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  • South Australian farmer charged after worker loses part of arm from feed mixer accident at Hillier Poultry

    South Australian farmer charged after worker loses part of arm from feed mixer accident at Hillier Poultry

    A devastating workplace accident on a South Australian poultry farm has left a worker with a life-altering injury and triggered criminal health and safety charges against the property’s retired former owner, in a case that has reignited debates over workplace safety accountability across regional Australian agricultural operations.

    The incident unfolded on April 22, 2024, at Hillier Poultry, a farm located near the regional town of Gawler, roughly an hour north of Adelaide. According to official allegations filed by Safe Work SA, the state’s workplace safety regulator, the injured worker was carrying out routine cleaning of the outlet at the base of a stationary feed mixer when the machinery unexpectedly powered on. The worker’s left forearm became caught in the equipment’s internal auger, leading to an immediate traumatic partial amputation before emergency responders could extract him.

    Safe Work SA has brought charges against both the Hillier Poultry business and its 78-year-old former owner Ashley Duffield, who sold the operation and retired shortly before the incident. The regulator alleges that Duffield failed in his legal duty to maintain safe operating conditions for on-site workers. Specifically, the charges claim he neglected to implement safe machinery protocols, did not conduct adequate hazard identification and risk assessments for the feed mixer, and failed to provide sufficient safety training, information and on-site supervision to prevent such an accident.

    Duffield is charged with a Category 2 offense under Section 32 of South Australia’s Work Health and Safety Act 2012, which carries significant legal penalties for breaches of duty that expose workers to serious risk of harm. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance at the South Australian Employment Court on May 21 to answer the charges.

    In an interview with NewsWire, Duffield has forcefully rejected the allegations, saying he will vigorously contest every charge in court. The retired farmer, who says he never had a single workplace safety incident across decades of operating the business, argues the accident was the result of workers failing to follow the clear safety protocols he had already put in place. He explained that his mandatory training required all workers to disconnect the feed mixer from its power source before any cleaning or maintenance work, a rule that was not followed on the day of the incident. According to Duffield’s account of the accident, one worker was inside cleaning the machine while a second colleague, unaware his co-worker was in the equipment, accidentally switched the power back on.

    “It do not think it is fair to be charging me as I do not consider myself to be involved in causing the accident,” Duffield said in the interview, adding that he had always prioritized worker welfare and that the incident had already caused severe, lasting disruption to the business before his retirement.

    The case comes as Australian agricultural industry groups continue to grapple with high rates of workplace injury in the sector, with regulators repeatedly calling for stricter proactive safety measures on small and medium-sized regional farms to prevent preventable traumatic accidents.

  • UAE says Iran has resumed attacks as the US moves to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

    UAE says Iran has resumed attacks as the US moves to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

    On a tense Monday in the Persian Gulf region, the United Arab Emirates confirmed it had faced direct Iranian attacks — the first such escalation since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April. The confrontation unfolded hours after the U.S. launched a new push, dubbed “Project Freedom,” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical chokepoint for global energy supplies that Iran has controlled effectively since the U.S. and Israel launched their military campaign in late February.

    According to the UAE Defense Ministry, Iran fired four cruise missiles toward the emirate; three were successfully intercepted by air defenses, while the fourth fell harmlessly into the Gulf waters off the country’s coast. Separately, authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah — a key oil infrastructure hub that serves as the UAE’s main maritime access point outside the Strait of Hormuz and the terminus of an oil pipeline built to bypass the strait — confirmed an Iranian drone sparked a fire at a major oil facility. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center, which monitors regional shipping security, later reported two cargo vessels were ablaze in waters off the UAE coast. A South Korean government statement confirmed an explosion and fire broke out on a South Korean-operated vessel anchored in the strait near the UAE, though no injuries were reported; it remained unclear Monday if this was one of the vessels noted by British officials.

