By Timour Azhari -- BEIRUT (Reuters) - European investigators are in Beirut quizzing witnesses as they probe suspected money laundering and embezzlement by Lebanese central bank governor Riad Salameh, who denies any wrongdoing and still enjoys support from powerful Lebanese factions. Their arrival marks progress in one of several probes into Salameh, whose three decades leading the central bank are now under increased scrutiny since the collapse of Lebanon's financial system. Salameh, who has not been convicted of any crime, has said the probes are part of a campaign to scapegoat him for the 2019 collapse. His brother Raja, a suspect in the investigations, also denies any wrongdoing. Here's what you need to know about the cases:

EUROPE INVESTIGATES

Investigations began with a Swiss probe into whether Salameh and Raja illegally took more than $300 million from the central bank between 2002 and 2015. Since then, European countries including France, Germany, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein have initiated their own investigations into whether tens of millions of dollars of the funds allegedly embezzled from the central bank were laundered in Europe. In March 2022, the European Union's criminal justice cooperation organization announced the freezing of some 120 million euros($130 million) of Lebanese assets in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Monaco and Belgium. The assets were frozen in a case in which Munich prosecutors said Salameh was a suspect. Lebanon has received several requests for cooperation from European judiciaries. In January 2023, a team of European investigators from Germany, France and Luxembourg arrived to interrogate witnesses and obtain additional evidence.

LEBANESE PROBE LIMPS ALONG

By Harriet Sinclair, Editor at LinkedIn News — Electric vehicles made up 10% of the total new cars sold globally in 2022, …

Story by Katy Gillett - thenational.ae -- - Yasmina Zaytoun may not have won Miss Universe for Lebanon on Sunday, but her reign as national beauty queen is not over. Soon, she will also compete in the 71st Miss World, where Karolina Bielawska of Poland will crown her successor. A date and location for the pageant final have yet to be announced, but more than 80 contestants around the world have been named so far. Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel was named Miss Universe 2022 during the dazzling final, which took place in New Orleans. Zaytoun didn't make it to the final stages, but she's not letting that hold her back. "It was a wonderful journey," she wrote on Instagram after the pageant ended. "Full of ups and downs, but as Lebanese we will never give up because Lebanon needs us!!"

A video of her tearily talking about her beloved homeland was also posted on the Miss Lebanon Fan Club account, with the message: "Hard Luck Yasmina! You were strong, confident & raised your voice! You did your best! Miss World is NEXT! Sending you so much love." Zaytoun was named Miss Lebanon 2022 in a glittering ceremony in Beirut in July. The pageant was the first to take place since 2018. She was crowned by Maya Reaidy, who held the Miss Lebanon crown from 2018 to 2021. "I did it," Zaytoun, 20, wrote on Instagram, celebrating being declared the winner. Zaytoun, who is from Kfarchouba, a village in southern Lebanon, is a journalism student, studying at Notre Dame University — Louaize. She is currently in the third year of her course. As well as doing some modelling, she hosts the With Yasmina Show on Instagram, which she describes as an educational show and on which she interviews notable Lebanese media and sport personalities. Guests have included TV presenter Lana Daoud, politician Paula Yacoubian, and actress and influencer Enjy Kiwan, to name a few.

DUBAI: Colombian superstar Shakira set social media alight this week with the release of her latest song, in which she takes aim once again at ex-partner, retired Spanish footballer Gerard Pique. The song “BZRP Music Session #53” in collaboration with Argentine DJ Bizarrap was listened to over 86 million times on YouTube alone and generated an avalanche of comments from fans. The 45-year-old music star of Lebanese descent takes no prisoners as she launches into a tirade against her former partner, 35, even taking a pop at his 23-year-old girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti. “Lots of gym work, but work your mind as well,” she sings. “You swapped a Ferrari for a (Renault) Twingo, a Rolex for a Casio,” she continues. “I wouldn’t go back to you, even if you cried or begged me ... I was out of your league and that’s why you are with someone like you,” she sings.

Just in case there were any doubts about who the song was aimed at, Shakira includes a couple of word plays using the names Pique and Clara. “All the support Shakira,” wrote an Arab user on Twitter, while another said: “You can’t listen to Shakira’s new song and deny she is at least half Lebanese.” Reactions to the song began trending on social media, where Shakira has tens of millions of followers. It is the third song she has dedicated to the couple’s separation, which was announced in June.