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☆ EU court says public employees may be barred from wearing head scarf
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The case came to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) after an employee of the eastern Belgian municipality of Ans was told she could not wear an Islamic head scarf at work. The municipality subsequently changed its terms of employment to require its employees to observe strict neutrality by not wearing overt signs of religious or ideological belief. The hijab, the traditional head scarf worn around the head and shoulders, has been a divisive issue across Europe for years. The CJEU said a policy of strict neutrality that was intended to establish a neutral administrative environment may be regarded as being objectively justified by a legitimate aim. The court said authorities in member states had a margin of discretion in designing the neutrality of public service they intended to promote.

Persons: Lim Huey Teng, Philip Blenkinsop, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, Justice, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Belgian

A number of companies have recently demanded that antitrust enforcers pay default interest on fines in annulled antitrust cases. Deutsche Telekom challenged the fine at the Luxembourg-based General Court, Europe's second highest, which cut it to 19 million euros in 2018, forcing the EU competition enforcer to repay the difference. Deutsche Telekom returned to the court after the EU competition enforcer refused to pay interest for the period between the payment and the reimbursement and got judges to back its fight. The Commission then appealed to the Luxembourg-based EU Court of Justice (CJEU). The case is C‑221/22 P European Commission v Deutsche Telekom AG.

Persons: Fabian Bimmer, Deutsche, Anthony Michael Collins, refunding, Foo Yun Chee, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Deutsche Telekom, ITS, REUTERS, Companies Deutsche Telekom AG, Intel, Deutsche, European Commission, EU, Court of Justice, Deutsche Telekom AG, Thomson Locations: Hamburg, Germany, Slovakia, Luxembourg

Climate Change Conference (COP 28) that opens on Nov. 30 in Dubai. Neither floods nor fires are new to Greece but with climate change, they are becoming a frequent disruptor to an economy dependent on tourism and farming. "We have to change our prediction methods," Skylakakis said, acknowledging the rapid pace of climate change. Mitsotakis has urged the EU to top up its solidarity fund and help countries tackle the impact of climate change. Adaptation measures worth 67 billion euros could reduce that loss to 510 billion euros, the country's leading economic think tank IOBE said in a February report.

Persons: Louisa Gouliamaki, Dimitris Kouretas, Kouretas, Theodore Skylakakis, Storm Daniel, Kostas Agorastos, Giorgos Stasinos, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Sokratis Famellos, Skylakakis, Thanos Giannakakis, Nikos Papathanasis, Miltiadis Gkouzouris, Mitsotakis, Petros Varelidis, Lefteris Papadimas, Renee Maltezou, Michele Kambas, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Reuters, United Nations Environment Program, Mount Olympus, HVA, Chamber, European, Justice, EU, Water Management, Environment Ministry, Thomson Locations: Vlohos, Greece, Greece's, Thessaly, Europe, Dubai, Los Angeles, Dutch, Athens, Thessaly's, Mouzaki, Netherlands

The Apple logo is shown atop an Apple store at a shopping mall in La Jolla, California, U.S., December 17, 2019. The tough new legislation targets 22 "gatekeeper" services, run by six tech companies - Microsoft (MSFT.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google, Amazon (AMZN.O), Meta and ByteDance's TikTok. While details of Apple's legal challenge have not been made public, Bloomberg News reported last week the company would challenge the inclusion of its App Store on the list of gatekeepers. Fellow tech giants Meta (META.O) and TikTok had already filed appeals disputing the Commission's decision to include their services. In its appeal, Meta said it disagreed with the Commission's decision to designate its Messenger and Marketplace services under the DMA.

