates. Also read: Watch | Earthquakes in Iceland cause massive cracks on roads, smoke rises from ground "We do not want to participate in this fraud, it is a joke on Madagascar." Since October, the opposition leaders have illegally staged street demonstrations in the capital city that have on an average drawn a dozen supporters and have been regularly dispersed by police. Rajoelina, 49, has rebuffed criticism and expressed confidence that he will win another term in the first round. His government has repeatedly denounced the protests as moved by a "desire to overthrow power" and to "sabotage the electoral process", accusing the opposition of "threatening the stability of the country". (With inputs from agencies)

Madagascar imposes curfew in Antananarivo ahead of presidential elections

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina survived an assassination attempt on Tuesday, according to the prosecutor general's office.

Authorities allegedly foiled an assassination attempt on Rajoelina and apprehended several "foreigners and Madagascar natives."

Two French nationals were held as part of the probe, according to a diplomatic source.

According to Radio France Internationale, the foreigners detained were Paul Rafanoharana, a Franco-Malagasy, and Philippe Francois, a Frenchman. 
 
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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/president-of-haiti-assassinated-in-private-residence-interim-pm-396588/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Rafanoharana was arrested at his house Tuesday evening, according to the media outlet's unidentified source, while Francois was stopped at Ivato Airport as he was preparing to leave for France.

(With inputs from agencies)

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina survived an assassination attempt on Tuesday, according to the prosecutor general's office. Authorities allegedly foiled an assassination attempt on Rajoelina and apprehended several "foreigners and Madagascar natives.

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina survived an assassination attempt on Tuesday, according to the prosecutor general's office. Authorities allegedly foiled an assassination attempt on Rajoelina and apprehended several "foreigners and Madagascar natives." Two French nationals were held as part of the probe, according to a diplomatic source. According to Radio France Internationale, the foreigners detained were Paul Rafanoharana, a Franco-Malagasy, and Philippe Francois, a Frenchman. Watch | President of Haiti assassinated in private residence: Interim PM Rafanoharana was arrested at his house Tuesday evening, according to the media outlet's unidentified source, while Francois was stopped at Ivato Airport as he was preparing to leave for France. (With inputs from agencies)

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina reportedly survives assassination attempt

Pope&nbsp;Francis, on a&nbsp;visit&nbsp;to Madagascar, on Sunday condemned what he said was its&nbsp;clan&nbsp;culture&nbsp;of&nbsp;privilege&nbsp;and corruption that allows a very few to live in wealth while the vast majority languish in grinding poverty.

He spoke in a homily of a Mass on a sprawling field on the outskirts of the capital Antananarivo for hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom had spent the night outdoors in unseasonably cool weather. The Vatican said local organisers had estimated the crowd at about a million people.

As he has since the start of his three-country swing through sub-Saharan Africa, Francis spoke out about the gap between the haves and have-nots on the continent. He has already&nbsp;visited Mozambique and will move on to Mauritius on Monday.

Francis decried a&nbsp;clan&nbsp;culture&nbsp;that provided a boost only to those connected to it while leaving many others permanently excluded, or at best marginalised without opportunities to improve their lives.

"When 'family' becomes the decisive criterion for what we consider right and good, we end up justifying and even

'consecrating' practices that lead to the&nbsp;culture&nbsp;of&nbsp;privilege&nbsp;and exclusion: favouritism, patronage and - as a consequence - corruption," the pontiff said in his homily.

Madagascar&nbsp;is the world's fourth-largest island and one of its poorest countries.

The UN&nbsp;World Food Programme estimates that more than 90 per cent&nbsp;of&nbsp;Madagascar's 26 million population live on less than $2 a day, with chronic child malnutrition widespread.

Corruption is rampant among the country's political and business class, according to organisations such as Transparency International, which ranks&nbsp;Madagascar&nbsp;in the lowest quarter of its global Corruption Perceptions Index.

"As we look around us, how many men and women, young people and children are suffering and in utter need!" the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-stuck-in-elevator-for-25-minutes-freed-by-fire-brigade-246992">pope</a>&nbsp;said.

While in Antananarivo, Francis's motorcade passed by people plying trades like metalworking and carpentry on the sides of dusty roads, followed minutes later by walled-off, European-style villas with gardens and pools.

Francis has often called for greater income equality and a fairer distribution of wealth between prosperous and developing countries, and he has defended the right of countries to control their mineral resources.

After the Mass, Francis was due to&nbsp;visit&nbsp;Akamasoa, a district of the capital known as "The City of Friendship."

It was founded by Father Pedro Opeka, a 71-year-old missionary who studied theology under the future&nbsp;pope&nbsp;in their native Argentina before dedicating his life to building communities for the families of&nbsp;Madagascar.

Over the last 50 years, an organization founded by Opeka has built homes for 25,000 people, 100 schools, six clinics, and&nbsp;two football stadiums. Next year they plan to build a college for paramedics.

Pope Francis, on a visit to Madagascar, on Sunday condemned what he said was its clan culture of privilege and corruption that allows a very few to live in wealth while the vast majority languish in grinding poverty.

Pope Francis, on a visit to Madagascar, on Sunday condemned what he said was its clan culture of privilege and corruption that allows a very few to live in wealth while the vast majority languish in grinding poverty. He spoke in a homily of a Mass on a sprawling field on the outskirts of the capital Antananarivo for hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom had spent the night outdoors in unseasonably cool weather. The Vatican said local organisers had estimated the crowd at about a million people. As he has since the start of his three-country swing through sub-Saharan Africa, Francis spoke out about the gap between the haves and have-nots on the continent. He has already visited Mozambique and will move on to Mauritius on Monday. Francis decried a clan culture that provided a boost only to those connected to it while leaving many others permanently excluded, or at best marginalised without opportunities to improve their lives. "When 'family' becomes the decisive criterion for what we consider right and good, we end up justifying and even 'consecrating' practices that lead to the culture of privilege and exclusion: favouritism, patronage and - as a consequence - corruption," the pontiff said in his homily. Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island and one of its poorest countries. The UN World Food Programme estimates that more than 90 per cent of Madagascar's 26 million population live on less than $2 a day, with chronic child malnutrition widespread. Corruption is rampant among the country's political and business class, according to organisations such as Transparency International, which ranks Madagascar in the lowest quarter of its global Corruption Perceptions Index. "As we look around us, how many men and women, young people and children are suffering and in utter need!" the pope said. While in Antananarivo, Francis's motorcade passed by people plying trades like metalworking and carpentry on the sides of dusty roads, followed minutes later by walled-off, European-style villas with gardens and pools. Francis has often called for greater income equality and a fairer distribution of wealth between prosperous and developing countries, and he has defended the right of countries to control their mineral resources. After the Mass, Francis was due to visit Akamasoa, a district of the capital known as "The City of Friendship." It was founded by Father Pedro Opeka, a 71-year-old missionary who studied theology under the future pope in their native Argentina before dedicating his life to building communities for the families of Madagascar. Over the last 50 years, an organization founded by Opeka has built homes for 25,000 people, 100 schools, six clinics, and two football stadiums. Next year they plan to build a college for paramedics.

Pope Francis, on Madagascar visit, condemns clan culture of privilege, graft

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