PM Lee Hsien Loong's son Li Hongyi says he is not interested in politics, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/pm-lee-hsien-loongs-son-li-hongyi-says-he-is-not-interested-in-politics?xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20170615-[PM+Lee+Hsien+Loong%27s+son+Li+Hongyi+says+he+is+not+interested+in+politics]&xts=538291

PM Lee Hsien Loong's son Li Hongyi says he is not interested in politics

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's son Li Hongyi has said he is not interested in politics, a day after the Prime Minister's siblings publicly accused him and his wife Ho Ching of harbouring political ambitions for their son.

In a brief Facebook post on Thursday (June 15), he said: "For what it is worth, I really have no interest in politics."

PM Lee had on Wednesday refuted the allegations that he wanted his son in politics, saying that it was an "absurd" claim.

He added: "I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate allegations that they have made. Ho Ching and I deny these allegations, especially the absurd claim that I have political ambitions for my son."

While he did not name Hongyi, his younger siblings, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and Dr Lee Wei Ling, had done so in a six-page statement they issued. The statement centred around a long-running dispute over the home of the late former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew at 38 Oxley Road.

Mr Li Hongyi, 30, who is in the public service, is deputy director of the Government Digital Services Data Science Division of the Government Technology Agency of Singapore, a statutory board under the Prime Minister's Office.

He studied at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Raffles Junior College.

In 2006, he won the Lee Kuan Yew Award for Mathematics and Science and received a Public Service Commission Overseas Merit Scholarship, a top government scholarship, to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

After graduating from MIT, he worked in Google for two years from 2011 to 2013, before returning to serve a six-year bond, according to his LinkedIn profile.

PM Lee has a daughter, Li Xiuqi, and a son, Li Yipeng, from his first marriage. He married Ms Ho in 1985 and they have two sons, Mr Li Hongyi and Mr Li Haoyi.

He had previously said in interviews that his children were not keen on entering politics.

Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had alleged that the Prime Minister and his wife were using the late Mr Lee's legacy for their own political purposes - and that included harbouring political ambitions for their son.

The two siblings said PM Lee had obstructed them in carrying out their father's wish - as stated in his will - of having his house at 38 Oxley Road demolished after his passing.

All three siblings had issued a joint statement in December 2015 saying that they hoped the late Mr Lee's wish would be honoured.

But Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang, who are joint trustees and executors of the late Mr Lee's estate, alleged in their statement that PM Lee had not kept to his word.

In response to his siblings statement, he had said he was saddened and disappointed that they had chosen to publicise a private family matter.

He also said: "I will do my utmost to continue to do right by my parents. At the same time, I will continue serving Singaporeans honestly and to the best of my ability. In particular, that means upholding meritocracy, which is a fundamental value of our society."

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At least 7 dead and more than 50 injured after blast rocks kindergarten in east China, East Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/blast-rocks-kindergarten-in-east-china-casualties-reported-police?login=true&xtor=CS3-18

At least 7 dead and more than 50 injured after blast rocks kindergarten in east China

BEIJING (REUTERS, AFP) - An explosion rocked a kindergarten in eastern China on Thursday (June 15) killing at least seven people, including children, Chinese media reports said. 

Two people died on the spot and five more died of their injuries, while 59 people were injured. Nine of those wounded were being treated for severe injuries, Xinhua reported.

The blast occurred at 4.50pm local time at the gate of the kindergarten as children were leaving the school in the afternoon, Xinhua said, citing the emergency office of Xuzhou city.  

A photo posted by Chinese media online shows several women and children sitting or lying on the ground, some bleeding. One woman is clutching her child, who is in tears.  

The images circulating online showed more than a dozen people outside a building, many lying on the concrete and some appearing to be unconscious, including a small child.  

An official at the police station in Fengxian county in Jiangsu province told AFP that the cause of the explosion was under investigation. "There were some children injured," the official said.  

The force of the blast tore the clothes off some people.  

Online commentators said it could have been a gas canister explosion. 

Police from Xuzhou city urged social media commentators to share only information from official channels after some users posted videos of an April explosion, saying they depicted Thursday's incident.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

江苏一幼儿园爆炸 现场惨烈衣不蔽体

It is the latest tragedy to strike a kindergarten in China in recent weeks.  