Persons: Mike Blake, TikTok, Meta, Martin Coulter, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, Justice, European Union, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta, Bloomberg News, Facebook, Thomson Locations: La Jolla , California, U.S, Europe

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala’s Attorney General’s office formally requested Friday that President-elect Bernardo Arévalo and others be stripped of their immunity so it can investigate them for allegedly encouraging the student occupation of the country’s only public university. Sánchez formally requested that immunity be lifted for Arévalo, Vice President-elect Karin Herrera, three lawmakers and a deputy-elect from the Seed Movement. Stripping them of immunity allows prosecutors to pursue a formal investigation. Among the crimes prosecutors plan to pursue against Arévalo and others in the new case are exploitation of cultural assets, influence peddling and illegal association. A judge suspended the party at prosecutors’ request.

Persons: —, Bernardo Arévalo, Ángel Saúl Sánchez, Sánchez, Karin Herrera, Arévalo, Walter Mazariegos, General's, Alejandro Balsells, doesn’t, ” Balsells, Consuelo Porras, Alejandro Giammattei Organizations: GUATEMALA CITY, Cultural, Arévalo’s, Movement, Seed, San Carlos University, U.S . State Department, U.S ., United Nations, Organization of American, Arévalo, Observers Locations: GUATEMALA, Guatemala

☆ World Court: Azerbaijan must let ethnic Armenians return to Nagorno-Karabakh
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTHE HAGUE, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Judges at the World Court on Friday ordered Azerbaijan to let ethnic Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh in September return, and to keep the Armenians remaining in the enclave safe, as part of a set of emergency measures. Azerbaijan in September recaptured the region, then controlled by its ethnic Armenian majority despite being internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. The lightning offensive, after decades of enmity between Baku and Yerevan and a nine-month blockade of essential supplies by Baku, prompted the mass exodus of most of the region's 120,000 ethnic Armenians to neighbouring Armenia. Yerevan accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing and asked the International Court of Justice, as the World Court is formally known, to issue emergency measures aimed at protecting the rights of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said it had already pledged to ensure all residents’ safety and security, regardless of national or ethnic origin, and that it had not forced the ethnic Armenians to leave Karabakh.

Persons: Irakli, Joan Donoghue, Stephanie van den Berg, Nailia, Andrew Heavens, Hugh Lawson, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, HAGUE, International Court of Justice, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Kornidzor, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Baku, Yerevan

☆ International Court Finds Evidence of Torture Violations in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Jess Bravin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Syria, led by President Bashar al-Assad, has been ordered to adhere to a global anti-torture treaty. Photo: Iranian Presidency/Zuma PressCiting extensive evidence of human rights abuses during Syria’s 12-year-long civil war, the International Court of Justice ordered the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to obey the global treaty prohibiting torture and preserve evidence of violations for future prosecution. Thursday’s 13-2 vote came in a case filed by Canada and the Netherlands against Syria under the Convention Against Torture, a major instrument of international law that has been ratified by more than 170 countries. The Russian and Chinese judges who sit on the ICJ—a judicial arm of the United Nations based in The Hague—dissented.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, The Hague — Organizations: International Court of Justice, United Nations Locations: Syria, Canada, Netherlands, The Hague

☆ Venezuela tells World Court referendum to go ahead despite Guyana resistance
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands August 22, 2023. In April the International Court of Justice, as the World Court is formally known, ruled that it had jurisdiction over the issue. Guyana on Tuesday asked the court to issue emergency measures to stop the vote. "Nothing will prevent the referendum scheduled for the Dec. 3 from being held," Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez told the court. She added that her appearance in court did not mean she recognized its jurisdiction over the dispute.

