SINGAPORE – For over a quarter of a century, it has been a local landmark in Cuscaden Road. However, the iconic Cadillac that has perched precariously over the entrance of the Hard Rock Cafe is no more.
It was removed by crane on Monday (May 16) afternoon…
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End of an icon as Hard Rock Cafe’s Cadillac is removed
Elderly man dies following lift incident in Pasir Ris
Mr Lim Hang Chiang, 77, had entered the lift at the 10th floor and was going down to the ground floor. He was using a motorised wheelchair, which toppled when Mr Lim reversed to exit the lift. He did not see that the lift had stopped slightly above the ground.
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Rashford selection turns spotlight on Rooney
LONDON – Teenager Marcus Rashford has already taken Wayne Rooney’s place in the Manchester United forward line, now he threatens to do the same at international level after Roy Hodgson included him on Monday in his 26-man preliminary squad for Euro 2016.
The 18-year-old’s stunning impact at Old Trafford since making his debut in February has earned him the chance to force his way on the plane to France, just as question marks are being raised about where skipper Rooney will fit in.
Both are listed in the five forwards Hodgson has pencilled in for the tournament, although that number is likely to drop to four with Leicester City’s title winner Jamie Vardy, Tottenham Hotspur’s Golden Boot winner Harry Kane and Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge almost certain to make the cut.
Rashford, however, could be Hodgson’s wildcard should any of that trio suffer a setback in the warm-up games against Turkey, Australia and Portugal.
Hodgson tempered talk of Rashford being in the final 23. “We have had good feedback from Manchester United on the player,” he said. “We have a good group of forward players and plenty of players who can be in the front positions. “If he continues to develop, there is no reason why he cannot become a regular in the England team.” There is no question of Rooney, who burst into the international limelight as an 18-year-old at Euro 2004 when he helped England to the quarter-finals, not going to France.
But with so many striking options, a starting place is no longer guaranteed for England’s all-time leading scorer against Russia in Marseille on June 11 – a dilemma for Hodgson.
With Spurs young guns Dele Alli and Eric Dier pushing for starting roles and Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling offering width and pace, even a place in midfield, where he now plays for United, is not certain for Rooney.
The 30-year-old’s experience could, however, prove vital. “Wayne Rooney is the captain and has done a fantastic job. 109 games and 51 goals and there are not many players in Europe who will reach that success,” Hodgson said. “I have to select teams against Turkey, Portugal and Australia. Rooney is an important player but he is not demanding to play in the opening game. I am under no pressure to select him.” Hodgson said Rooney would have no say in the final 23. “That would not be correct. His responsibility is as a player, then captain. I am not certain I want him involved in who I should pick,” Hodgson said.
With a final Premier League game to come and next weekend’s FA Cup final, Rashford, who has scored seven goals in 16 United appearances, has the chance to impress Hodgson.
But whether or not he makes the final 23, his inclusion in the 26, together with several other youngsters, augurs well for the future, according to former England forward Gary Lineker. “Bags of talented youngsters. Great experience for them. Give them their wings, take pressure off, have fun and see where it takes us,” he said on Monday.
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Duterte dials down rhetoric on China
MANILA – Rodrigo Duterte is taking a more measured tone regarding disputes in the South China Sea, as the incoming Philippine president aims for warmer relations with Beijing.
Duterte told a news conference in the city of Davao on Sunday night that he wants to improve the Philippines’ ties with China, which hit a snag under President Benigno Aquino. “It has not been cold, but I would rather be friendly with everybody,” Duterte said when asked about his policy toward China.
“I do not want war,” he went on to say. “I cannot support a war and I will not waste the time and lives of soldiers for nothing.”
Generally, Duterte has been viewed as friendly to China. But during a presidential debate, he threatened to ride a jet ski to the disputed waters to assert the Philippines’ sovereignty.
Critics could seize upon his latest statement as a sign that he lacks a clear plan to address competing maritime interests.
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Monday, May 16, 2016 – 19:21
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S Iswaran appointed Co-Chairman of Committee of the Future Economy
SINGAPORE – In view of Mr Heng Swee Keat’s illness, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) Mr S Iswaran will be appointed as Co-Chairman of the Committee of the Future Economy (CFE), said the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday.
Here is the PMO…
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Alleged match-fixer Dan Tan’s ex-wife on trial for lying to CPIB officers
Guan Enmei allegedly removed two laptops from the couple’s home and passed them to her limousine driver for safe-keeping, then denied knowledge of the laptops to officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.
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China: The reality Facebook can no longer ignore
BEIJING – “It’s great to be back in Beijing!” — posted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on March 18 with a photo of himself running through a smoggy Tiananmen Square.