A school bus packed with kindergarten pupils erupted in flames inside a tunnel in eastern Shandong province on May 9, killing 11 children, a teacher and the driver.  

Officials later said the fire was intentionally set by the driver, who was angry at losing overtime wages.

Blasts and other accidents are common in China, because of patchy enforcement of safety rules, although the government has pledged to improve checks to stamp out such incidents.

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PM Lee Hsien Loong 'saddened' by statement from siblings Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lee-wei-ling-lee-hsien-yang-issue-statement-on-pm-lee-hsien-loong?login=true&xtor=CS3-18

PM Lee Hsien Loong 'saddened' by statement from siblings Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has expressed his disappointment and sadness over a statement issued by his siblings "publicising private family matters".

"I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate allegations that they have made. Ho Ching and I deny these allegations, especially the absurd claim that I have political ambitions for my son," said Mr Lee, in response to a six-page public statement issued by his siblings on Wednesday (June 14).

Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said in their statement that they had lost confidence in their brother, PM Lee.

Titled "What has happened to Lee Kuan Yew's values?", their statement centres around the long-running dispute over the demolition of their father's house at 38 Oxley Road.

In response, PM Lee said: "While siblings may have differences, I believe that any such differences should stay in the family. Since my father's passing in March 2015, as the eldest son I have tried my best to resolve the issues among us within the family, out of respect for our parents."

He said his siblings' statement "has hurt our father's legacy".

In their statement, which they publicised on their Facebook pages around 2am, the two siblings said they felt closely monitored and fear the use of organs of state against them and Mr Lee Hsien Yang's wife, Suet Fern.

They also said the situation is such that Mr Lee Hsien Yang felt compelled to leave Singapore "for the foreseeable future".

The two siblings allege, among others, that since their father Lee Kuan Yew's death on March 23, 2015, there have been changes in Singapore that do not reflect what the late Mr Lee stood for.

The two siblings are joint executors and trustees of the estate of the late Mr Lee.

In their statement, they reiterated their father's wish that the house be demolished upon his passing, and said PM Lee and his wife Ho Ching had opposed this wish as "the preservation of the house would enhance his political capital".

The two siblings alleged that preserving the house would allow their brother "and his family to inherit a tangible monument to Lee Kuan Yew's authority".

The two siblings also alleged that "based on our interactions", PM Lee and his wife harbour political ambitions for their son, Hongyi.

PM Lee called this an "absurd claim" and denied that he had any such ambitions for his son.

He added: "I will do my utmost to continue to do right by my parents. At the same time, I will continue serving Singaporeans honestly and to the best of my ability. In particular that means upholding meritocracy, which is a fundamental value of our society."

The statement from the siblings came 1½ years after Dr Lee, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, and PM Lee issued a joint statement in December 2015 saying the brothers had each agreed to donate half the value of 38 Oxley Road to charities named in their father's obituary notice.

Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said they would like to honour their father's wish for the house to be demolished after Dr Lee ceases to live in it.

PM Lee had said he had recused himself from all government decisions involving the house and, in his personal capacity, would also like to see this wish honoured.

This morning, he ended his response by saying: "As my siblings know, I am presently overseas on leave with my family. I will consider this matter further after I return this weekend."

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At least 30 injured in London apartment block fire , Europe News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/huge-fire-breaks-out-at-london-apartment-block-fears-people-trapped-in-blaze-reports?login=true&xtor=CS3-18

At least 30 injured in London apartment block fire

LONDON – At least 30 people were taken to hospital on Wednesday (June 14) after a massive fire engulfed a 27-storey block of flats in west London, trapping some residents while 200 fire fighters battled the blaze. 

The fire brigade said 40 fire engines and 200 fire fighters had been called to the blaze in Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road, which has 120 flats.

"We can confirm that we have taken 30 patients to five hospitals," London Ambulance Service said, according to Reuters. 

A "hazardous area response team" were also at the scene.

Residents related how they woke up to the smell of burning and rushed to escape through smoke-filled corridors. 

Four hours after the alarm was raised, flames could still be seen on several floors of the blackened residential building, which was shrouded in a cloud of thick black smoke.

