Taiwanese actor Darren Wang appeared at Taiwan's High Court on Sep. 30 for the first hearing of an appeal in his Personal Data Protection Act case.

Wang and his girlfriend, Chueh Mu-hsuan, said that they are not guilty.

Former police officer Liu Chu-jung admitted guilt over the offence for which he had been convicted at first instance, according to Yahoo News Taiwan.

What the case is about

Prosecutors accused Wang of approaching Yu Hsiang-min for help in two separate matters involving the retrieval of personal data.

Yu subsequently contacted Liu, then acting head of a criminal investigation team with the Taipei City police.

The first involved a man surnamed Pan, from whom Chueh was trying to recover NT$4 million (S$160,173) in investment-related debt.

The second involved Chen Chih-ming, the head of a draft-evasion ring, whom Wang was unhappy with after allegedly taking payment without providing the service.

His account in court

On the Chen matter, Wang told the court he had asked someone to help locate a man known only by the nickname “Xiao Hei”, without providing his real name.

When he later learned Chen was in prison, Wang said he told them there was no need to continue looking for him.

On the debt, he said he had approached Yu to help his girlfriend recover money she had been cheated out of. Since the two did not know each other, he set up a group chat with them and left them to communicate directly.

He said he did not take part in the discussions beyond occasionally sending polite messages such as “thank you”, and was unaware of the data lookups or debt collection that followed.

The sentences being appealed

The New Taipei District Court sentenced Wang to six months, convertible to a fine of NT$180,000 (S$7,206). Chueh received the same.

Yu was sentenced to three months, convertible to NT$90,000 (S$3,603), as did Chen Tzu-chun, a member of the Four Seas Gang.

Liu was the only defendant whose sentence could not be converted to a fine.

He was sentenced to one year and four months for making false entries as a public official, and admitted to the charge at the hearing.

Chen Chih-ming was also brought to court for the hearing.

Prosecutors in the U.S. state of New York have commenced an investigation into a case of alleged rape of a Cornell University student by seven other fellow university students.

The Tompkins County District Attorney's office told ABC News that it may now bring criminal charges related to the case after a civil lawsuit was filed against the seven men by the complainant.

Previously, the same office stated that it had "conducted a thorough review of the police investigation," but "there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges", as reported by CBS News.

Allegations detailed in civil lawsuit

The complainant, identified only as Jane Doe in the civil lawsuit, alleged that she was drugged and raped in a fraternity house of Cornell University in October 2024.

A fraternity is a social organisation in American universities (some known as colleges) for male undergraduate students.

While they provide social networks and are typically involved in charitable outreach activities, they have also come under scrutiny for "hazing", excessive drinking and disruptive behaviour.

Most fraternities have houses near campus where member students can stay instead of having to rent housing elsewhere.

At the time, Doe was 20 and attending Cornell as a student. She visited a friend at the house of the Chi Phi fraternity while intoxicated, and alleged she was pressured by two male fraternity members into snorting a substance they claimed was ketamine.

Doe then alleged she was sexually assaulted by the two members.

A man then sent a message to the fraternity Snapchat group, suggesting that the woman was available for sex. Doe alleges that more men arrived, and she was raped for hours.

Screenshots obtained by The New York Post showed one person asking if the "shop was still open".

Police investigation and no criminal charges

After three weeks, Doe filed a complaint with the university. Cornell conducted an investigation, which led to two students being expelled, with others receiving lighter penalties such as suspensions, workshops and having to write essays.

Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said that no student was arrested following the investigation.

With no criminal charges brought, Doe's civil lawsuit accuses the university and other defendants of breach of contract, negligence and violations of state law.

Doe, who dropped out of the university afterwards, is seeking monetary damages, although an exact amount is not specified.

The named defendants in the lawsuit are as follows, as reported by The Guardian:

• Matthew Ingalls
• Johnathan Newell
• Winston Lee
• Gillio Lopes
• Diego Sarabia
• Scott Norris
• Scott Kretzschmar

Two of the defendants, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, have denied the allegations.

In a statement to ABC News, Kretzschmar's attorney said:

"At bottom, Scott never sexually assaulted or even touched the plaintiff in any way. Period.

We look forward to confronting the plaintiff in a court of law for her selfishly false claims with both the evidence and her own words."

Norris said, through an attorney:

"I did not participate in any sexual activity or drug use. I was not found responsible by Cornell for any of the accusations involving sexual activity and drug use for which others received serious consequences.

I thoughtlessly engaged in Snapchat and briefly stopped in the room where misconduct happened but not when it happened."

More statements

The news of the civil lawsuit generated strong backlash on social media, with actress Florence Pugh commenting about the case on social media.

