Ex-US Senator Bob Menendez jailed for 11 years for bribery
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Quetta: BLA claims responsibility for attack on police that killed 4, injured 18
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Rampant street crimes leave residents of Khuzdar in fear and helplessness
The city of Khuzdar has become a hub of criminal activities, with reports indicating that street criminals, snatchers, and thieves are rampant in the area. The situation has left the residents of Khuzdar living in
Balochistan: two men killed in firing incidents
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Resident of Kech district disappears in Karachi raid
A man from Kech district, Balochistan, has reportedly disappeared in Karachi after Pakistani forces allegedly detained him and his two sons during a raid on their house in Goth Mallir. According to sources, the man’s
Balochistan’s captivating images; A lifeline for ailing photographer
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BSO-Azad concludes 23rd Council Session; Drapshan Baloch elected chairman
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Quetta: Security forces bring 3 dead bodies to a hospital
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Graphic Novel on a Baloch warrior launched on Amazon
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The War Is Not Over – Nadir Baloch
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Imran Khan: Ex-PM arrested outside court in Pakistan
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Court grants bail to Mahal Baloch
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Pakistan faces challenges securing IMF loan program and avoiding default
On Thursday, IMF officials stated at a press conference that Pakistan would need to secure additional external funds to complete the ninth review of its loan program. However, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar claims that
Federal Cabinet approved the deployment of army in Balochistan
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US Congress members write to Blinken about Pakistan’s crisis
The letter calls for pressure to ensure respect for democratic values and human rights in Pakistan. 60 members of the US Congress wrote a letter to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the dire
Hindu Girl Abducted at Gunpoint in Pithoro, Umarkot Sindh; Forced Marriage Feared
In a distressing incident, a Hindu girl named Hasena Oad has been abducted by Shokat Shar and four other individuals at gunpoint in Pithoro, Umarkot, Sindh. The girl’s father has filed a complaint at the
Baloch Students Council Condemns Attack on Baloch Students at Punjab University Lahore
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Brave Baloch warrior, Shari Baloch is laid to rest
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Last July, a jury found Menendez guilty on 16 counts for accepting gifts, including gold bars, cash and a Mercedes-Benz, in exchange for helping foreign governments.
Prosecutors were seeking at least a 15-year sentence, citing in court documents the “rare gravity” of the ex-senator’s crimes.
Lawyers for Menendez, 71, had called for a shorter sentence paired with community service.
Before receiving his sentence, Menendez cried while addressing the courtroom.
“Other than family, I have lost everything I ever cared about,” he said, according to court reporters. “Every day I’m awake is a punishment.”
He then asked the judge “to temper your sword of justice with the mercy of a lifetime of duty”.
Menendez’s son, Rob Menendez, a Democratic congressman, and his daughter, MSNBC anchor Alicia Menendez, were seated in court behind their father.
Earlier on Wednesday, two of Menendez’s co-conspirators were sentenced in the case.
Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer who prosecutors say delivered gold and cash to the senator, was given a sentence of seven years in prison and fined $1.75m (£1.4m).
Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman, who prosecutors say brokered a deal between Menendez and the Egyptian government, received more than eight years in prison and was fined $1.25m.
Menendez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has said he plans to appeal the guilty verdict.
The New Jersey senator, who used to lead the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, resigned from the upper chamber in August.
The guilty verdict came after a nine-week trial, during which jurors saw evidence that Menendez accepted gifts including gold bars worth over $100,000 and more than $480,000 in cash, found by FBI agents inside Menendez’s home.
In exchange for the bribes, prosecutors said Menendez helped secure millions of dollars in US aid for Egypt.
His lawyers argued the gifts did not qualify as bribes, saying prosecutors failed to prove Menendez took any actions as a result of the bribes.
The former senator was also convicted for trying to influence criminal probes involving his two co-defendants, Hana and Daibes.
A third businessman involved in the case, Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty and is expected to be sentenced later this year. He testified against Menendez during the trial.
Nadine Menendez, the ex-senator’s wife, has also been accused of acting as a participant in the scheme by shuttling messages and bribes between the three men and Egyptian officials.
Her trial was delayed so she could undergo breast cancer treatment and will begin in March. She has pleaded not guilty.