    The new U.S. initiative kicked off Monday, when U.S. Central Command confirmed two American-flagged merchant ships completed a successful transit of the strait, with guided-missile destroyers from the U.S. Navy providing escort. “Both transiting vessels are safely headed on their journey,” the command said in a post on X, adding that U.S. Navy destroyers also transited the waterway as part of the effort to restore commercial traffic. The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center has advised commercial ships to route through Omani territorial waters, establishing what it calls an “enhanced security area” for transits, and warned that traveling near traditional shipping lanes remains “extremely hazardous” due to uncleared mines scattered across the waterway.

    The confrontation threatens to upend the three-week-old ceasefire and reignite large-scale fighting across the region. Iran has repeatedly condemned the U.S. initiative as a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement, and has vowed to continue targeting vessels that ignore its requirement that all transiting ships coordinate with Iranian authorities. “We warn that any foreign military force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Major General Ali Abdollahi, a senior Iranian military commander, told state broadcaster IRIB Monday. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency dismissed Project Freedom as an outgrowth of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “delirium”, after Trump warned Iran Sunday that any attempt to interfere with the U.S.-led transit effort would be met with a “forceful” response.

    Trump framed the initiative as a humanitarian measure, designed to assist hundreds of stranded seafarers trapped on vessels stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crew members of stranded ships have previously told the Associated Press they have faced dwindling supplies of drinking water, food, and other essentials, while watching drones and missiles explode overhead amid earlier hostilities.

    Iranian state media stirred further tension Monday when multiple outlets reported Iranian forces had struck a U.S. military vessel near an Iranian port southeast of the strait, claiming the ship was forced to turn back after violating maritime security rules. U.S. Central Command quickly debunked the claim, saying in a statement on X that “no U.S. Navy ships have been struck” in the region.

    The closure of the strait has already sent global fuel prices soaring and sent shockwaves through the already fragile global economy, squeezing energy-dependent nations in Europe, Asia, and beyond. The U.S. has also levied sanctions that penalize shipping companies that pay Iran transit fees for passage through the waterway, and enforced a naval blockade of Iranian ports since April 13 that has turned away at least 49 commercial vessels, depriving Tehran of critical oil revenue needed to prop up its ailing domestic economy. U.S. officials have said they hope the pressure will force Iran to make concessions in ongoing ceasefire and peace negotiations, which have so far shown little sign of progress.

    As of Monday, questions remain about whether the U.S. initiative can actually restore consistent commercial traffic, as shipping companies and their insurers weigh the growing risk of attacks. “No formal guidance or details about the U.S. effort had been issued to the industry,” said Jakob Larsen, head of security for the Baltic and International Maritime Council, a leading global shipping trade group. Larsen added that the initiative carries clear long-term risks, saying “it carries a risk of hostilities breaking out again” and questioned whether the effort could be sustained over time.

    Talks to end the broader conflict remain stalled as both sides dig in on competing demands. Iran’s latest peace proposal calls for the U.S. to lift all sanctions, end its naval blockade, withdraw all military forces from the region, and force Israel to end its military operations in Lebanon, according to Iranian news outlets with close ties to the country’s security apparatus. Iranian officials said they are still reviewing the U.S. response to the proposal, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei noted Monday that shifting U.S. negotiating demands have made meaningful diplomacy difficult. Iran has also claimed its proposal excludes discussion of its nuclear program and enriched uranium stockpiles — a core point of tension between Iran, the U.S., and Israel for over a decade — and wants all outstanding issues resolved within 30 days to end the war permanently, rather than extend the current temporary ceasefire. Trump cast doubt on the prospects of a breakthrough over the weekend, saying he did not expect Iran’s proposal to lead to a lasting negotiated deal.

  • A UK cricket club welcomes remote workers to do their jobs and watch the match too

    A UK cricket club welcomes remote workers to do their jobs and watch the match too

    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hybrid and remote work have become permanent fixtures for millions of workers across the United Kingdom. One of England’s most storied and successful cricket organizations, Surrey County Cricket Club, has turned this cultural shift into an innovative opportunity to reverse decades of lackluster attendance at its historic Kia Oval ground.

