Ukraine must be able to ‘choose its destiny': EU
The leaders of the European Union welcomed the efforts of President Trump towards ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
BRUSSELS - EU leaders stressed on Aug 12 'the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny', just three days before US President Donald Trump was due to
meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin .
'We, the Leaders of the European Union, welcome the efforts of President Trump towards ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and achieving a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine,' a statement said.
'A just and lasting peace that brings stability and security must respect international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and that international borders must not be changed by force.'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders are scheduled to meet with Mr Trump on Aug 13.
Mr Trump has been vague about his expectations for the Alaska summit with Putin on Friday, describing it as a 'feel-out meeting' to gauge the Russian leader's ideas for ending the war in Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky has ruled out ceding territory seized by force. Mr Trump – who publicly berated Mr Zelensky at a White House meeting in February – said he was a 'little bothered' by Mr Zelensky's stance and insisted land swaps would need to take place.
'There'll be some swapping, there'll be some changes in land,' he said.
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But Mr Trump said he would also tell Mr Putin that 'you've got to end this war'. AFP
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Straits Times
30 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Revived Ivory Coast rebel hub shows boom, burdens of Ouattara era
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Residents of Bouake walk past a painted wall, one day ahead of Ivory Coast 65th independence anniversary day in Bouake, Ivory Coast August 6, 2025. The painting on the wall reads \"New Bouake\" REUTERS/Luc Gnago/File Photo BOUAKE, Ivory Coast - Bullet-riddled buildings still line some streets in Ivory Coast's former rebel capital Bouake, but in the run-up to his third re-election bid President Alassane Ouattara is keen to turn the city into a symbol of recovery. "Bouake is a city of past pain, but above all rebirth, unity and renewed brotherhood," the 83-year-old incumbent said in his Independence Day speech last week, ahead of a parade in which he waved to supporters from a black armoured convertible. It was the first time Bouake hosted independence festivities in over 60 years, sending the message that "peace has returned" after the civil war that preceded Ouattara's swearing-in in 2011, said political analyst Geoffroy Julien Kouao. Yet away from the pomp of official ceremonies, ex-combatants and other Bouake residents tell a more complex story of lingering division and economic struggle. "When we go to a company to apply for jobs, we are turned away because they (employers) know we have taken up arms... They (employers) are afraid of us," said Fousseni Toure, member of a civil society group that advocates for former fighters. Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer, effectively split in two after a rebellion in 2002 against then-President Laurent Gbagbo, and Bouake became the headquarters of the New Forces rebels, many of them from Ouattara's Dioula ethnic group. The war was largely a result of xenophobic policies against farmers from Burkina Faso and Mali that also targeted northern Ivorians with cultural ties to them. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore 4 housebreaking suspects taken to Bukit Timah crime scene under police escort Singapore To Vers or not to Vers: How will this scheme affect HDB prices? Asia Citizenship for foreign talents: How this footballer from Brazil became Vietnam's favourite 'Son' Business MyRepublic customers to see no immediate changes to existing services: StarHub Asia Malaysian MP Rafizi says his son was jabbed with syringe in planned attack, threatened with Aids Asia India, Singapore ministers discuss deeper tie-ups in digitalisation, skills, industrial parks Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength Thousands of U.N. peacekeepers deployed and new elections were held in 2010, but Gbagbo refused to accept defeat to Ouattara, setting off four months of violence that killed around 3,000 people. RECONCILIATION ELUSIVE Ouattara, a former international banker who announced last month he would seek re-election, is widely credited for Ivory Coast's steady economic growth since he took office. Some former combatants say they have benefited. Alissou Ouattara, no relation to the president, supports his wife and five children by running a small restaurant and coffee kiosk. "I earn my living properly," he said. "I don't envy anyone." Other ethnic Dioulas have had a harder time, partly because of conflict with so-called "autochtone", or