by AFP -- Lebanese security forces detained Ziad Takieddine last week at the request of Interpol. Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat on Monday freed the 70-year-old under judicial supervision after "determining his place of residence, confiscating his passports and banning him from leaving Lebanese territory," the source told AFP. Takieddine had fled to Beirut in June, when a French court condemned him to five years in jail in a case involving millions of euros in kickbacks from arms sales to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed in 1994. Lebanon would soon request France provide it with Takieddine's legal file so it can review charges against him, the judicial source said.

If the charges were found to be justified, he could be tried in Lebanon as a Lebanese citizen, the source added. A French judicial source told AFP he was sceptical of the possibility of extradition to France. "France and Lebanon have not concluded an extradition agreement and Lebanon does not extradite its nationals. The proceedings could very quickly end there," the source said. Takieddine was also once the main accuser in an inquiry into suspected Libyan financing of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign. The businessman was investigated in late 2016 after he told the media he had delivered millions of euros in cash from Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

by cyprus-mail.com -- George Eid -- After Lebanon’s drastic economic collapse and increasing financial strains, more and more Lebanese are leaving home. The Gulf and the US are popular destinations, but the first choice for many Lebanese is Cyprus or ‘the island’ as they call it. This what Dr Caesar Daoud did a few months back. The well-established 39-year-old physiotherapist and Chinese medicine doctor who owned four medical centres in Lebanon only last year, has closed down his businesses and moved to Cyprus with his family. “I decided to leave Beirut when the situation got worse. When it became unbearable. Although my parents decided to stay in Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) I did not want my kids to go through the hardship I suffered in our country,” he told the Cyprus Mail.

Daoud is a father of two children, Nolan, six, and Malena, seven. He and his wife had to secure a school for them before making the move to Cyprus. “Lycee Franco Chypriote was our natural choice because Lebanon is a francophone country and we had our kids in a school that followed the French system,” he said. “Every time I drive my kids to school, I find around 10 Lebanese at least waiting for their kids and talking about current issues in Lebanon. My kids adapted easily at this school because both of them had Lebanese kids in their class.” Schools following the French educational or strong in French are an obvious choice for the Lebanese. “Schools such as Lycee Franco Chypriote, Lycee Pascal and American Academy are the main target of Lebanese families moving to Cyprus. They inquire about these three schools before moving to the island,” Panayiotis Frangou from D Frangou immigration consultants Ltd told the Cyprus Mail. “The number of Lebanese wanting to move to Cyprus is huge. I really mean huge.” He said he had seen a 70 per cent of increase in Lebanese costumers this year alone. “Before 2020 most of the Lebanese were seeking a Cypriot residency permit for backup, but now they are seeking permanent residency to settle on the island.” “Cyprus is a great choice” Daoud said, explaining that he can travel easily back and forth to Lebanon where his parents still live. But it is also a gateway to the Arab world and to the Arab Gulf where he opened a clinic as well.

by businessinsider.com.au -- BILL BOSTOCK -- Le Chef, located in the district of Gemmayze, was among scores of businesses eviscerated on August 4 when a huge store of ammonium nitrate exploded, killing at least 135 people and injuring many more. The restaurant was opened in 1967, and Bourdain, who died in 2018, dined there during a 2006 episode of his show “No Reservations.” In the show Bourdain called Le Chef “a legendary spot, famed for its simple, straightforward, home-style classics.” Le Chef reopened on Monday, with host Charbel Bassil telling Guardian reporter Martin Chulov he was thankful to have survived the blast and for “our godfather, Mr. Russell Crowe.” Crowe had revealed on August 13 that he was behind a $US5,000 donation to help save Le Chef. “I invite him to come to our country and to see out restaurant. I can’t find the words to tell him thanks,” Bassil said. “All the staff and the family of Le Chef thanks him.” The heartfelt video caught the attention of the Oscar-winning actor. “Made me laugh, made me happy. Great to see them back in business,” Crowe tweeted. “I send Charbel and the Le Chef family my best wishes.”

Crowe’s donation made up around a quarter of the $US19,509 sum raised for Le Chef on GoFundMe. The fundraiser’s organisers said at the time the money would go toward “replacing the electricity, windows, refrigerator, gas stove, and other essentials that were damaged.” On August 13, organiser Richard Hall noticed that a person named Russell Crowe had donated $US5,000, and tweeted Crowe to ask if it was really him. Crowe confirmed the donation later that day, tweeting a link to the fundraiser, saying: “On behalf of Anthony Bourdain.” “I thought that he would have probably done so if he was still around,” Crowe said. “I wish you and LeChef the best and hope things can be put back together soon.”

(MENAFN – Daily News Egypt) Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that Lebanon does not mind resorting to international arbitration if the country …