Red Hot Singapore

Newcastle rally from two goals down to earn Bournemouth draw

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 20:00:19 +0600

Newcastle surged back from a two-goal deficit against Bournemouth on Sept 5 to draw 2-2 and extend their unbeaten start to the season after a period of intense upheaval at the club.

Matthias Jaissle’s team found themselves 2-0 down in the 35th minute after Marcus Tavernier’s close-range effort and an own goal from Malick Thiaw, both helped by deflections.

Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes changed the complexion of the match with a stunning curling effort less than two minutes later.

The home team struggled to find momentum in the second half but substitute Jacob Ramsey steered home in the 88th minute to ensure the points were shared.

Newcastle, who remain unbeaten in all competitions this season, drew 2-2 against Liverpool in their Premier League opener before brushing Tottenham aside 2-0.

The club appointed German boss Jaissle in August after the departure of the long-serving Eddie Howe, who also previously managed Bournemouth.

Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon have all left but the club have made eight new signings in what they described as a “transformational” summer transfer window.

Bournemouth, also under a new head coach, Marco Rose, following the departure of Andoni Iraola to Liverpool, started brightly at St James’ Park, taking a deserved early lead.

Alex Scott’s shot took a significant deflection and fell kindly for Tavernier, who showed impressive anticipation to poke the ball home past Lukas Hornicek.

Bournemouth doubled their lead when Justin Kluivert’s shot from distance smashed against the post and came back off the back of Hornicek before Scott’s cross hit Thiaw and looped over the line.

But the home side gave themselves renewed hope when Barnes surged down the left before cutting inside and curling a wonderful effort past the outstretched hands of Djordje Petrovic.

New signing Matias Fernandez-Pardo came o...

Figure skating-Russian Valieva's neutral athlete status revoked, source says

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:45:21 +0600

Sept 5 : Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has had her status as a neutral athlete revoked by the International Skating Union (ISU), a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday.

Valieva, 20, was 15 when she became the centre of a global controversy at the 2022 Olympics, after a sample taken two months earlier tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.

Valieva has received a letter informing her of the decision to revoke her neutral status, the source said.

The International Skating Union declined to comment.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) imposed a four-year ban on Valieva in 2024, with the penalty backdated to when she tested positive for trimetazidine, which prevents angina attacks, at the Russian national championships in December 2021.

The failed test emerged after she had helped Russia win team gold at the Olympics, a result which was later annulled, elevating the United States to the top of the podium.

Valieva returned to ice skating in February at the Russian Jumping Championships but remained ineligible for this year's Milano-Cortina Olympics.

One person taken to hospital after Simon Lane house fire

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:45:18 +0600

SINGAPORE: One person was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a two-storey house along Simon Lane on Saturday (Sep 5).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the blaze at about 3pm.

When firefighters arrived, the two-storey house was ablaze. They deployed three water jets to surround, contain and extinguish the blaze.

A person from the affected unit had evacuated before SCDF’s arrival.

During the operation, about 30 people were evacuated from neighbouring homes.

SCDF said one person from one of the neighbouring units was assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital.

A firefighter sustained a sprain on his ankle during the operation but no ambulance conveyance was required, SCDF added.

The adjacent home partially damaged, SCDF said.

Damping down of the affected area, where water is applied on wet burnt surfaces to prevent rekindling, is ongoing. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A fire broke out along Simon Lane on Sep 5, 2026. (Photo: Facebook/SCDF)

CNA reader Sophie Wei, who stays in Kovan, said she saw bright orange flames and thick smoke that were "visible from a considerable distance" at about 3.20pm, with the fire spreading across the building and through parts of the roof.

Sections of the roof later appeared to collapse about an hour later, with parts of the structure blackened by the fire, she said.

Ms Wei noted that after the fire appeared to have been initially brought under control, flames and smoke became visible again at around 5.50pm, with the fire seemingly reignited.

