Top 10 Most Expensive Divorces In History

Divorce rarely makes economic sense at any income level, but as Woody Allen once said, “The heart wants what it wants.” Here, in reverse order, is a list of the 10 most expensive divorces in legal history (as determined by the estimated size of the settlement). This list is according to Reuters, CNBC and Forbes.

10. Roman and Irina Abramovich, $300 million

Irina Malandina filed for divorce against Roman Abramovich, a Russian business tycoon, under speculation that he was having an affair. The settlement bestowed on Irina Abramovich in 2007 was reportedly worth less than 2% of her husband’s massive $18.7 billion net worth.

9. Robert and Sheila Johnson, $400 million

Robert and Sheila Johnson are co-founders of BET. They married in 1969, but after more than 30 years of marriage they split. Robert Johnson became the America’s first African-American billionaire, so when they divorced, Sheila received a large sum of the fortune, $400 million worth.

8. Mel and Robyn Gibson, $425 million

The biggest celebrity divorce of all-time. Robyn Moore married Mel Gibson in 1980, split from him 26 years later. Gibson reportedly handed over half of his $850 million fortune when he split with his wife Robyn in 2011. The divorce settlement is the largest in Hollywood history.

7. Craig and Wendy McCaw, $460 million

The Seattle-area businessman and founder of McCaw Cellular, Craig McCaw married Wendy Petrak in 1974, but they split up, in 1998, just a few years after selling the company to AT&T for between $11-$12 billion.

6. Steve Wynn and Elaine Pascal, $740 million

Steve Wynn, CEO of casino empire Wynn Resorts, married Elaine Pascal in 1963. They divorced in 1986 but remarried again in 1991, ultimately leading to their second divorce in 2010. Wynn lost ownership of about half of his stock in the company in his second divorce with Elaine Wynn in a $750 million agreement, according to reports at the time.

5. Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi, $850 million

For almost two decades, Saudi billionaire entrepreneur and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi held the record for the most expensive divorce settlement in history. Adnan married 20-year-old Soraya Khashoggi in 1961. The couple filed for divorce in 1974, it took Soraya until 1979 to sue her ex-husband for a cash settlement, estimated at $850 million.

4. Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone, $1.2 billion

Bernie Ecclestone, the president and CEO of Formula One racing, was married to Slavica Ecclestone, a former model, for 23 years. They have two daughters, Tamara Ecclestone and Petra Ecclestone. The couple filed for divorce in 2009 for an estimated $1 billion to $1.2 billion.

3. Rupert Murdoch and Anna Maria Torv, $1.7 billion

After a 32-year marriage and three children, Murdoch divorced his second wife of 31 years, Anna, with a $1.7 billion settlement in 1999. He married Wendi shortly after.

2. Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng, $1.8 billion

On 25 June 1999, 17 days after divorcing his second wife, Murdoch married Chinese-born Deng Wendi. Thirteen years later, he’s ready to repeat the same process. On 13 June 2013, a News Corporation spokesperson confirmed that Rupert Murdoch filed for divorce from Deng in New York City, U.S. According to him, the marriage had been irretrievably broken for more than six months.

1. Alec and Jocelyn Wildenstein, $3.8 billion

Alec Wildenstein’s divorce from Jocelyn Wildenstein is considered the most expensive divorce ever in history. Alec was a billionaire French businessman, art dealer and racehorse owner and breeder. He married Jocelyne Périsset on April 30, 1978. They had a daughter, Diane, followed by a son, Alec. Jr. Their divorce proceedings between 1997 and 1999 gained wide media coverage for revelations about the couple’s extravagant spending habits and Jocelyn Wildenstein’s fondness for plastic surgery. According to news reports at the time, Jocelyn received $2.5 billion in the divorce settlement and $100 million every year for 13 years after.

