Le défi Va’a Freedom avait une ambition : relier Tahiti à Bora Bora en pirogue, soit 280 kilomètres de rame, pour lancer un message fort contre l’ice. Mais la traversée a dû être interrompue par l’organisateur en raison d’une houle trop importante.

Marking a world first, a generative AI tool has been launched to help simplify complex trade rules and provide clear guidance on free trade agreements (FTA) for businesses here. This comes amid a global changing order and uncertainty surrounding the US tariffs, said the Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment (CFOTI) which unveiled the tool — Trade AI Advisor (TAIA) — at a Singapore Business Federation (SBF) seminar on Tuesday (Sept 9). Powered by SBF's extensive FTA database and other sources, this tool will deliver «actionable answers that help businesses unlock opportunities, ensure compliance, and stay competitive», said the federation. «Our aim is to equip companies with the tools and intelligence they need to interpret developments, assess implications and plan ahead with confidence,» said the chairman of CFOTI Gan Seow Kee.CFOTI - a public-private partnership established by SBF last year - aims to help local and regional businesses strengthen their capabilities in global cross-border trade.

India is gearing up for the Vice Presidential election, pitting NDA's CP Radhakrishnan against INDIA bloc's Justice B Sudershan Reddy. Polling will occur in Parliament, with the NDA holding a significant advantage in the electoral college. The election was prompted by Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation, and the new Vice President will serve as the Rajya Sabha's ex-officio Chairman.

If you missed the blood moon that took place on Monday (Sept 8), fret not — there are three supermoons lined up at the end of the year to feast your eyes on.These supermoons will take place on Oct 7, Nov 5 and Dec 4, according to a Straits Times (ST) report citing the Observatory at Science Centre Singapore.Supermoons occur when the moon is closest to the Earth — at its perigee — which happens several times a year, and will be visible to the naked eye so long as the skies remain clear.They are also larger than an average-sized moon by up to eight per cent, and can shine brighter than other moons by about 15 per cent.The first supermoon on Oct 7, called the Harvest Moon, will be visible in the sky from around 8pm onwards in Singapore.In the past, the Harvest Moon gave farmers in the Northern Hemisphere extra hours to gather crops with its evening glow, according to ST.The Beaver Moon on Nov 5 is named after the North American beaver.Beavers prepare for winter during this period, and fur trappers used to set their traps before waterways froze over.

Some 600 additional acute beds and an expanded emergency department will be added to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) by year 2030 to meet the needs of the residents in the region, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Tuesday (Sept 9). Other infrastructure upgrades will include more additional operating theatres, procedural suites, specialist outpatient clinics, and shorter transfers between care services - from acute hospital to step down care to discharge, added Ong at the unveiling of the second phase of the Health City Novena Master Plan. “The centrepiece of the phase 2 Master Plan is the proposed TTSH Medical Tower…This proposed Medical Tower will expand acute care capacity at a critical time when demand for secondary care is growing.“It is envisioned to add around 600 acute beds and additional specialist outpatient clinics to TTSH,” said Ong. Supporting older resident populationFor the more than 1.5 million residents of central and north Singapore, the expanded TTSH also means improved access and clinical care outcomes, said NHG Health in a media statement.

A fire broke out at the staff access areas at the National Gallery Singapore on Tuesday (Sept 9) morning.In a Facebook post at 11.40am, National Gallery Singapore said that the “situation was quickly brought under control”. No injuries and damage to any artworks were reported. “Following thorough checks by the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the City Hall Wing and Padang Atrium of the Gallery have been declared safe and will reopen to the public at 12pm today,” it said. The former Supreme Court Wing will remain closed until further notice to facilitate investigations, added the gallery. Members of the public can call the gallery’s hotline at 6271 7000, refer to its website or social media platforms for more updates.

The Supreme Court bench, grappling with complex medical terminology, questioned a doctor's challenge to the legal definition of brain death in India's organ transplant law. The doctor argued the definition was unscientific and violated constitutional rights, alleging exploitation of poor patients for organ harvesting.