At approximately 9.15pm, CNA saw SCDF vehicles present at the site as personnel continued spraying water around the home. Its facade was blackened by the blaze, while the smell of smoke lingered...

Racism has no place in Singapore; concerns about SIA-Air India deal ‘purely commercial’, says MP Kenneth Tiong

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:20:12 +0600

SINGAPORE: Workers' Party Member of Parliament Kenneth Tiong on Saturday (Sep 5) said there is "no place for racism in our society" as he defended his criticism of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) investment in Air India, saying his concerns were "purely commercial".

Mr Tiong was responding to comments by Senior Minister K Shanmugam to reporters earlier on Saturday, when he condemned "shameful" racist and xenophobic online comments about the Nepal-Tibet disaster and SIA’s investment in Air India.

Mr Shanmugam, who is also home affairs minister and coordinating minister for national security, said decisions on whether to invest further in Air India rest with SIA, while Temasek, as a shareholder, expects the airline to make its investment decisions responsibly.

He added that while Mr Tiong is entitled to his views on the deal, they should not substitute for the commercial judgement of SIA’s management and board of directors.

Mr Tiong raised concerns about SIA’s investment in Air India after Reuters reported last month that Air India had sought a further US$1.5 billion in support from owners Tata Sons and SIA, just months after it had posted a record annual loss.

On Saturday, Mr Tiong said in a Facebook post he agreed with Mr Shanmugam that racism has no place in Singapore, and that he condemned any attacks on someone’s motives because of their ethnicity.

He said the debate over SIA's investment in Air India had become entangled with racist comments, which he condemned without reservation.

“My concerns were, and are, purely commercial,” he said.

In his Facebook post, Mr Tiong again raised concerns about SIA’s stake in Air India, questioning how many more times Air India might be asking shareholders for additional funding, and who would foot the bill when SIA is unable to.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Shanmugam said reports that Air India was seeking fresh equity had triggered a new wave of "anti-Indian, racist ranting" online.

He also said Temasek chief executive Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara had been targeted because of his ethnici...

Air quality across Singapore no longer within unhealthy range

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:15:09 +0600

SINGAPORE – The air quality across Singapore has improved, with the PSI across all five regions of the country now falling within the moderate range.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the central region dipped to 98 at 9pm on Sept 5, based on checks by The Straits Times, after reaching unhealthy levels the previous night with a high of 123.

Readings in the north (77), south (77), east (80) and west (90) also remained in the moderate range as at 9pm on Sept 5.

The PSI readings in the east and west regions returned to moderate levels on the morning of Sept 5, after also previously reaching unhealthy levels.

Air quality is considered unhealthy when the PSI is in the range of 101 to 200, during which the the public is advised to cut down on outdoor activities.

Sept 4 marked the first time the PSI reading in Singapore reached the unhealthy range because of haze since 2023.

Farage and Bardella's 'small boats' pact draws criticism in France

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:15:06 +0600

PARIS, Sept 5 - A plan agreed by Britain's populist Reform UK party and France's National Rally, aimed at sending asylum seekers who arrive in Britain in small boats back to France, drew criticism from several French presidential election candidates on Saturday.

A memorandum of understanding signed on Friday by Reform leader Nigel Farage and National Rally (RN) chief Jordan Bardella is intended to go into effect if the two parties win power.

• Edouard Philippe, a former prime minister who is the conservative presidential candidate for the Horizons party in the 2027 election, said the pact was a "U-turn" for RN.

• "Seeing Jordan Bardella sign an agreement that provides for sending back to France migrants intercepted in the Channel, that one we didn't see coming," he said, asking whether the party's presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, was "on the same page" as Bardella.

• Former Prime Minister and leader of the center-right Renaissance party Gabriel Attal said the pact showed the "submission " of the National Rally to foreign interests.

• "We are reaching levels of unpreparedness and submission that are almost never seen in the recent history of the National Rally. This shows their foreign policy is one of great submission to other powers," Attal said.