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10 Countries Without Armed Forces

Most countries have large military forces that are able to deploy and protect at any given time (the largest and most notable being China, at about 1,600,000 army personnel), while some countries have no military at all. Below is a list of 10 countries without armed forces. Each of them with variable reasons why; some because of the country’s history other because of its location. Whereas many of us believe that a military force is a necessity, there are countries that see or have no need for them; but, in many cases, there is a back-up plan in the case that the country is attacked or war is declared upon that country.
Japan is not included in this list because, while the country may officially have no military according to Article 9 of its Constitution, it does have the Japan Self-Defence Forces, a military force for national territory defence that may only be deployed outside Japan for UN peacekeeping missions.
These are 10 Countries with absolutely no military forces.

10. Marshall Islands

Since the country’s foundation the sole forces permissible area unit the police, which has a Maritime Surveillance Unit for internal security. The Maritime police investigation Unit is provided with tiny arms, and maintains one Pacific category patrol boat, the Lomor. Under the Compact of Free Association, defense is the responsibility of the United States.

9. Palau

Since the country’s foundation the only forces permitted are the police, which includes a 30-man Maritime Surveillance Unit for internal security. The Maritime Surveillance is equipped with small arms, and maintains one Pacific class patrol boat, the President H.I. Remeliik. Defense assistance is provided by the United States under the Compact of Free Association.

8. Samoa

Since the country’s foundation no military has been shaped, however, there’s a little police, and a Maritime Surveillance Unit for internal security. The Maritime Surveillance Unit is supplied with little arms, and maintains one Pacific category water-craft, the Nafanua. In accordance to a 1962 pact of relationship, New Zealand is to responsible for defence.

7. Tuvalu

Since the country’s foundation no military has been fashioned, however, there’s a tiny police force, and a Maritime Surveillance Unit for internal security. The Maritime Surveillance Unit is supplied with little arms, and maintains one Pacific category watercraft, the Te Mataili.

6. Vatican City

Maintains a Gendarmerie Corps for internal policing. The Swiss Guard is a unit belonging to the Holy See, not the Vatican City State. There’s no defense accord with Italian Republic, because it would violate the Vatican’s neutrality, however informally the Italian military protects Vatican City. The Palatine Guard and Noble Guard were abolished in 1970.

5. Nauru

Australia is chargeable for Nauru’s defense beneath a casual agreement between the 2 countries. However, there’s a comparatively giant armed police force, and an auxiliary police force for internal security.

4. Solomon Islands

Maintained a paramilitary force until a heavy ethnic conflict, in which Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific countries intervened to restore law and order. Since then no military has been maintained, however, there is a relatively large police force, and a Maritime Surveillance Unit for internal security. The Maritime Surveillance Unit is equipped with small arms, and maintains two Pacific class patrol boats, the Auki and the Lata. Defense and policing assistance is the responsibility of the RAMSI.

3. Liechtenstein

Abolished its army in 1868 because it absolutely was deemed too expensive. Military is just permissible in times of war, however that situation has never occurred. However, Principality of Liechtenstein maintains a law and a Special Weapons and Tactics team, equipped with tiny arms to hold out internal security duties.

2. Grenada

Has not had a ground forces since 1983 owing to associate American-led invasion. The Royal Grenada Police Force agency maintains a paramilitary special service unit for internal security functions. Defense is that the responsibility of the Regional Security System.

1. Andorra

Andorra has no regular army however signed treaties with European country and France for its protection. Its little volunteer army is solely ceremonial in operate. The paramilitary GIPA (trained in counter-terrorism and prisoner management) is a component of the national police.

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Top 10 Bizarre Foods That People Usually Eat

Each country has their own traditional dishes like England’s roast dinner, Spain’s paella and Italy’s lasagne; however there are some countries that have more unusual delicacies. We might not fully understand right now why people around the world eat everything, just like Chines.  Taking a look at this list of 10 bizarre foods from around the world and see if your perspective on trying international cuisine doesn’t change. You had probably never eat any of these top 10 bizarre foods, most of them are popular in their respective regions for pretty good reasons.

Here are Top 10 Bizarre Foods

Haggis

Scotland Haggis (Pic Courtesy; commons.wikimedia.org)

This Scottish dish contains the internal organs of a sheep, including the liver, heart, and lungs. Mix this with some chopped onions, raw beef or mutton’s fat, salt, and spices. Mixed with stock and traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach and simmered for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a sausage casing rather than an actual stomach.

