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Gabon’s Ex-First Lady Sylvia Bongo Faces Multiple Charges

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Gabon’s former first lady, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Valentin, has been formally charged with “money laundering” and other offenses, according to the public prosecutor’s announcement on Friday.

 

The charges come a month after her husband, ex-president Ali Bongo Ondimba, was ousted in a coup.

 

The coup leader alleges that Sylvia Bongo, who holds dual Franco-Gabonese citizenship, along with one of their sons, orchestrated significant influence in the governance of the oil-rich country.

 

Noureddin Bongo Valentin, the eldest son, is already facing charges of corruption and embezzlement of public funds, alongside former cabinet members and two ex-ministers.

 

Sylvia Bongo was charged by an investigating judge on Thursday and has been placed under house arrest. Additional charges against her include concealment and forgery, according to the judge’s statement.

 

She has been confined to house arrest in Libreville since the August 30 coup that marked the end of the 55-year Bongo dynasty rule.

 

In response to her isolation from her husband, French lawyers representing her filed a complaint in Paris, characterizing the situation as “what appears to be a hostage-taking.”

 

At 64, Ali Bongo, who governed the central African country since 2009, was ousted by military leaders shortly after being declared the winner in a contested presidential election.

 

The opposition and military coup leaders denounced the election as fraudulent, citing allegations of widespread corruption and poor governance under his regime.

 

To some, the overthrow was viewed more as an act of liberation than a conventional military coup.

 

Ali Bongo ascended to the presidency in 2009 following the death of his father, Omar, who had held power for nearly 42 years.

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DOJ Confirms Federal Criminal Investigation After Agents Raid Ilhan Omar’s Home

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Federal agents raided the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed.

Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence at about 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a report by Fox News.

SEE MORE: Trump Sparks Outrage With Shock Proposal to Rename New Mexico

The report said both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ are involved in the investigation.

A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the operation, stating: “Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”

The spokesperson added: “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”

 

 

Details later……….

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Bangkok Underwater: Nearly 4,900 Evacuated as Floods Hit Thailand Capital

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Heavy rains have triggered severe flooding across parts of Bangkok, Thailand, forcing nearly 4,900 residents to evacuate to shelters as floodwaters swept through roads and residential areas.

The flooding has disrupted movement across parts of the Thai capital, with motorists and pedestrians forced to navigate submerged roads and seek alternative routes.

SEE ALSO: NAFDAC Warns Nigerians As Fake Cowbell Milk Floods Market

According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, about 52,000 households have been affected by the flooding, prompting authorities to declare a flood disaster and intensify emergency response efforts.

Emergency teams have been deployed to assist affected communities and move residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as water levels rise.

Bangkok is accustomed to seasonal heavy rainfall, but intense downpours can overwhelm drainage systems, particularly in low-lying areas, resulting in widespread flooding and disruption.

Authorities are continuing to monitor affected locations while coordinating evacuations and other emergency measures.

For thousands of residents, the immediate priority remains securing safe shelter and protecting homes and livelihoods as authorities work to manage the situation and restore normal activities once the floodwaters recede.

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‘They Are Dying’ — Trump Explains Why He Rejected Iran’s Hormuz Proposal

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US President Donald Trump has explained his decision to reject Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran was seeking an agreement because it was losing revenue.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Iran wanted to immediately reopen the strategically important waterway but argued that the proposal was not acceptable to his administration.

“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable,” Trump said.

SEE ALSO: How the Strait of Hormuz Attack Could Trigger a Fresh Global Oil Shock

According to the US president, Iran’s push to reopen the strait was driven by the economic pressure it was facing.

“What they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. Do you know why? Because they are dying,” Trump said.

“You know why they’re dying? Because they have no money coming in, because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait.”

Trump also claimed that the US had established an unprecedented naval blockade against Iran, describing it as “a wall of steel.”

“So they outsmarted themselves. We put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel,” he said.

“And guess what? They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the strait.”

The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy shipping route, and disruption to traffic through the waterway has significant implications for international oil markets and countries that depend on energy imports.

Trump’s remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over the reopening of the strategic waterway and negotiations involving Iran.

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