Business tycoon Carlos Ghosn's rise, fall and dramatic escape is subject of new Apple TV+ series
Carlos Ghosn, the former rock star businessman who fell from grace and fled authorities smuggled in a music instrument box, is getting what his dramatic story deserves โ a multi-part Apple TV+ documentary series.
With hundreds lost in the migrant shipwreck near Greece, identifying the dead is painfully slow
Nearly two months after a dilapidated fishing trawler crammed with people heading from north Africa to Italy sank in the central Mediterranean, killing hundreds, relatives are still frantically searching for loved ones among the missing and dead.
Kuwait and Lebanon move to ban 'Barbie' over gender and sexuality themes ahead of Mideast release
โBarbieโ is set to open across the Middle East on Thursday, but moves by Kuwait and Lebanon to ban the film over its themes on gender and sexuality have raised questions about how widely it will be released.
Americans in Japanese prison in Ghosn escape seek to go home
Two Americans imprisoned in Japan for helping former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn avoid trial and escape to Lebanon are hoping to serve the rest of their time in the U.S. Paul Kelly, the attorney for Michael Taylor and his son Peter Taylor, said the elder man was suffering from serious back pain and frostbite.
The Latest: Sinovac: CoronaVac vaccine effective in children
(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)BEIJING โ Sinovac said on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac is safe and effective in children ages 3-17. State-owned Sinopharm, who has two COVID-19 vaccines, is also investigating the effectiveness of its vaccines in children. The House vote came just before the state health department reported that more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered within the state. State officials say about 2.9 million vaccine doses have been given to about 1.1 million people so far in Arizona. ___LISBON, Portugal โ Portugal resumed administering AstraZenecaโs COVID-19 vaccine, a week after temporarily halting its use.
Japan charges Americans with helping Ghosn flee, jump bail
Japanese prosecutors have charged two Americans, Michael Taylor and his son Peter, in connection with the escape of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn to Lebanon. (DHA via AP, File)TOKYO โ Japanese prosecutors charged two Americans, Michael Taylor and his son Peter, Monday in the escape of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn to Lebanon, while he was out on bail. Prosecutors said the Taylors were formally charged with helping a criminal escape, although dates and other details of a trial were undecided. Japan has put Ghosn on Interpolโs wanted list, but Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan. Peter Taylor, 28, is accused of meeting with Ghosn and helping his father carry out the escape.
Pope weighed Iraq virus risk but believes God will protect
Francis said the idea of a trip โcooks over time in my conscience,โ and that the pandemic was the issue that weighed most heavily on him. Francis, the Vatican delegation and traveling media were vaccinated against COVID-19, while most Iraqis haven't been. Francis said he wasnโt sure if he would have to slow down his usual whirlwind pace on future trips. Otherwise, the only other trip Francis has promised to make is to Lebanon, though he offered no time frame. He said the country's patriarch had asked him to add a Beirut leg onto his Iraq trip but that he had declined, thinking it would be like tossing the country โcrumbs," given all Lebanonโs current problems.
EXPLAINER: Japan to try US men accused of helping Ghosn flee
Two Americans suspected of helping Ghosn skip bail and escape to Lebanon in December 2019 have been extradited to Japan. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)TOKYO โ Two Americans suspected of helping former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn skip bail and escape to Lebanon in December 2019 have been extradited to Japan. The box passed through airport security in Osaka, central Japan, and was loaded onto a private jet that flew Ghosn to Turkey. Peter Taylor is accused of meeting with Ghosn and helping his father carry out the escape. Japan has put Ghosn on Interpol's wanted list, but Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.
The Latest: India finds new cases of a coronavirus variant
(AP Photo/Channi Anand)NEW DELHI โ Health officials in India say cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa and Brazil have been found in India. Over 150 cases of another variant first detected in the United Kingdom have previously been found in India. ___SEOUL, South Korea โ South Korea is reporting 621 new coronavirus cases. State health officials on Tuesday reported 1,132 new COVID-19 cases and three additional deaths. Spain has officially reported more than 3 million virus cases -- just over 6% of the population -- and attributed more than 65,400 deaths to the virus.