Cornell released a statement saying it takes sexual violence extremely seriously, and launched a task force following the incident, with changes implemented according to the task force's recommendations. The Xi chapter of Chi Phi fraternity is also barred from campus.

The District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, also released a statement explaining and defending the office's earlier decision not to bring criminal charges, saying that the allegations in the civil lawsuit are "dramatically different" from Doe's statement to the police in 2024.

Speaking to ABC News, Van Houten said his team intends to present the case to the Tompkins County grand jury with Jane Doe's cooperation.

"We want to reexamine whether there's additional evidence that we were not aware of in November of 2024, that exists now that would change our assessment of the case and would result in the grand jury finding that there was criminal conduct."

Van Houten said he generally refrains from public comment on criminal investigations, but the community outrage stemming from "incomplete news and social media coverage" required an answer for why there was a lack of criminal charges previously.

The Guardian reported that he said:

"Jane Doe’s sworn statement in November of 2024 did not allege that she was drugged against her will or gang raped. On the contrary, Jane Doe’s statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual.

My office obviously did not and could not have based our November 2024 decision on the allegations in a civil lawsuit that would not be filed until nearly two years later.

Furthermore, I have never been contacted by Jane Doe’s attorneys. Not to inform me the original statement was inaccurate and not to ask me to reconsider our decision.

Rather, I reached out to Jane Doe’s attorneys after the lawsuit was filed to understand the discrepancy between the original statement and the lawsuit’s allegations and the proper path forward in light of the lawsuit’s allegations."

However, Giuffra disputes Van Houten's description of the woman's initial statement to Cornell University police, and faulted the authorities for not following up with his client, ABC News further reported.

"In my experience, speaking with an abuse survivor requires delicacy, understanding and specialised training. An average University Police officer would not have these skills.

It would be the role of a specially trained detective or district attorney. However, Ms. Doe was never contacted by anybody with those skills."

Van Houten has asked a senior prosecutor, a woman, to prepare a case for a grand jury, and that he recognises that the process of healing from trauma is personal and different for everyone.

A man helped a woman in need book a cab from East Coast Lagoon Food Village on Sep. 15 at 2am.

The man recounted his experience to Stomp.

According to him, he encountered a woman in her 20s or 30s with her hair "drenched".

She was alone and told him she had lost her phone.

The man, seeing that she was alone and it was so late, booked her a ride on his Comfort app to Yishun.

The lady initially gave a location in Yishun, but changed it to another area, also in Yishun.

According to Stomp, the woman even reminded him to put the cash option, and said she would go up to her place and get the money for the driver.

When he was on his on way home in another private hire vehicle, the man received a call from the taxi driver that picked her up. She had supposedly left without paying the fare.

The man eventually ended up footing the bill, which came to S$55.18. He has not filed a report yet but says if he does, it is likely the lady could be traced from in-vehicle camera footage.

He warned others not to "not to make the same mistake I did".

Mothership has reached out to Comfort to see what measures drivers can take in this situation. And whether camera footage from the taxi has been used to identify people who might skip out on fares.

If your wardrobe is due for a refresh, here’s a shopping event you won’t want to miss.

Changi City Point, the outlet mall nearest to Changi Airport, is holding its first-ever Great Outlet Sale from Oct.1-4, with plenty of irresistible deals, discounts and promotions across its tenants, plus exclusive mall-wide offers.

Here are some of the deals and promotions to look out for.

Get rewarded for your shopping spree

Before we get into the individual deals from some popular brands, here are some mall-wide deals to keep in mind.

Irresistible deals from popular brands

56 outlet brands are also rolling out exclusive promotions during the Great Outlet Sale, giving shoppers even more reasons to hunt for a good deal.

Calvin Klein outlet is turning up the savings with up to 80 per cent off, plus an additional 10 per cent off with a S$300 net spend.

Over at Timberland outlet, shoppers can snag selected footwear at an exclusive S$69 (usual price: S$139-S$399) during the sale, a great opportunity to pick up a new pair at a seriously tempting price.

For a polished update to your wardrobe, Benjamin Barker outlet is offering two suit jackets for just S$180.

Known for its contemporary take on menswear, the homegrown label is a go-to for sharp tailoring and versatile pieces that work from the office to after-hours.

Looking to add a touch of Italian flair to your accessories collection? Furla outlet has selected items at only S$199, compared to their usual prices of S$400-S$920, making this a good chance to pick up one of the brand’s signature leather pieces at a more approachable price.

Meanwhile, Champion outlet is giving shoppers 40 per cent off regular-priced items when they purchase two pieces or more, ideal for stocking up on its laid-back, sporty staples.

