The army in Guinea-Bissau says it has foiled a plot to destabilise the government and arrested several senior military officers accused of attempting to subvert the country’s constitutional order.

The announcement, reported by AFP, came just a day before official campaign for both the legislative and presidential elections scheduled to start on Saturday (today).

‘This action is aimed to disrupt the electoral process’, the army’s deputy chief of staff, Gen. Mamadu Ture, said at a press conference in Bissau on Friday.

He, however, declined to reveal how many officers were arrested or give details of the alleged coup plot.

It was gathered that among those detained is Brgd. Gen. Daba Nawalna, head of a military training centre located about 30 kilometres from the capital, Bissau.

President Umaro Embaló, who is seeking reelection, had on Thursday warned that his administration would not tolerate any disturbances during the campaign period.

‘No disorder will be tolerated. The government has taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of each candidate during this campaign’, Embaló told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

The arrests come at a politically sensitive time for the small West African nation, where upcoming elections are expected to be dominated by Embaló following the disqualification of the main opposition party.

Guinea-Bissau has experienced decades of political instability marked by repeated coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. However, since the 2014 presidential election, it has made efforts to consolidate democratic governance and the rule of law.

The latest development comes amid growing concerns over the resurgence of military takeovers across West Africa. Since 2020, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea have all experienced coups that toppled elected governments, heightening fears of democratic regression in the region.

Though relatively calm in recent years, Guinea-Bissau remains one of West Africa’s most politically volatile states. The country has witnessed more than ten coup attempts, with the military maintaining strong influence over national politics.

In 2022, an attack on the presidential palace—described by Embaló as an attempted coup—left several people dead.

The second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince Andrew will have his royal titles formally removed and will have to move out ofbb his home in Windsor, Buckingham Palace said Thursday, Oct. 30.

This comes as the royal faces growing pressure over his ties to the later sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement that King Charles had “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours” of his younger brother.

“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” the palace said, an escalation from measures announced two weeks ago, when it said that Andrew would stop using some of his titles, including the Duke of York.

The palace said that the “censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him”.

“Their Majesties [King Charles and Queen Camilla] wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse,” the statement added.

The palace also said that a formal notice had been served for Andrew to leave his home at the Royal Lodge, close to Windsor Castle.

The palace said: “His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”

Andrew will move to a property on the royal family’s private Sandringham estate, and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will retain their titles, according to the Palace.

In a statement two weeks ago, Andrew cited “the continued accusations about me” that “distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”

“As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” Andrew said.

A new law in the United Kingdom prevents British citizenship from being automatically reinstated to individuals linked to terrorism, extremism, and serious organised crime.

The Deprivation of Citizenship Orders Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 27 October, ensures that citizenship is not restored after a successful appeal until all additional appeals have been exhausted.

The legislation closes a gap identified following a Supreme Court judgment in February 2025, which allowed people deprived of citizenship to regain that status upon an initial appeal.

Henceforth, the government will not be required to release individuals from immigration detention or allow them back into the UK if they pose a threat to public security and safety whilst appeals are ongoing.

The new law, passed by Parliament on October 21, will also prevent a person from renouncing any other nationalities they hold in order to render themselves solely British.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the government takes national security seriously, as the new law affirms that no chances will be taken when it comes to protecting the country and its people.

The new law, however, makes no change to a person’s existing right to appeal and does not expand the reasons for which a person may be deprived of their citizenship.

It follows a similar approach to human rights and asylum appeals cases, where asylum is not granted to a person appealing a rejection until all further appeals have been determined.