indigenous, ethnic groups who are more likely to support Ouattara's political opponents, said Soumaila Doumbia, coordinator of the Bouake-based Civil Society Platform for Peace and Democracy. "There are political actors who remain in the shadows to exploit young people so that they can come into conflict," he said. During the last election, in 2020, clashes killed 85 people. The exclusion of Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, leader of the opposition PDCI party, from the next ballot means the climate could be tense again when Ivorians vote on October 25. An Ivory Coast court ruled in April that Thiam was ineligible because he was a French national when he registered, while Gbagbo cannot run because of a past criminal conviction. Thousands of supporters of both men took to the streets of Abidjan's Yopougon district to protest over the weekend. Doumbia is nevertheless optimistic that these issues can eventually be resolved for good. "We are certain that in the months and years to come, Bouake will be a reconciled city," he said. REUTERS
Straits Times
30 minutes ago
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Made In Singapore: Charles & Keith's risks and rewards strategy of doing business in crisis
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Looking back on his decades-long journey in shoes, Charles & Keith co-founder Charles Wong believes the brand's success abroad has to do with good timing and a healthy risk appetite. SINGAPORE – Mr Neeraj Teckchandani remembers the first time he saw a Charles & Keith store. It was 2003 and the chief executive of Apparel Group, a Dubai-based fashion and retail conglomerate, had been visiting Singapore for market research. The group had just secured the rights to launch Canadian footwear brand Aldo in South-east Asia, with Singapore as its first market. 'When we were doing the market research, the one name which popped up everywhere in our research with the landlords and consumers was Charles & Keith,' says Mr Teckchandani, who decided to visit its Wisma Atria store. 'It was crazy. The traffic was mind-boggling. We saw a huge potential in this brand.' That would be the start of a beautiful partnership that has lasted till today, with Apparel Group now the brand's official UAE partner, responsible for opening more than 70 Charles & Keith stores in the Middle East. By now, most Singaporeans will know and cheer the fact that footwear label Charles & Keith (C&K) is a proudly home-grown brand. Beginning in 1990 as a discount shoe store in Ang Mo Kio, it is today Singapore's most successful fashion export, with more than 600 stores in over 30 countries. They never set out to conquer the world, confesses chief executive Charles Wong. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore 4 housebreaking suspects taken to Bukit Timah crime scene under police escort Singapore To Vers or not to Vers: How will this scheme affect HDB prices? 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He was also busy growing the business in China over the last decade. The eldest of three sons – who clinched the top accolade, Businessman of the Year, at the 2024 Singapore Business Awards – returned during the Covid-19 pandemic to spend time with his ageing parents. His younger brothers Keith Wong, 49, and Kelvin Wong, 46, remained in Singapore to grow the business while Mr Wong was in China. Co-founder and chief operating officer Keith Wong leads the group's creative vision – from product design to store architecture to the overall brand aesthetic – while Kelvin Wong, who joined the family business later, heads bag design and technology. Reflecting on his almost 35-year journey in shoes, Mr Charles Wong credits the brand's success in international markets to a mix of good timing, good luck and a healthy risk appetite. After C&K was established in 1996 as a shoe label independent from the Ang Mo Kio store, Mr Charles Wong and Mr Keith Wong opened their first boutique in Amara Shopping Centre. Cash-strapped, they renovated it on a budget just shy of $50,000, and bought from their suppliers on credit. The Asian financial crisis struck soon after, but instead of getting spooked, they strode forward. Their father's friend, who operated and was scaling down the Giordano chain of clothing stores, offered to let them take over the lease of his unit in Causeway Point mall. A young Charles Wong in 2008. His brother and co-founder Keith, who leads the group's creative vision, has always been more media-shy. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE Rent was steep – $20,000 a month, Mr Charles Wong recalls. 'I thought for a week if I should take the risk. The uncle said, 'If you don't jump, you'll never jump.' So, I took the first jump at a high rental store.' Their forecasted annual revenue of $60,000 ended up closer to $100,000. 