New York prosecutors have charged a white woman with filing a false report after she accused a black man of threatening her life in New York's Central Park.
Cy Vance, Manhattan's District Attorney, on Monday said Amy Cooper, 41, faced arraignment on October 14 over the incident, which was captured on a video that went viral and began a national conversation about white privilege.
"Today our office initiated a prosecution of Amy Cooper for falsely reporting an incident in the third degree,” Mr Vance said.
"Our office will provide the public with additional information as the case proceeds.
"At this time I would like to encourage anyone who has been the target of false reporting to contact our office.
"We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable."
Filing a false report is a crime punishable by up to one year in jail.
Ms Cooper had been walking her dog on May 25 in Central Park when she encountered Christian Cooper, no relation, an avid bird-watcher.
Ms Cooper was shown in the video saying she would tell the police "there's an African-American man threatening my life", which was false.
She also hysterically tells the police that Mr Cooper was threatening her and her dog, referring to him twice as "African-American".
Mr Cooper said the row began when he insisted that her dog should be on the lead and claimed it was too dangerous.
He then tried to give the dog a "treat" and she warned him off as the row increased and he began filming.
The incident occurred a few hours before the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis, after a white police officer knelt on his neck, sparking worldwide anti-racism demonstrations.
The Central Park footage attracted nearly 45 million views on Twitter after originally appearing on Mr Cooper’s Facebook.
After the video went viral, Ms Cooper was fired from her job at the assets manager Franklin Templeton and she publicly apologised.
She has denied to US media that she was racist and said she was scared when Mr Cooper “came out of the bush”.
In a statement on Monday, her lawyer Robert Barnes said she would be found not guilty, and said there had been a "rush to judgment" by some about the case.
"She lost her job, her home and her public life. Now some demand her freedom?" Mr Barnes said.
"How many lives are we going to destroy over misunderstood 60-second videos on social media?"
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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