Persons: de, Delcy Rodriguez, Esequiba, Stephanie van den Berg, Angus MacSwan Organizations: International Court of Justice, REUTERS, HAGUE, Court of Justice, Tuesday, United Nations, Thomson Locations: The Hague, Netherlands, Venezuela, Guyana, Caracas, Esequiba

☆ Turkey's Erdogan calls Israel 'terror state', slams West
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday Israel was a "terror state" committing war crimes and violating international law in Gaza, sharpening his repeated criticism of Israeli leaders and their backers in the West. Britain, the United States, European Union and some Arab states deem Hamas a terrorist group, unlike Turkey. "With the savagery of bombing the civilians it forced out of their homes while they are relocating, it is literally employing state terrorism," Erdogan said of Israel in parliament. "I am now saying, with my heart at ease, that Israel is a terror state". "The West, namely the United States, is unfortunately still seeing this issue backwards," Erdogan said.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Olaf Scholz, Erdogan, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Andrew Cawthorne, Toby Chopra Organizations: Israel, Palestinian, Hamas, International Court of Justice, European, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Gaza, Germany, The Hague, Britain, United States, European Union, Turkey, Ankara, Israel, Western

View of the Cobre Panama mine, of Canada's First Quantum Minerals, in Donoso, Panama, December 6, 2022. Panama has a long mining history but Cobre Panama is the first major new investment this century. There are now calls not just for the Cobre Panama mine to be closed but for Panama to shun all future mining as well. By the time detailed negotiations on a new contract started in 2021, the mine was already ramping up to full production. The tale of Cobre Panama is an object lesson in getting it wrong.

Persons: El Salvador, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Minerals, REUTERS, Aris, Quantum, Environmental, Panama's, Justice, Supreme, Canada, Swedish Sámi Association, European Union, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Panama, Donoso, Rincon, Cobre Panama, Canada, American, Europe, Serbia, Scandinavia, Russia, Panamanian

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is seen in front of displayed Google logo in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. The Austrian law, enacted in 2021 and which obliges Big Tech to publish regular reports of illegal content, comes amid mounting concerns worldwide about hateful posts. The three companies, which have their European headquarters in Ireland, say they should only be subject to Irish rules. The Austrian court subsequently sought advice from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which sided with the companies. We will study the judgment and continue to invest in the trust and safety of our users across our platforms," a Google spokesperson said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, TikTok, Thursday's, Foo Yun Chee Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Google, Austrian, Big Tech, European Union, Digital Services, Justice, Meta, Thomson Locations: Rights LUXEMBOURG, Ireland, Member State

☆ Setback for Apple as EU court advisor backs EU's $14 bln tax order
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Apple iPhone 15 series devices are displayed for sale at The Grove Apple retail store on release day in Los Angeles, California, on September 22, 2023. The tax case against Apple was part of EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's crackdown against deals between multinationals and EU countries which regulators saw as unfair state aid. The General Court in 2020 upheld Apple's challenge, saying that regulators had not met the legal standard to show Apple had enjoyed an unfair advantage. Advocate General Giovanni Pitruzzella at the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) said CJEU judges should set aside the General Court ruling and refer the case back to the lower tribunal. "The judgment of the General Court on 'tax rulings' adopted by Ireland in relation to Apple should be set aside," he said in a non-binding opinion.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager's, Apple, Apple's, Giovanni Pitruzzella, CJEU Organizations: Apple, Grove Apple, European Commission, EU, of Justice Locations: Los Angeles , California, Ireland

LONDON (AP) — Apple might end up on the hook after all for billions of euros in back taxes to Ireland in the latest twist in a longrunning European Union dispute, following a legal opinion Thursday from an adviser to the bloc's top court. The ECJ's opinions aren’t legally binding, but are often followed by the court. The Court of Justice is expected to come up with its legally binding decision next year. “We thank the court for its time and ongoing consideration in this case," Apple said in a prepared statement. "The General Court’s ruling was very clear that Apple received no selective advantage and no State aid, and we believe that should be upheld.”The European Commission declined to comment.