    Nestled just south of the River Thames, the 180-year-old venue has rolled out a one-of-a-kind initiative dubbed “Work From Oval,” tailored specifically to hybrid workers craving a change of scenery from their cramped home offices or crowded city co-working spaces. Over the 2023-2024 winter off-season, the club upgraded its public Wi-Fi infrastructure, carved out dedicated work zones equipped with full-size desks, reliable power outlets, and unobstructed views of the ongoing match action. In a playful nod to workers wary of employer scrutiny, the club even teases that it could be the “best home office in the country” and promises the club “won’t tell your boss” about any mid-work cricket watching.

    For decades, England’s top-tier County Championship has faced widespread mockery over its chronically low attendance at four-day matches, with the unfair but widespread joke that crowds consist of just “one man and his dog.” But the Work From Oval program is already defying that stereotype. Through the first three home four-day Championship matches of the current season, hundreds of remote workers have taken advantage of the offer, paying just £15 ($20) for a full day of workspace and match access.

    On a sun-soaked Friday when Surrey hosted Sussex for the opening day of their matchup, more than 6,000 fans and workers packed into the ground — a strong turnout for a weekday, even with the venue’s total 27,500-person capacity. The crowd was buoyed by ideal spring weather and the promise of more than seven hours of continuous cricket, with the added draw of the upcoming UK public holiday creating an extended three-day weekend for many attendees.

    Harry Ashton, a director at Elite Finance Solutions who normally works out of a co-working space in nearby Wimbledon, jumped at the chance to try out the unique workspace. Though he joked that it did not quite measure up to his local Lytham Cricket Club in northwest England, he still spent the morning focused on work before joining friends for a few post-work beers as the match unfolded.

    The post-pandemic era has cemented hybrid work as a core part of the UK employment landscape: official data from the Office for National Statistics shows more than a quarter of all working adults now split their time between in-office and remote work, even as a growing number of companies push for a full return to traditional office settings. Critics of remote and hybrid work have long argued that flexible arrangements erode productivity, weaken work ethic, and drag down broader economic growth. But on that Friday at the Kia Oval, every remote worker on site appeared to stay focused: spreadsheets were updated, video calls were held, and deadlines were met, all with the backdrop of live first-class cricket.

    Neil Munro, owner of management firm Munron Consulting Ltd., who worked from the venue that day, framed the initiative as a test of mutual trust. “I have great belief in life generally, if you treat someone like an adult, they will behave like an adult,” he said. “I don’t see any downside provided everyone treats it with respect.” Matthew Balch, an amateur club cricketer who also participated, echoed that praise, arguing “I think all of the counties should lean into the remote worker-freelancer market to grow attendances.”

    Not all workers are comfortable being open about their alternative workspace, however. One 46-year-old employee at a global corporation who requested anonymity said she still fears stigma around non-traditional remote work arrangements, reflecting that old attitudes toward flexible work die hard even as hybrid arrangements grow more common. Even so, the early success of the Work From Oval program offers a blueprint for how traditional sports venues can adapt to shifting work culture to unlock new revenue and grow their fanbase.

  • ‘I’m in no rush’: Joey Walsh earns high praise after stunning performance as Manly reveals next step in career

    ‘I’m in no rush’: Joey Walsh earns high praise after stunning performance as Manly reveals next step in career

    In a gripping NRL round clash that gave Manly Sea Eagles fans a tantalizing look at the club’s long-term future, 19-year-old rookie halfback Joey Walsh turned in an extraordinary debut performance against league leaders Penrith Panthers, falling just short of pulling off a legendary upset that would have shaken up the competition ladder.

    Stepping into the starting lineup in place of injured playmaker Jamal Fogarty, Walsh held his own against Panthers champion Nathan Cleary, pushing the premiers all the way before Penrith snatched an 18-16 victory in the final minutes. The result marked interim Manly head coach Kieran Foran’s first defeat in charge, but any disappointment was overshadowed by the breakout showing from the exciting young prospect.

    Walsh, who will turn 20 later this month, has already built a reputation for keeping his feet on the ground off the field: the former schoolboys rugby prodigy moonlights as a barber, giving haircuts to his Sea Eagles teammates to stay grounded amid growing hype from supporters demanding he be promoted to a full-time starting spot. Despite the calls from fans to oust incumbent halves Luke Brooks and Fogarty, Walsh says he is in no hurry to climb the ranks and is content to hone his craft in the NSW Cup reserve grade competition.

