By AFP -- THE HAGUE: France, Germany and Luxembourg have seized properties and frozen assets worth 120 million euros ($130 million) in a major operation linked to money laundering in Lebanon, the EU’s justice agency said Monday. The seizures are linked to a probe launched by French investigators last year into the personal wealth of Riad Salameh, the central bank chief in crisis-hit Lebanon. “Five properties in Germany and France were seized as well as several bank accounts” were frozen, Eurojust said in a statement. The Hague-based Eurojust said the operation on Friday was directed against five individuals who were suspected of embezzling public funds in Lebanon of more than $330 million and five million euros, respectively, between 2002 and 2021. The five suspects include Salameh, a former Merrill Lynch banker and members of his family, a source close to the probe told AFP.

Prosecutors are probing Salameh’s alleged links to criminal association and money laundering, judicial sources said, following a similar move by Switzerland. A Lebanese judge last week charged Salameh with “illicit enrichment” and money laundering after he failed to attend a court hearing for the fifth time. Legal proceedings opened against Salameh after complaints filed by anti-graft groups in April last year, supported by a group of Lebanese citizens who lost money since the crisis hit the country in 2019. Friday’s seizures also include three properties in Germany, valued at 28 million euros as well as other assets worth seven million euros.

By Lindsay Kusiak -- cheatsheet.com -- Recently named one of Time Magazine’s Women of the Year, Amal Clooney built a distinguished career for herself before she ever met George and entered the public eye. Now married to one of the biggest celebrities in the world, Clooney continues her work of making the world a better place, while balancing wifehood and motherhood as well.

What did Amal Clooney do before she met George?

Born in Beirut in 1978, Amal Alamuddin Clooney is the daughter of a professor and journalist. At just 2-years-old, Amal fled Beruit due to civil war, relocating with her family to London. She excelled in academics throughout high school and went on to study at England’s prestigious Oxford University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in law. Amal then journeyed to the U.S. to attend NYU School of Law for her master’s degree and began working at the U.S. Court of Appeals. In 2005, Amal became part of the United Nations tribunal which prosecuted Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri’s assassins and in 2010, she returned to London to take a position as a barrister for civil liberties firm, Doughty Street Chambers, according to Biography. Amal continued her work with the United Nations in 2013 (the same year she met George Clooney) and has also worked with the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict which recently represented Armenia in the European Court of Human Rights’ case against Turkey. Amal Clooney is one of Time Magazine’s Women of the Year

source NNA -- Maronite Patriarch indicated during his Sunday homily in Bkerke, “the right to express an opinion is born with the human being,” warning against violating it, and transferring the country to a police regime, and methods that do not resemble Lebanon. Rahi explained that “excessive repression establishes a popular uprising,” stressing that “in the face of the sad state of the judiciary, we wonder where the judges are to protect the judicial body.” He wondered about the goal of the strict measures in the judiciary, pointing out that “the parliamentary elections must be held on time, and the next president must pull the country out of the axes.”

Cardinal Mar Bchara Boutros Al Rahi, the Maronite Patriarch, addressed the political officials, asking, “What are you doing to save your population from the misery you put them in? Isn’t it past time to issue a judgment in the Beirut Port Blast?” In his Sunday sermon, he added, “How long do you politicians continue to oppress our people and blow up solutions to impose sanctions on Lebanon?”

by naharnet.com -- In his Sunday Mass sermon, al-Rahi also criticized what he called "selective, vindictive, electoral, political and fabricated" judicial measures. He accordingly urged an end to "the fabrication of accusations and lawsuits" and to the "inaction" towards some "obvious" offenses, while criticizing those who have sought to obstruct the Beirut port blast probe. The patriarch also decried perceived attempts to "undermine the main institutions and banks" as well as "the seizure of depositors' money and the harm against free economy." Apparently referring to Judge Ghada Aoun's latest lawsuit against prominent talk show host Marcel Ghanem and MTV, al-Rahi warned against encroaching on freedom of expression.

By Najia Houssari -- arabnews.com -- BEIRUT: “Lebanon always needs Arab sponsorship, and (I hope) all the Gulf countries, in particular, will restore ties with Lebanon, which needs its Arab environment to embrace it,” Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said during his visit to the Doha Forum on Saturday. Mikati met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at the forum’s headquarters. His media office said he discussed ties between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Mikati also met his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani. In a press conference following the two meetings, Mikati said: “What is meant to be shall be, and Lebanon is meant to always have excellent relations with the Arab countries and the Gulf states. Lebanon is one of the founders of the Arab League and we strongly believe in such ties.” Lebanon is meant to always have excellent relations with the Arab countries and the Gulf states. Lebanon is one of the founders of the Arab League and we strongly believe in such ties.

Speaking about Lebanon’s diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, Mikati stressed: “It was a summer cloud that passed. God willing, it will entirely fade out with the visits that I will make to the Arab countries, and with the restoration of diplomatic ties between Lebanon and the Gulf states. We need these ties, especially with Saudi Arabia.” Mikati said that the Emir promised that the Qatari foreign minister would visit Beirut in the coming weeks to personally check Lebanon’s needs. He talked about the Lebanese government’s efforts to resolve the country’s economic crisis, saying: “The current economic situation is an accumulation of over 30 years’ worth of problems. It cannot be resolved overnight. The government is striving to achieve economic recovery. God willing, we’ll soon get there.” Mikati said: “The IMF delegation will arrive in Beirut next Tuesday to resume negotiations. The delegation is headed by the IMF chairperson and the next round of negotiations will run for two weeks, after which a preliminary agreement would be signed. “We have no choice but to cooperate with the IMF to put Lebanon on the path to recovery.”