Persons: Giovanni Pitruzzella, Tim Cook, Donald Trump, Margrethe Vestager, ”, Pitruzzella, “, Apple, Court’s Organizations: European Court of Justice, Apple, ”, European Commission, Court of Justice, European Locations: Ireland, European, U.S

☆ Apple’s fight against a $14 billion EU tax bill suffers a setback
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But Advocate General Giovanni Pitruzzella at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) — the EU’s highest court — disagreed, saying judges should set aside the General Court ruling and refer the case back to the lower tribunal. “The judgment of the General Court on ‘tax rulings’ adopted by Ireland in relation to Apple should be set aside,” he said in a non-binding opinion. He said the General Court had committed a series of errors in law. “It is therefore necessary for the General Court to carry out a new assessment,” Pitruzzella said. Her biggest legal victory to date came in September when the General Court upheld her decision against a €700 million ($749 million) Belgian tax scheme for 55 multinationals.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Apple, Giovanni Pitruzzella, —, ”, ” Pitruzzella, Michael McGrath, Court’s, Vestager Organizations: Apple, European Commission, European Court of Justice, Justice, Court, Ireland, Dublin, Stellantis, Starbucks, Belgian Locations: Luxembourg, Ireland

The European Commission in its 2016 decision said Apple benefited from two Irish tax rulings for more than two decades that artificially reduced its tax burden to as low as 0.005% in 2014. "The judgment of the General Court on 'tax rulings' adopted by Ireland in relation to Apple should be set aside," he said in a non-binding opinion. "It is therefore necessary for the General Court to carry out a new assessment," Pitruzzella said. Her biggest legal victory to date came in September when the General Court upheld her decision against a 700-million-euro Belgian tax scheme for 55 multinationals. Vestager is currently investigating IKEA brand owner Inter IKEA's Dutch tax arrangement in a case dating from 2017, Nike's (NKE.N) Dutch tax rulings and Finnish food and drink packaging company Huhtamaki's (HUH1V.HE) tax rulings granted by Luxembourg.

Persons: Mike Blake, Margrethe Vestager's, Apple, Apple's, Giovanni Pitruzzella, CJEU, Pitruzzella, Michael McGrath, Court’s, Vestager, Stellantis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, EU, Apple, European Commission, of Justice, Justice, Court, Ireland, Dublin, Starbucks, IKEA, Inter IKEA's, Thomson Locations: La Jolla , California, U.S, Rights LUXEMBOURG, Ireland, Belgian, Luxembourg

☆ It's Not Guantanamo, Italy's Tajani Says, Defending Albania Migrant Camps
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS (Reuters) - A deal that allows Italy to build migrant reception and detention camps in Albania respects European Union rules, Italy's foreign minister said on Thursday, dismissing suggestions they were an Italian Guantanamo Bay. Italian opposition parties have denounced Meloni's plans as a deportation, with Riccardo Magi, a lawmaker with the centrist +Europa group, evoking the notorious Guantanamo Bay extrajudicial camps used by the U.S. in Cuba to detain Islamist terrorism suspects. It's a normal humanitarian accord," Tajani said. The German government agreed to look into whether asylum procedures could be carried out outside the European Union, though Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed scepticism on whether that was constitutionally possible and if countries would agree to it. (Reporting by John Irish; additional reporting by Alvise Armellini; editing by Nick Macfie)

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Meloni's, Riccardo Magi, Antonio Tajani, It's, Tajani, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, John Irish, Alvise, Nick Macfie Organizations: PARIS, European, of Human Rights, Court, Justice, European Union Locations: Italy, Albania, Italian Guantanamo, U.S, Cuba, Guantanamo, Germany

REUTERS/Catarina Demony/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLISBON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Portuguese anti-mining groups have urged the government to suspend and review all lithium projects while authorities investigate alleged corruption in the handling of "green" energy deals that have led to the resignation of the prime minister. Antonio Costa resigned on Tuesday, hours after prosecutors detained five people, including his chief of staff, and named two formal suspects close to him in an investigation into lithium mining and hydrogen projects. With more than 60,000 metric tons of known lithium reserves, Portugal is Europe's biggest lithium producer, but its miners sell almost exclusively to the ceramics industry. "Lithium mining projects in Portugal must be immediately cancelled to not allow territories and populations to be affected based on corrupt and unclear processes," the groups said. In 2019, Portugal's government came under fire from lawmakers for signing a contract giving exploration rights for lithium mining to Lusorecursos when the company was only three days old.

