European officials arrived in Beirut on Monday to question Riad Salameh over the alleged embezzlement of more than $330 million from Lebanon's central bank, a judicial source told The National.
It was their second visit as part of an international investigation into the longstanding Banque Du Liban governor. They plan to speak to Mr Salameh on Wednesday.
Questions prepared in Europe will be asked by the Lebanese judge in charge of the case in the presence of the EU officials, the source added.
The rogatory commission, in which a judge can instruct another to investigate and seek evidence that it cannot do itself, is part of mutual legal assistance between Lebanon and the European judiciary.
This falls under the UN's Convention against Corruption, ratified by Lebanon in 2009, which regulates international co-operation in criminal matters.
The visiting team, which includes Aude Buresi, the judge leading the Salameh case in France, is planning to stay in Lebanon for three days.
Mr Salameh's hearing is the main focus of the trip and might take several days, the source said.
The governor has yet to officially confirm his attendance. He previously failed to appear at questioning related to a probe into property acquisition in Paris, an investigation connected to the current case.
In January, investigators from France, Germany and Luxembourg visited Lebanon to hear witnesses and collect evidence.
The trip was considered a success. The visiting team was able to quiz a dozen witnesses with the assistance of the Lebanese judiciary, including high-ranking officials at the central bank, prominent bankers and an auditor.
New charges in Lebanon
At least six European countries are investigating Riad Salameh and his brother Raja over allegations of financial wrongdoing. These are Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium and Liechtenstein.
They are looking into Forry, a company managed by Raja Salameh, with which the central bank signed a contract in 2002 to sell its financial products, such as certificates of deposit, Eurobonds and treasury bills.
Investigators suspect that Forry, which is registered in the Virgin Islands, is a shell company created only to funnel embezzled funds to Europe, where the governor and his entourage own property worth millions of dollars.
European investigations have yet to press charges against the Salamehs and the brothers have denied all accusations against them.
Last month, Lebanese judge Raja Hamoush charged Riad Salameh, his brother Raja and his assistant Marianne Howayek with embezzlement, forgery, illicit enrichment, money laundering and violation of tax law, and transferred the case to Beirut first investigative judge Charbel Bou Samra.
The move, based on an 18-month investigation, is part of a parallel probe into Forry opened in Lebanon in 2021.
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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