Latest news with #HighCourtofJustice
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Government advances dismissal of A-G Gali Baharav-Miara
The move comes amid what Levin described as an "unprecedented crisis of trust" between the attorney-general and the government. The coalition is advancing the dismissal of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, Israeli media reported on Wednesday. According to Israeli media reports, the move comes amid what Levin described as an "unprecedented crisis of trust" between the attorney-general and the government. The draft proposes that a ministerial committee be authorized to hold a hearing and, if grounds for dismissal are found, to recommend termination of Baharav-Miara's tenure. A 75% majority in the government would then be sufficient to approve her dismissal. The attorney-general's office declined to comment on the proposed legislation. The draft argues that the legal consultation process, traditionally required with the attorney-general's selection committee, has become obsolete due to teh scale of distrust and functional paralysis it claims has gripped the government amid wartime. The existing committee - currently incomplete - was the body that originally selected Baharav-Miara and would typically be involved in dismissal deliberations. "Since the government unanimously expressed no confidence in the attorney-general, cooperation has deteriorated tot he point of dysfunction," the proposal reads. "Given the urgent need for unity during wartime, the government must be free to act decisively and remove officials who obstruct its functioning." The new process would replace the independent selection committee with a political ministerial body, a move critics say undermines legal oversight. Legal experts anticipate that the change, if implemented, will face legal challenges in the High Court of Justice due to questions over its constitutionality. Former Knesset Constitution Committee Chair MK Gilad Kariv strongly condemned the plan, calling it "a betrayal of the IDF and the public." "Levin weakened Israel before October 7, and she hasn't changed course," Kariv said. "This is not about governance - it's about caving to political pressure, especially from the ultra-Orthodox over the draft exemption issue." Opposition leader Yair Lapid also responded sharply: "Every time the coalition fails to pass a law exempting the Haredim from military service, they try to fire the attorney-general. It's all connected." Communications Minister Shlomo Karh, however, praised the move as a long-overdue reform. "The attorney-general was never elected and cannot continue to paralyze an elected government," Karhi said. "This is a necessary correction of the Shamgar Committee's excesses." National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir echoed Karhi's sentiment, calling the dismissal proceedings a step toward "defeating the deep state." "For two and a half years, the attorney-general has blocked every initiative I've tried to promote," Ben Gvir said. "Now the government can act as it was elected to do." The tension between Baharav-Miara and the government reached a new high in March, when the cabinet approved an 83-page no-confidence proposal prepared by Levin, outlining extensive grievances regarding her conduct. The move formally initiated the process for her potential dismissal. In response, Baharav-Miara sent a defiant letter to the cabinet, asserting the rule of law: 'We will not be deterred. The government is not above the law.' If passed, Levin's resolution would mark the first time in Israel's history that an attorney-general has been removed mid-term—a move likely to reshape the balance between the judiciary and the executive branch for years to come.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Everything we know about the Spain AirBnB saga so far
Spain is the most popular international destination for British holidaymakers, with 18 million of us visiting the sunny nation in 2024. However, those who have Airbnb bookings for the coming months may be startled to learn that Spain's authorities have called for the removal of 66,000 short-term holiday listings on the grounds that they are in breach of tourist accommodation regulations. So, what does this mean for already booked Airbnbs in Spain? We'll get to that, but it's useful to know why it's happening… Numerous anti-tourism protests have taken place in Spain since 2024, following a growing housing affordability crisis. Locals in places including Madrid and Barcelona have shone a spotlight on short-term holiday rentals - typically those in residential areas - claiming that the short-term rental market is pushing up housing prices. "No more excuses. Enough with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing in our country,' Spain's consumer minister Pablo Bustinduy said to journalists following the Spanish court's decision on delisting short-term rentals. Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry opened an investigation into Airbnb last year, and Spanish courts have since deemed many listings to be illegal, claiming thousands of them do not openly show a tourism licence or registration number (at least one that is recognised by the authorities), or they do not show the legal status of the landlords. The High Court of Justice in Madrid has ordered the immediate removal of 5,800 listings, and is promising two further phases totalling up to 66,000 listings. The listings include whole properties only – individual room listings do not feature in the ban. Airbnb claims that even this initial figure has been lowered to 4,984, after they flagged a number of instances where listings were in compliance with the applicable regulations. There will be no impact whatsoever on reservations for the summer in Spain, at least from Airbnb's side. Meaning no cancelled plans and no compensation needed as a result of the recent ruling. The online platform confirmed to Yahoo News that it would be appealing the decision and that it has no plans to take any listings down immediately. "No evidence of rule-breaking by hosts has been put forward,' it said in a statement. 'The decision goes against EU and Spanish law and a previous ruling by the Spanish Supreme Court.' Airbnb could also argue that it is a platform subject to the Digital Services Act, with no monitoring obligations. However, if it is asked to remove content by the Spanish Supreme Court, it would be required to do so. It will likely argue that it's not classified as a real estate provider, so displaying a registration number will lie with the final tourism service provider. The Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) counted more than 350,000 short-term rentals in Spain in 2024, which includes listings on sites Airbnb, Vrbo and Only Airbnb has been targeted in the recent ruling. Airbnb doesn't only offer short-term rentals but also hotels, hostels, rural houses, bed and breakfasts and tourist apartments. There's a growing resentment towards short-term lets worldwide, with many claiming that short-term rentals are affecting house prices. Airbnb policies have become more strict in certain places, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Edinburgh and New York, but Airbnb claims that since the new anti short-term rental regulations in these cities have been in effect there have been no major changes to accommodation availability. 'The solution is to build more homes – anything else is a distraction,' Airbnb said in a statement to Yahoo News. 'Governments across the world are seeing that regulating Airbnb does not alleviate housing concerns or return homes to the market – it only hurts local families who rely on hosting to afford their homes and rising costs.' According to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) census in 2021, Spain has almost four million vacant homes that make up over 14% of Spain's total housing stock. 'Millions of euros [are] taken from everyday hosts and small businesses, often to the benefit of large hotel chains,' Airbnb claims. Read more: The key travel rules you must know after EU-UK deal Fish and chip shop wins fight to partially convert to Airbnb