• Far-left leader and presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon said on X that if the deal comes to fruition, "Our country would become the gatekeeper of the English. Not voting for Le Pen in 2027 becomes a matter of national dignity."

• Centre-left candidate Raphaël Glucksmann of the Place Publique party told BFM TV: "That's the hallmark of the National Rally: weakness when it comes to defending France's interests. Look at their votes in the European Parliament...We are the true patriots."

• Bardella dismissed the criticism. "So I welcome this agreement, and if tomorrow we are in power, and Nigel Farage is as well, we will do everything in our power to curb immigration both in France and in England," he said. REUTERS

Tens of thousands rally in Zagreb over Croatia waste cleanup delays

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:05:04 +0600

ZAGREB, Sept 5 - Tens of thousands of people gathered in Zagreb's central square on Saturday to protest the government's failure to begin cleaning up more than 30,000 tons of waste in central Croatia that environmentalists say is polluting the drinking water in the area.

The protest, one of the biggest in Croatia in several years, was dubbed "Walk for Lika", after the mountainous region where the waste is stored.

Authorities last year uncovered between 34,000 and 37,000 tons of waste, much of it imported from Italy in 2023 and 2024, at a site near the town of Gospic in Croatia's Lika region. The government pledged to clean up the site, but environmental groups say little progress has been made.

Environmentalists say the waste, which they say includes medical and other industrial waste, is contaminating air, soil and water in Lika, a region known for its vast areas of unspoiled nature. They accuse the government of moving too slowly to remove it.

Protesters carried banners reading: "The Lungs of Croatia Can No Longer Breathe", "Stop the Destruction of Croatia" and "Nature Does Not Forgive".

"We are dissatisfied with the government's response. The site should have been cleaned up a long time ago," said Verica Jurnjak, who travelled from Gospić to attend the rally.

"It is a shame that no one cares about our children and their future."

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic visited Gospic on Wednesday and said the government had selected a contractor for the first phase of the cleanup, which involves removing waste from the site.

Croatian actor Rade Serbedzija, internationally known for his roles in Hollywood films including "Snatch" and "Mission: Impossible II", also attended the protest.

"I am here because I have to be here. It is our duty to stand up for our country," he said. "What has happened is a disgrace, and someone must be held accountable." REUTERS

Greek F-4 crashes during an air show near Athens

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 18:50:17 +0600

ATHENS, Sept 5 - A Greek two-seat F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed on Saturday during an air show at Tanagra airport, near Athens, a Greek Air Force official told Reuters.

Video footage from public broadcaster ERT, which first reported the crash, showed a column of black smoke rising a few hundred metres from spectators watching the air show. Two helicopters were battling the fire on the spot.

The fate of the pilots was not immediately known, and it was unclear whether anyone in the crowd had been injured, the official said.

"A search and rescue operation is under way," the official added.

Loudspeakers at the air base were urging people to leave the area, according to ERT. REUTERS

India's TCS unit to invest up to $7.4 billion in AI data center campus

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 18:30:19 +0600

Sept 5 : A subsidiary of Tata Consultancy Services and its partners will invest up to 700 billion rupees ($7.41 billion) to build a 1 gigawatt AI data center campus in the Indian state of Telangana, the company said on Saturday.

• TCS's subsidiary HyperVault has secured 264 acres in Hyderabad for the project, which will be developed in phases.

• The facility is aimed at AI companies and hyperscalers, supporting high-density GPU deployments for AI training and inference.

• At full buildout, HyperVault said the campus is expected to rank among India's largest AI infrastructure facilities.

• TCS CEO K Krithivasan said Hyderabad offered the scale, talent and ecosystem needed to serve global customers.

• The announcement comes days after TCS agreed to buy Porsche AG's automotive and consulting unit MHP, as the company broadens its offerings beyond traditional IT services.