    Fogarty is on track to return from his groin injury for Manly’s upcoming blockbuster against the Brisbane Broncos this Saturday, leaving Walsh’s place in the top squad uncertain. Foran confirmed Tuesday that the club has not ruled out keeping Walsh in the matchday 17 as part of the six-man extended bench, though a spot on the bench does not guarantee the young playmaker any game time.

    “At the moment our starting halves are Jamal and Brooksy, and those two boys have been playing great,” Foran told reporters. “With a guy like Joey, if we can see value in having him on the bench moving forward, the six-man bench gives us the option to bring him on for cover and spark when we need it throughout the game. We’ve got a few options to toy with as the season progresses, and he knows he’s still early in his NRL journey, with plenty of areas he still wants to grow and get stronger in. If he keeps turning in performances like this all year, he’s going to be a pivotal part of where this club is going. It’s just a matter of getting the balance right and fitting everyone into the squad.”

    Foran heaped praise on Walsh’s debut, highlighting his composure against the top side in the competition and his relentless defensive effort. “I thought he was great. For a young guy coming into this kind of arena against the first-placed team, he was so calm all week. He didn’t shy away from the moment, he stepped right into it. Defensively he was outstanding – we all know he’s a tough kid, but he put his body on the line time after time. He pulled off some beautiful plays during the game, and he’s only going to get better. He’s definitely a future star for this club.”

    Despite his standout performance, Walsh did not have a perfect night: he missed one tackle on Blaize Talagi that led to a Penrith try, but he never backed down from the challenge, finishing the match with 30 tackles to his name. That effort drew comparisons to Nathan Cleary’s own legendary debut a decade prior, where Cleary made 36 tackles in a losing effort against Melbourne Storm. Penrith head coach Ivan Cleary, Nathan’s father, also sang Walsh’s praises after the match, saying he has the mental resilience to handle the inevitable ups and downs of top-flight rugby league.

    “Joey will go through that process where everyone says how good he is, and then in a couple of years’ time, everyone will be telling him how bad he is,” Ivan Cleary said. “He’s got a coaching staff that knows exactly how that story goes, so I’m sure they’ll help him navigate it.”

    Long touted as Manly’s long-term halves solution, Walsh has continued to keep hype at arm’s length, rejecting the idea that he needs to push for a starting spot immediately. When no injuries open up a spot in the top 17, Walsh accepts he will return to reserve grade, and he says that extra game time in the NSW Cup is exactly what he needs to develop. “It’s been sweet,” Walsh said. “I don’t pay too much attention to the noise outside the club, and the club has really good resources to look after me, so everything is good. I’m in no rush to force my way into the starting side. Getting consistent reps in the Cup helped me prepare for today, so there’s no hurry at all. This year for me, the goal is just to get as much game time as I can. I’m still getting used to the full-time professional code, so whatever is best for the team is what I’m happy to do.”

    Walsh kept his kicking workload light on debut, after starting on the non-preferred side of the field, but that did not stop him from producing the highlight play of the match. He fooled Penrith’s defensive line with a well-timed head fake before slipping a perfect short pass to forward Haumole Olakau’atu, who broke into open space to score a critical second-half try. Walsh nearly became the match-winning hero moments later, when he had a chance to kick a match-winning two-point field goal on full-time, but his attempt landed just short of the posts.

    “When you have someone as big and dynamic as Haumole outside you, you might as well give him the ball early,” Walsh explained of the match-defining play. “We spent all week building our combination, that made a huge difference. It was just good to pull it off on the field on game day. It was a bit of luck that it came off, honestly. We practise those go-to moves all week, he ran the perfect line, so all I had to do was get the ball to him and let him do his work.”

    All NRL matches are broadcast live exclusively on Fox League, available via Kayo Sports.

