No.
Saturday 20 August 2016
India draws clear red lines for Pakistan, 5-point agenda for talks
Hardening its stance on resuming dialogue with Pakistan, India Thursday announced it had set a five-point agenda for talks on terrorism in a letter submitted a day earlier by Indian envoy Gautam Bambawale to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry.
New Delhi asked Islamabad to end incitement to violence and terrorism from Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, stop cross-border terrorism, detain and prosecute terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, deny a safe haven to fugitives like Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and close terror camps where terrorists like Bahadur Ali have been trained.
India also proposed discussing “vacation of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of J&K” — a reference to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — and sought a briefing from the Pakistan Foreign Secretary on the progress in the 26/11 trial in Pakistan and its probe into the Pathankot airbase attack.
These red lines form part of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s letter to his Pakistan counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry, which did not offer any comment on the letter, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi crossed the “red line” by talking about Balochistan and said it will “forcefully” raise the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly session next month.
According to a PTI report from Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, referring to Modi’s remarks on Balochistan and PoK in his Independence Day speech, said: “It is the violation of the UN Charter… He (Modi) crossed the red line by talking about Balochistan.”
In his letter, Jaishankar recalled “Pakistan’s long history of violence and terrorism against India” — from 1947 to the 1965 war and the Kargil war. He reminded Pakistan of the past commitments of its leaders and of not allowing Pakistani soil to be used for anti-India activities by terrorists.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Jaishankar had conveyed he was accepting his counterpart’s invitation to visit Islamabad but discussions should focus first on the “more pressing aspects” of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Foreign Secretary’s letter listed steps Islamabad needed to take: “Cessation of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan aimed at Jammu and Kashmir, ending incitement to violence and terrorism from Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, detaining and prosecuting internationally recognised Pakistani terrorist leaders who have been publicly active recently in exhorting and supporting such violence in that state, closing down of Pakistani terrorist camps where terrorists such as Bahadur Ali, recently arrested in Jammu and Kashmir, continue to be trained, denying safe haven, shelters and support to terrorists in Pakistan who have escaped Indian law.”
“Foreign Secretary also said that he looks forward to discussing with his counterpart the earliest possible vacation of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir,” Swarup said, referring to PoK.
“The world is aware that Pakistan has a long history of violence and terrorism against India, as also in the broader region. The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has been its particular target. This record began with the Government of Pakistan sending armed raiders into Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 and was repeated in 1965. More than three decades later, displaying a similar attitude, military personnel were infiltrated across the Line of Control in Kargil in 1999,” he said.
“This approach to India was reflected in support for terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir that continues to the present day. These acts were initially denied by the Government of Pakistan and attributed to local population, only to be admitted later by Pakistan’s leaders who directed and organised such cross-border attacks on India, and assaults on the local people.”
“The Government of Pakistan is aware that the framework for interactions between India and Pakistan is stipulated by the Simla Agreement of July 1972, wherein President Z A Bhutto agreed that the two countries resolve to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations, as also the Lahore Declaration of February 1999 wherein Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s determination to implement the Simla Agreement in letter and spirit. They are also based on the assurance given by President Musharraf in January 2004 that he will not permit any territory under Pakistan’s control to be used to support terrorism in any manner,” he said.
Asked about the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson’s statement that Prime Minister Modi crossed the “red line” by talking about Balochistan, Swarup said: “I find this an extraordinary remark from a senior functionary of Pakistan that recognises no red lines in its own diplomacy. Pakistan’s record of cross-border terrorism and infiltration is at the heart of the problems in the region today. And this is not just India’s view. You can ask some other countries in the region too.”
On Modi’s Balochistan remark, Swarup said several people from Balochistan and PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan had messaged him, had been writing to him following his comments at the all-party meeting on August 12 in which he had flagged the atrocities being committed on the people of Balochistan.
“Prime Minister had been thanked by these people for flagging their cause at the all-party meeting which represents all political segments in India. Prime Minister was sufficiently moved by these messages of gratitude to share it with the people of India in his Independence Day address,” he said.
World's 'highest and longest' glass bridge set to open in China
BEIJING: The world's "longest and highest" glass bridge is set to
open to public in China's Hunan province on Saturday (Aug 20) according
to officials in-charge of the project.
The bridge is 430m long and 6m wide and is paved with 99 panes of three-layer transparent glass.
It connects two mountain cliffs known as the Avatar mountains some 300m above ground in the Grand Canyon scenic area in Zhangjiajie, according to Xinhua news agency. The Hollywood hit movie Avatar was shot in this location.
The bridge was completed in December and cost around US$3.4m to construct, reported Xinhua.
The committee says the bridge has set 10 world records spanning its design and construction.
Officials say the bridge has undergone rigorous testing. It included a two tonne truck being driven across the bridge and several sledgehammer tests.
