A South Korean judge handed the country’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee 20 months in jail for accepting lavish gifts from a cult-like church on Wednesday but acquitted her for alleged stock manipulation and other charges.

Controversy has long surrounded 53-year-old Kim and accusations of graft, influence peddling and even academic fraud dominated her husband Yoon Suk Yeol’s time in office. Both are now in custody — Yoon for actions taken during his disastrous declaration of martial law in December 2024 and its chaotic aftermath and Kim for corruption.

On Wednesday, Judge Woo In-sung of the Seoul Central District Court found her guilty of corruption and sentenced her to 20 months in prison. She was found to have accepted lavish bribes from the cult-like Unification Church — including a Chanel bag and a Graff necklace.

She was, however, found not guilty of stock manipulation and violations of South Korea’s campaign financing laws. Prosecutors had asked for 15 years. Judge Woo said Kim’s close proximity to the president had given her “significant influence” that she had taken advantage of.

“One’s position must never become a means of pursuing private gain,” he said. Kim, he added had “abused her position as a means of pursuing personal gain”.

SOURCE: Vanguard

At least 13 schoolchildren have died after a truck collided with a school minibus in South Africa’s Gauteng province, authorities confirmed on Monday, January 19, plunging families and communities into grief.

According to AP, preliminary reports showed that 11 children died instantly at the scene, while two others later died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The accident occurred around 7 a.m. in the southwest of Johannesburg as the private minibus was transporting pupils to different primary and secondary schools in the area.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the minibus attempted to overtake stationary vehicles before crashing head on into an oncoming truck. Police said investigations had commenced to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the collision.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that the truck driver would be questioned as part of the inquiry. Provincial education department minister Matome Chiloane also told reporters that the driver of the school minibus would be investigated for possible reckless driving.

Emergency responders arrived swiftly at the scene to attend to the injured and secure the area. Gauteng Emergency Services said five patients were taken to Sebokeng Hospital, while two others were transported to Kopanong Hospital for additional medical care. The driver of the minibus was also injured and among those hospitalised.

Scenes of anguish unfolded as parents arrived at the crash site. Witnesses described mothers and fathers weeping uncontrollably while emergency workers collected school bags, books and scattered stationery from the road.

Authorities said psychosocial support teams would be made available to assist grieving families and affected schools in the days ahead. The scale of the tragedy has renewed concerns over the safety of vehicles used to transport schoolchildren across the country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed deep sorrow over the loss of young lives and pledged government support for those affected.

“Our children are the nation’s most precious assets and we must do all we can — from observing the rules of the road to the quality of service providers,” said Ramaphosa.

The minister of basic education, Siviwe Gwarube, said many school transport accidents were linked to driver error. She urged stricter oversight and called on the Department of Transport to ensure that vehicles conveying pupils are properly maintained and certified roadworthy.

Police said further updates would be provided as investigations continue, while authorities appealed to motorists to exercise caution, especially during early morning hours when school traffic is highest.

The United States has said it will be charging Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the president and first lady of Venezuela, for terrorism and drug offences

Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed the development, adding that Maduro and Flores were indicted in the Southern District of New York

President Donald Trump earlier claimed that the US forces captured them in a “large-scale strike” following the US attack on the sovereign country

The United States has announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would be charged with drug and terrorism offences after President Donald Trump’s claim that the US forces captured them in a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela.

Speaking on the invasion, Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed the development, adding that Maduro and Flores were indicted in the Southern District of New York. She added that the Venezuelan was charged with illicit drug importation conspiracy, narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, against the United States.

According to Bonde, the mission was “incredible and highly successful”. She expressed appreciation to the US military for carrying out the mission.

Bondi described the mission as “incredible and highly successful” and expressed gratitude to the US military for carrying it out. “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she added.

Many Americans have taken to the comment section of her post and expressed their views on the development. Below are some of their comments:

Natalie F Danelishen expressed worries:

“You guys seriously captured and arrested a president in another country before arresting anyone on the Epstein list.”

Shen Shiwei questioned the US’s right to invade another country:

“How could the U.S. legalize its ‘military aggression’ against another sovereign country of Venezuela and its president by labelling it as an “operation”? When did the U.S. domestic law rise above other countries’ domestic laws and international laws?”

“If this proceeds in U.S. courts, it sets a huge precedent, prosecuting a sitting (or recently removed) head of state blurs the line between justice and geopolitics. The real test will be due process and evidence, not the headlines.”

Amy Siskind wrote:

“I’m old enough to remember that we just pardoned and released the former president of Honduras for far worse.”

Sari Beth Rosenberg commented:

“So, what’s the difference between Maduro and the President of Honduras, whom Trump pardoned? You are all so obvious.” Beth questioned the move:

“Is this going to go like the rest of your indictments, where it ends up abandoned, dropped, or dismissed by the court?”

” See the full statement of the Attorney General on X here:

Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess…

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 3, 2026