  • What is hantavirus? Cruise ship outbreak explained

    What is hantavirus? Cruise ship outbreak explained

    A tragic suspected outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship has claimed the lives of three people, prompting public health officials to launch an investigation into how the rodent-borne pathogen spread in a confined maritime setting. As authorities work to contain the incident and identify additional cases, many members of the public are seeking clear answers about what hantavirus is, how it spreads, and what risks it poses to human populations. Hantavirus is a type of virus that is primarily hosted and transmitted by wild rodents, with different species of the virus found across regions of North America, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. Humans most commonly contract the virus through contact with rodent urine, feces, or nesting materials, when infectious particles become airborne and are inhaled. Rare cases of transmission can also occur through bites from infected rodents, and in some documented instances, person-to-person spread has been reported for specific strains of the virus. The most severe form of hantavirus infection in North America is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes rapid fluid buildup in the lungs and has a mortality rate of roughly 38% according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This current outbreak on a cruise ship, a closed environment that can facilitate exposure if rodents have gained access to food storage or living areas, has raised new questions about public health protocols on commercial passenger vessels. At this stage, investigations are ongoing to confirm that the three deaths were indeed caused by hantavirus, identify the source of the outbreak on the ship, and implement measures to prevent further infections among passengers and crew.

  • ‘Couldn’t care less’: Drunk-driver jailed over pub crash

    ‘Couldn’t care less’: Drunk-driver jailed over pub crash

    A violent drunk driving incident that left multiple people seriously injured, one fighting for his life, has resulted in a significant prison sentence for the perpetrator at a South Australian court this week. The case, which unfolded in the small coastal town of Port Elliot in October 2024, has drawn condemnation from the judge over the offender’s complete disregard for human life.

    The defendant, Eric Cooper, a New Zealand-born father of four who has resided in Australia since 2006, appeared before South Australia’s District Court for sentencing on Monday. The court heard how a night of drinking escalated into chaos outside the local Royal Family Hotel, starting with aggressive driving before exploding into violence.

    Witnesses and court documents outline that Cooper was heavily intoxicated, driving through Port Elliot’s streets at high speeds with his engine revving, when members of the public confronted him, asking him to slow down and leave the area. Cooper took profound offense to the request, triggering a physical brawl between himself and other people at the scene. When Cooper retreated to his vehicle, members of the crowd smashed his car window in retaliation — an action the judge acknowledged was unacceptable, but one that Cooper himself provoked.

    Instead of leaving the scene to de-escalate the conflict, Cooper made the deliberate decision to retaliate with deadly force. He drove roughly 2 meters forward, then slammed his vehicle into reverse, accelerating at full speed directly into a crowd of nine people gathered outside the pub. Tragically, many of those injured were innocent bystanders who had not been involved in the earlier brawl, merely caught up in the violent aftermath.

    At the time of the crash, Cooper’s blood alcohol concentration measured 0.12, one and a half times the legal driving limit in Australia. In his remarks from the bench, Judge Heath Barklay delivered scathing criticism of Cooper’s actions. “There is no condoning their actions, but you brought it all on yourself – you were the initial aggressor,” Judge Barklay told the court. “You made a deliberate decision to drive dangerously. You say you are sorry that you hurt innocent bystanders, but at that time clearly you could not have cared less. You also appear to have a complete lack of insight into the fact it was your actions which caused this situation.”

    The extent of the harm inflicted by Cooper’s choices is severe. The most critically injured victim, 22-year-old Jonathan Hogg, was pinned between Cooper’s Ford hatchback and the exterior wall of the pub. He was immediately left fighting for his life, requiring emergency life-saving surgery to stabilize his condition, and suffered two broken leg bones that required multiple follow-up procedures. Two other victims — a 35-year-old and an 18-year-old — also required surgery for serious sustained injuries, while all nine people impacted by the attack have reported long-term trauma beyond their physical injuries. “The harm they have suffered was not simply physical,” Judge Barklay noted.

    Cooper had previously pleaded guilty to nine counts of aggravated dangerous driving, acknowledging his role in the attack. At the time of the incident, he had been residing in a caravan park in Goolwa, south of Adelaide, after separating from the mother of his four children, who range in age from 12 to 22.

    In handing down the sentence, Judge Barklay ordered Cooper to serve six years in prison, with a non-parole period of three years and 10 months. The sentence was backdated to the date of the crash, meaning Cooper will remain behind bars at minimum until August 2028. Upon his release, he will be subject to a 12-year total driving ban. Additionally, as a New Zealand citizen residing in Australia, Cooper faces potential deportation to his home country following the completion of his prison term.

