Germany's public prosecutor has informed the Lebanese judiciary of an arrest warrant for Lebanon's Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, a source told The National.
It comes a week after France issued an arrest warrant for Mr Salameh after he failed to attend a hearing in Paris.
He is suspected of having siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars from the Banque Du Liban (BDL) through an embezzlement scheme with the help of his brother Raja.
Reuters reported that the Lebanese judiciary had been told of charges including corruption, forgery, money laundering and embezzlement.
“The mounting accusations of misconduct show that it is not a political smear campaign but a judicial case grounded in significant evidence”, a European diplomat told The National.
A source close to the matter told The National that Germany has notified Interpol about their decision. However, the specific details regarding how this differs from the Red Notice requested by France are still unclear.
The Interpol Red Notice was initially issued in response to Riad Salameh's failure to attend his scheduled hearing in the French judiciary, leading to him being classified as a fugitive from justice.
The move comes as reports indicate that Lebanon is likely to be put on Tuesday on a “grey list” of countries that are placed under increased scrutiny because of insufficient measures in place to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
The brothers denied any wrongdoing.
Riad Salameh is under investigation in six European countries.
He is suspected of having embezzled public funds through layering operations involving the Luxembourg and Swiss banking systems to finance luxurious properties in France, Germany, the UK and Belgium.
Lebanon received an Interpol notice on Friday. This enables authorities in other countries to assist in identifying and finding the suspect, with the aim of extraditing them to the issuing country.
Lebanon is not legally compelled to extradite Mr Salameh. The country has a long-standing policy of not extraditing its own citizens.
The governor, whose mandate end at the end of July, remains in office despite growing calls for his resignation within the political class after the French judicial decision.
This year, a delegation of European judicial officials have visited Lebanon several times as part of an international investigative team including France, Germany and Luxembourg. They collected evidence and questioned people including Riad Salameh and his brother, to boost their case.
German properties
European investigators suspect Riad Salameh embezzled public funds through his brother's company, Forry Associates Ltd.
They allege Forry is a shell company which received a 0.38 per cent commission on each transaction with the commercial bank for more than a decade without performing any services in return.
Judicial documents seen by The National show that Riad Salameh is suspected of having bought properties in Europe with the Forry commissions, through various structures, of which he is the beneficial owner.
According to a seizure order from the German judiciary in March 2022, Riad Salameh and his brother have invested “the funds obtained from the Central Bank of Lebanon, particularly in real estate but also in the acquisition of company shares, while concealing the origin of the incriminated funds in the legal economic circuit in Germany”.
These properties include at least two buildings in Germany bought for 6.3 million euros and 3.4 million euros respectively in 2015 and 2017 through Stockwell Investissement S.A, a Luxembourg-based company Riad Salameh controls.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Volvo ES90 Specs
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
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Rating: 2.5/5
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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