Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broke the law when he said he would become personally involved in a judicial overhaul plan, the country's attorney general said on Friday.
Despite a wave of protests against the so-called judicial reforms, Mr Netanyahu on Thursday said he would do "anything it takes" to restore unity in the country.
But Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara disagreed in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister.
"The legal situation is clear: you must refrain from any involvement in initiatives to change the judiciary, including the makeup of the committee for the appointment of judges, as such activity is a conflict of interest," she said.
"Your statement last night and any action you take in violation of this matter is illegal and tainted by a conflict of interest."
Police fired water cannon at demonstrators blocking a motorway in Tel Aviv on Thursday. So far, 92 people have been arrested during the demonstrations.
Mr Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges which he denies.
He also said his hands were tied regarding legislation passed by parliament limiting the circumstances surrounding the removal of a prime minister.
The letter followed Ms Baharav-Miara's earlier warnings that Mr Netanyahu must stay out of his coalition's push for a judicial overhaul because of what she deemed a conflict of interest arising from his trial.
In a message distributed by the ruling Likud party, an unnamed source close to Mr Netanyahu denied the Prime Minister had broken any laws or conflict-of-interest agreements in his statement and said it had no repercussions on his personal affairs.
The source said it was necessary for Mr Netanyahu to try to reach a wide consensus during a time of national crisis that carried implications on the country both domestically and abroad.
Mr Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition has been pursuing changes to the judiciary that would give the government sway in choosing judges and limit the Supreme Court's power to strike down laws.
Proponents say the plan would rein in Supreme Court overreach and restore balance between the branches of government.
Critics say it would weaken the courts, endanger civil liberties and harm the economy.
The proposed plan has sparked weeks of nationwide protests and drawn concern among the country's western allies.
Mr Netanyahu was greeted by shouting and whistling from hundreds of protesters outside No 10 Downing Street on Friday, as opposition to his judicial proposals followed him to London.
Mr Netanyahu shook hands with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the steps of No 10 and is also due to meet Britain's Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Protesters could be heard shouting "Netanyahu go to jail, you can't speak for Israel", surrounded by police and metal barricades.
The demonstrations were organised by British Jews and Israelis under the banner "Defend Against Democracy" to voice opposition against the judicial reforms. Dozens of people waved Israeli flags and banged drums.
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Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
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Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
More coverage from the Future Forum
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