  • Japan and Australia agree to deepen cooperation on energy, defense and critical minerals

    Japan and Australia agree to deepen cooperation on energy, defense and critical minerals

    CANBERRA, Australia – In a landmark first visit to Australia by Japan’s sitting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the top leaders of the two Indo-Pacific nations have pledged to expand comprehensive strategic cooperation across energy security, defense collaboration, and critical minerals development, as escalating conflict in Iran raises fresh fears of disruption to global supply chains.

    Takaichi held official strategic talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra on Monday, covering a broad swath of regional and global issues ranging from China’s regional influence, developments in Southeast Asia and Pacific Island nations, to nuclear non-proliferation and the ongoing issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens.

    Addressing reporters after the closed-door discussions, Takaichi emphasized that any prolonged disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint for 20% of the world’s daily oil trade — would send severe shockwaves through the Indo-Pacific region. “We affirmed that Japan and Australia will maintain close communication and respond to this developing situation with a strong sense of urgency,” she said via an interpreter.

    Bilateral energy ties already form a backbone of the two nations’ relationship: Australia currently supplies nearly half of Japan’s total liquefied natural gas imports, while Japan ranks among Australia’s top five suppliers of refined gasoline and diesel. This existing partnership has taken on new urgency in recent months, after Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian targets starting in February triggered supply chain disruptions that forced Albanese to embark on a regional tour of Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia in recent weeks to shore up Australian fuel supplies.

    Albanese noted that the new set of bilateral agreements reached Monday would protect both nations from growing global volatility. “For Australians, it will mean we are less vulnerable to global shocks like we are seeing right now because of conflict in the Middle East,” he said. “Our joint statement on energy security reaffirms our commitment to navigate the current energy crisis together and maintain open trade flows of essential energy goods including liquid fuels and gas.”

    A core new commitment in the agreements elevates critical minerals cooperation to a central pillar of the bilateral economic security relationship, directly targeting China’s dominant grip on global heavy rare earth processing — a sector critical to manufacturing heat-resistant high-strength magnets used in defense systems and electric vehicle batteries. The joint statement issued by both leaders explicitly raised “strong concerns over all forms of economic coercion, and the use of non-market policies and practices that are leading to harmful overcapacity and market distortions, as well as export restrictions, particularly on critical minerals.” To advance this partnership, the Australian government will commit up to 1.3 billion Australian dollars (US$930 million) to support joint critical minerals development projects involving Japanese partners.

    The talks also produced new advances in defense cooperation, coming just two weeks after Japanese and Australian defense ministers signed contracts to launch construction of a AU$10 billion (US$6.5 billion) fleet of Japanese-designed frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. Under the deal, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build the first three Mogami-class frigates in Japanese shipyards, with an additional eight vessels to be constructed locally at a Western Australian shipyard.

    In a light-hearted moment following the formal talks, Albanese — an amateur disc jockey who performs at charity events under the stage name DJ Albo — joked about Takaichi’s well-documented passion for heavy metal music. “Sanae and I will spend more time together later today and we will continue our discussions including on issues like heavy metal music and other important matters of state,” he said.

    Albanese added that the expanded partnership will deliver tangible benefits to residents of both nations, as the world grapples with growing geopolitical uncertainty that threatens global trade and economic stability.

  • Samsung family pays off record $8bn inheritance tax bill

    Samsung family pays off record $8bn inheritance tax bill

    Five years after the passing of legendary Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, the controlling Lee family of South Korea’s largest conglomerate has fulfilled one of its most significant financial obligations: paying off a historic 12 trillion won ($8 billion) inheritance tax bill, the largest such payment in South Korean national history.

