Headline

Billionaire To Pay $1bn To Ex-wife In Divorce Settlement

Published

2 years ago

May 31, 2024

South Korean billionaire and chairman of SK Group conglomerate, Chey Tae-won, has been ordered to pay his ex-wife 1.38 trillion won ($1bn) in cash, marking the country’s largest-ever divorce settlement.

BBC reports that the divorce settlement comes almost a decade after Chey Tae-won’s marriage ended in scandal, following the revelation of his extramarital affair and the birth of a child with his mistress.

On Thursday, the Seoul High Court ruled in favour of Roh So-young, awarding her a share of Chey Tae-won’s company assets after their 35-year marriage.

Roh So-young is the daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo.

Chey’s lawyers announced plans to appeal the court’s decision, arguing that the ruling was based solely on his ex-wife’s version of events.

The Seoul High Court’s award of 1.38 trillion won to Roh So-young marks a substantial increase from the 66.5 billion won settlement initially ruled by a lower court in 2022.

A lower family court had previously denied Roh So-young’s request to receive a portion of Chey Tae-won’s SK shares, but the Seoul High Court overturned this decision on Thursday, ruling that the shares should be considered joint assets and awarding her a portion of them.

The ruling said, “It was reasonable to rule that, as his wife, Roh played a role in increasing the value of SK Group and Chey’s business activity.”

The court estimated Chey Tae-won’s wealth to be approximately 4 trillion won, and accordingly, Roh So-young, with whom he has three children, is entitled to around 35% of that amount.

Acknowledging Roh So-young’s contributions, the court said she had facilitated the growth of Chey Tae-won’s business by helping to resolve regulatory issues, and additionally, her father, former President Roh Tae-woo, had provided influential support, serving as a “protective shield” for Chey Jong-hyon, the former chairman of SK Group, thereby contributing to the company’s success.

The judgment highlighted that Chey had not shown any remorse “for his foul behaviour in the course of the trial… nor respect for monogamy.”

The court added that it factored in Roh So-young’s emotional pain and distress resulting from Chey Tae-won’s infidelity when determining the increased settlement amount.

In their argument, Chey’s legal team contended that his ex-wife’s political connections had actually hindered his business endeavours rather than benefiting them.

Shares of SK Inc., a global semiconductor giant with diverse interests in telecoms, chemicals, and energy, surged 9% following the court’s ruling.

Headline

Netanyahu Asks Israeli President For Pardon From Corruption Charges

Published

23 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has asked the country’s president for a pardon in his long-running corruption case, saying the criminal proceedings are hindering his ability to govern and that ending the trial would benefit the nation.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied the bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges.

His lawyers told the president’s office that he still believes the legal process will eventually lead to a complete acquittal.

“My lawyers sent a request for pardon to the president of the country today. I expect that anyone who wishes for the good of the country support this step,” Netanyahu said in a brief video statement released by his Likud party.

The prime minister, who has been on trial for five years, has not admitted guilt, and neither have his lawyers. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu should not receive a pardon unless he admits wrongdoing, expresses remorse and immediately withdraws from political life.

Pardons in Israel are usually granted only after a conviction, but Netanyahu’s lawyers argued the president can step in when public interest is at stake, saying intervention could help heal national divisions and promote unity.

President Isaac Herzog’s office described the request as “extraordinary” with “significant implications”. His office said the president “will responsibly and sincerely consider the request” after receiving the necessary opinions.

United States President, Donald Trump, recently wrote to Herzog urging him to consider approving the pardon, describing the case against Netanyahu as “a political, unjustified prosecution”.

Herzog’s office said the request will be sent to the justice ministry’s pardons department to gather assessments that will be forwarded to the president’s legal adviser, who will prepare a recommendation.

(Reuters)

Headline

US: Four Killed, 10 Others Wounded In California Shooting

Published

1 day ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Four people were confirmed dead and 10 others injured after a shooting at a family gathering in California, United States on Saturday night, according to US police, who described the attack as a “targeted incident.”

The incident occurred inside a banquet hall in Stockton, northeast of San Francisco, shortly before 6:00 pm, spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Heather Brent, told reporters during a news briefing.

Brent said the victims, ranging from “juveniles to adults,” were rushed to nearby hospitals, noting that details about the shooting remained limited.

“What we have confirmed at this time is that there was a banquet hall where a family was celebrating. We have 14 victims of this shooting. Four of those are deceased,” Brent said.

“Early indications suggest that this may be a targeted incident. Investigators are exploring all possibilities at this time.”

The sheriff’s office posted on social media that detectives were “working to determine the circumstances leading up to this tragedy.”

“We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office immediately,” the post added.

Authorities said no suspect had been identified at the time of the report.

California Governor Gavin Newsom was briefed on the development, his office said in a social media statement.

Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows there have been 504 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, including the Stockton attack.

(AFP)

Headline

FULL LIST: US To Review Green Cards From 19 ‘Countries Of Concern’ After Washington Shooting

Published

3 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following the attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

U.S. officials identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The individual was granted asylum earlier this year, not permanent residency, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists Afghans resettled in the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on X.

The review follows a June executive order from President Trump classifying 19 countries as “of Identified Concern.”

The order banned entry for nearly all nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The full list of these countries is:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Congo-Brazzaville

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

A partial travel ban applies to seven additional countries, though some temporary work visas remain allowed: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.