The court schedule has been set for Nick Ut's defamation lawsuit in France against Netflix and the VII Foundation over claims made in The Stringer documentary.
SINGAPORE: After a consensual physical encounter with her ex-boyfriend, a woman filed a rape report over fears of a possible pregnancy, setting off a police investigation before she admitted the allegation was untrue.
The 35-year-old Singapore woman has been sentenced to five weeks’ jail for falsely accusing her ex-boyfriend of rape, a claim she later admitted was made up after police had already launched an investigation.
Liau Wan Ting pleaded guilty to providing false information to a public servant after making a false rape allegation against her former partner, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (June 12). The case sheds light on the serious consequences of false reports, particularly in rape allegation offence investigations where police resources are mobilised quickly, and allegations can have a profound impact on those involved.
Court documents showed that Liau met the man through TikTok in 2024. They began a relationship in August that year but broke up in October 2025. Despite ending their relationship, they remained friends and continued seeing each other.
On Jan 7, 2026, Liau contacted the man and asked him to pick her up in the early hours of the morning. They later had mutually agreed physical intimacy at his residence before having breakfast and going their separate ways.
Hours later, Liau contacted her sister-in-law and asked whether having intercourse with someone who was no longer her partner could amount to rape. After discussing consent, Liau claimed she had been raped and was advised to make a police report. She subsequently lodged the report that evening. Investigators later, however, learned that the allegation was false.
During investigations, Liau repeated the allegation to multiple officers and was taken for a forensic medical examination. She eventually admitted the truth later that night while giving a statement.
Prosecutors told the court that Liau had become worried because the birth control patch she was using had expired a day earlier. She feared her former boyfriend might refuse responsibility if she became pregnant.
Initially, she persisted with the false claim because she feared punishment for making a false report. She later changed course because she didn’t want her ex-boyfriend to be arrested or jailed. But by that point, police had already begun investigating him.
The man, whose identity is protected by a court gag order, was traced in the early hours of Jan 8 and brought to the Police Cantonment Complex.
He provided a blood sample and underwent a video-recorded interview lasting about 40 minutes. During the interview, he maintained that the physical intimate encounter had been consensual.
Liau later repeated the same account to medical staff and investigators, confirming that she had consented to the intercourse activity.
The case involved significant resources as prosecutors said 13 police officers, along with a doctor and a nurse, were activated as part of the investigation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kimberly Boo argued that a custodial sentence was necessary because false allegations can cause serious harm.
The prosecution noted that the man involved in the woman’s former relationship was subjected to investigations and procedures that would never have occurred had the report not been made.
The court also heard that false rape allegations can undermine confidence in genuine reports of rape assault by creating unnecessary scepticism toward real victims. Liau was ultimately sentenced to five weeks in jail.
Under Singapore law, providing false information to a public servant carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
False reports are relatively uncommon compared with genuine rape offence complaints. Yet when they do occur, they can carry consequences far beyond the individuals involved.
Police investigations into rape crimes are designed to take action fast to protect victims and preserve evidence where substantial public resources are deployed at short notice.
Consent is a legal concept, not a matter of regret, uncertainty or fear after the fact. When false claims are made, innocent people can face reputational harm, emotional distress and intrusive investigations.
At the same time, authorities continue to encourage genuine victims of rape assault to come forward, with every report assessed based on evidence and investigation.
Personal fears, relationship disputes or worries about future consequences should never be resolved through false allegations. Honest communication and seeking proper support early can prevent situations from escalating into criminal offences that affect everyone involved.
This article (Singapore woman gets 5 weeks’ jail for falsely accusing ex-boyfriend of rape after discovering her contraceptive patch expired) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
A federal law requiring online platforms to remove sexual deepfakes and other nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours has officially come into effect.
Believe it or not, Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed with all-party support back in 2007. Subsequently, of course, it was undermined through numerous exemptions and approvals for harmful activities, and now, through Bill 5, the Government of Ontario is tossing it aside completely. It is being replaced by the Species Conservation Act, 2025, (SCA) which is in no way its equal. With a view to eliminating barriers to development, it is claimed the new law will “help speed up project timelines and provide greater certainty for proponents.”
Devastating Changes
Under the SCA, no migratory birds, aquatic species or species of special concern will be provincially listed. The rationale for removing protections for migratory birds and aquatic species is that they already receive federal protection under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). In the case of special concern species, the provincial government is not listing them because they were not subject to “prohibitions under the ESA”. The provincial government is thus abandoning responsibility for 106 out of the 270 or so species currently deemed to be at risk in Ontario.