Persons: Catarina Demony, Antonio Costa, Lusorecursos, Savannah, Nuno Lacasta, Joao Galamba, UDCB, Aislinn Laing, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Justice, Environment, APA, Savannah Resources, Infrastructure, Thomson Locations: Covas do Barroso, Portugal, Rights LISBON, Portuguese, Europe, China, London, Savannah, Barroso

☆ Mexico supreme court justice steps down, to join 'transformation'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

President of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) Arturo Zaldivar delivers his third annual report, at the Court premises in Mexico City, Mexico December 15, 2021. REUTERS/Gustavo Graf/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMEXICO CITY, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Mexican Supreme Court justice Arturo Zaldivar is stepping down from his post, he said on Tuesday in a post on social media network X, to join Mexico's "transformation," an apparent reference to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's political movement. Zaldivar had previously acted as chief of the court. He said on Tuesday he would continue to serve Mexico in efforts to shore up "the transformation of a fairer and more egalitarian Mexico." Reporting by Kylie MadryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: SCJN, Arturo Zaldivar, Gustavo Graf, Andres Manuel Lopez, Zaldivar, Kylie Madry Organizations: Justice, REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, Thomson Locations: Mexico City, Mexico, MEXICO

Maradona secured an EU trademark to his name for clothing, footwear, hospitality and IT services in 2008. The EU patent agency in a decision last year said Sattvica had not submitted documents confirming the transfer of the trademark to the company. Sattvica then took its case to the Luxembourg-based General Court, Europe's second highest. Sattvica can appeal to the EU Court of Justice, Europe's top court. The case is T-299/22 | Sattvica v EUIPO – Maradona and Others (DIEGO MARADONA).

Persons: Diego Maradona, Maradona, Sattvica, Maradona's, EUIPO, Europe's, Che Guevara, Evita Peron, EUIPO – Maradona, DIEGO MARADONA, Foo Yun Chee, David Evans Organizations: EU, Maradona, Justice, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Argentine, EU, Luxembourg, Buenos Aires, Argentina

☆ Opinion: Biden needs to call for a ceasefire and restore respect for international law
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Mary Ellen O Connell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +45 min

Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images Palestinians inspect a destroyed area following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on October 21. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters A woman mourns over a dead man at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza City on October 18. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times A morgue worker arranges body bags at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 12. Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times/Redux Children run for cover as bombs fall near the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 9. Erik Marmor/AP Six-month-old Sama Alwadia is rescued from the rubble in Gaza City on October 9.