($1 = 94.4800 Indian rupees)

Coach Luis Enrique unconcerned by PSG's poor start to the season

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 18:30:14 +0600

PARIS, Sept 5 - Paris St Germain have not had as poor a start to a league season for 19 years, with Friday’s home loss to Monaco leaving them winless after three matches in the Ligue 1 season.

Days before they begin the defence of their Champions League title, however, the Parisians have handed coach Luis Enrique a contract extension until 2030.

“There is no reason to be concerned. I say that honestly. How many shots on target did Monaco have? Two. How many goals? Two. We’ll see at the end of the season whether things balance out,” he said after Friday’s 2-1 setback in which they were ahead at halftime but conceded twice after the break.

“What I want to get across is that you shouldn’t look only at the result," Luis Enrique added. "We pressed sensationally, much better than in many matches when we did not concede a goal. But luck was not on our side.

“Monaco know that if they play against us like this 10 times, we win eight, there’d be one draw and we’d lose once. This was that one defeat,” Luis Enrique insisted as PSG look ahead to hosting Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday in their first Champions League group game, chasing a third successive European title.

Two points from three matches is their worst start since the 2007-08 season, when PSG came close to relegation, finishing 16th. In that campaign, Paul Le Guen’s side had to wait until their sixth league game to record a victory and ended up only three points above the relegation places.

This time round, the Parisians are already seven points off the pace.

“It is incredible motivation for my players, for the team and for the club. If you want to bet on who will be champions at the end of the season, we can place a bet. Seven points? OK, we will try to make up that deficit as quickly as possible,” the coach added. REUTERS

Malaysia’s PAS wants unity, but on whose terms?

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 18:25:14 +0600

KOTA BHARU - At the 72nd annual congress of Malaysia’s opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, UMNO Youth chief Akmal Saleh attended the opening ceremony of the party’s Youth wing on Sept 3 as a guest.

At the main party congress, or muktamar, the next day, UMNO secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki took his place on stage among the PAS leadership – and even waved the green PAS flag.

UMNO president Zahid Hamidi was expected to attend, but withdrew at the last minute for what PAS described as unavoidable reasons. Asyraf went in his place.

UMNO leaders have attended PAS’ muktamar before, during the period of Muafakat Nasional, the now-defunct political pact formed by the two parties in 2019.

Nevertheless, it would still have been difficult to imagine such a scene during the more bitter years of PAS-UMNO rivalry.

Now, amid reciprocal invitations, with PAS preparing to send representatives to UMNO’s general assembly that kicks off on Sept 9, and PAS leaders saying that talks between the two have begun, the Malay-based parties are testing the boundaries of a relationship that has repeatedly swung between rivalry, cooperation and distrust.

The question is whether their renewed push for penyatuan ummah can overcome a fundamental problem: neither party appears willing to play second fiddle when it comes to Malay unity.

But who will lead?

For all the choreography around Malay unity, PAS president Hadi Awang did not mention UMNO in his presidential policy speech at the opening ceremony of the party’s annual congress on Sept 4.

Instead, the PAS president spoke in much broader terms: “PAS is ready to cooperate with any party on initiatives that benefit the nation, without compromising its core policies or foundational principles.”

Hadi’s message was essentially: we are open, but we are not looking for a leader.

BEIJING, Sept 5 - Priyanka Choudhary, an Indian-born Finnish citizen returning from a Hindu pilgrimage in Tibet, was at a border crossing with Nepal when a catastrophic mudslide hit.

She is one of 261 foreign nationals still missing in Tibet 10 days after the disaster, and her family and others seeking lost relatives are expressing frustration at Beijing's response.

"There is no information on the China side," said Choudhary's brother Tarun. "We can't go to China and talk to anyone, so I'm not able to understand how things are... There is no update from China about what is happening at Ground Zero, what is the situation over there."

The mudslide that devastated the Tibet-Nepal border last week killed more than 1,300 people with more than 5,600 missing on both sides. In Tibet, at least 31 people have been confirmed dead and 531 are missing in all, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.