National Accord
In 1996, federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for wildlife committed to a national accord to protect species at risk by agreeing to “establish complementary legislation and programs that provide for effective protection of species at risk throughout Canada.” Canada and Ontario went a step further in 2011 by developing an Agreement on Species at Risk that commits to coordination and cooperation on preventing species from becoming at risk, as well as protecting and recovery identified species.
The Government of Ontario has abandoned these commitments. Species do not recognize arbitrary political boundaries, and cooperative federalism is absolutely necessary to conserve species at risk, especially amid a biodiversity crisis.
Limitations of SARA
The SARA is not equivalent to the ESA and to date, the federal government has been reluctant to exercise its power under the act on non-federal lands. The Government of Ontario has given no indication that the federal government was engaged on the draft SCA or agreed to step in and provide protections for the migratory birds and aquatic species that have lost provincial protections. On the contrary, Minister McCarthy along with the Alberta Environment Minister sent a letter to their federal counterpart in June, 2025 that requested the federal government amend SARA “to respect the constitutional jurisdiction of the provinces”, along with request to weaken other environmental regulations.
Further evidence that SARA is not fit to purpose to make up for the once gold standard provincial ESA, is that the backlog of species needing reassessment by Environment and Climate Change Canada will grow to 574 by the end of 2030. Additionally, as of 2022, the Auditor General of Canada found that 10% of federally listed species did not have recovery strategies or management plans in place as required by the act. Furthermore, of the 409 recovery strategies prepared by 2022, 20% did not identify the species’ critical habitat, which is necessary for protections under SARA.
Despite the Government of Ontario’s claims that the protections under the ESA for migratory birds and aquatic species were duplicative with federal protections, it is clear that SARA and the federal government are not equipped to provide equivalent protections.
Call to Action
Extinction threatens one million of approximately 8 million plants and animals worldwide. Responding effectively requires cooperation across all levels of government, as previously agreed to under the national accord and Canada-Ontario agreement.
Ontario’s weakening of protections for species at risk threatens our long-term well-being. Join us in urging the Government of Ontario to repeal Bill 5.
SEOUL, June 2 — Singer Psy has been referred to prosecutors on allegations that he received prescriptions for psychotropic medication without undergoing required in‑person medical examinations.
According to Chosun Ilbo, police said the artist — whose real name is Park Jae‑sang — was among six individuals sent to prosecutors without detention on suspicion of violating the Medical Service Act. Those referred include a university hospital professor who issued the prescriptions and Psy’s manager, who allegedly collected the medication on his behalf.
Police said Psy is suspected of receiving prescriptions for the psychotropic drugs Xanax and Stilnox from February 2022 to July 2024 without face‑to‑face consultations. Under Korean law, only patients who have been directly examined by a doctor may receive such prescriptions, and only the patient themselves may collect them.
Authorities noted that exceptions exist for patients who are unconscious or unable to move, but said Psy does not fall under those categories. Violations of the Medical Service Act carry penalties of up to one year in prison or fines of up to 10 million won.
Xanax and Stilnox are commonly used to treat anxiety, sleep disorders and depression, and are classified as medications requiring strict oversight due to their dependency risks.
This morning, DJI filed two lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Insta360, asserting it violated both design and utility patents. Insta360 is preparing its defense.
A photographer has been charged after he allegedly stole the camera gear of one of the victims of the deadly Bondi Beach shooting before pawning it for hundreds of dollars days after the terror attack.
Disney is facing a class action lawsuit over the alleged use of facial recognition technology at its park entrances in California without proper disclosure to guests.
© getty
JUNE 7 — The people of Negeri Sembilan hold a justifiable, deep-rooted pride in Adat Perpatih. For centuries, this unique customary framework has defined the state’s identity, offering an extraordinary tradition of consensus, matrilineal democracy, and structural checks and balances.
However, for a society to function cohesively in a modern federation, it is vital to clarify a fundamental legal principle: traditional customs do not operate in isolation, nor do they supersede the supreme constitutional law of the state and the federal framework of Malaysia.
While customary sentiments run deep, public discourse must remain anchored to a universal truth: the ultimate goal of any governance framework—whether customary or statutory—is the preservation of objective justice.