    The massive tax liability stemmed directly from the vast estate Lee Kun-hee left behind when he died in October 2020. At the time of his death, the former chairman’s total net worth was estimated at 26 trillion won, a portfolio that included controlling stakes in Samsung’s core listed entities, high-end private real estate holdings, and one of Asia’s most valuable private art collections. Under South Korea’s strict inheritance tax rules, the Lee family was required to settle the full tax bill in incremental installments rather than a single lump sum. Over the past half-decade, executive chairman Lee Jae-yong, along with his mother Hong Ra-hee and sisters Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun, have made six incremental payments to clear the entire obligation, with the final transfer completed earlier this week. Samsung officially confirmed the completion of the settlement in a brief statement to reporters on Sunday.

    To put the scale of this payment in perspective: the total 12 trillion won settlement equals approximately 150% of South Korea’s entire annual inheritance tax revenue for 2024, marking an unprecedented contribution to the country’s public finances. In an official comment released alongside the confirmation of the final payment, the Lee family emphasized that “paying taxes is a natural duty of citizens”, a statement widely interpreted as an effort to reinforce public trust amid longstanding scrutiny of chaebol wealth and tax practices.

    Samsung, the flagship firm of South Korea’s most powerful chaebol (family-controlled industrial conglomerate), has a sprawling business footprint that touches nearly every sector of the global economy: from consumer electronics, where it ranks as the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer and a top TV producer, to advanced semiconductor manufacturing, where it is the world’s second-largest chipmaker. In recent quarters, exploding global demand for high-performance AI chips has sent Samsung Electronics’ share price soaring, driving a dramatic surge in the Lee family’s combined net worth. According to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index data, the collective net worth of the Lee family now exceeds $45 billion, more than double where it stood just one year ago. This rapid wealth growth has put the family’s tax practices back in the public spotlight, making the completion of the historic inheritance tax settlement a notable milestone for both the conglomerate and South Korea’s corporate landscape.

  • More than 300 families evacuate in Philippines due to ashfall from volcano

    More than 300 families evacuate in Philippines due to ashfall from volcano

    Manila, Philippines – A sudden pyroclastic flow at one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic active volcanoes forced more than 300 local families to flee their homes this weekend after massive ash clouds blanketed nearby communities, Philippine disaster management officials confirmed Monday.

    Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), clarified that no full explosive eruption occurred at Mayon Volcano, the 2,462-meter peak that has seen intermittent mild eruptive activity since early this year. Saturday’s incident was triggered by the sudden collapse of accumulated lava deposits along the volcano’s southwestern slope, which sent a fast-moving avalanche of superheated gas, ash, and molten rock cascading downhill just before sunset.

    While authorities have not reported any casualties or fatalities linked to the event, the thick ash cloud that erupted from the flow drifted across 87 villages across three Albay province towns, catching residents off guard and creating dangerous travel conditions. Visibility dropped to nearly zero even on major regional highways, slowing vehicle traffic to a standstill in many high-impact areas.

    Caloy Baldo, mayor of Camalig – a town of 8,000 people sitting just below the volcano’s foothills – told the Associated Press that while some residents initially panicked, local emergency teams quickly moved to reassure communities and coordinate evacuations. The ashfall caused widespread damage to local vegetable farms, and resulted in the deaths of four water buffalo and one cow in Camalig, Baldo added. Cleanup operations are already underway across affected parts of the town to clear ash from roads, public infrastructure and residential properties.

    Mayon Volcano, famous for its near-perfect symmetrical cone shape, is one of the Philippines’ most popular tourist attractions. It is also the most active of the country’s 24 active volcanoes. PHIVOLCS raised the volcano’s 5-tier alert system to Level 3 back in January after a string of mild eruptions produced frequent rockfalls – some carrying boulders as large as passenger cars – and intermittent small pyroclastic flows. Under Level 3, the volcano is considered at heightened risk of more hazardous explosive activity.

    As of Monday, surface activity at the volcano has calmed, but the threat of further dangerous events remains, Bacolcol said. The highest alert level, Level 5, indicates an ongoing large-scale explosive eruption that produces life-threatening lava flows, pyroclastic surges, and heavy widespread ashfall.