But several families of those missing allege an information blackout in China, worsening their agony.

"We are not getting anything from China, whether my sister is safe or alive or dead," said Naresh Goyal, brother of Neetu Goyal Tiwari, a 51-year-old British national.

According to Goyal, UK police visited his sister's family home a few days ago to collect a DNA sample from her daughter to present it to Chinese authorities.

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the accusations, the timeline for victim identification, or DNA collection protocols being used on the Tibetan side.

It has said it has been holding briefings for embassies representing 23 countries and on Monday it said its release of information about the floods was "transparent and timely".

Beijing has also said it is ready to work with other countries and agencies to identify the dead. It has sent a group of DNA identification experts to Nepal, which has borne the brunt of the devastation.

In Nepal, authorities, including the police, regularly share...

Masked anti-migrant protesters disrupt Britain’s biggest international ferry port

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 18:15:09 +0600

LONDON - Hundreds of masked people protesting against migrant crossings across the English Channel blocked access to the Port of Dover in southern England on Sept 5, briefly halting traffic being ferried between France and Britain.

The Port of Dover said traffic was “free flowing” again around noon, hours after being “stopped” on the morning of Sept 5 as roads approaching the port were blocked by protesters.

Local police said they were “engaging” with protesters, who had initially blocked “all routes” in and out of the terminal, used by ferries connecting southern England to northern France.

Images shared online showed dozens of people dressed in black and wearing balaclavas streaming to roads surrounding the port.

In an online live stream that appeared to be filmed by one of the protesters, a crowd of black-clothed men chanted “stop the boats” as they stood facing a police line.

Britain has been grappling with how to curb the perilous and politically contentious small-boat crossings, which in recent years have seen tens of thousands of migrants arriving annually on the shores of south-east England.

The issue has been relentlessly seized upon by the hard-right Reform UK party, which has surged in popularity on the back of growing anti-immigration sentiment.

The centre-left Labour government has said the number of boats carrying migrants and asylum seekers across the English Channel was the lowest this summer since 2019, in part because of cooperation deals with the French government.

MONZA, Italy, Sept 5 - George Russell showed he was the man to beat by setting the fastest time for Mercedes in final practice for the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday, with Formula One title rival and former teammate Lewis Hamilton second for home favourites Ferrari.

Russell, who is second overall and level on points with Hamilton in the championship but ahead 2-1 on wins, lapped with a best time of one minute 22.219 seconds at the fastest track on the calendar and one of the most historic.

Seven-times world champion Hamilton, who is going for a record sixth Italian Grand Prix win at Monza, was 0.226 slower at the "Temple of Speed", a slipstreaming track where drivers seek an aerodynamic tow from others to go faster.

Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli, the first Italian in 73 years to be leading the championship at the Monza race, was fourth fastest with Red Bull's 2025 winner Max Verstappen third.

Antonelli, 59 points ahead of Russell and Hamilton, is set to start from the back of the grid due to engine penalties -- giving his rivals a great chance to cut the gap to the top.

Russell was also fastest on Friday after a Ferrari one-two in the opening session.

Lando Norris, McLaren's reigning world champion and winner of the last two races, was fifth, 0.406 off the pace, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc sixth.

Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad was seventh followed by McLaren's Oscar Piastri with Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto completing the top 10.

Hamilton and Verstappen almost collided in a late clash, after Hamilton passed the Red Bull at Parabolica before the Ferrari ultimately ran wide, with the stewards taking note.

"He caused that," said Verstappen over the radio. "I got blocked by Max," said Hamilton.

The top 12 were all within a second of Russell's time. REUTERS

Pogacar ends 2026 season early after Vuelta crash

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:50:13 +0600

Sept 5 : Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has ended his season early to focus on recovery after last weekend's crash during Vuelta a Espana left him with injuries that required surgery, his team UAE Team Emirates-XRG said on Saturday.

