167-year-old newspaper faces US sanctions
167-year-old newspaper faces US sanctions
June 15, 2016
Panama City: A 167-year-old newspaper in Panama that existed even before the country became independent is faced with extinction because its main shareholder has been hit with US sanctions for allegedly laundering drug money.
The daily, La Estrella de Panama, and a sister newspaper, El Siglo, are in “real danger of closing,” the head of its publishing company, Eduardo Quiros, told foreign correspondents on Monday.
Both titles are published by Gese, which is part of a business empire owned by Abdul Waked, a Panamanian who also holds Lebanese and Colombian nationalities.
Waked, 66, and a relative, Nidal Ahmed Waked Hatum, 36, were on May 5 designated by the US as major money-launderers for big drug cartels. Waked Hatum was arrested in Colombia.
More:
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/3f3811a5-3692-4fbd-8bfb-f20c4c45aeab.aspx
LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141488953
