Singapore mourns death of country's founding father
Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father and first Premier of Singapore, died on Monday morning at the age of 91. “The prime minister is deeply grieved to announce the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the founding prime minister of Singapore,” a statement posted on the Prime Minister’s official website said. Yew, a member of the People’s Action Party, served as the country’s Prime Minister from 1959 till 1990. After he stepped down, he retained the specially created post of Minister Mentor till 2011, after which he resigned from the post. Yew was praised as being an honest leader who transformed the island nation into one of Asia’s most prosperous economies. However, his leadership was also criticised for suppressing political opposition and civil liberties.
Afghan President says presence of US troops is vital
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said that the presence of soldiers from the United States was critical to the country’s future. Ghani said that the perception of Afghans being eager to see US troops leave the country was untrue, and that his government was determined to prevent the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from gaining a foothold in the country. “Terrorism is morphing into a system,” he said. “And more than anything else, it’s controlling immense resources."
Houthis seize Yemen’s third-largest city
Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen captured Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, on Sunday. Security officials said that one person was killed and four wounded when rebel fighters opened fire on protesters blocking their advance in the city. The city’s capture comes a day after the rebels had called for a general mobilisation against President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s forces. The rebels, who currently hold nine out of the country's 21 provinces, have challenged Hadi’s legitimacy to the Presidency, calling him a puppet of international and regional powers.
WHO failed to respond quickly to Ebola crisis, says report
The World Health Organisation was criticised for failing to respond quickly to the African Ebola crisis in a report published by Doctors Without Borders, an aid organisation. The group’s report said that the WHO’s Global Alert and Outbreak Response Network had ignored pleas for help by countries such as Liberia. “It was early in the outbreak and there was still time,” said Marie-Christine Ferir, the emergency coordinator for the aid agency. “The call for help was heard but no action was taken”. The report alleged that the world took notice of the crisis only after an American doctor and a Spanish nurse were diagnosed with the virus. More than 10,000 people have died since the epidemic first broke out in West Africa last year.
Tsipras to meet Merkel over Greek debt crisis
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday in an effort determine the course of Greece’s future in the Eurozone. The relation between the two countries has soured in the past few days over Greece’s resistance to submit a list of reform measures it will take. However, European nations have insisted on Greece standing by the reform measures promised in February to unlock a bailout of 240 billion euros, with Germany being the largest contributor to the fund. Tsipras has blamed Germany’s demand for tough austerity measures for allegedly causing a humanitarian crisis in the country.
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Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father and first Premier of Singapore, died on Monday morning at the age of 91. “The prime minister is deeply grieved to announce the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the founding prime minister of Singapore,” a statement posted on the Prime Minister’s official website said. Yew, a member of the People’s Action Party, served as the country’s Prime Minister from 1959 till 1990. After he stepped down, he retained the specially created post of Minister Mentor till 2011, after which he resigned from the post. Yew was praised as being an honest leader who transformed the island nation into one of Asia’s most prosperous economies. However, his leadership was also criticised for suppressing political opposition and civil liberties.
Afghan President says presence of US troops is vital
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said that the presence of soldiers from the United States was critical to the country’s future. Ghani said that the perception of Afghans being eager to see US troops leave the country was untrue, and that his government was determined to prevent the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant from gaining a foothold in the country. “Terrorism is morphing into a system,” he said. “And more than anything else, it’s controlling immense resources."
Houthis seize Yemen’s third-largest city
Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen captured Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, on Sunday. Security officials said that one person was killed and four wounded when rebel fighters opened fire on protesters blocking their advance in the city. The city’s capture comes a day after the rebels had called for a general mobilisation against President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s forces. The rebels, who currently hold nine out of the country's 21 provinces, have challenged Hadi’s legitimacy to the Presidency, calling him a puppet of international and regional powers.
WHO failed to respond quickly to Ebola crisis, says report
The World Health Organisation was criticised for failing to respond quickly to the African Ebola crisis in a report published by Doctors Without Borders, an aid organisation. The group’s report said that the WHO’s Global Alert and Outbreak Response Network had ignored pleas for help by countries such as Liberia. “It was early in the outbreak and there was still time,” said Marie-Christine Ferir, the emergency coordinator for the aid agency. “The call for help was heard but no action was taken”. The report alleged that the world took notice of the crisis only after an American doctor and a Spanish nurse were diagnosed with the virus. More than 10,000 people have died since the epidemic first broke out in West Africa last year.
Tsipras to meet Merkel over Greek debt crisis
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday in an effort determine the course of Greece’s future in the Eurozone. The relation between the two countries has soured in the past few days over Greece’s resistance to submit a list of reform measures it will take. However, European nations have insisted on Greece standing by the reform measures promised in February to unlock a bailout of 240 billion euros, with Germany being the largest contributor to the fund. Tsipras has blamed Germany’s demand for tough austerity measures for allegedly causing a humanitarian crisis in the country.
