Guinea-Bissau PM's adviser arrested in Spain on drug charges, police say
Spanish police have arrested a special adviser to the prime minister of Guinea-Bissau, on the island of Tenerife in an investigation into suspected corruption and drug trafficking involving police officers, authorities said on Friday.
Following Wednesday's arrest, a court in Tenerife ordered that Lebanon-born Mohamed Jamil Derbah, who is a Tenerife resident, be remanded in jail without bail as the suspected leader of a crime ring, while others were released.
"Nine people were arrested on Wednesday in an operation by police internal affairs. Two were retired police officers and one is serving," a Spanish National Police spokesperson said on Friday.
Guinea-Bissau's prime minister, Rui Duarte de Barros, appointed Derbah as his special aide and a permanent member of the International Relations and Trade Commission in 2024.
The prime minister's office did not respond to requests for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
a day ago
- eNCA
Spain economy minister urges fair, balanced EU-US tariff deal
Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said a tariff pact between the EU and Washington should be "fair and balanced," although both sides remain far from a deal as a July deadline approaches. "There is still a long way to go to reach an agreement, but there remains the will to do so," Cuerpo told AFP in an interview on Thursday. His comments came on the sidelines of a trip to Houston, Texas, as he sought to reassure Spanish businesses rattled by US President Donald Trump's wide-ranging tariffs. Trump has slapped a 10 percent tariff on almost all trading partners including the European Union since returning to the presidency in January. He also threatened to impose heftier duties of 50 percent on the bloc, although pausing the higher rate until July 9. For now, Trump's existing tariffs, including 25 percent US duties on imported automobiles and 50 percent levies on steel and aluminum, are affecting European companies, Cuerpo said. Pressure is mounting as July approaches. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC this week that an EU deal will likely be among the last that Washington completes, even as he remained optimistic that both sides would reach this goal. Arriving at a deal by July 9 would be ideal as it signals "certainty and confidence," Cuerpo said. He maintained that things are "progressing," stressing that "there is unanimity among the 27 member states to reach a fair and balanced agreement." - No 'overreaction' - He added that while Europe has prepared a response package to Trump's tariffs, Brussels is holding off implementation so that it cannot be "interpreted as an escalation in this tariff conflict." It is critical that the EU gives a "very clear signal" that it wants to strike a deal with the Trump administration, he said. "The fundamental thing is to avoid any element of overreaction," he added. Besides the EU, higher US tariffs on goods from dozens of economies including Japan and India are also due to take effect in July. Trump has taken an especially harsh stance on China as Beijing pushed back on US levies, with both sides engaging in an escalating tariffs war that has only been temporarily rolled back. The Spanish minister expects Trump's tariffs to have limited effect on his country's economic growth this year, given its smaller exposure to the US market. But he warned that certain sectors like olive oil and wine are at higher risk as more of such exports head to the United States. In the interim, Cuerpo noted the importance too of the Mercosur agreement, a trade deal between the European Union and four South American nations including Brazil. Asked if a new global trade order is emerging, Cuerpo said: "This feeling is widely shared." "We are witnessing a rebalancing of these trade relations at the international level and what nobody knows is what's the new point we will reach," he added. By Moisés Ávila
The South African
a day ago
- The South African
Wonder Woman's Lynda Carter slams US immigration raids
Lynda Carter, the original Wonder Woman, has leapt into the heart of America's latest immigration storm. She delivered a fiery rebuke of US immigration authorities amid the chaos gripping Los Angeles. As protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids spiralled into riots, Carter, now 73, took to social media. 'I am Latina and proud. I am the product of immigration – my grandmother was undocumented and entered the country from Mexico as a baby. This madness must stop'. ICE swept through the city, pulling workers from jobs and detaining them for deportation, including, shockingly, some American citizens, according to the Daily Mail. The raids triggered mass protests that quickly turned violent. Downtown businesses were looted, cars burned, and major highways blocked. By Monday, police had made nearly 400 arrests, mostly for failing to disperse, while nine officers suffered injuries. Carter's posts, made on the Blue Sky platform, resonated with many. 'Immigrants built this country. Apart from people indigenous to the US, we are ALL immigrants. This madness must stop,' she insisted. One fan summed up the mood: 'Wonder Woman has spoken. End of discussion.' But not everyone agreed. Some pointed out that her message overlooked the legacy of slavery in America. 'Juneteenth is right around the corner, you should delete this,' one critic replied. The unrest in LA has echoes for South Africans, who know all too well the tensions that arise when authorities crack down. Scenes of tear gas, burning vehicles, and heavily armed troops have become all too familiar. 'There was a kind of stampede of people, and we were tear-gassed,' said Pau Castro, a local caught in the fray. The US president responded by deploying 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines – a show of force that California's governor condemned as 'inflammatory'. Carter's story and pride in her roots, along with her call for compassion, echo the ongoing debates here about migration, identity, and justice. 'My mother was a fierce, gorgeous Latina woman of Mexican and Spanish descent,' Carter wrote, reminding followers that migration is woven into countless family stories. As the LA riots rage on, the city's streets remain a battleground between federal power and local resistance. The protests have sparked solidarity marches across the US, as the country wrestles with the meaning of belonging. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Cartoon of the day: 13 June 2025
Elon Musk says he regrets some of the social media posts he made about US President Donald Trump. South Africa-born Elon Musk has backtracked on his criticism of US President Donald Trump, saying some of his social media posts went 'too far'. The billionaire said he regretted the posts. Among the posts, Musk called Trump's tax and spending bill a 'disgusting abomination.' He also claimed Trump was named in the files related to the alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Trump reportedly responded to Musk's apology by saying: 'I thought it was very nice that he did that.' The apology also comes after Trump threatened to cancel Musk's government contracts. The shares of Musk's company Tesla also took a hit during the feud. NOW READ: Accusations and threats fly as Trump and Musk alliance melts down in blazing public row