Witnesses could hear screaming from the upper floors as the flames rose and one desperate resident could be seen waving a white cloth, AFP reported. There were also reports of panicked residents jumping from their windows. 

Frantic families at the scene attempted to call their loved ones stuck inside and were being directed by police to a nearby restaurant where some of the injured were being treated.

Large pieces of debris could be seen falling from the tower, a 1970s block in the working-class north Kensington area – a short distance from chic Notting Hill.

The ambulance service said it had sent more than 20 ambulance crews to the scene.

"Fire is from 2nd to top floor of 27 storey building," the fire service said on Twitter.

Fire fighters at the scene said they had managed to evacuate residents up to the 11th floor. Some residents were evacuated in their pyjamas.

Police were also clearing out nearby buildings because of the fears about falling debris and had shut down a section of the A40 highway – a normally busy thoroughfare into London. 

A London Underground line passing the area near Latimer Road station was also shut down.

"Fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus are working extremely hard in very difficult conditions to tackle this fire," London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Dan Daly said.

"This is a large and very serious incident and we have deployed numerous resources and specialist appliances," he said.

London mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: "Major incident declared at Grenfell Tower".

The Daily Mail news website said desperate residents trapped in the higher floors were using sheets as ropes to escape from the blaze.

Eyewitness Fabio Bebber said on Twitter that trapped residents were heard screaming for their lives. "People screaming for their lives. Horrible," he wrote. 

Another eyewitness Victoria Goldsmith told Sky News she saw two people trapped at the top. "They had mobile phones and they had the lights trying to flash them and signal people... They couldn't get to them ... (the) fire kept going and the lights went out."

Guardian reporter Alice Ross said one man was seen waving a blanket from his window as fire fighters sprayed water through the window. Residents from the neighbouring estates who had gathered at the scene called out to the man to put his head out the window while others asked him to shout out his unit numbers so they could guide the fire fighters to him. 

Actor and writer Tim Downie, who lives nearby, said: "It's horrendous. The whole building is engulfed in flames. It's gone. It's just a matter of time before this building collapses".

The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, the Fire Brigade said. 

The apartment block was built in 1974. 

Local residents had warned a year ago about a potential fire risk caused by rubbish being allowed to accumulate during improvement works.  

"This matter is of particular concern as there is only one entry and exit to Grenfell Tower during the improvement works," read a blog post by the Grenfell Action Group.

"The potential for a fire to break out in the communal area on the walkway does not bear thinking about as residents would be trapped in the building with no way out," it said.

40 fire engines & 200 firefighters have been called to the Lancaster West Estate tower block fire #NorthKensington http://bit.ly/28UY4qA 

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) 9:49 AM - 14 Jun 2017

Raging fire in Grenfell Tower near Latimer Road. Whole block of 24 floors up in flames. People still trapped inside. Horrendous.

— Tim Downie (@TimDownie1) 9:24 AM - 14 Jun 2017

#LondonFire the fire in West London is burning fast

— Adrián Genesir (@AGenesir) 9:56 AM - 14 Jun 2017

This is why you don't cut @LondonFire 40 engines 200 fire fighters half or more of London's brigade there @BorisJohnson @SadiqKhan

— Aron Kennedy (@AkstyleLondon) 9:55 AM - 14 Jun 2017 · Camden Town, London

Grenfell Tower on fire in latimer road west london

— Boogaerys Jawngaryen (@AlvinsSake) 9:55 AM - 14 Jun 2017

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PM Lee Hsien Loong 'saddened' by statement from siblings Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lee-wei-ling-lee-hsien-yang-issue-statement-on-pm-lee-hsien-loong?login=true&xtor=CS3-18

PM Lee Hsien Loong 'saddened' by statement from siblings Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has expressed his disappointment and sadness over a statement issued by his siblings "publicising private family matters".

"I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate allegations that they have made. Ho Ching and I deny these allegations, especially the absurd claim that I have political ambitions for my son," said Mr Lee, in response to a six-page public statement issued by his siblings on Wednesday (June 14).

Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said in their statement that they had lost confidence in their brother, PM Lee.

Titled 'What has happened to Lee Kuan Yew's values?', their statement centres around the long-running dispute over the demolition of their father's house at 38 Oxley Road.