Persons: Mary Ellen O’Connell, Robert, Marion Short, “, ”, Mary Ellen, Khan, Ahmad Hasaballah, Ariel Schalit, Abed Rahim Khatib, Ronen Zvulun, Mahmud Hams, Leo Correa, Mohammed Abed, Amir Cohen, Mohammed Alaloul, Majdi, Fatima Shbair, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Mustafa Hassona, Neil Hall, Saeed Jaras, Mohammad Abu Hattab, Mohammed Talatene, Ditza Heiman, Shir Torem, Salman Habaka, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Yuval Zilber, Hatem Ali, Jalaa Merey, Ahmad Salem, Ali Jadallah, Atef Safadi, Abed Zagout, Fadel Senna, Anas al, Yosef Vahav, Kiryat Shmona, Jalaa Marey, Albert Miles, Bernat, Ilan Rosenberg, Ashraf Amra, Manna, Tamar Chaya Torpiashvili, Abed Khaled, Tamir Kalifa, Khan Younis, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Ammar Awad, Jehad Al, Kafarnah, Teddy, Dan Kitwood, Dima Vazinovich, Jack Guez, Sagiv Ben Zvi, Evelyn Hockstein, Omar El, Mohammed Salem, Amir Levy, Yasser Qudih, Tsafrir, Francisco Seco, Mohammed Saber, Ali Mohmoud, Mai Yaghi, Yam Goldstein, Nadav, Khaled Joudeh, Samar Abu, Leon Neal, Hatem Moussa, Nir Oz, Wolfgang Schwan, Yousef Masoud, Shadi Tabatibi, Belal al Sabbagh, Rizek Abdeljawad, Ahmad Gharabli, Janis Laizans, Mohammed Dahman, Gallant, Ofir Libstein, Aza, Belal Khaled, Hod, Ayal Margolin, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski, Biden, Netanyahu, Kenny Holston, Kfar Aza, Ilia Yefimovich, Mahmoud Khaled, Dor Reder, Violeta Santos Moura, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Antonio Macías, Macías, Eli Albag, Liri, Sergey Ponomarev, Dor Kedmi, Saher, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Yuri Cortez, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Agha, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Eden Guez, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Oren Ziv, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Oded, Ahmad Hasballah, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, —, Ron Dermer, NPR’s Tom Bowman Organizations: Kroc, University of Notre Dame, Defense, CNN, Hamas, Mary Ellen O'Connell University of Notre Dame International, UN, UN Security Council, International Court of Justice, Nasser Medical, AP, Najjar, Reuters, Getty, Israel Defence Forces handout, Israel Defense Forces, Shutterstock, Reuters United Nations, Shifa, Palestine, Pictures, Bloomberg, Israeli Apache, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Palestinian, Al, IDF, EyePress, New York Times, Israeli, Getty Images, Nasser Medical Hospital, Deir Al, Tel Aviv University, Reuters Civil, AP Rockets, AP Israel's, Regional, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Israel's, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Ben Gurion International, Aris Messinis, Haim, Puma, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, West Bank, Rockets, United Nations, Reuters Police, Reuters Rockets, ISIS, United States, Gaza, US, Criminal, Pentagon Locations: Gaza, Israel, Khan Younis, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, AFP, Jerusalem's, City, Rafah, Jerusalem's Old City, Deir Balah, Mahmud, Southern Israel, Anadolu, Ashkelon, Al, Gaza City, Haifa, Yanuh Jat, Netaim, Israeli, Golan Heights, Lebanon, Egypt, Sderot, Shareef, Beit Guvrin, Reuters Israeli, Kiryat, Al Aqsa, Deir Al, Balah, Kibbutz Be'eri, Ashdod, Holon, Najjar, Ichilov, Kibbutz Shefayim, Deir, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Deir al, Kibbutz Kissufim, Zahra City, Europe, Xinhua, East Jerusalem, Ras, Israel's, Yehuda, Aqsa, Hod HaSharon, Kiryat Shmona, Ahli, Gan, Kfar, North Sinai, Beit Kama, Cyprus, Kfar Saba, Be'eri, Rehovot, Mount Herzl, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Mount Herzel, Yassin, Palestinian, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, United, Iraq, Syria, Geneva, Rome

☆ Italy judge seizes 780 mln euros from Airbnb in tax probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A woman talks on the phone at the Airbnb office headquarters in the SOMA district of San Francisco, California, U.S., August 2, 2016. REUTERS/Gabrielle Lurie/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Nov 6 (Reuters) - An Italian judge has ordered the seizure of 779.5 million euros ($836.40 million) from short-term rentals platform Airbnb's Ireland unit for alleged tax evasion, Milan prosecutors' office said on Monday. The probe concerns Airbnb's (ABNB.O) alleged failure to withold 21% of landlords' rental income and pay it to Italian tax authorities, as required by a 2017 law, prosecutors in the northern Italian city said in a statement. Airbnb's Italian press office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration is meanwhile planning a crackdown on tax cheating on short-term rentals, and wants to raise taxes from 21% to 26% for owners of multiple short-term rental properties.