The Latest: Fauci wins $1 million for "defending science"
Fauci won a $1 million award from the Israeli Dan David Foundation for courageously defending science during the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool, File)TEL AVIV, Israel โ Dr. Anthony Fauci has won the $1 million Dan David Prize for โdefending scienceโ and advocating for vaccines now being administered worldwide to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The shots were supplied by Pfizer, which has a contract to sell 10 million vaccines to Colombia. The U.K.โs rapid rollout of coronavirus vaccines to the most at-risk groups has also helped. The good news: Many of the new COVID-19 vaccines are made with new, flexible technology thatโs easy to upgrade.
High court denies accused Ghosn smugglers' bid to stay in US
Taylor is accused of smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in 2019 while he was awaiting trial on financial misconduct charges. The flight went first to Turkey, and then to Lebanon, where Ghosn has citizenship but which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Lawyers for the Taylors argue the men canโt legally be extradited and will be treated unfairly in the Japan. Their lawyers told the Supreme Court in a brief filed Friday that the men would face harsh treatment in the Japanese criminal justice system. U.S. authorities had said they would not hand the men over to Japan while their bid for a stay was pending before Breyer, an attorney for the Taylors said.
Judge OKs extradition of 2 wanted in ex-Nissan boss' escape
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani rejected a request to block the U.S. from handing Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, over to Japan. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani rejected a request to block the U.S. from handing Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, over to Japan. AdGhosn is now in Lebanon, where he has citizenship but which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Meanwhile, Ghosn headed to the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo and met up with Peter Taylor, who was already in Japan. Peter Taylor hopped on a flight to China, authorities say.
Lebanon signs with Pfizer for 2.1 million vaccine doses
(AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)BEIRUT โ Lebanon finalized a deal with Pfizer on Sunday for 2.1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine amid surge in infections that has overwhelmed the country's health care system. The doses are to arrive in Lebanon starting early February, according to Lebanonโs health ministry. The government's statement said the Pfizer vaccines will be complemented with another 2.7 million doses from the U.N.-led program to provide for countries in need. Another 2 million doses are being negotiated in coordination with Lebanon's private sector and the other international pharmaceutical companies that have developed the vaccines, the ministry said. Iraq said it will secure Pfizer vaccines by early this year, but has not released any more information, including inoculation plans.
Lebanon begins new lockdown amid surge in coronavirus cases
The lockdown in Lebanon is the third since the first case was reported in late February. Also on Thursday, Lebanon broke its single-day record of new coronavirus cases for the third straight day, with 4,774 reported infections over the past 24 hours. The shortage of hard currency in Lebanon has severely curbed imports to the import-dependent country, including of medicine and medical supplies. In Egypt, Coptic Orthodox Christians were barred from attending Mass on Christmas Eve as the country fights a surge in coronavirus cases. Egypt has reported more than 145,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, including nearly 8,000 deaths.
World Bank warns of 'prolonged depression' in Lebanon
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)BEIRUT โ Lebanonโs economy faces an โarduous and prolonged depression,โ with real GPD projected to plunge by nearly 20% because its politicians refuse to implement reforms that would speed up the countryโs recovery, the World Bank said Tuesday. โLack of effective policy action by authorities has subjected the economy to an arduous and prolonged depression,โ the World Bank report said. โOne year into the economic crisis, such policies have not yet been decided, let alone implemented. โLack of political consensus on national priorities severely impedes Lebanonโs ability to implement long-term and visionary development policies,โ said Saroj Kumar Jha, the World Bank regional director. โWithout reforms, there can be no sustainable recovery and reconstruction, and the social and economic situation will continue to worsen,โ the World Bank warned.
Japanese automaker Nissan posts loss amid pandemic, scandal
Nissan Motor Co. had a profit of 59 billion yen in July-September of 2019. Yokohama-based Nissan reported Thursday its quarterly sales dipped to 1.9 trillion yen ($18 billion) from 2.6 trillion yen a year earlier. The company is still bleeding red ink and expects a 615 billion yen ($5.8 billion) loss for this fiscal year, which ends in March. That is still an improvement over its earlier projection for a 670 billion yen loss ($6.4 billion). Nissan posted a 671 billion yen loss in the previous fiscal year.
