{
  "id": 3009808,
  "title": "Petitioners urge High Court to unfreeze urgent funding for authorities in Israel's North, South",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/petitioners-urge-high-court-to-unfreeze-urgent-funding-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-24T12:00:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-906422"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a dispute over funds approved by the Knesset Finance Committee during the election recess, petitioners have urged the High Court to unfreeze urgent transfers for local authorities and communities in Israel's North and South regions, while maintaining a freeze on coalition and sectoral funding. The request, filed by Hiddush and Democrats MK Naama Lazimi, stems from an ongoing conflict over hundreds of millions of shekels.\n\nThe Knesset countered the petitioners' claim on Monday, stating that their distinction between urgent and other funding weakens their argument that the August 4 Finance Committee meeting, during which the transfers were approved, was unlawful. Consequently, the court was asked to dismiss the petition and lift the freeze entirely.\n\nCurrently, a significant portion of the contested funding remains blocked. Civil emergency expenditures were initially excluded when Justice Alex Stein initially froze the transfers on August 5, and on Friday, the High Court released the full NIS 78 million transfer for the Religious Services Ministry. However, the Education Ministry and National Missions Ministry transfers remain frozen until the court makes a final decision. The petitioners are now seeking to further narrow the freeze.",
  "summary": "Petitioners, including Hiddush and Democrats MK Naama Lazimi, have filed a request with the High Court to unfreeze urgent funding for authorities in Israel's North and South. This is part of a dispute over hundreds of millions of shekels approved by the Finance Committee during the election recess, according to the Jerusalem Post.\n\nIn a separate case, a Ghanaian High Court has granted an extension to former Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) officials, Solomon Asamoah and Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, until September 23, 2026, to file their defences in a $2 million case related to the Accra SkyTrain project. The prosecution alleges that the project did not receive approval from the GIIF Board, resulting in financial loss to the state.\n\nThe accused persons, who have pleaded not guilty to six counts, including conspiracy to wilfully cause financial loss to the Republic and conspiracy to intentionally dissipate public funds, had their previous submissions of no case dismissed by the trial court.",
  "key_points": [
    "Petitioners urge High Court to unfreeze urgent funding for North and South Israel regions.",
    "Knesset counters petition, maintains freeze on coalition and sectoral funding."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/calcutta-high-court-stays-arrest-warrant-against-tmc-mp-mahua-moitra",
        "published": "2026-08-24T12:13:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "High Court dismisses Negri Sembilan govt's bid to evict Undangs from official halls, residences",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/high-court-dismisses-negri-sembilan-govts-bid-to-evict-undangs-from",
        "published": "2026-08-24T12:17:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Lawyer’s income ‘irregular’: Telangana High Court restores Rs 20,000 maintenance to wife",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/lawyers-income-irregular-telangana-high-court-restores-rs-20-000",
        "published": "2026-08-24T13:00:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "DMK chief Stalin moves High Court challenging TVK candidate V.S. Babu’s victory in Kolathur",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/dmk-chief-stalin-moves-high-court-challenging-tvk-candidate-v-s-babus",
        "published": "2026-08-24T13:57:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}