Over at Kappa outlet, spend S$138 and you’ll receive a free tumbler, an exclusive reward available during the sale.

Whether you’ve got a shopping list in mind or simply want to see what catches your eye, the Great Outlet Sale is one to make time for.

Great Outlet Sale

Location: Changi City Point, 5 Changi Business Park Central 1, Singapore 486038

Date: Oct. 1-4, 2026

This branded article by Changi City Point makes this writer want to clear some space in her current wardrobe.

A video posted on WeChat has gained widespread attention, showing a flight attendant being scolded by a passenger on her knees. He was unhappy that her food cart had bumped his elbow and demanded an apology, even telling her to kneel down so that he could kick her.

On Sep. 27, a public WeChat account made a post titled “Flight Attendant Kneels”, quickly reaching over 100,000 views.

On a China Eastern Airline flight from Hefei to Dalian, a flight attendant was pushing a food cart, which knocked into the passenger’s elbow.

Despite the lack of external injuries such as bruising or swelling, the passenger claimed that the cart was made of metal and the impact was severe. He then demanded an apology from the flight attendant.

The flight attendant apologised, but the passenger was dissatisfied as the apology was “too late” and started shouting in the cabin. The purser came to calm him down and apologised as well.

The passenger said that the flight attendant should “let me kick you”. The flight attendant was in tears at this point, but seeing as the passenger would not let up, she knelt and told him to kick her.

The passenger only calmed down when a security officer arrived.

A netizen named Zhang, who filmed the viral video, recounted the situation. He said that the food cart was not moving fast, and that the flight attendant had brought ice packs for the passenger who was knocked by the cart so it should not be serious.

Airline response

China Eastern Airline has since issued a statement on its Weibo account on Sep. 30. It said that after verification, the flight attendant had repeatedly reminded passengers to be mindful while she was serving drinks from the cart.

The passenger had been asleep, and thus was bumped by the cart. Although the flight attendant apologised and checked on the passenger, he used vulgar and offensive language. He threatened to kick the flight attendant and demanded the flight attendant follow him to the hospital.

The statement also said that to maintain flight safety and cabin order, the purser and security officer intervened. Medical personnel boarded the aircraft after landing and examined the passenger. They found no external injuries or swelling, and he did not require further treatment. He refused assistance from ground staff to be taken to the hospital and left on his own.

The airline has provided counseling and support for the flight attendant following the incident, who has since returned to work.

The airline expressed their gratitude to passengers and the public for their concern and support for aircraft crews.

The airline is working with the relevant parties to conduct a comprehensive review of the incident.

]]> 1175208 https://mothership.sg/2026/10/israeli-saved-flight-meets-bibi/ 2026-10-01T11:19:11 https://mothership.sg/2026/10/israeli-saved-flight-meets-bibi/

An Israeli plumber who saved a flight from being allegedly hijacked and potentially crashed met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who congratulated him.

The passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, rushed to the cockpit and placed the attempted hijacker in a chokehold, reported the New York Post.

He then steered the flight back up from its rapid descent.

The Flydubai flight's co-pilot allegedly stabbed the other pilot and attempted to crash the plane, according to Reuters.

Though the exact number is still unclear, Reuters reported the plane plunged 14,000 feet (4.2km) in less than 30 seconds.

🔴 Impressionnante vidéo au moment de l’attaque à bord du vol Flydubai reliant Dubaï à Tel Aviv.

Des passagers, dont deux pilotes hors service présents à bord, auraient aidé l’équipage à reprendre le contrôle de l’appareil.

Les deux pilotes aux commandes auraient été grièvement… pic.twitter.com/5U9pa77Jxv

— air plus news (@airplusnews) September 30, 2026

While laying on the floor wounded, the pilot, one Smit Machchhar, managed to activate the cockpit door release, which allowed passengers to enter the cockpit and restrain the co-pilot. 

An Israeli official claimed that the co-pilot was an Omani national.

A pair of off-duty pilots who were on board the plane later helped divert the flight to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where a second flight was arranged to bring the passengers to Israel.

Chokehold

The New York Post reported that Hayoun had been sitting right behind business class when he heard a commotion from the cockpit.

He told The Free Press that someone on board screamed that there was a stabbing, and that the plane began a steep plunge shortly after.

When he entered the cockpit, he reportedly put the co-pilot in a chokehold and dragged him out of the cockpit. Other passengers managed to restrain him with zip ties.

Hayoun then managed to regain control of the flight and steer the plane up to stop the descent.

He allegedly learned flight controls from watching the air disaster documentary series "Mayday".

The other passengers then provided first aid to the wounded pilot, keeping him alive.

