Samsung boss cleared of fraud by South Korea's top court
South Korea’s Supreme Court has cleared Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong of fraud charges linked to a 2015 merger, ending a lengthy legal battle.
Lee was accused of inflating the value of Samsung Biologics to tighten control of the company. Lower courts had already acquitted him, and the top court upheld those rulings, declaring the merger lawful, according to BBC.
The verdict was welcomed by South Korea’s business community, which hopes the decision will help Samsung navigate ongoing economic and trade challenges.
Pakistan monsoon rains kill 63 in 24 hours
At least 63 people have died and nearly 300 were injured in Pakistan’s Punjab province after torrential rains triggered building collapses, electrocutions, and flooding, officials said.
Rawalpindi declared a public holiday as evacuations began near the swelling Leh River. In Chakwal, which saw 400mm of rainfall in a day, rescue teams and military helicopters were deployed, according to BBC.
The monsoon death toll nationwide has reached nearly 180 since late June, over half of them children. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz declared emergencies in several areas, urging residents to follow safety measures.
More rains and flash floods are expected through the weekend, with thousands of rescuers on alert, BBC reported.
Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to climate change, with recurring monsoon disasters and rapidly melting glaciers worsening the crisis.
Drone crashes near Erbil amid wave of attacks on oil sites in Iraq
An explosive-laden drone crashed early Thursday near Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, with no casualties reported, according to the regional counter-terrorism directorate.
The crash comes amid a sharp rise in drone attacks across northern Iraq, mostly targeting oil fields operated by foreign companies. This week alone, facilities run by Norwegian firm DNO and US companies in areas including Faysh Khabur, Tawke, Baadre, and Duhok have been hit, according to Xinhua.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
1.4M of the nation’s poorest renters risk losing their homes with Trump’s proposed HUD time limit
Havalah Hopkins rarely says no to the chain restaurant catering gigs that send her out to Seattle-area events — from church potlucks to office lunches and graduation parties, Associated Press reported.
The delivery fees and tips she earns on top of $18 an hour mean it’s better than minimum-wage shift work, even though it’s not consistent. It helps her afford the government-subsidized apartment she and her 14-year-old autistic son have lived in for three years, though it’s still tough to make ends meet.
“It’s a cycle of feeling defeated and depleted, no matter how much energy and effort and tenacity you have towards surviving,” Hopkins said, according to Associated Press.
Still, the 33-year-old single mother is grateful she has stable housing — experts estimate just 1 in 4 low-income households eligible for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rental assistance get the benefits. And now Hopkins is at risk of losing her home, as federal officials move to restrict HUD policy.
