SINGAPORE (AP) — A court case involving a French teen charged for filming himself licking a straw from a vending machine and then putting it back was postponed Monday as prosecutors sought to clarify if he could continue his studies if convicted.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, was widely expected to plead guilty to charges of mischief and public nuisance. Proceedings were halted after prosecutors sought more time to check if the teen's student pass will be revoked in the event of a conviction.
The court adjourned the case until July 30.
Maximilien allegedly committed the offense at a shopping mall on March 12 and was charged April 24 after the video he posted on social media spread rapidly. He continued to study at a business school in Singapore while out on bail.
Mischief carries a penalty of up to two years in prison or a fine, or both, while public nuisance is less severe with up to three months in prison or a fine, or both.
IJooz, the company operating the juice vending machine, had filed a police report over the prank. It had sanitized the dispenser while replacing all 500 straws in the machine. It has said it would upgrade its machines to include measures such as individually packaged straws and straw compartments that unlock only after the transaction is completed.
Singapore, a small, densely populated city-state, tightly regulates public behavior and cleanliness. This includes restrictions like limits on chewing gum and strong penalties for littering and vandalism.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, second left, arrives at the State Courts building in Singapore, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/David Hu)
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, second right, walks with his lawyers as he arrives at the State Courts building in Singapore, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/David Hu)
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien arrives at the State Courts building in Singapore, Monday, July 13, 2026. (AP Photo/David Hu)
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The bodies of 15 Indian tourists who were killed when a speedboat capsized off southern Vietnam last week were being returned home Monday.
The speedboat was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members when it overturned near the shore Saturday afternoon, shortly after leaving Hon May Rut Ngoai island near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, authorities said.
The boat's captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, is under investigation for alleged violations of waterway transport safety regulations, state media reported.
The flight carrying the remains from Ho Chi Minh City would arrive in Mumbai late Monday, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said on social media. It said the home states were asked to coordinate further travel. Ten of the dead were from Tamil Nadu state, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.
Lava International, a smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturer, based in Noida city in Uttar Pradesh, said the group was on a company trip for its employees, distributors and retail partners.
The company says it sells its products through a network of more than 165,000 retailers and over 1,000 distributors across India and exports its products across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The embassy previously said 16 survivors were released from the hospital and were returning to India. One remained in critical condition in a Vietnamese hospital.
Hon May Rut island is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Phu Quoc, one of Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations. Both are known for their white sandy beaches and clear waters, drawing millions of domestic and foreign tourists each year.
India is one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism markets.
Exterior of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health's Forensic Center, where remains of Indian tourists who died after a speedboat capsized are kept, in in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Minh Tran)
Investigators with crew members involved in the speedboat incident in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (VNA/Tran Van Si)