Slovenian Pogacar, who was leading the Vuelta when the crash forced him to abandon, has also extended his contract with his team until 2032.

“This isn’t the way I wanted my season to finish. Right now, the most important thing is to recover properly and give my body the time it needs," the 27-year-old said in a statement.

Pogacar, who joined UAE Team Emirates-XRG in 2019, has won six Grand Tour titles, including the Giro d'Italia in 2024.

"From the beginning, this team has felt like home for me... there is still a lot I want to achieve in this sport and I believe this is the right place to do it," Pogacar added.

Pogacar is recovering well after undergoing surgery on his left clavicle on Monday, his team's medical director Adrian Rotunno said.

“The post-operative clavicle and cervical fracture will both require a structured period of rehabilitation," he added.

Nepali woman rescued alive from buried home 10 days after flood

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:50:09 +0600

NUWAKOT, Nepal: Rescuers pulled a Nepali woman alive on Saturday (Sep 5) from her home buried under thick mud and debris when the region was struck by massive flooding 10 days ago.

Emergency personnel said earlier they had rescued a Chinese man found alive inside a tunnel of the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Nepal's Rasuwa district.

Members of Nepal's Armed Police Force cheered as the mud-caked 64-year-old woman, Chandrika Shrestha, was pulled from her buried home in Nuwakot district.

"A police team found her as they were clearing the area. She has been airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment," police deputy superintendent Iqbal Hawari told AFP.

A video released by Nepal's Armed Police Force showed only a part of her house visible, with the lower floors completely submerged by thick sludge.

Emergency response teams have been working relentlessly to find survivors since a tsunami-like wall of water and mud swept through the China-Nepal border following a glacial and rock collapse on August 26.

So far, 1,344 bodies have been recovered in Nepal, according to the national disaster agency, with about 5,000 people missing.

In China, state media said 31 people had been killed and 531 were missing.

That takes the overall death toll to 1,375 people, with more than 5,500 missing.

World No. 2 pickleball player Gabriel Tardio excited for ‘bucket list’ trip to Singapore

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:50:06 +0600

SINGAPORE – Gabriel Tardio has played in packed stadiums across the United States, but nothing quite prepared the pickleball men’s singles world No. 2 for the fan reception in Vietnam.

The Bolivian spent 2 ½ weeks in the country for the PPA Tour Asia MB Hanoi Cup in April, when he won the men’s doubles gold with top-ranked player Ben Johns.

In a virtual interview with The Sunday Times, the 21-year-old said: “It was amazing... and it was a lot of fun. I personally love travelling, I love getting to know other countries, so it was a great experience.

“The pickleball surprised me a lot… I was not expecting the tournament to be such a premier experience, the fans were going crazy (and it’s) something that you don’t always have in the US.

“It’s not a crazy difference, but I think definitely in Vietnam, the venue was bigger, more stadium-like and in the US, you would have a venue that has much fewer courts.”

Tardio will make his first trip to Singapore this month to promote his new paddle with Facolos and conduct a series of clinics from Sept 16 to18.

He said: “Since I was very little, Singapore was on my bucket list, I’ve been wanting to go for a long time, and now that pickleball is getting involved in Singapore, it was just the perfect occasion for me to go and play.

“One thing (at the clinic) that I’m going to be talking a lot is going to be about pattern recognition and just you’re going to have a better understanding on how the game is played and what you are actually looking for.

“A lot of clinics just show you how to hit the ball but if you really want to get to the professional level you cannot only be good at hitting the shots.”

Having competed against players from Asia, Tardio believes the gap between them and their American counterparts is closing fast.

Asked to rate the standard of play at the Hanoi Cup, he said: &ld...

FIA appeal court asserts impartiality and integrity after Briatore targets judge

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:45:12 +0600

MONZA, Italy, Sept 5 : The governing FIA's International Court of Appeal asserted the impartiality and integrity of its judges on Saturday after Alpine Formula One team boss Flavio Briatore suggested links between McLaren and one of those involved in a case that stripped Pierre Gasly of a podium finish.

