
General Armando da Costa Marna, Director General of Guinea-Bissau's General Intelligence Service, passed away on Thursday due to a "short illness," the Interior Ministry announced. General Marna, a former National Guard commander, was appointed to his strategic intelligence and security coordination role in 2023 by former President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. He became a key figure in the military group that overthrew Embalo in a November 2025 coup. A member of the ruling junta's High Military Command stated that Marna's death leaves a significant void in a country experiencing fragile stability since the 2025 coup. Guinea-Bissau has been led by the military since November 26, the day before the provisional results of the presidential and legislative elections were expected, with the electoral process suspended. The West African nation, located between Senegal and Guinea, has experienced five coups and numerous attempted coups since its independence from Portugal in 1974.
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Must ReadA UN expert, Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, has stated that systematic and widespread human rights violations, including crimes against humanity, are being committed by authorities in Eritrea. These violations encompass torture, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances, with no significant improvement observed in the human rights situation. Babiker, the UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, presented his report to the UN Human Rights Council, asserting that there are reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity continue in the country. He highlighted systematic and widespread enforced disappearances, prolonged incommunicado detentions without charge or trial, torture, and the persecution of political opponents, journalists, and religious communities as central features of governance in Eritrea. Many detainees reportedly remain in prisons for years, sometimes decades, without charge or trial, and authorities refuse to disclose their fate or location. While acknowledging the release of 13 long-term detainees in December 2025, Babiker expressed concern over ongoing arbitrary and prolonged detentions and enforced disappearances, including two prominent Muslim leaders in July 2025. With the Special Rapporteur's mandate nearing its end, over thirty NGOs, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have urged the Human Rights Council to extend it. These organizations noted that while Eritrea released a dozen detainees in late 2025 who had been held for ov
Must ReadAbdoul Aziz Diop, former special advisor to President Macky Sall, has been placed under a committal order and transferred to Rebeuss prison. This follows his referral by the Special Cybersecurity Division DSC after making controversial statements concerning Ousmane Sonko and his political party's activists. The public prosecutor at the Dakar High Court is prosecuting Diop for remarks contrary to public morals and insults made via a computer system. Diop is scheduled for trial next Tuesday. He reportedly admitted to making the statements during his interrogation by investigators but expressed no regret or apologies. Following his hearing, the prosecutor ordered his detention before his referral.

Demba Ba, former Senegal international and a recognized figure in European football, has been appointed sporting director of Le Havre AC. This move follows his successful tenure at Dunkerque, where he served as delegated president for three years. Ba's mission will be to continue the sporting development of the Norman club after Mathieu Bodmer's departure. During his time at Dunkerque, the club achieved a notable 2024-2025 season, finishing 4th in Ligue 2 and participating in the play-offs. The team also reached the semi-finals of the Coupe de France, leading 2-0 against Paris Saint-Germain before a 4-2 defeat. This season, Dunkerque finished 10th in the championship. Ba's playing career included stints at Hoffenheim, West Ham, Newcastle, Chelsea, as well as clubs in Turkey and China.