  • Western Australia moves to ban no grounds evictions, but industry warns there would be ‘no winners’

    Western Australia moves to ban no grounds evictions, but industry warns there would be ‘no winners’

    Western Australia has become the latest Australian state to advance sweeping rental market reforms centered on a full ban on no-grounds evictions, a policy shift that has ignited sharp disagreement between state government leaders, housing industry representatives and tenant advocacy groups amid an ongoing national housing affordability crisis. The proposal comes as Western Australia grapples with one of the country’s tightest rental markets, with plummeting available supply and soaring rental costs that have put unprecedented strain on low- and middle-income renters across the state.

    Under the planned changes to Western Australia’s Residential Tenancies Act, private landlords will only be permitted to end a tenancy if they can demonstrate a legally valid reason for eviction. Acceptable reasons outlined in the reform package include the property owner or an immediate family member planning to move into the home, the need for major structural renovations or full demolition of the property, repeated breaches of tenancy terms by the renter, sale of the property, consistent non-payment of rent, and documented illegal activity occurring on the premises. Beyond the ban on no-fault evictions, the reforms also introduce new limits on what personal background information landlords and real estate agents can request from prospective tenants, along with a mandate that requires property owners to offer at least one rent payment option that does not charge extra processing fees to renters.

    State officials confirmed that the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety will launch a public consultation period to gather feedback on the fine details of the legislation as the drafting process moves forward. In a formal announcement of the reforms, Western Australian Premier Roger Cook emphasized that the changes are designed to reinforce rental security and build a more equitable housing market for all residents. “Ending no-grounds terminations and replacing them with commonsense, clearly defined reasons for eviction makes Western Australia’s rental market far fairer,” Cook said. “This next wave of residential tenancies reforms builds on our previous changes, which included a ban on competitive rent bidding and limiting rent increases to no more than once every 12 months.”

    Commerce Minister Tony Buti added that the reform package responds directly to growing cost-of-living pressures that have left many private renters at constant risk of unexpected displacement. “The government is committed to reform that ensures fairness across the board, and that includes making sure no Western Australian loses their private tenancy amid rising cost-of-living pressures,” Buti said. “This has flow-on benefits for the entire community. At the same time, the next phase of tenancy reforms demonstrates our commitment to providing stronger protections for renters and a fairer, more secure housing system for all.”

    Not all stakeholders have backed the plan, however. The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) has emerged as the policy’s most prominent critic, with president Suzanne Brown warning that the change will backfire for both landlords and renters, leaving “no winners” in the already strained rental market. Brown stressed that the organization’s opposition is not rooted in anti-tenant bias, but in concern for the long-term stability of Western Australia’s rental supply. “Across the state, the rental market has not fully recovered from the mass exodus of investors that followed the COVID-19 pandemic,” Brown said. “Western Australia cannot afford to lose any more rental properties. Another drop in supply will see the vacancy rate fall even further, competition for available properties increase, and put even more upward pressure on rent prices that are already out of reach for many families.”

    Tenant advocacy groups have pushed back strongly against these warnings, arguing that data from other Australian states that have already implemented no-grounds eviction bans shows no measurable negative impact on overall rental supply. Jesse Noakes, a campaigner with the End Unfair Evictions coalition, noted that even if some property investors choose to exit the market following the reform, existing properties do not disappear from the housing system entirely. “Even if a property investor sells a house, it is not as if it disappears into a puff of smoke. Either it houses someone who was previously renting, or it returns to the rental market shortly after,” Noakes said. Citing data from Anglicare, he added that available rental supply in Western Australia has already collapsed from more than 14,000 available properties in 2018 to just 3,000 in 2024, meaning the market cannot get any tighter than it already is. “The rental market can’t get any worse – this can only make things better for renters across the state,” he said.

    While some progressive political leaders have welcomed the announcement as a long-overdue win for tenant rights, the Western Australian Greens have argued that the proposed reforms do not go far enough to address the state’s housing crisis. Tim Clifford, the Greens’ WA housing spokesperson, called the ban a historic step forward, but warned that similar legislation in other Australian states contains significant loopholes that still allow landlords to carry out de facto no-fault evictions, such as through extreme rent hikes that force renters to leave voluntarily. “We’re still going to introduce our rent cap bill this week, because we do know the government will walk back from any reforms if we do not maintain pressure on them to deliver stronger protections,” Clifford said.