Spanish court rejects Airbnb appeal and keeps order to block nearly 66,000 listings
MADRID (AP) — A Spanish court on Thursday rejected an appeal by Airbnb and left in place an order to block almost 66,000 rental listings that the government said violated local rules.
The government has said the platform's short-term rentals exacerbate Spain's housing crunch while the country welcomes record numbers of tourists.
Last month, Spain's government ordered Airbnb to block 65,935 listings in the country after the Consumer Rights Ministry flagged them for violations. It said Airbnb had to immediately take down 5,800.
An Airbnb spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment on the Madrid's High Court's decision.
The ministry has said the listings it flagged did not include their license number or specify whether the owner was an individual or a company. It said others listed numbers that didn't match what authorities had.
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Last month, Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told The Associated Press that the tourism sector could not 'jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people,' including their right to housing and well-being.
Carlos Cuerpo, the economy minister, said in a separate interview that the government had to tackle the unwanted side effects of mass tourism.
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Winnipeg Free Press
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Japan and South Korea mark 60 years of ties despite lingering tension and political uncertainty
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South Korea's Hankyoreh newspaper in an editorial this week called for South Korea and Japan to 'collaborate immediately' on a joint response to Trump's policies, arguing that the proposed U.S. tariffs on automobiles pose similar threats to both countries' trade-dependent economies. The view from Tokyo, by Mari Yamaguchi Ishiba, eager to improve ties with Seoul, has acknowledged Japan's wartime aggression and has shown more empathy to Asian victims than his recent predecessors. His first encounter with Lee seemed positive, despite worries in Japan about South Korea's stance under a liberal leader known for attacks on Japan's wartime past. Lee, in that meeting with Ishiba at the G7, likened the two countries to 'neighbors sharing the same front yard' and called for building a future-oriented relationship that moves beyond their 'small differences and disagreements.' 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Things have improved in recent years, and Japan is watching to see whether Lee sticks with his conservative predecessor's more conciliatory diplomacy or returns to the confrontation that marked previous liberal governments. Cooperation between the two sides is 'more essential than ever' to overcome their shared problems such as worsening regional security and Trump's tariffs that have shaken free trade systems, Japan's largest-circulation newspaper Yomiuri said in a recent editorial. At a 60th anniversary reception in Tokyo, Ishiba said that he sees 'a bright future' in the relationship. He expressed hope also for cooperation in 'common challenges' such as low birth rates and declining populations. ___ Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea.
Winnipeg Free Press
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Greenland celebrates its National Day to mark the summer solstice
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Winnipeg Free Press
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8 killed, 13 injured after hot-air balloon catches fire and falls in Brazil
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