'It was a good motivation factor, that the first risk we took was right.' Risky business Risk would turn out to be an enticing constant in the brothers' lives. During the financial crisis, an Indonesian expatriate customer proposed franchising the brand to Indonesia once the market improved. Then in his 20s, Mr Wong was apprehensive in view of Indonesia's unstable economy, fresh from a string of bombings. The customer goaded him into agreeing by asking: 'You served national service, right? So, why are you scared? You're military trained.' The Jakarta store, their first one overseas, was a huge success – and has led to 43 stores in Indonesia today. 'You never know what you don't know, so you just have to keep an open mind,' says Mr Wong. Charles & Keith's first Indonesia store in Mall Taman Anggrek opened in1998. PHOTO: CHARLES & KEITH In the 2000s, while other brands were eyeing expansion into China, the brothers chose the Middle East. You could chalk it down to Mr Wong's unusual business strategy: growing during a crisis. After successfully penetrating the Indonesian market, he sought 'the next crisis' – and set his sights on the region which had been going through the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011. 'Shop locations are more affordable; hiring talent is easier as people are retrenched,' he says. 'I feel newcomers have an equal opportunity as established players.' After that first encounter at C&K's boutique in Wisma Atria, the brothers continued to impress at every turn, Mr Teckchandani says. They were an early adopter in digital commerce too, launching a website in 2004. Mr Teckchandani adds: 'E-commerce was hardly talked about then. There were no And we saw Charles & Keith embarking on that journey – that showed their vision, the forward-thinking, the strategic direction. That was very critical for us, how they were looking at building it as a global brand.' An early iteration of Charles & Keith's first website. PHOTO: CHARLES & KEITH At the time, the Middle East's retail landscape was just beginning to evolve from its street shopping and souk culture to organised malls. The newly announced Mall of the Emirates was being primed as a game changer in Dubai retail, and Mr Teckchandani was on the lookout for fresh voices. Competition bloomed in the fast-fashion space – from Zara's parent company Inditex to H&M Group – but not yet in footwear. C&K, he says, addressed the need in the local market for a South-east Asian brand that could cut through the noise of the West – with its trend-led designs, accessibility in pricing and commercial sensibility. When Mall of the Emirates and the store opened in 2005, consumers responded. 'It fit into that space of affordable luxury – with the feeling and ambience of a luxury store, but the prices were wow for the consumers,' recalls Mr Teckchandani. 'After that, we didn't have to pitch to the landlords. It was the landlords running after us. And then came Dubai Mall, and the rest was history.' It was also in Dubai that C&K first launched bags, to answer Middle Eastern women's needs for accessories to show off personal style while dressed in a traditional abaya. On Mr Teckchandani's suggestion, they expanded the handbag category, which now makes up close to half of C&K's business and is arguably what it has become known for among the younger generation. Charles & Keith's first operational Dubai store at Al Manal Centre. It opened its Mall of the Emirates store in 2005. PHOTO: CHARLES & KEITH 'Crisis is not necessarily a bad thing,' reiterates Mr Wong. 'It's also a good time to enter a market when the pace may be a bit slower. We have to take advantage during the downtime.' Such was his mindset when the 2008 global financial crisis struck. He considered moving to the United States then to expand into the market, but felt it was too far away. So, he settled for China, which proved another winning move. Today, the market accounts for more than 50 per cent of C&K's business. Luxury's stamp of approval A healthy dose of star power propelled C&K to global recognition in the 2010s, but what retail observers believe cemented its position was the stamp of approval from the luxury world. In 2011, French luxury conglomerate LVMH's private equity arm L Capital Asia invested in a 20 per cent stake in the company, raising eyebrows among the fashion set. The headline-making investment gave C&K 'fashion legitimacy on a global level', says Mr Kenneth Goh, editor-in-chief of fashion publication Harper's Bazaar Singapore. Harper's Bazaar Singapore editor-in-chief Kenneth Goh wears the largest women's size in Charles & Keith boots. ST PHOTO: JAMIE KOH A string of celebrity red-carpet sightings followed, starting with Game Of Thrones (2011 to 2019) actress Maisie Williams rocking a C&K bag to the 2016 Emmy Awards. It was not long before the brand was spotted on A-listers including actress Nicole Kidman and singer-actress Jennifer Lopez. Collaborations with emerging cult fashion designers such as Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen and Shanghai-based label Shushu/Tong, before they became 'it' brands, gave C&K further street cred. 