Latest news with #legalCase
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Paris court to rule on Sulu claim annulment on Dec 9, says law minister
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — The Paris Court of Appeal has reserved its decision to Dec 9 on Malaysia's application to annul the USD14.9 billion final award in the arbitration case filed by individuals claiming to be heirs of the long-defunct Sultanate of Sulu. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, in a statement, said the decision followed a hearing on July 7, during which the court concluded its hearing on the merits for the annulment of the final award in the case. Azalina said during the hearing that the claimants had attempted to postpone the proceedings to enable them to respond to the written opinion of the Public Prosecutor of France. However, the court dismissed the request and proceeded with the hearing. 'In this context, Malaysia places its confidence in the Paris Court of Appeal's process and decision in bringing a definitive end to the so-called Sulu Claimants' illegal global enforcement efforts, similar to the positions adopted by the Spanish and Dutch courts,' Azalina said. The government has also reiterated its stance on the need for transparency in third-party litigation funding mechanisms to prevent their misuse against sovereign nations. 'Malaysia at the same time continues to advance its efforts to promote a global framework that places transparency at the centre of third-party litigation funding, ensuring that a mechanism intended to promote access to justice is not misused as an instrument of lawfare against sovereign states. 'International arbitration must be protected from attempts to extort sovereign states under the guise of arbitration claims,' Azalina said. She emphasised that the Madani Government remained steadfast in defending Malaysia's sovereignty and the integrity of international arbitration. Previously, eight Filipino nationals claiming to be heirs of the now-defunct Sulu Sultanate filed arbitration proceedings in Spain to demand billions of US dollars from Malaysia over issues involving Sabah. In March 2019, a court in Madrid appointed Stampa as the arbitrator for the case. On Feb 28, 2022, Stampa ruled in favour of the group and issued a final award of USD14.9 billion through an unlawful arbitration process, despite his appointment having already been annulled by a Spanish court. Malaysia has since secured a series of legal victories in the case, including in November last year, when the French Supreme Court fully rejected the group's legal challenge. That historic win for Malaysia meant the original basis for the final award, which required Malaysia to pay USD14.9 billion in compensation, was not recognised under French law. — Bernama
France 24
14-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Tug of war over Russian Orthodox churches in France: Moscow reclaims cultural sites
Europe 06:31 Issued on: 06:31 min About 20 years ago, the Russian state began a large-scale operation to take control of Orthodox parishes all over Europe. Some of these had, over time, broken ties with the Moscow patriarchate. They're now the object of legal cases pitting the Russian Federation against local associations created to run these expatriate churches during the Soviet era. In April, a court in the French city of Nice ruled that a church and historic cemetery there rightfully belonged to Russia, rather than to the local cultural association. For some of its parishioners, seeing the French justice system side with the country waging war against Ukraine has been hard to accept. Descendants of the Russian tsars, on the other hand, welcome this decision. FRANCE 24's Elena Volochine reports.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- BBC News
Ex-Tory MP given community order and fine for harassing ex-wife
A former Conservative MP has been given a community order and fine for harassing her ex-wife. Jamie Wallis, who is now known as Katie Wallis and uses female pronouns, represented Bridgend from 2019 to an earlier hearing, the 41-year-old from Butetown in Cardiff denied harassing Rebecca Wallis, now known as Rebecca Lovell, between 14 February and 21 was sentenced to a 12-month community order involving 12 days of rehabilitation activity and fined £500 plus £650 costs and a £114 surcharge. A restraining order was also imposed for 12 months to prevent contact with Rebecca former MP made unwanted phone calls, sent unwanted messages and a voice Magistrates Court heard that the messages contained abusive language while accusing Rebecca Lovell of being "mean" and seeking to find out details about her new message complained about access to Wallis's family, another demanded £350,000 within 15 minutes and wished to ensure that Wallis's former wife and others "never have a happy moment again".Wallis, who was the first MP to openly begin the process of gender transitioning, previously told the court: "My name is Katie Wallis, but my legal name is Jamie Wallis". District Judge Rhys Williams asked Wallis's barrister how he should address the defendant. Defending, Narita Bahra KC told the court that Wallis identifies as she, "her dead name is Jamie. Her current name is Katie". Wallis and the victim were in a relationship for more than 15 years and separated in 2020, with their divorce finalised in a personal impact statement, Rebecca Lovell said the messages left her "drowning in a chaos that was not of my own making" and concerned that Wallis would turn up at her house. She said she was left wondering if threats of suicide were real. "I torture myself wondering if I deserve the vile slurs," she said. She added, "I can't remember a day I haven't cried. The woman I used to be has been destroyed." Narita Bahra KC told the court that her client was "having profound and emotional difficulties in completing the passing stage" of transitioning to become a woman, but accepts that the behaviour was "wrong". Ms Bahra said that Wallis was at a "crucial turning point" in the transitioning process and in "profound mental crisis" when the messages were sent and that there was acceptance of wrongdoing and apology in the final after the final message was sent, Wallis was found by police and sectioned under the mental health act before being arrested and later Bahra told the court it was "really disappointing that South Wales Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have shown no compassion" by pursuing a added it was "disillusioning and disappointing that South Wales Police and the CPS demonstrated a lack of understanding" to what she said were the "unique stresses" of transitioning.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- BBC News
Ballymoney: Woman appears in court charged with man's murder
A 34-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with murdering a man who died following a fire in Ballymoney in County 'Paddy' Douglas, a 55-year-old, who ran a tattoo business in the area for many years, died in hospital on Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Saturday, the judge said the woman accused of killing him could not be named for legal the brief hearing the woman spoke only to confirm her name. Police told the court that forensic experts believed the fire may have been caused by direct ignition.A defence lawyer argued the forensic report also said an electrical fault could have been to blame. No application was made for bail and the woman is due to appear again on 28 Douglas was found injured after emergency services were called to a blaze in Main Street in Ballymoney shortly before 07:00 BST on wearing breathing apparatus entered the building, put out the fire and removed Mr died later that day.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Mitchell man sentenced to probation in fourth-degree rape case
Jul. 2—MITCHELL — A 21-year-old Mitchell man was sentenced on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Davison County Felony Court after pleading guilty to fourth-degree rape. Azriel Fallis received three years of probation and a $500 fine. During sentencing, Judge Giles explained that he considered both the consensual nature of the relationship and the fact that the victim had lied about her age. The case began with a police investigation into a domestic altercation on Nov. 12, 2024. Court documents show the victim was between 13 and 16 years old at the time. Fallis admitted to living with the minor and having sexual intercourse with her multiple times in the week leading up to the investigation. Despite previous warnings about the age difference, Fallis claimed the minor initiated contact via Snapchat. Evidence from his phone included photos and videos of the two kissing and messages referencing affection and sexual activity. Initially pleading not guilty in December 2024, Fallis changed his plea to guilty on March 11, 2025.