Briatore made his bombshell allegations when he appeared in a press conference at Monza on Friday shortly after French driver Gasly was demoted from third place to seventh at last June's Monaco Grand Prix, with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar reinstated to the podium some three months after the event.

McLaren also benefited, with Australian Oscar Piastri moving back up from fifth to fourth.

The ICA, in a statement at the Italian Grand Prix, noted "public comments questioning the independence and impartiality of the judges".

It emphasised that the appointment and participation of judges in that case was, as ever, conducted in accordance with FIA procedures and usual practice.

"At both the beginning and conclusion of the hearing, the parties were invited to raise any issue concerning the proceedings or the composition of the court. None did so," the statement added. "No objection was raised during the hearing concerning the manner in which the court questioned the witness or conducted the proceedings.

"The court is confident in the soundness of the proceedings and the integrity of the judges. The FIA courts remain committed to the independence and impartiality of their judges and to the integrity of the judicial process."

Liverpool sporting director Hughes steps down after transfer window

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:45:12 +0600

Sept 5 : Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has stepped down from his role after a two-year stint, the club said on Saturday, ending a short tenure in which he oversaw the difficult transition after the departure of former manager Juergen Klopp.

Hughes, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth, informed the club's ownership of his desire to seek a new challenge after delivering the 2024-25 league title and Champions League qualification the following season.

"Richard joined us at the start of a period of change, embracing that responsibility by leading our football operations department and overseeing recruitment while also providing valuable support to our coaching staff," Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon said.

"The results we achieved in these areas during this period are testament to this contribution. Nevertheless, we respect Richard's life choices and wish him and his family well in their next venture."

Hughes appointed Arne Slot as Klopp's successor, a decision that paid immediate dividends with a Premier League title triumph in the Dutchman's debut campaign.

He also presided over an ambitious recruitment drive, bringing in high-profile signings such as Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike among others as Liverpool invested heavily to compete at the highest level.

His tenure was not without controversy, however, with the squad criticised for lacking balance and depth in certain positions despite the significant outlay.

Liverpool endured a more difficult 2025-26 season, leading to questions over some of Hughes' expensive recruitment decisions and Slot was sacked when their title defence turned into a scramble for Champions League qualification.

Hughes, who has been linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, expressed gratitude for his time at Anfield.

"I would like to reiterate what I said upon my arrival – it has been a source of great pride to have been given the opportunity to serve this incredible and unique institution. That is something I will always be grateful for," he said.

30 people evacuated after fire breaks out in Kovan home

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:30:19 +0600

SINGAPORE – Thirty people were evacuated after a fire broke out at a two-storey house in Kovan, partially damaging another house and sending thick plumes of smoke in the air.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), who were alerted to the fire at Simon Lane in the Kovan area at about 3pm, said firefighters used three water jets to surround, contain and extinguish the fire.

A person from the affected unit evacuated before SCDF’s arrival. As a precaution, the police and SCDF evacuated about 30 people from neighbouring units.

A person from one of the neighbouring homes was assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital, said SCDF.

Damping down of the affected area to prevent any potential rekindling of the fire is ongoing, with an adjacent house partially damaged by the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at about 4.30pm, clouds of smoke were seen billowing from the house, shrouding the surrounding area.

At least two SCDF vehicles, including a Light Fire Attack Vehicle, commonly known as the Red Rhino, and a police car were at the scene.

Vincent Lim, 74, chairman of Phoh Kiu Siang T’ng temple, which is just a few doors down from the house, told ST he was the first person to notice the fire at around 3pm.

He said he immediately called SCDF before rushing to the house to help its residents, an elderly couple in their 80s.

An elderly man was later seen being wheeled away from the site by an SCDF officer, before getting into a waiting car.

In February, six people were rescued from a blaze that broke out in a two-storey co...