'They've got the foresight to find that cool designer of the moment. It immediately injects cool into the brand, and you can't buy cool,' says Mr Goh, who wears C&K's largest women's shoe size, EU41, on business trips and to attend fashion shows abroad. 'They live and breathe and are submerged in social media. They communicate it via the people they dress, and it builds a community.' British actress Maisie Williams with the Evening Wristlet from Charles & Keith at the 2016 Bafta Tea Party (left) and Cecilie Bahnsen x Charles & Keith Upcycled Patchwork Anemone Mary Janes launched in 2020. PHOTOS: CHARLES & KEITH In 2025, C&K hit another industry milestone: debuting on the Met Gala red carpet. Its shoes were spotted on Colombian pop star Shakira and American singer-actress Nicole Scherzinger – another coup for Singapore, says Mr Goh. Looking ahead For all its successes, C&K has not forgotten its roots. 'We're very fortunate to be in this country, where Singapore has a great brand name,' Mr Wong says, noting that the Singapore branding set a high standard for customers in the region when C&K first embarked on international expansion. Its next move is building a product that can cut across all markets simultaneously. 'We like the Apple model – of lesser designs for the whole world,' he quips. No longer chasing numbers, he adds modestly: 'Having the right talent and mindset brings us a longer way than just setting high growth targets.' Back in Singapore to be closer to family, Mr Charles Wong is no longer chasing numbers. Instead, he wants to focus on designing quality products and experiences. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY What continues to impress Mr Teckchandani, who plans to open up to 115 new C&K stores in the Middle East in the next three to five years, is how grounded the brothers have stayed. He once witnessed them patrolling a mall in Dubai after operating hours to check on their store and scope out the competition. 'We work with 85-odd brands, but I have not seen any founder who has built such a large business, walking humbly in malls at midnight to see what are the latest trends in the market and the wants of the consumer,' he says. 'The responsiveness, dedicating years to learn and adapt, and the humble attitude are the secret recipe for their success.'
Straits Times
39 minutes ago
- Straits Times
‘Ham' sandwiches, socks with the word Allah, and now, upside-down flags
Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. Last week, our correspondent Hazlin Hassan wrote about the most recent political developments in Malaysia – from playing mediator successfully in an Asean border conflict, to engaging proactively with the United States on trade talks, to having a re-energised opposition. There was, indeed, never a dull moment in the roller-coaster ride faced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. But it's not just politics that constantly spices up the lives of Malaysians. For workers commuting in the north from Kedah and Perlis to commercial centres in and close to Penang, there is always a chance of getting to work late, thanks to rampant cable theft that forces the only train service to slow down to snail's pace for safety reasons. There's also the mysterious death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir at her school dormitory in Sabah. She was allegedly a victim of bullying. But it was only after public uproar and a string of protests that the authorities decided to exhume her body for a post-mortem, prompting howls of a cover-up. So here's the thing about Malaysia – inevitably, everything comes back to politics. Zara's case is not the first of bullying in schools. But the widespread outrage it sparked had forced government leaders including Datuk Seri Anwar to respond. It comes just weeks ahead of an expected dissolution of Sabah's legislature, paving the way for a heated election between bitter rivals set to test the cohesion of the multi-coalition Anwar administration. The same goes with a series of gaffes ahead of Malaysia's National Day celebrations. A Chinese vernacular school had inadvertently raised the Malaysian flag upside-down. The same happened at a hardware shop run by an ethnic Chinese. And Umno youth chief Akmal Saleh promptly jumped on it, just like he did before with socks bearing the word Allah and 'ham' sandwiches. These incidents are unfortunate. But the reaction from the likes of Datuk Akmal and those who believe the mistakes are intentional do nothing to promote national unity. The irony is that Umno is a key member of Mr Anwar's so-called unity government. And in the two-and-a-half years since he came to power, it is hard to argue that Malaysians are any less polarised than they were at the election that saw him end a 24-year exile from government. Read on for more of ST's coverage on the latest developments in Malaysia. If you have a suggestion or feedback on stories you would like to see our bureau in Kuala Lumpur cover, feel free to send me a note. Thank you for reading The Straits Times.