SINGAPORE — The reduction in rebates for electric vehicles (EVs) from January 2026 is expected to nudge some buyers to purchase cars before that deadline, which in turn would drive up certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums, said motor dealers.On Sept 8, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and National Environment Agency announced that the combined rebates for the EV Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) and Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) will be reduced from $40,000 now to $30,000 in 2026.From Jan 1, 2026, petrol hybrid cars will also no longer get the $2,500 rebates under the VES, which is meant to encourage drivers to switch to cleaner-energy vehicles.Both the EEAI and VES were previously due to expire on Dec 31, 2025. The schemes provide rebates when a new car is registered to help offset the upfront cost.In a joint statement, the authorities said: «We expect a short-term increase in COE prices. Potential car buyers are strongly encouraged to be prudent in bidding on COEs.»

A 35-year-old man was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman at Kranji MRT station on Sunday (Sept 7).The police said in a statement on Monday (Sept 8) that they were alerted to the case at about 11.30pm.The man was detained by a staff member of Kranji MRT station prior to the police’s arrival.“Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim, a 38-year-old woman, had sought the assistance of station staff after she was allegedly molested in the vicinity of Kranji MRT station,” added the police.The man will be charged in court on Tuesday.If found guilty of outrage of modesty, he may be jailed up to three years, fined and caned. Molestation cases upThere were a total of 807 outrage of modesty cases reported from January to June in 2025, according to the Singapore Police Force’s mid-year crime brief for 2025.This is up from the 666 cases in the same period in 2024. The number of molestation cases on Singapore’s public transport network rose in the first half of 2025, climbing to 90 from 64 in the same period last year.

SINGAPORE — The authorities have redrawn development plans for Kampong Bugis, where an estimated 4,000 waterfront homes will be built.The precinct is among several upcoming neighbourhoods along the Kallang River that are being showcased at the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition, which runs until Nov 29 at The URA Centre.In total, land set aside for housing along the river is expected to yield thousands of new homes in areas such as Kallang Distripark, Kallang Industrial Estate and Tanjong Rhu.These homes will build on recent efforts to have more Singaporeans live closer to the city centre, and also renew older Housing Board estates such as Geylang Bahru and North Bridge Road, which date back to the 1970s.The adjusted plans for Kampong Bugis are notable as an 8.2ha portion of the 17ha site was previously put on sale in 2019, but later removed from the list of Government Land Sales sites in 2022 due to delays in soil treatment works at the site which previously housed Kallang Gasworks.

The Congress party has strongly criticized the Election Commission for allegedly disregarding the Supreme Court's directive to accept Aadhaar as valid voter ID. Jairam Ramesh accused the EC of deliberately obstructing voter registration by refusing Aadhaar and rejecting political parties' appointed Booth Level Agents. Trinamool Congress welcomed the court's order, with Sagarika Ghose calling it a victory for democracy.

Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has requested government accommodation in Delhi, a privilege he is entitled to according to regulations. While the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs hasn't yet allocated a bungalow, a decision is expected soon. A Type-VIII bungalow on APJ Abdul Kalam Road is being considered, though allotment and necessary renovations by CPWD will take time.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar advocated for a fair, just, and non-discriminatory international trading system at the Brics virtual summit. He emphasized constructive approaches to sustainable trade, cautioning against barriers and linking trade to non-trade issues. Jaishankar highlighted the need for fair economic practices and addressing trade deficits among Brics members, particularly India's deficits with China and Russia.

Peter Navarro, former trade advisor to Donald Trump, has launched a tirade against BRICS nations, accusing them of being «vampires» dependent on trade with the United States. He claimed internal conflicts and economic woes plague the alliance, citing tensions between Russia and China, India and China, and Brazil's economic struggles.

Aides for the Oversight Committee said the documents include a redacted version of the “birthday book” Epstein’s former partner Ghislaine Maxwell gifted him for his 50th birthday.

President Donald Trump is under fire once again after a lewd birthday letter bearing his signature was released by Jeffrey Epstein's estate.