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Defying SC order, Israel PM Netanyahu appoints IDF Major David Zini as next Shin Bet chief
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named IDF Major General David Zini as the next chief of Shin Bet. This appointment, however, comes as a direct violation of the order passed by the Israeli Supreme Court's High Court of Justice. Netanyahu's announcement of a new Shin Bet chief comes a day after the High Court of Justice ruling that the firing of Ronen Bar was done "improperly" and "unlawfully". In the ruling, attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara stated that the prime minister had a conflict of interest in Bar's removal. Furthermore, in her ruling, the attorney general stated that the prime minister was barred from appointing a new chief while the case was in the court. In response to the top court's ruling, Netanyahu described the decision as "disgraceful" and dismissed the attorney general's warning. Netanyahu's appointment of a new Shin Bet chief also comes after Ronen Bar announced that he would resign from the post and step down by June 15, 2025. Netanyahu fired the Shin Bet chief over a 'a loss of confidence." However, Ronen Bar hinted that political motives were behind his sacking and he further accused the prime minister of seeking 'personal loyalty." Major General David Zini currently serves as the head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) training command and general staff corps. The father of 11 children is also responsible for advancing the draft of Haredi soldiers in the Israeli military. After his appointment, Zini was dismissed from the IDF for allegedly holding talks with Netanyahu behind the back of IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, reported the Times of Israel.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
In London court, ED flags Nirav Modi role in evidence destruction
OBJECTING TO the bail application of diamond merchant Nirav Modi, the Enforcement Directorate alleged in a London High Court that he was criminally responsible for actions in which witnesses were interfered with and evidence was destroyed. Modi's bail application was rejected by the High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division in London last week, with the judge saying that there were substantial grounds for believing that if released on bail, he would fail to surrender and his 'risk of absconding remained high'. This was the tenth time Modi had applied for bail since his detention in the extradition case to India to face charges in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering scam amounting to Rs 6,498 crore. In his order, passed on May 15 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Justice Michael Fordham said, 'I want to return to the question of the underlying allegations to identify one part of the case against the applicant in the Indian criminal proceedings. Part of what is alleged is that he was criminally responsible for actions in which witnesses were interfered with and evidence was destroyed. The evidence which was evaluated by the earlier court included what is alleged to have occurred in March 2018. People who are said to have been dummy directors were moved from Dubai to Cairo and their mobile phones are said to have been removed and destroyed. Also said to have been destroyed was evidence on a computer server in Dubai in February 2018.' '…All of that would have taken place at the time when the applicant (Modi) was here in the UK. And I repeat, after careful evaluation, UK courts have twice concluded that there is an evidenced prima facie case against the applicant,' the order said. 'Notwithstanding that presumption, I have concluded – based on an objective assessment of risk – that the grant of bail in this case is not justified. To the contrary, I find that there are substantial grounds for believing that, if released by me on bail on the proposed conditions or any conditions that this court can properly devise, the applicant would fail to surrender. There are substantial grounds for believing that, if released on bail conditions, the applicant would interfere with witnesses,' the judge said in his order. Nirav Modi has remained at Thameside prison in London since his arrest in March 2019. Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More
News18
16-05-2025
- Business
- News18
ED's Knockout Blow: How India Nixed Nirav Modi's Fourth Bail Attempt In UK High Court
Last Updated: Nirav Modi, the man behind India's biggest banking fraud, still remains in a British jail, while the Narendra Modi government continues its extradition efforts to bring him back In a stunning legal victory for the Indian authorities, the High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division, London, has yet again slammed the door on fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, denying him bail for the fourth time on May 15. Following the relentless efforts of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Indian prosecution teams, Nirav Modi, the man behind India's biggest banking fraud, still remains in a British jail. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government continues its extradition efforts to bring him back to the country. Despite Nirav Modi's legal team pulling every trick in the book, citing health issues, delays in proceedings, and time already served, his arguments failed to move the British court. A strong dossier with a bunch of evidence and papers, along with written submissions by the Enforcement Directorate detailing how Nirav Modi laundered massive sums through a global web of shell companies and diverted illicit money to jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, made his efforts for judicial redressal fall flat, said a senior ED officer. According to a statement by the directorate, the court took serious note of the scale and sophistication of the fraud, much of which has already been traced, attached, and restituted to victim banks by the directorate. The ED further added in its statement that assets worth Rs 2,626.62 crore have been frozen so far, with Rs 1,052.42 crore already returned to the Punjab National Bank-led consortium. The fugitive businessman was arrested in London in March 2019 based on India's extradition request and has already made six failed bail attempts at the Westminster Magistrates' Court and now four times at the UK High Court. However, this time, it was a near-knockout for the fugitive diamantaire. The court firmly sided with the Indian authorities, represented by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) counsel team, the ED, and agency officials, and dismissed his pleas while upholding the strong money laundering case built under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA). First Published: May 16, 2025, 20:49 IST
