Lebanon detains former central bank governor Riad Salameh on charges of financial crimes

Riad Salameh, the former governor of Lebanon's central bank, has been arrested by the country's judiciary following a hearing at the judicial palace. This marks the first time Salameh has appeared before Lebanon's judiciary since leaving his post over a year ago. Salameh's departure was met with widespread criticism, as he was blamed for the collapse of Lebanon's banking sector. He has also been sanctioned by the UK and US, and is wanted in France. The arrest is part of a larger investigation into the Lebanese brokerage firm Optimum Invest, which is being probed for fraud and money laundering.