Meeting with Netanyahu

After the passengers arrived in Israel, Netanyahu met with them, personally giving Hayoun a hug.

In pictures posted to the official X account of the Prime Minister of Israel, Hayoun was apparently still covered in blood all over, including his socks, which he showed Netanyahu.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at Ben-Gurion International Airport with Yaniv, the passenger who burst into the cockpit on the flight from Dubai to Israel.

Photos: Kobi Gideon (GPO) pic.twitter.com/PcCNzKLUKj

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 30, 2026

Netanyahu hailed him as a hero, saying that he and the other passengers "prevented a serious tragedy".

Spokespersons from Netanyahu's office told Reuters that they would be tightening checks on pilots flying to Israel.

SBS Transit has lodged a police report on a boy who was caught flinging a plastic bag of items off Cove LRT station on Sep. 27.

Footage of the incident, shared online on Sep. 28, begins with the bag on the floor of the LRT platform, filled with unidentified objects.

The boy then punched the bag with his fists a few times before picking it up and hurling it off the platform.

In response to Mothership's queries, SBS Transit spokesperson Grace Wu said the operator is aware of the incident that happened at about 11pm that day.

Train service along the Punggol LRT's east loop was still in operation at the time.

"We do not take this lightly as it is a matter of public safety and have since lodged a police report for this act of mischief," Wu said.

Wu also shared that from CCTV footage, the boy was believed to be part of a group of five. Four of them did not tap in at the fare gates when they entered the station.

"This constitutes fare evasion, which is an offence, and we are looking into the matter," she added.

The police confirmed with Mothership that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

Reactions

Under the video, commenters were critical of the boy's actions.

"Very fast [the police] will come [looking] for you," one wrote, while another said: "Within 24 hours... you will be wearing those cuffs."

Many simply tagged the police in their comments to alert them to the incident.

Some wondered what was inside the bag and said they hoped it was not an animal.

Temasek will be establishing offices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of its plans to expand its Middle East presence.

In a press release on Sep. 30, Singapore's state investment fund announced its intention to "deepen engagement" in the region, where it sees "significant long-term opportunities".

Apart from opening offices in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Temasek will also seek to work with institutions in Qatar as well as other markets in the Middle East.

"This strategic expansion reflects Temasek's long-term commitment and confidence in the region and also strengthens its ability to access opportunities across broader Central Asia and Africa," read the press release.

CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandarasegara called the move a "natural next step", citing the "strong alignment between the region's priorities and Temasek's own areas of focus".

"The pace and ambition of economic transformation across the region are remarkable, and its long-term fundamentals remain highly attractive".

A Malaysian man, 72, said that he and his wife deposited RM1 million (S$313,000) to a bank in Aug. 25, 2006.

According to Sinchew, he money was purportedly placed in two fixed deposit accounts, each with a 2-year lock-in period.

The man said he ended up not withdrawing the money from those accounts for 20 years.

On February 2026, the man claimed that while tidying up his house, he saw a photocopy of the deposit slip, which triggered his memory.

When he went down to the Sibu bank branch in Sarawak to withdraw the money, they told him there was no record of the two deposits.

He then filed a police report.

Further checks with different officials, including travelling to the central bank in Peninsular Malaysia, also came up blank.

Feeling like he had no other options, the man requested police assistance in September of this year as he went down to the bank to ask for the money. An assistant to the state assemblyman also went down with him.

The bank once again told him they had no such records.

The police suggested the possibility that the money had been transferred to the Accountant General's Department since it had been deposited so long ago, saying money does not disappear into thin air.

The man exasperatedly told Sinchew that he hopes the relevant authorities will take a look into this situation.

He pointed out that despite bringing documents to the bank and many other relevant departments, no one had been able to tell him where his money went, calling the whole situation "a frightening thing"

A plane headed for Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a suspected attempt to hijack the flight was averted.

According to the BBC, the Flydubai flight was two hours into a trip from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred.

Accounts from passengers on the flight indicated that a pilot was stabbed in the cockpit while an emergency signal and a hijacking warning were set off.

The plane dropped 5.2km in just two minutes during the attack, though all passengers are safe and accounted for, according to the airline.

While the extent of the injuries are yet to be reported, the captain of the aircraft and its first officer have been taken to hospital.

Citing Israeli sources, CNN reported the attack is suspected to be a hijacking attempt though it is unclear if the intention was to crash the plane or take the passengers as hostages.

Witnesses on board the plane described the incidend as "like a terrorist attack in mid-air".

"We were either going to crash or be murdered," said a passenger, according to The New York Post.

Images taken by passengers showed several figures covered in blood; one man with blood running down his face posted a first-person video begging for help and reporting that they'd "subdued the terrorists".