Latest news with #andHomeAffairs
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Views on Manx jury duty criteria sought to update Isle of Man laws
Feedback on who should be allowed to serve on a jury on the Isle of Man is being sought by the Department of Home Jury Eligibility Criteria Consultation seeks to update legislation last implemented under the Jury Act in 1980. It comes after a Tynwald select committee called for the criteria to be and Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said the consultation would "help shape how jury eligibility should work in the future". She said: "Jury service is a vital part of our justice system."It is important that the procedure for selecting jurors is fair, transparent, and results in juries that are representative of our community." Exemptions Any defendant in a criminal case heard by the higher court has the right to be tried by a jury of their peers, under the island's legal Jury Act 1980 allowed female jurors for the first time, and expanded the age range to between 18 and the current system several professions are automatically exempt from serving, including politicians, members of the clergy, medical practitioners, and members of the in England and Wales, with the exception of people with a mental disorder or those who have a recent criminal history, prospective jurors are approved on a case-by-case Manx consultation asks residents whether they believe the list of exemptions from jury duty should be updated and whether it should more closely align with England and Wales. It breaks down the occupations that are exempt and asks people if any or all of them should be automatically excluded or not. Anyone can respond to the consultation, which closes on 23 May. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
South China Morning Post
02-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan denies ‘liking' controversial Gaza post
Singapore 's top diplomat Vivian Balakrishnan has denied 'liking' a Facebook post by a former nominated member of parliament (NMP) who suggested relocating pro-Palestine activists to Gaza. Advertisement Just past midnight on Tuesday, the city state's foreign minister said he did not share the views of former NMP Calvin Cheng, and had since taken measures to enhance the security of his account. Cheng said in a Facebook post on March 13 that he would sponsor moving members of local activist group Monday of Palestine Solidarity to Gaza 'only if they never come back'. His controversial remarks drew criticism, with an opposition politician filing a police report against him. Cheng was responding to pro-Palestinian activists disrupting various meet-the-people sessions, which are weekly talks across Singapore during which residents can seek help from their elected parliament representative. Advertisement Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam posted a video of his interaction with two activists last month at a session, in which they were seen making rude gestures and calling him a coward. While Monday of Palestine Solidarity denied that the visit to Shanmugam's session was initiated by it, the ruling People's Action Party named the group when answering queries from local media.
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Views sought on plans to update Manx anti-money-laundering laws
Proposals have been put forward to modernise laws tackling financial crime on the Isle of Man to include technologies such as crypto and digital Department of Home Affairs has launched a consultation on its plans to update the Proceeds of Crime Act 2008 with three draft the proposed changes, it would also be made obligatory to report suspicions of money-laundering to the financial intelligence and Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson said the updates would "play a pivotal role in providing the legislative basis for us to properly combat financial crime". Another proposed change would see civilian investigators referenced alongside police and customs officers to give law enforcement agencies the "full range of powers to combat financial crime". 'Future success' The changes also include plans to reduce the period of time for a confiscation order to be made after a defendant has failed to surrender assets, as well as increasing the threshold level for exemption from £250 to £1, would raise the value below which some transactions can be carried out by certain businesses in operating an account for a customer without committing an department said while the existing 2008 legislation was "vital" in tackling money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, it needed "modernisation to meet changing international standards" and keep up with new said: "'The economic and fiscal stability of the island is key to its future success, as is our ability to continue to be part of the wider world of respected and responsible financial jurisdictions".The proposed changes would be covered in the Draft Proceeds of Crime (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025, Draft Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) (Forfeiture of Money held in Bank and Building Society Accounts) Bill 2025, and Draft Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) (Unexplained Wealth Orders) Bill consultation is available online until 27 March. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