A world in flux: The imperative for institutional stability
We live in an era of profound global uncertainty. On the international stage, we frequently witness the fragility of institutional order, the limitations of international legal bodies to maintain global harmony, and the shifting narratives that blur the lines between right and wrong.
In a world undergoing such rapid geopolitical and social transitions, local institutions have a heightened responsibility to project absolute stability, clarity, and adherence to established rules.
Complex internal disputes regarding state customary traditions should not be handled in a manner that creates administrative ambiguity or public anxiety. Instead, they require a calm, measured alignment with established legal processes.
The code of harmony within Adat Perpatih
Adat Perpatih was never intended to be an instrument of administrative friction or abrupt governance shifts. Historically, its very essence relies on muafakat (consensus), meticulous deliberation, and equity. When customary actions are perceived to bypass codified legal systems, it risks overshadowing the noble values the ancestors sought to protect. Any attempt to alter or challenge the standing of a state’s highest leadership must strictly mirror the fairness, transparency, and balance that Adat itself champions.
To act without these safeguards risks transforming a revered tradition into a tool of procedural instability.
The constitutional safeguards of a sovereign ruler
Under the modern legal framework of Malaysia, the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar is heavily protected by a dual layer of customary legitimacy and written statutory law. When faced with unprecedented procedural challenges, the legal recourse and structural protections available to the Ruler are clear:
First, the primacy of the written constitution dictates that in a constitutional monarchy, customary actions must be harmonized with the written law.
Article X of the Negeri Sembilan State Constitution establishes a clear, rigorous threshold for any leadership evaluation. It implicitly demands the application of natural justice—meaning a fair, transparent, and comprehensive enquiry where all sides are heard—alongside the formal concurrence of the state’s executive government.
Unilateral or non-statutory declarations completely lack constitutional efficacy.
Second, the principle of executive concurrence ensures that the state’s administrative apparatus and law enforcement agencies function under the authority of the constitution.
Without the statutory endorsement of the Menteri Besar and the recognition of the Federal Government, alternative customary declarations cannot translate into executive or legal reality.
Third, the strength of administrative continuity reinforces public confidence. By maintaining a dignified, calm, and consistent adherence to royal and constitutional duties, the reigning institution anchors the state.
Stability is maintained not through public friction, but through an unwavering commitment to the continuity of the state’s governance.
Conclusion: Aligning custom with the rule of law
Just as the global community requires clear frameworks to ensure fairness and prevent chaos, local governance demands a strict adherence to constitutional boundaries.
Customary laws like Adat Perpatih are a source of great cultural strength, but their survival and respect depend entirely on their alignment with the universal principles of natural justice and the written constitution.
The institutional integrity of Negeri Sembilan remains firmly protected when all parties prioritize procedural law over emotional sentiment, ensuring that justice remains the true cornerstone of the state.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Joshua Wong’s national security case has been transferred to a higher court, where the pro-democracy activist faces up to life imprisonment, following the conclusion of committal proceedings.
Wong appeared at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday morning to face a charge of conspiring to commit foreign collusion, a crime under the Beijing-imposed national security law.
He was arrested in June last year while in jail. Wong is currently serving a four-year-and-eight-month jail sentence for his involvement in another national security case relating to election primaries in 2020, in which he pleaded guilty.
In the present case, the 29-year-old stands accused of conspiring with self-exiled activist Nathan Law and “other persons unknown” between July 1 and November 23, 2020, to request foreign countries, organisations, or individuals based overseas to impose sanctions, blockades or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.
Law, who now lives in the UK, and Wong, along with other former student activists, co-founded pro-democracy political party Demosisto, which was disbanded hours after China’s legislature passed the national security law on June 30, 2020.
Magistrate Victor So said in August last year that Wong’s case would be transferred from the magistrate’s court to the High Court, where the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. At the magistrate’s court, the maximum penalty is two years, or three years when a defendant faces more than one offence.
Since then, Wong has appeared at a number of hearings related to the committal of the case to the High Court.
Under court reporting laws, media reports relating to procedures involving the transfer of cases from the magistrate’s court to the High Court are severely restricted.
Reports cannot publicise the contents of the procedures, and can only describe information such as the names of defendants, judges and lawyers, and information on the charges.
Wong has been remanded since November 2020, when he was detained in an unauthorised assembly case linked to the anti-extradition protests and unrest in 2019.
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure.
The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
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