While in the Chinese capital, the social media giant’s chief met Liu Yunshan, the fifth highest-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party. Zuckerberg is said to have praised China’s accomplishments in internet development.
Yet the internet was quick to call out Zuckerberg for his comments. One message read: “Zuckerberg curries the favour with the Communist Party too much,” while another said, “Does he intend to accept censorship from Beijing?”
Grounds for the comments can be traced back to 2009 when Beijing blocked access to Facebook. The government was concerned at how ethnic unrest in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region might be portrayed on social media.
There are nearly 1.6 billion Facebook users worldwide. In China, the networking tool can only be accessed by bypassing the government firewall.
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Obama's Hiroshima visit may open Pandora's box
TOKYO – Under blue skies and surrounded by blue water, the scene at Pearl Harbor in early May was tropical and serene — so serene that it was hard to believe Japan and the US fought a fierce battle here nearly 75 years ago.
On Dec. 7, 1941, the USS Arizona was attacked and sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship still lies on the seabed, along with the remains of its crew. The US abandoned efforts to raise the ship and has built a memorial on the water where it went down.
The ferry to the USS Arizona Memorial was mostly filled with older white men, who appeared to be veterans, and their family members. A man named James, who, ironically, comes from the state of Arizona, said that his father-in-law died in the attack but that he bears no grudge against Japan.
No sitting Japanese prime minister has ever visited the memorial. In 2011, then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii but stayed away from Pearl Harbor. Chris, a guide at the Arizona Memorial, said many Japanese veterans come to offer flowers. He said it would not mean much to him to have Japanese politicians who do not know much about the time visit the memorial.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 70 years after the bombings
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On May 10, the Japanese and US governments said US President Barack Obama will visit Hiroshima on May 27. He will be the first sitting American president to visit the city devastated by the atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945. He will make the historic visit on the sidelines of a Group of Seven summit to be held in Ise-Shima, in western Japan.
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Monday, May 16, 2016 – 18:54
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Scoot, Tigerair and 6 others form world's 'biggest' budget carrier alliance – but what does it mean?
SINGAPORE – Eight carriers from across the Asian region have joined forces to form the world’s first – and apparently biggest – pan-regional, low-cost carrier alliance.
Sounds good, but what does it mean to you and I?
The partner carriers comprise Scoot, Tigerair Singapore, Tigerair Australia, Cebu Pacific (including subsidiary Cebgo), South Korea’s Jeju Air, Thailand’s Nok Air and NokScoot, and Japan’s Vanilla Air.
When all partner airlines come on board in the next six to nine months, travellers will be able to book flights from any of the carriers in a single transaction, directly from each airline’s website. Scoot, Nok Air and NokScoot currently offer each other’s flights and fares, with more to follow in the next months.
Called the Value Alliance partnership, travellers can not only book flights, but also select seats and purchase baggage options and other services across the different partner airlines in a single itinerary.
For example, travellers will be able to book a flight from Singapore to Tokyo on Scoot as well a domestic flight from Tokyo to Okinawa with partner airline Vanilla Air, all from the Scoot website. They can also purchase add-ons such as WiFi service and baggage allowances on both flights in that transaction.
This is great for travellers because they can shop for flights across different low-cost carriers and plan their travel itinerary without having to log onto multiple airline websites to make their bookings.
However, do not be mistaken. This is not a frequent flier type of tie-up.
Alliances between full-service carriers, such as OneWorld or Star Alliance, typically offer customers perks such as access to airport lounges and redemption of points on flights by partner airlines.
Value Alliance, however, will not integrate frequent flyer or loyalty programmes across the low-cost carriers.
But what Value Alliance gives travellers is access to the airlines’ network of “more than 160 destinations across the Asia Pacific region”, including the Middle East, Asia and Japan as well as Australia.
“By working together, we can offer our guests a wider choice of destinations and flights – at the most competitive airfares – all in one go,” said Scoot chief executive Campbell Wilson, at the announcement on Monday (May 16).
Well, let’s hope Scoot’s chief is right about that.
xiuhuil@sph.com.sg
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Football: Rashford, Townsend in 26-man England squad
LONDON – Manchester United’s teenage sensation Marcus Rashford and Newcastle United winger Andros Townsend were named in a provisional 26-man England squad for Euro 2016 on Monday.
The uncapped Rashford, 18, has burst onto the scene with United this season, scoring seven goals in 16 games, while Townsend, who made his last England appearance in October, has impressed since joining Newcastle from Tottenham Hotspur in January.
Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson were both included after recent spells on the sidelines, but there was no place for Wilshere’s club-mate Theo Walcott.
Manager Roy Hodgson must reduce his squad to 23 for the tournament in France, which sees England paired with Slovakia, Russia and neighbours Wales in Group B.
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