BBC Breakfast Editor Richard Frediani is said to have been cleared of bad behaviour by broadcaster bosses amid feud with 'furious' Naga Munchetty.

Chicken shop workers Kabeer Iqbal, 31 and Zubair Iqbal, 32, are accused of helping their friend Tejean Kennedy, 34, in carrying out the kidnap of DJ Mehmet Koray Alpergin, 43 (pictured).

The UK government does not believe Israel's actions in the Gaza strip is a genocide, a letter from the Foreign Office has said.

Prince Harry delighted youngsters with a cheeky balloon sword fight at the WellChild Awards just hours after a solemn solo visit to his late grandmother's final resting place at Windsor.

A 'possible hazardous materials incident' saw Terminal 4 shut for around three hours shortly after 5pm on Monday, forcing crowds of people to gather outside while emergency crews rushed to the scene.

Telecom regulator Trai refuted Congress's allegations, clarifying it doesn't handle SMS campaign approvals. Trai stated that telecom service providers (TSPs) are responsible for accepting or rejecting individual SMS message templates based on the 2018 regulations. The regulator emphasized its non-involvement in the specific instance reported by the media.

Schools across Kingston and St Andrew reopened smoothly on Monday, following adjustments to the 2025/26 academic calendar to accommodate the September 3 General Election. This was confirmed by Director of Regional Educational Services in the...

A recent wildlife survey in Arunachal Pradesh, conducted by WWF-India and the state forest department, has yielded the first photographic evidence of the elusive Pallas's cat. This discovery, along with records of other wild cats at high altitudes, reinforces the eastern Himalayas' significance as a biodiversity hotspot.

BJP criticized opposition vice-presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy for meeting RJD president Lalu Prasad, who was convicted in corruption cases. Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Reddy's action as beneath the dignity of a retired Supreme Court judge, especially after Reddy sought votes to "save the soul of the nation.

Prime Minister Modi urged NDA MPs to champion 'Swadeshi' as a mass movement, advocating for 'Swadeshi Melas' to promote indigenous products. He emphasized self-reliance as crucial for India's growth amidst emerging challenges. Modi highlighted the positive impact of GST rate cuts and encouraged MPs to engage with constituents and traders, especially during the festive season.

Opposition parties convened a mock voting exercise in Parliament to ensure their MPs correctly mark their preferences in the vice-presidential election between B Sudershan Reddy and CP Radhakrishnan. Led by key leaders, the meeting aimed to demonstrate unity and educate members on the voting procedure, following Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation.

India's BJP and its allies have strongly criticized Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for his alleged arrogant behavior towards a distressed farmer in Karnataka, as seen in a viral video. They also slammed Rahul Gandhi for his reported foreign trip amidst farmer distress in flood-hit regions.

Le 25e Salon du livre de Tahiti organise un grand concours d’écriture et d’illustration sur le thème «25 ans… et demain, e ananahi ia». Ouvert aux enfants, jeunes et adultes, ce concours littéraire et artistique mettra en lumière des talents de toute la Polynésie. Les meilleures créations seront publiées, exposées et diffusées lors du Salon, du 16 au 19 octobre 2025 à To’atā.

In the first week after changes to anti-vaping laws saw stiffer penalties for vaping kick in, 232 people were caught for related offences, said the Ministry of Health and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Monday (Sept 8).Of the 232, 14 were in possession of e-vaporisers laced with etomidate, also known as Kpods. Test results for the vapes in possession by another 11 individuals are pending.«The 232 individuals caught for vaping offences have been issued with Notices of Composition on the spot,» said the authorities, adding that three of the 14 Kpod abusers have been served notices to attend rehabilitation for up to six months, in lieu of prosecution.According to the authorities, the trio will undergo programmes that focus on education, counselling and support to help individuals overcome their addiction.Meanwhile, HSA charged a Kpod trafficker on Sept 8 with trafficking after about 50 e-vaporisers were seized from him during a vehicle search on Saturday (Sept 6).