In response, PM Lee said: "While siblings may have differences, I believe that any such differences should stay in the family. Since my father's passing in March 2015, as the eldest son I have tried my best to resolve the issues among us within the family, out of respect for our parents."

He said his siblings' statement "has hurt our father's legacy".

In their statement, which they publicised on their Facebook pages around 2am, the two siblings said they felt closely monitored and fear the use of organs of state against them and Mr Lee Hsien Yang's wife, Suet Fern.

They also said the situation is such that Mr Lee Hsien Yang felt compelled to leave Singapore "for the foreseeable future".

The two siblings allege, among others, that since their father Lee Kuan Yew's death on March 23, 2015, there have been changes in Singapore that do not reflect what the late Mr Lee stood for.

The two siblings are joint executors and trustees of the estate of the late Mr Lee.

In their statement, they reiterated their father's wish that the house be demolished upon his passing, and said PM Lee and his wife Ho Ching had opposed this wish as "the preservation of the house would enhance his political capital".

The two siblings alleged that preserving the house would allow their brother "and his family to inherit a tangible monument to Lee Kuan Yew's authority".

The two siblings also alleged that "based on our interactions", PM Lee and his wife harbour political ambitions for their son, Hongyi.

PM Lee called this an "absurd claim" and denied that he had any such ambitions for his son.

He added: "I will do my utmost to continue to do right by my parents. At the same time, I will continue serving Singaporeans honestly and to the best of my ability. In particular that means upholding meritocracy, which is a fundamentalvalue of our society."

The statement from the siblings came 1 1/2 years after Dr Lee, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, and PM Lee issued a joint statement in Dec 2015 saying the brothers had each agreed to donate half the value of 38 Oxley Road to charities named in their father's obituary notice.

Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said they would like to honour their father's wish for the house to be demolished after Dr Lee ceases to live in it.

PM Lee had said he had recused himself from all government decisions involving the house and, in his personal capacity, would also like to see this wish honoured.

This morning, he ended his response by saying: "As my siblings know, I am presently overseas on leave with my family. I will consider this matter further after I return this weekend."

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PM Lee Hsien Loong 'saddened' by statement from siblings Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lee-wei-ling-lee-hsien-yang-issue-statement-on-pm-lee-hsien-loong?login=true&xtor=CS3-18

PM Lee Hsien Loong 'saddened' by statement from siblings Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has expressed his disappointment and sadness over a statement issued by his siblings "publicising private family matters".

"I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate allegations that they have made. Ho Ching and I deny these allegations, especially the absurd claim that I have political ambitions for my son," said Mr Lee, in response to a six-page public statement issued by his siblings on Wednesday (June 14).

Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said in their statement that they had lost confidence in their brother, PM Lee.

Titled 'What has happened to Lee Kuan Yew's values?', their statement centres around the long-running dispute over the demolition of their father's house at 38 Oxley Road.

In response, PM Lee said: "While siblings may have differences, I believe that any such differences should stay in the family. Since my father's passing in March 2015, as the eldest son I have tried my best to resolve the issues among us within the family, out of respect for our parents."

He said his siblings' statement "has hurt our father's legacy".

In their statement, which they publicised on their Facebook pages around 2am, the two siblings said they felt closely monitored and fear the use of organs of state against them and Mr Lee Hsien Yang's wife, Suet Fern.

They also said the situation is such that Mr Lee Hsien Yang felt compelled to leave Singapore "for the foreseeable future".

The two siblings allege, among others, that since their father Lee Kuan Yew's death on March 23, 2015, there have been changes in Singapore that do not reflect what the late Mr Lee stood for.

The two siblings are joint executors and trustees of the estate of the late Mr Lee.

In their statement, they reiterated their father's wish that the house be demolished upon his passing, and said PM Lee and his wife Ho Ching had opposed this wish as "the preservation of the house would enhance his political capital".

The two siblings alleged that preserving the house would allow their brother "and his family to inherit a tangible monument to Lee Kuan Yew's authority".

The two siblings also alleged that "based on our interactions", PM Lee and his wife harbour political ambitions for their son, Hongyi.

PM Lee called this an "absurd claim" and denied that he had any such ambitions for his son.

