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US Sentence Ex-Guinea-Bissau President’s Son To Jail

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The US Justice Department revealed on Tuesday that Malam Bacai Sanha Jr, 52, son of a former president of Guinea-Bissau, has been sentenced to over six and a half years in prison for his role in a transnational heroin trafficking scheme.

According to the statement from the US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Sanha Jr intended to use the illicit profits to finance a coup in Guinea-Bissau, aiming to seize power and establish what was termed a “drugs regime.”

Douglas Williams, special agent in charge of the FBI Houston Field Office, underscored the significance of Sanha Jr’s connection to power, stating, “Malam Bacai Sanha Jr. wasn’t any ordinary international drug trafficker.

“He is the son of the former president of Guinea-Bissau and was trafficking drugs for a very specific reason – to fund a coup.”

According to the statement, Sanha played a pivotal role as a leader and organizer in the heroin trafficking conspiracy, overseeing its importation from Europe to the United States.

He and a co-conspirator were apprehended upon their arrival in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in July 2022, and subsequently extradited to the United States.

Sanha admitted guilt in September 2023, pleading guilty to “conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance for the purpose of unlawful importation,” as outlined in Tuesday’s statement.

Sanha was therefore sentenced to 80 months in prison.

It is worth noting that Guinea-Bissau has a turbulent history marked by military coups and periods of democratic governance.

Despite this, elected leaders have managed to serve full terms since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974.

Sanha’s father, Malam Bacai Sanha, initially assumed the role of interim leader in 1999, installed by a junta, but subsequently lost the election the following year.

He later won the presidency in the 2009 election but passed away while seeking medical treatment in Paris in January 2012 before completing his term.

Sanha Jr, also known as “Bacaizinho” in Guinea-Bissau, has held various government positions, including serving as an economic advisor to his father.

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International News

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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