Yoo Ah-in issues public apology amid police investigation into drug allegations

Kakao has been raided by South Korean authorities over allegations that it was involved in stock manipulation over its purchase of SM Entertainment shares.According to a report by English South Korean publication Korea JoongAng Daily, about 40 prosecutors and investigators from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) – the East Asian country’s financial regulator – had confiscated data from Kakao’s office in the city of Pangyo in relation to its stock trading activity from February 2023.“The special judicial police at the FSS is presently in the process of investigating if the sale of SM shares is in violation of the Capital Markets Act under guidance from the prosecution,” an FSS spokesperson said in a statement to South Korean press, per Korea JoongAng Daily.“The team is looking into whether there was artificial engagement to sway share prices in a certain direction,” they added.Per The Korea Herald, Kakao are reportedly under investigation for allegedly artificially inflating the stock price of SM Entertainment in an attempt to block HYBE from taking control of the K-pop agency.Back in February, HYBE had launched a tender offer to buy up to 25 per cent of SM Entertainment for ₩150,000 per share. However, HYBE had only been able to acquire 0.98 per cent through that offer, per The Korea Herald.Around the same time, HYBE had submitted a petition to the FSS over an “abnormal” 2.9 per cent purchase of SM Entertainment stocks that had been transacted through a IBK Securities’ branch in Pangyo, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.Kakao has yet to comment on the situation. NME has reached out for comment.Meanwhile, HYBE has since dropped its bid to acquire SM Entertainment following a discussion with Kakao.

Alison Hammond has issued a lengthy apology over comments she made about singing during live musicals earlier this week. On Friday night, two women were forcibly removed from Manchester’s Palace Theatre for belting I Will Always Love You during a performance of The Bodyguard musical.

Police say human remains have been discovered in woodland in Swansea.

Drake is making headlines ahead with the release of his new song, ‘Search and Rescue.’ The song is out now, and it samples a clip of Kim Kardashian talking about her divorce from Kanye West on The Kardashians.“Come and rescue me. Take me out the club, take me out the trap,” the rapper sings.

Police are investigating after a person was allegedly assaulted at a hospital's A&E department. The alleged incident, at North Manchester General Hospital in Crumpsall, is understood to have involved a patient.

Kim Kardashian is relaying a well-deserved apology to her sisters.

Kim Kardashian is calling herself out -- and her famous sisters are here for it.

Kim Kardashian is owning up to a s**tty statement she made five looong years ago.

Police have confirmed they are investigating a gas explosion at a bar in Chester city centre last night (March 29). An explosion happened at a Turtle Bay bar in Chester Market just after 6.30pm with three people working as contractors at the time taken to hospital with severe burns.

LA Confidential and Memento star Guy Pearce has made a lengthy apology after tweeting about the debate around roles for trans actors.

Becky G's fiancé, Sebastian Lletget, has issued a public apology amid rumors that he cheated on the «MAMIII» singer.The soccer star took to Instagram on Monday to release a lengthy statement in which he said he had a «lapse in judgment» and pushed boundaries of lines that «should never be crossed,» which resulted in pain for not just himself, but the people he loves the most, namely his new fiancée.«Over the last several weeks, during a moment I regret deeply, a 10-minute lapse in judgment resulted in an extortion plot,» the statement shared to his Instagram read, in part. «Since this person did not get what they wanted, it has now become a public social media spectacle filled with more lies than any truth and false posts aimed at the love of my life, the one person I should never take for granted or put at risk.»He continued, «While this anonymous internet stalker — who I never met, unlike they claimed — had an ultimate goal that was not clear, for me, it has been a wake-up call.

Did Harry Styles manifest his kiss with Emily Ratajkowski long before they were caught packing on some intense PDA in Japan over the weekend?!

A kiss years in the making!

Harry Styles' One Direction days, the «As It Was» crooner is seen calling Emily Ratajkowski his celebrity crush. The quick clip, which was shared by  podcast host, Amanda Hirsch, sees all the 1D boys questioned about their celeb crush, but it's only Styles who delivers a definitive answer, telling the interviewer, «Emily Ratajkowski from .»«Harry manifested this,» Hirsch wrote alongside the footage.The throwback clip comes just hours after a video, which saw Styles and Ratajkowski locking lips on the streets of Tokyo, Japan, where Styles is currently touring, nearly broke the internet.A post shared by Amanda Hirsch (@notskinnybutnotfat)Styles, 29, was spotted wearing a black jacket and pants while Ratajkowski, 31, was seen in a pink puffer coat and dress.

Police investigating fraud allegations at the SNP are probing high value transactions including vehicle purchases made by the party.

West Midlands Police are investigating claims of blackmail targeted against TV presenter Alison Hammond.The 48-year-old regularly presents ITV’s This Morning alongside Dermot O’Leary and was recently announced as the new co-host of The Great British Bake Off. In a statement, West Midlands Police said: “We are investigating an allegation of blackmail of a woman in her 40s.

Thania Garcia Twice’s Chaeyoung issued an apology on Tuesday after she uploaded a photo of her wearing a t-shirt with a swastika symbol. This comes just days after the K-pop singer was seen performing in a QAnon shirt for the South Korean music television program “Show! Music Core.” In the photo, which has since been deleted, Chaeyoung posed wearing a shirt with the Sex Pistols‘ Sid Vicious sporting a swastika — associated Adolf Hitler and the German Nazi party — on his shirt. “Hello, this is Chaeyoung from Twice. I sincerely apologize regarding the Instagram post. I didn’t correctly recognize the meaning of the tilted swastika in the t-shirt I wore,” she said in a statement, written in both English and Korean, via Instagram. “I deeply apologize for not thoroughly reviewing it, causing concern. I will pay absolute attention in the future to prevent any situation similar from happening again. Sincerely apologize again.”

Police investigating alleged sexual assaults at a hospital arrested a man on Tuesday morning (March 21).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, star of “Burning,” “The Throne” and Netflix series “Hellbound,” must report to the police on Friday in connection with the alleged use of a variety of drugs. Allegations of Yoo’s drug use emerged a month ago and he has previously spoken with authorities. The Yonhap news agency now specifies that he will be considered as a criminal suspect when he presents himself to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Friday. It is unclear whether Yoo will be formally arrested at that time. Yoo became a person of interest in early February after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety revealed that he had bought suspicious quantities of the sedative Propofol in a series of purchases starting in 2021. Propofol is a strong sedative that can also be used as an anesthetic. The authorities have looked into several doctors’ offices and clinics in Seoul that may have administered the drug.

An investigation is underway after a suspected shooting on a street in Stockport.