Persons: Gabrielle Lurie, Milan, Giorgia, Emilio Parodi, Alvise, Chris Reese, Franklin Paul, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, EU, Justice, Thomson Locations: SOMA, San Francisco , California, U.S, Italian

☆ Facebook and Instagram get ad-free subscription service in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

People in the European Union, which includes 27 countries, the European Economic Area and Switzerland, will be able to pay 9.99 euros ($11) per month on the web or 12.99 euros ($14) per month month on iOS and Android to access the ad-free version of Facebook and Instagram. Meta said on Monday it will offer an ad-free subscription option for Facebook and Instagram in Europe after it faced a major challenge from regulators in the region this year. Meta said the introduction of the subscription service is aimed at addressing regulatory concerns. Meta pointed to this ruling as a reason for introducing the subscription offer. "In its ruling, the CJEU (European Court of Justice) expressly recognised that a subscription model, like the one we are announcing, is a valid form of consent for an ads funded service," Meta wrote.

Persons: Meta Organizations: European Union, European Economic, Facebook, General Data, Meta, of Justice Locations: Switzerland, Europe

☆ US pushes UN to back Israel self-defense, demand Iran stop arms to Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It was not immediately clear if or when the United States planned to put the draft resolution to a vote. To pass, a resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, France or Britain. SELF-DEFENSEThe U.S. draft resolution demands Iran stop exporting arms to groups threatening peace and security across the region, including Hamas. The U.S. text states that Israel has such a right under Article 51 of the founding U.N. Charter. The ICJ said Israel "states, the threat which it regards as justifying the construction of the wall originates within, and not outside, that territory."

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Israel, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud, Michelle Nichols, Chizu Organizations: United Nations Security Council, REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, United, Security, Reuters, Palestinian Hamas, Islamist, U.S, Islamic, International Court, Justice, West Bank, ICJ, Thomson Locations: Israel, U.N, New York, U.S, United States, Iran, Gaza, Russia, China, France, Britain, Palestinian, Gaza . U.S, Egypt, Tehran

☆ Venezuela Sets Referendum Date on Territory Dispute With Guyana
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelans will vote on Dec. 3 in a referendum on "the rights" over a potentially oil-rich territory in dispute with its neighbor Guyana, authorities said on Friday. Both countries have been involved in a long-running dispute over their borders. Venezuela protested an oil tender announced by Guyana in September, arguing that the offshore areas are subject to dispute and the companies awarded the fields will not have the rights to explore them. The approximately 160,000 square kilometers under dispute along the countries' borders is mostly impenetrable jungle, and known as the "Esequiba region." Venezuela's claims extend over the territory was reactivated in recent years after the discovery of oil and gas near the maritime border.

Persons: Deisy Buitrago, Isabel Woodford, Alistair Bell Organizations: International Court of Justice Locations: CARACAS, Guyana, Venezuela

☆ Illumina to divest Grail within a year if it does not win challenge in EU court
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Grail Inc FollowIllumina Inc FollowOct 13 (Reuters) - Illumina (ILMN.O) said on Friday it would divest cancer test maker Grail (GRAL.O) in 12 months, according to the terms of the European Commission's order, if the life sciences company does not win its challenge in court. EU antitrust regulators on Thursday ordered Illumina to divest Grail, after it completed the deal before securing their approval. The San Diego-based genetic testing company last year challenged the EU watchdog saying it does not have jurisdiction over the acquisition of Grail. But if it is not successful with either its ECJ jurisdictional appeal or in a final decision of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Illumina will divest Grail. Illumina had in June appealed against the order by the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law in the U.S., to divest Grail.

Persons: Illumina, it's, Sriparna Roy, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Illumina, European Court of Justice, U.S, Fifth, Appeals, Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: San Diego, U.S, Bengaluru

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