As anger rises, Muslims protest French cartoons
Supporters of religious group burn a representation of a French flag during a rally against French President Emmanuel Macron and republishing of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad they deem blasphemous, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. Muslims have been calling for both protests and a boycott of French goods in response to France's stance on caricatures of Islam's most revered prophet. Crowds of Islamist activists hanged an effigy of French President Emmanuel Macron from a highway overpass after pounding it furiously with their shoes. Turkey has led regional condemnation of the French president, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoganโs verbal attacks on Macron prompting France to recall its ambassador to Turkey last weekend. Demonstrators trampled on portraits of Macron and called on Afghan leaders to shut down the French embassy, halt French imports and ban French citizens from visiting the country.
The Latest: Venezuela's Guaidรณ urges nations to decry Maduro
Member state flags fly outside the United Nations headquarters during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)TANZANIA โ The Latest from the U.N. General Assembly (all times EDT):8:10 p.m. But U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidรณ still put out his own online message during this yearโs gathering of world leaders. Guaidรณ is recognized by nearly 60 nations as Venezuelaโs president and has been in a nearly two-year standoff with Maduro. This week at the U.N. gathering of world leaders, African nations again have made it clear itโs time that changed.
Lebanese teen from Beirut joins global pop band
Nour Ardakani, a teenage singer from Lebanon, gives an interview to The Associated Press in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. Ardakani became the latest to join a global pop band formed by Simon Fuller, the man behind the Spice Girls and American Idol, which aims to transform young unknowns into internet superstars. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)DUBAI โ A teenage singer from Lebanon this week became the latest to join a global pop band formed by Simon Fuller, the man behind the Spice Girls and โAmerican Idol,โ which aims to transform young unknowns into internet superstars. Ardakani scored the 16th spot in the band after a series of Zoom auditions from quarantine that drew talented contenders from the Middle East. The band, similar to Fullerโs previous projects in show business, represents a career kick-starting platform for those dreaming of being catapulted from obscurity to teen pop fame.
'The port came to us': Story behind AP photo of Beirut blast
FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2020 file photo, Hoda Kinno, 11, is evacuated by her uncle Mustafa, in the aftermath of a massive explosion at the port in Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)When Mustafa Kinno felt the ground shake and heard the deafening blast toward the port, he frantically called his brother living nearby. He tried a neighbor, who said the family was sitting outside their apartment across from the port when it exploded. An image of the two, captured by Associated Press photographer Hassan Ammar, has come to symbolize the devastation of the Aug. 4 blast at the Beirut port, which took 193 lives and wounded 6,500. In the chaotic aftermath of the explosion, the Kinno family separated, each of them taken to a different hospital.
Ohio, GOP defend limit on ballot drop boxes to 1 per county
Ohio and Republican groups including the Trump campaign are defending a GOP election chief's directive limiting ballot drop boxes in the critical presidential battleground to one per county. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster, File)COLUMBUS, Ohio โ Ohio and Republican groups including the Trump campaign are fighting to uphold a GOP election chief's directive limiting ballot drop boxes in the presidential battleground to one per county. LaRose argued that the number of drop boxes per county must be uniform to be fair, and that lawmakers had made clear in a law passed this spring that ballots had to be mailed or personally delivered to county board directors. Interest in access to ballot drop boxes has increased nationally since spring primary voting was hampered by virus concerns, the U.S. It is often the more urban, Democrat-heavy counties that lean toward drop boxes.
Judge OKs extradition for men accused of aiding Ghosn escape
U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell issued a ruling approving the extradition of Michael Taylor, a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, and his son Peter Taylor, but the final decision rests with the State Department. The flight went first to Turkey, then to Lebanon, where Ghosn has citizenship but which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Bank records show Ghosn wired more than $860,000 to a company linked to Peter Taylor in October 2019, prosecutors said in court documents. Ghosns son also made cryptocurrency payments totaling about $500,000 to Peter Taylor in the first five months of this year, prosecutors say. The government seized $5 million from the bank account of Taylors company.