He added: "I will do my utmost to continue to do right by my parents. At the same time, I will continue serving Singaporeans honestly and to the best of my ability. In particular that means upholding meritocracy, which is a fundamentalvalue of our society."

The statement from the siblings came 1 1/2 years after Dr Lee, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, and PM Lee issued a joint statement in Dec 2015 saying the brothers had each agreed to donate half the value of 38 Oxley Road to charities named in their father's obituary notice.

Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said they would like to honour their father's wish for the house to be demolished after Dr Lee ceases to live in it.

PM Lee had said he had recused himself from all government decisions involving the house and, in his personal capacity, would also like to see this wish honoured.

This morning, he ended his response by saying: "As my siblings know, I am presently overseas on leave with my family. I will consider this matter further after I return this weekend."

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More close-up action, tribute to NS50 at this year's NDP, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

https://youtu.be/VshzB_6pgP0

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-close-up-action-tribute-to-ns50-at-this-years-ndp-parade?login=true&xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20170613-[More+close-up+action%2C+tribute+to+NS50+at+this+year%27s+NDP]&xts=538291

More close-up action, tribute to NS50 at this year's NDP

SINGAPORE - Spectators at this year's National Day Parade (NDP) will get a closer look at the nation's security forces, as parts of the dynamic defence display will include performers simulating a counter-terrorist routine in the midst of the crowd.

They will also get to enjoy double the action, as the defence display will be divided into two segments for the first time. The NDP parade and ceremony will be sandwiched in between the two parts.

The parade, which celebrates Singapore's 52nd year of independence, will be held at the Marina Bay Floating Platform. Not only will the event see the return of the dynamic defence display after a two-year absence, it will also include high-intensity pyrotechnics, a new cyber-security performance and a counter-terrorism display.

More than 50 assets - the biggest number to date - from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) will be on show, joined by over 500 participants.

They include seven types of vehicles appearing for the first time in the parade, such as the SAF's Belrex Protected Combat Support Vehicle, the SPF's Tactical Response Motorcycle and the SCDF's Fire-Medical Vehicle.

The first segment focuses on the role of the SAF as the guarantor of Singapore's independence, and features the high-tech assets from the army, air force and navy.

The second segment will feature Singapore's whole-of-government and community response to a terrorism threat. It will show how cyber-security agencies deal with cyber attacks, followed by how the SAF and Home Team respond to terrorist threats here.

And for the first time, several display performers will fire blanks in the seating gallery, adding to the realism of the show.

"Prior to the performance, we will be flashing warning messages to let the audience know to expect very loud noises and pyrotechnics as part of the display. We will also be singling out the areas where we expect the performance to get extremely loud and exciting so that the audience will know in advance," said COL Tan Tiong Keat, chairman for the dynamic defence display.

The traditional parade and ceremony will take place in between both segments. Audience can expect traditional celebratory elements such as the 21-gun salute on a M3G military raft, and the state flag flypast flown by a Chinook helicopter with two Apache escorts.

There are about 2,000 participants from 31 marching contingents at the parade, including those from SAF and Home Team, as well as youth groups and the public sector.

For the first time, the signature bomb burst will be performed by five F-15SG fighter planes, two of which are flown by NSmen. The other pilots are regulars from the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

The parade will also feature the largest military tattoo performance to date, with 170 performers. Bagpipers from the SPF Women Police Pipes and Drums will join the tattoo for the first time.

A key theme of this year's parade is the tribute to 50 years of National Service. To mark this milestone, a NS50 tribute video will be screened and the parade's marching contingent will also do a salute.

COL Koh Eee Wen, chairman of the NDP 2017 parade and ceremony committee, said: "Besides recognising NSmen, we are also recognising their families. We know that when NSmen have to come to camp to report for duty, it's really the family helming the home front."

In a nod to the contributions of NSmen, the parade will be led by NSman LTC (NS) Lim Wee Tee, 45, who is the director for sales and channels at data analytics firm DataSpark.

"I run through the parade sequence in my mind every morning when I wake up, to go through the mental preparation and sequence," said LTC (NS) Lim. "I'll have the previews to practice, so I'm quite confident I'll be prepared during the actual parade."

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