France's culture minister to be tried on corruption charges
Dati, a high-profile minister who holds ambitions to become Paris mayor next year, was placed under investigation in 2019 on suspicion she lobbied for the Renault-Nissan car group while at the European Union institution.
French investigating magistrates also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the former Renault-Nissan chairman and chief executive, be tried, a judicial source said.
Ghosn, 71, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has rejected the charges against him.
Dati, 59, also denies the allegations, and lashed out at some of the investigating magistrates on her case, accusing them of "trampling" on her rights.
"I condemn magistrates who refuse to do their job according to the code of procedure," she told news channel LCI, denouncing what she called a case "marred by incidents".
"I will not give up, on anything," added Dati, who is mayor of the French capital's seventh district, home to most French ministries, the country's parliament and many foreign embassies.
Dati is accused of accepting 900,000 euros ($1 million) in lawyer's fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but not working for them, while she was an MEP from 2009 to 2019.
Her lawyers told AFP they would appeal the decision to place her on trial.
Dati, a daughter of working-class North African immigrants, has accused enemies of "trying to attack me over my private life".
A powerful political player who was justice minister under right-wing leader Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2009, Dati will remain in the government, said an associate of President Emmanuel Macron.
"The president has taken note of the decision to refer Rachida Dati to the criminal court. As a referral is not a conviction, she will continue her work," said the associate, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Investigations have sought to determine whether she carried out banned lobbying for the carmaker at the European Parliament.
Initially placed under the more favourable status of assisted witness — a step before being indicted — in 2019, Dati was charged in 2021.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Advantage China, Pakistan
Listen to article "Virtually alone in the world, Pakistan seems to have played its cards right with President Donald Trump," says Bloomberg. The same day The New York Times published an article to explain how Indian relationship took an ugly turn with the US, under Trump. The NYT headline sums up the situation like this: "India's Modi left soul-searching after failed courtships of Xi and Trump." This was quite spectacular given India became the darling of the US in recent years as successive administrations in Washington saw New Delhi as central to its strategy to contain China. But developments of the past few months have threatened to unravel the years of investment in the relationship. Trump is unpredictable as we all know, yet few would have imagined he would publicly ridicule his "best friend" Modi. What went wrong with them? There were different explanations. But the seeds of discord were sown in September last year when Prime Minister Modi was on a visit to the US. Biden was still at the helm as lame duck President and elections were only a few months away. Trump then announced that his "great friend" Modi would join him at a public rally. But Modi never turned up. It was reported that Modi was planning to meet both Presidential candidates. However, his meeting with Kamala Harris, the Democrat candidate, was cancelled at the last minute. Modi's aide advised him not to meet Trump as this would send a wrong signal. Also, Indians thought Trump might not have great chances to make it to the White House. So, Modi played safe and bet on Kamala, who has Indian heritage. But election results proved otherwise. Trump returned to the White House with a thumping majority, sweeping swing states. Modi already knew that he rebuffed Trump's invitation. Therefore, in order to control damage, he rushed to the White House and was among the first few leaders who had a meeting with Trump. On the face of it, everything seemed fine. But discussions behind the scenes were not pleasant. According to media reports quoting Indian officials, Trump treated Modi with disdain. He pressured him to buy US weapons and oil. Modi came to the White House in order to mend ties with Trump and request him to exempt India from trade tariffs and other restrictions. But Trump in a joint press conference later dismissed those demands, termed India as the biggest exploiter in trade with the US. That was the first indication that the Howdy-Modi era was over. Back home, critics started questioning Modi's ill-timed visit to the White House. As Trump was preparing to upend the eight decades' old global trade order, another military standoff in South Asia was brewing after the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Initially, the US showed little interest, saying it was a matter between the two neighbours. When India launched missile strikes deep inside Pakistani mainland, Pakistan responded befittingly. In a matter of few minutes, Pakistan shot down 6 Indian fighter jets including the French-made Rafale. That shook the world as to how Pakistan with a weak economy and many vulnerabilities took on the bigger neighbour. The Trump administration soon began to realise that the situation was heading towards an all-out war. Then the US got directly involved and eventually brokered a ceasefire. Pakistan publicly acknowledged Trump's role while India was adamant the truce happened as a result of bilateral efforts. Pakistan's befitting response raised its profile in Washington and other western capitals. Trump, who brands himself as peacemaker, wanted to take the credit. In an unprecedented move, he invited Pakistan's Army Chief to the White House for luncheon meeting. If reports are to be believed he wanted to invite Modi too probably to arrange a meeting with General Asim Munir. Modi refused, dealing a fatal blow to their much-touted friendship. India is now scrambling to safeguard its interests. India has reached out to China for this purpose. Meanwhile, the fast changing geostrategic situation has handed great advantage to both China and Pakistan.