Officials say a maximum of 8000 visitors will be allowed on the bridge each day.
The bridge is 430m long and 6m wide and is paved with 99 panes of three-layer transparent glass.
It connects two mountain cliffs known as the Avatar mountains some 300m above ground in the Grand Canyon scenic area in Zhangjiajie, according to Xinhua news agency. The Hollywood hit movie Avatar was shot in this location.
The bridge was completed in December and cost around US$3.4m to construct, reported Xinhua.
The committee says the bridge has set 10 world records spanning its design and construction.
Officials say the bridge has undergone rigorous testing. It included a two tonne truck being driven across the bridge and several sledgehammer tests.
Officials say a maximum of 8000 visitors will be allowed on the bridge each day.
Ong shunmugam design a bright future with new flagship store
SINGAPORE: In a climate of retail slumps and woes, one
Singaporean fashion label is aiming to use a new bricks-and-mortar
flagship store to help push the brand to greater heights. Known for its
unique contemporary-meets-traditional aesthetic, five-year-old local
label Ong Shunmugam officially opened the doors on Aug 18 to its new
home at creative indie enclave Chip Bee Gardens after relocating from
the Hong Leong Building in Raffles Place.
The 1,300 sq ft single-storey unit houses the multi award-winning fashion label’s office, design studio and retail offerings. They have been brought together in a space where customers can get a behind-the-scenes peek into the production studio where an Ong Shunmugam original is being made right before their eyes.
It is a major move for a homespun brand which has developed in the space of five years from being a local sensation to an international force to be reckoned with. With creations drawing on founder and designer Priscilla Shunmugam’s mixed Indian and Chinese heritage, Ong Shunmugam has been worn by everyone from former Nominated Member of Parliament and actress Janice Koh to US Ambassador Kirk Wagar’s wife Crystal at the White House state dinner.
For the 35-year-old, the opening of the new store marks a key development in the label's history.
“I think we had great growth for the past five years, simply because we introduced something very new to the fashion market in Singapore,” she told Channel NewsAsia. “We gave women what didn’t exist prior to this so that served us well. But you know, five years on, we are not a startup anymore. And you have to ask yourself a big question: ‘Are you contented and are you happy with where you are? Or do you want to go further?’”
These may be tough questions to ask against a backdrop of a Singapore retail environment perceived by some to have lost its uniqueness and which is fighting against the challenge of slowing economic growth. Nonetheless, Shunmugam thinks she has the key to survival.
“I think from day one right from the start, I knew that the key to existing and thriving in fashion was differentiation,” she explained. “There’s nothing more ... I mean, you can have capital, you can connections and you could have everything in place, but if you didn’t understand the need to put something on the table that didn’t exist before you, then things would be tough.”
It is a fine line between fiery creativity and savvy business know-how and Shunmugam’s got plenty of both. She chose to sit down with financial firm Deloitte to assess how she should take her brand to the next stage, after various offers and options came flooding in.
“There was too much at stake. And too many people who believed in us for me to stop. Or for me to be contented or to give up. So here we are five and a half years later with a very refreshed purpose and a great drive and also a very accurate understanding to get there, wherever that is … This is just the beginning!”
The 1,300 sq ft single-storey unit houses the multi award-winning fashion label’s office, design studio and retail offerings. They have been brought together in a space where customers can get a behind-the-scenes peek into the production studio where an Ong Shunmugam original is being made right before their eyes.
It is a major move for a homespun brand which has developed in the space of five years from being a local sensation to an international force to be reckoned with. With creations drawing on founder and designer Priscilla Shunmugam’s mixed Indian and Chinese heritage, Ong Shunmugam has been worn by everyone from former Nominated Member of Parliament and actress Janice Koh to US Ambassador Kirk Wagar’s wife Crystal at the White House state dinner.
For the 35-year-old, the opening of the new store marks a key development in the label's history.
“I think we had great growth for the past five years, simply because we introduced something very new to the fashion market in Singapore,” she told Channel NewsAsia. “We gave women what didn’t exist prior to this so that served us well. But you know, five years on, we are not a startup anymore. And you have to ask yourself a big question: ‘Are you contented and are you happy with where you are? Or do you want to go further?’”
These may be tough questions to ask against a backdrop of a Singapore retail environment perceived by some to have lost its uniqueness and which is fighting against the challenge of slowing economic growth. Nonetheless, Shunmugam thinks she has the key to survival.
“I think from day one right from the start, I knew that the key to existing and thriving in fashion was differentiation,” she explained. “There’s nothing more ... I mean, you can have capital, you can connections and you could have everything in place, but if you didn’t understand the need to put something on the table that didn’t exist before you, then things would be tough.”
It is a fine line between fiery creativity and savvy business know-how and Shunmugam’s got plenty of both. She chose to sit down with financial firm Deloitte to assess how she should take her brand to the next stage, after various offers and options came flooding in.