Lebanon begins partial lockdown amid spike in virus cases
BEIRUT โ Lebanon on Friday began a two-week partial lockdown and nighttime curfew after coronavirus cases increased sharply following an explosion in Beirut that killed and injured thousands of people. Confirmed cases of the virus have increased from 5,417 a day after the massive blast on Aug. 4 to more than 11,000 on Friday, leading officials to announce the lockdown. Virus cases had already been on the rise since the beginning of July, when an earlier lockdown was lifted and Lebanonโs only international airport was reopened. The blast overwhelmed the cityโs hospitals and also badly damaged two that had a key role in handling virus cases. On Wednesday and Thursday, the UAE discovered over 400 confirmed cases of the virus, its highest numbers in about a month amid an aggressive testing campaign.
Sharp rise in virus cases in Lebanon after deadly port blast
Virus numbers were expected to rise following the Aug. 4, explosion of nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. The blast overwhelmed the city's hospitals and also badly damaged two that had a key role in handling virus cases. On Monday, the Health Ministry registered 456 new cases and two deaths, a new daily record after Sunday's 439 virus cases and six fatalities. The new infections bring to 9,337 the total number of cases in the small country of just over 5 million. The U.N. force deployed in southern Lebanon along the border with Israel reported 22 of its peacekeepers have tested positive.
4-year-oldโs lemonade stand raises thousands of dollars for Beirut blast victims
The Badaoui family, who lives in Dearborn, Michigan, ended up hosting that lemonade stand -- but it wasnโt so little. Mustapha Badaoui was putting it into terms his 4-year-old daughter Fatima, who goes by the nickname Fufu, could understand. โWe were saying people were hurt, they lost their stuff, and (Fatima) says, โWhy donโt we help the people in Lebanon?โโ Mustapha Badaoui recalled. In addition to Fufu, the Badaoui family has two other children, ages 2 and 1. โI havenโt told her that she wonโt make this much in the future just yet,โ Mustapha Badaoui responded with a laugh.
Lebanon Parliament meets after blast, government resignation
The session opened with a moment of silence for the more than 170 people killed in the blast. The explosion has fueled outrage and protests against top political leaders and led to the resignation of the government Monday. Parliament is due to discuss whether to extend the state of emergency in Beirut declared Aug. 5 by the government before it resigned. Since the resignation, there has been a flurry of closed-door meetings and political haggling to form a government that meets the approval of domestic and international powers. Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale was due to arrive in Lebanon for a two-day visit.
Show of solidarity after blast as Lebanon braces for protest
The port area lies in devastation following this week's massive explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. The blast killed 154 people, wounded more than 5,000 and laid waste to the countrys largest port and nearby areas. Also expected in Lebanon Saturday was the president of the European Council, Charles Michel. At the site of the blast in Beiruts port, workers were still searching for dozens of people who have been missing since Tuesday. It made an unscheduled detour to Beirut as the Russian shipowner was struggling with debts and hoped to earn some extra cash in Lebanon.
'The world exploded': Beirut blast takes a husband, father
This Aug. 19, 2019 photo photo provided by Soha Saade,, shows Soha and her husband Jihad with their children Gemma and Karl, in Miziara, north of Lebanon. (Soha Saade via AP)BEIRUT Soha Saade had not seen her husband since Christmas. The coronavirus pandemic had kept 44-year-old Jihad in Nigeria, where he worked far from his family in Beirut. Together, Jihad and Soha spent 13 days with their daughter, Gemma, as she received treatment. We only had one more day left in the hospital, Soha said.
Fireworks, ammonium nitrate likely fueled Beirut explosion
(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest. That likely came from a fire that engulfed what initially appeared to be fireworks that were stored at the port. Online videos of the disaster's initial moments show sparks and lights inside the smoke rising from the blaze, just prior to the massive blast. He based his figure on the amount of ammonium nitrate that were reported, but said โwe need to be careful with specific statementsโ due to still incomplete information available. The devastation surrounding the port resembled other ammonium nitrate explosions, such as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and a 1947 ship explosion that struck Texas City, Texas.