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Thousands rally in Tel Aviv demanding end to Gaza war
Protesters gather in a demonstration organised by the families of the Israeli hostages taken captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 2023 calling for action to secure their release outside the Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on August 9, AFP Listen to article Thousands took to the streets in Tel Aviv on Saturday to call for an end to the war in Gaza, a day after the Israeli government vowed to expand the conflict and capture Gaza City. Demonstrators waved signs and held up pictures of hostages still being held in the Palestinian territory as they called on the government to secure their release. AFP journalists at the rally estimated the number of attendees to be in the tens of thousands, while a group representing the families of hostages said as many as 100,000 people participated. Authorities did not provide an official estimate for the size of the crowd, though it dwarfed other recent anti-war rallies. Read More: Israel's far right urges Netanyahu to intensify offensive against Hamas 'We will end with a direct message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: if you invade parts of Gaza and the hostages are murdered, we will pursue you in the town squares, in election campaigns and at every time and place,' Shahar Mor Zahiro, the relative of a slain hostage, told AFP. On Friday, Netanyahu's security cabinet greenlighted plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of domestic and international criticism. Foreign powers, including some of Israel's allies, have been pushing for a negotiated ceasefire to secure the hostages' return and help alleviate a humanitarian crisis in the Strip. Despite the backlash and rumours of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision. In a post on social media late Friday, Netanyahu said 'we are not going to occupy Gaza – we are going to free Gaza from Hamas'. The premier has faced regular protests over the course of 22 months of war, with many rallies calling for the government to strike a deal after past truces saw hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Out of 251 hostages captured during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the military says are dead. 'A new crime' The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Saturday lambasted Israel's plan to expand its operations in Gaza. According to a statement carried by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, PA president Mahmud Abbas said the plan 'constitutes a new crime', and stressed 'the urgent need to take action to stop it immediately'. He also emphasised 'the importance of enabling the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip'. Also Read: UNSC to hold emergency session on Israel's Gaza city occupation plan In the same meeting that approved the Gaza City plan, the security cabinet adopted a set of principles for ending the war in Gaza that included establishing a new 'administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority'. The PA, conceived as a first step towards a Palestinian state, exercises limited administration over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but does not have a presence in Hamas-run Gaza. A statement issued Saturday by the foreign ministers of Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom again criticised the decision to occupy Gaza City. 'This will exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of hostages, and increase the risk of a mass exodus of civilians,' they said. Russia also condemned the Israeli plan to take control of Gaza City in a statement Saturday. Implementing such plans 'risks worsening the already dramatic situation in the Palestinian enclave, which shows all the signs of a humanitarian disaster', said a foreign ministry statement. Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 37 people were killed by Israeli fire across the territory on Saturday, including 30 civilians who were waiting to collect aid. Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable. Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel – which triggered the war – resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.J
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Express Tribune
CERT warns 39 ministries of imminent cyber threat
Listen to article The Director General of the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) has issued formal warnings to 39 ministries and key government departments regarding potential cyberattacks involving BlueLocker ransomware threat, which could result in permanent data loss, operational disruption, and leakage of sensitive information. According to a letter circulated by the National CERT, advisories have been issued to prevent attacks on major federal institutions. These cyberattacks, if successful, could cripple business continuity systems and compromise confidential state data. The letter was addressed to high-level officials including the Secretary Cabinet Division, Secretary Interior, Secretary Foreign Affairs, DG NACTA, DG FIA, the National Security Division, the Establishment Division, the Election Commission, the National Assembly, and PEMRA, among others. Also Read: PAA denies Islamabad airport to be shut for eight days Additional recipients include core ministries and regulatory bodies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, NITB, NDMA, OGRA, and FBR. The advisory specifically warned that the BlueLocker ransomware poses a severe cybersecurity threat, urging all departments to disseminate the advisory, isolate infected systems from networks without delay, and report any incidents to relevant authorities. BlueLocker targets Windows-based desktops, laptops, servers, networks, and cloud storage platforms, the advisory said. It functions by encrypting files and then demanding ransom for data recovery. The National CERT has advised against downloading from unverified sources and clicking on suspicious links or attachments. Furthermore, it has called for immediate cybersecurity training for staff across all departments to help identify phishing emails and malicious links. In light of the evolving threat landscape, departments have been urged to bolster their cyber readiness and response protocols.