Yak Penis

Yak Penis – Top 10 Bizarre Foods

Yak penis is a Chinese delicacy and is also known as “Dragon in the Flame of Desire”. It is most commonly served in the Guolizhuang Restaurant in Beijing which is famous for serving penis and testicle dishes, the yak penis dish is very popular as it is supposed to be very good for skin!

Fried – Brain Sandwiche

A fried-brain sandwich is generally a sandwich with sliced calves’ brains on sliced bread. Long before the era of Mad-Cow Disease, a sandwich made from fried calves’ brain, thinly sliced on white bread was a common item on the menus in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The sandwich is still available in the Ohio River Valley, where the brains are now heavily battered and served on hamburger buns. In El Salvador and Mexico beef brains, lovingly called sesos in Spanish, are used in tacos and burritos. Brains from cows over 30 months old at slaughter are no longer permitted in human food in the United States. Some restaurants have taken to serving pigs’ brains instead of cows’ brains due to Mad-Cow Disease.

Fugu

Fugu is the Japanese word for the poisonous puffer fish, filled with enough of the poison tetrodotoxin to be lethal. Only specially-trained chefs, who undergo two to three years of training and have passed an official test, can prepare the fish. Some chefs will choose to leave a minute amount of poison in the fish to cause a tingling sensation on the tongue and lips as fugu can be quite bland. Perhaps the fuss of fugu is more in surviving the experience than the actual taste of the deadly fish.

Sannakji

Sannakji or sannakji hoe is a variety of hoe, or raw dish, in Korean cuisine. It consists of live nakji (a small octopus) that has been cut into small pieces and served immediately, usually lightly seasoned with sesame and sesame oil. The nakji pieces are usually still squirming on the plate when this dish is served and, if not chewed carefully, the tiny suction cups can stick to the mouth and throat. This is not a dish for the fainthearted.

Balut

Top 10 Bizarre Foods

Balut seemes to be on every strong and bizarre foods list, One of the most popular dishes in the Philippines, where it is commonly sold as streetfood. A balut is a fertilized (mostly half fertilized) duck or chicken embryo that is boiled and eaten in the shell. As unappealing as half-developed ducklings are, balut is high in protein and also, an aphrodisiac. It’s up to you to decide if that’s all worth it, but if it’s any consolation, the people who’ve tried balut say it tastes much better than it looks. These are common food in countries in Southeast Asia, such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. These are often served with beer.

Fried Spider

Top 10 Bizarre Foods

Fried spider is a regional delicacy in Cambodia. In the Cambodian town of Skuon the vending of fried spiders as a specialty snack is a popular attraction for tourists passing through this town. Spiders are also available elsewhere in Cambodia. These spiders are fried from a species of tarantula that is about the size of a human palm. Typically only the legs are eaten, with mixed reviews on eating the abdomen.

Rocky Mountain Oysters

Top 10 Bizarre Foods

It is a well-known novelty dish in parts of the American West and Western Canada where cattle ranching is prevalent and castration of young animals is common. Rocky Mountain oysters are bull calf testicles used for human consumption. Sometimes pig or sheep testicles are used. They are often deep-fried after being peeled, coated in flour, pepper and salt, and sometimes pounded flat. This delicacy is most often served as an appetizer with a cocktail sauce dip.

Tuna Eyeball

Top 10 Bizarre Foods

These type of foods Commonly eaten in China and Japan. Tuna Eye can be found staring up at you in most Japanese stores for less than a Pound. In Japan, the dish is served fried with garlic and soya sauce. Apparently it tastes a bit like squid and the eyeball comes surrounded by fish fat and severed muscles that are also meant to be quite tasty. To cook, you simply boil it and then season to taste.

Chicken Cartilage

Top 10 Bizarre Foods

Chicken cartilage no doubt one of the most bizarre foods, is commonly served in bars in Japan as a tasty snack. It can be eaten fried or on a shish kabob. The texture is very chewy and sometimes can take quite a few mouthfuls to break it up properly.

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