โDevastating for the countryโ: Houstonians recall surviving Lebanon explosion
HOUSTON โ Members of a well-known Lebanese family from Houston survived the catastrophic explosion in Lebanon on Tuesday. โEverybody knows somebody who was in one way or another affected by this,โ Susan Hage said via zoom from Lebanon. โHe loved Houston, he taught us to love Houston,โ his daughter, Rita Joubran said. โBut he taught us to always remember where we came from.โEvery summer for decades, the family returned to Lebanon. Itโs devastating for the country.
PHOTOS: Beirut explosion leaves behind unspeakable damage
Photo by Daniel Carde (Getty Images)Scenes in Beirut, Lebanon following an explosion near the city's port area on Tuesday. Photo by Daniel Carde (Getty Images)Scenes in Beirut, Lebanon following an explosion near the city's port area on Tuesday. Photo by Daniel Carde (Getty Images)Scenes in Beirut, Lebanon following an explosion near the city's port area on Tuesday. Photo by Daniel Carde (Getty Images)Scenes in Beirut, Lebanon following an explosion near the city's port area on Tuesday. Photo by Marwan Tahtah (Getty Images)Scenes in Beirut, Lebanon following an explosion near the city's port area on Tuesday.
Videos and photos emerging on social media of Beirut explosion
A massive explosion happened in Beirut on Tuesday, causing immense damage and destruction, according to multiple reports. The explosion happened in downtown Beirut, and according to reports, was big enough to have a mushroom cloud rise above the capital city. Videos and photos of the explosion and its destruction have started to surface on social media, and words donโt do justice to how much devastation this explosion has on the city. I felt like Iโm dying, I still canโt believe it #Lebanon #Beirut pic.twitter.com/EMTS470FOH โ Ahmad M. Yassine | ุฃุญู ุฏ ู . ูุงุณูู (@Lobnene_Blog) August 4, 2020BREAKING: Massive explosion in Beirut.
Massive Beirut blast kills more than 70, injures thousands
BEIRUT โ A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city's port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. Lebanon's interior minister said it appeared that a large cache of ammonium nitrate in the port had detonated. Charbel Haj, who works at the port, said the blast started as small explosions like firecrackers. Many residents reported hearing planes overhead just before the blast, fueling rumors of an attack, though Israeli military overflights are common. The blast came at a time when Lebanonโs economy is facing collapse from the financial crisis and the coronavirus restrictions.
No bail for 2 accused of helping ex-Nissan boss escape Japan
BOSTON A Massachusetts father and son who prosecutors say helped smuggle Nissans former chairman out of Japan last year were denied bail by a federal judge in Boston on Friday. The Taylors' lawyers had argued the pair were unlawfully arrested and cant be extradited because bail jumping is not a crime in Japan and, therefore, helping someone evade their bail conditions isnt a crime, either. The Taylors are wanted in Japan on allegations that they helped Ghosn flee the country in December while he was out on bail and awaiting trial on financial misconduct allegations. Authorities say the Taylors helped sneak Ghosn out of a hotel in a large box and then out of Japan on a private jet. The flight took Ghosn to Lebanon, where Ghosn has citizenship but which has no extradition treaty with Japan.
Diageo goes green with carbon neutral distillery in Kentucky
Its distillery being built at Lebanon, Kentucky, is expected to be carbon neutral a first for the London-based company. The $130 million distillery of Bulleit bourbon is expected to be fully operational in 2021. This groundbreaking undertaking to electrify our operations and then power them with renewable electricity will result in one of the largest carbon neutral distilleries in North America." The renewable electricity will be supplied by Inter-County Energy and East Kentucky Power Cooperative, it said. The plant will supplement the company's Kentucky operations at the Stitzel-Weller distillery in Louisville and its distillery at Shelbyville.
Were they worth it?: Key protest movements over the decades
The very nature of a protest suggests a fervent desire for change, the need to right a perceived historic injustice. Confronting tyranny can also backfire, the result a more dictatorial leader or a ruinous civil war. Here's a look at some of the key protests of recent decades and what they achieved or failed. Syria exploded quickly from an uprising against the Assad dynasty to ruinous civil war which still continues with more than half million dead and millions displaced. In neighboring Lebanon and in Iraq, civil protests erupted last October against ruling elites.