“There was too much at stake. And too many people who believed in us for me to stop. Or for me to be contented or to give up. So here we are five and a half years later with a very refreshed purpose and a great drive and also a very accurate understanding to get there, wherever that is … This is just the beginning!”
Rio olympic Singpore
In wake of Schooling's success, Lopez sees bright future for Singapore
SINGAPORE: He called it humbling to be in Rio, watching one of his charges make history for his nation.
Sergio Lopez, the coach most closely identified with Singapore’s first Olympic gold medallist, has every right to indulge in chest-thumping - and not just because of the 21-year-old Singaporean's awe-inspiring victory over Michael Phelps.Other Bolles School Sharks that came to prominence the past fortnight are Team USA’s Ryan Murphy and Caeleb Dressel, both who won gold; Canadian Santo Condorelli, who made the finals in three of his four events, and Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas.
Together, these swimmers picked up six gold medals, setting one world record, three Olympic records, two Asian records, and a handful of national marks along the way.
Lopez - who had been training Schooling for five years in Bolles School in Florida before coming over to Singapore to be national swim coach - also saw American breaststroke specialist Kevin Cordes picking up a share of the 4x100m medley relay gold medal, apart from narrowly missing the podium in the 100m final. Cordes had sought out Lopez in his Olympic run-up, electing to train here in Singapore to prepare for Rio.
Lopez recalled how he and fellow Bolles School coaches were pinching themselves when they first worked with the likes of Schooling and Murphy.
“They were 14- and 15-year-olds, and we were thinking: ‘These kids are going to be Olympic champions’, because you can see there’s a difference with them,” he said.
“And to have four guys like that, at the same place, and the same time, is very rare. So I feel very privileged, and (it's) humbling to see what happens in a place like that … and to be part of that.”
Added the 48-year-old: “I could’ve retired before the Olympics and would’ve been a very happy person. But now even more, it’s very exciting.”
QUAH ZHENG WEN HAS "HEART OF A TRUE CHAMPION"
Lopez is back in town for a short 72 hours, taking part in Thursday’s open bus victory parade for Schooling, and generally wrapping up his 20-month stint as head coach of Singapore swimming.
At noon on Friday (Aug 19), about 200 coaches turned up at the Singapore Sports Hub Library to hear him talk about his coaching philosophy, and his thoughts on the future of swimming here.
Of particular interest was the future of Quah Zheng Wen, who came away from Rio having qualified for two semi-finals, but having been criticised by a few journalists for not talking to the media.
Lopez had no doubt the 20-year-old could be Singapore’s next Olympic medallist, but much will hinge on what happens in the next four years.
“Zheng Wen is a great kid. He trains really hard, he’ll do whatever you ask him to, and he has the heart of a true champion,” said Lopez.
“It was heartbreaking for him to miss the 200m butterfly final by 0.08 seconds, but he knows that, and I think he’ll be ready (for Tokyo 2020).
“I think he needs to take one day at a time, and he needs to understand his goals and don’t lose track of them; and stay the course.
“Four years is a long time, and it’s a short time. Next year he has the World Championships, and the spotlight is going to be on him. So he’s going to have to deal with that.
“Then you have the Asian Games in 2018, and the Commonwealth Games. And if he doesn’t do well, he’s going to be scrutinised, and how’s he going to deal with that.
“He’s a gifted kid, and he works very hard, and he hates to lose too. He’s learnt to believe that he belongs there, and that’s a big step.
“He’s still a puppy, and I think he could improve his strength and that would come with age.”
Lopez will be returning to a new job at Auburn University in Alabama, as Associate Head Coach. Asked if he would like to have Quah joining him there, he said: “I wish … but it’s not my decision. It’s his life.
“If he has the chance to come to America, and decides to continue training with me, I’d welcome him with arms open. I’m just thankful that my path has crossed with his and many others in Singapore, because I’ve learnt a lot."
As for how Singapore swimming could continue to crest new heights, Lopez said the swimmers will need to be continually exposed to a tough level of competition.
“With some of the swimmers that I’ve been able to take on race trips to the United States, they needed to see how stars like Michael Phelps handle racing multiple events, and go through the routine of warming up, race, face the media, warm down … They needed to see that, and to race against those people,” said Lopez who suggested racing in Japan as an alternative.
“The only way you can get better is by losing… and next time you get better.”
Rio Olympic; USA's first ever gold medal triathlon
Jorgensen placed 38th in the 2012 London Games but has been on a roll ever since. According to USA Today, Jorgensen has only lost two individual races dating back to April 2014.
In 2014-15, Jorgensen displayed her dominance by winning 12 straight races and back-to-back championship titles at the World Triathlon Series.
Jorgensen's victory gave the U.S. its nation-leading 39th gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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