DPM Teo meets Emir of Qatar on M-E trip

DOHA • Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean kicked off a two-day visit to Qatar yesterday, where he called on the Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Sheikh Tamim and Mr Teo discussed mutual issues of interest to Qatar and Singapore, such as water resource management, human resource development, and countering violent extremism.

DPM Teo had a separate call on Qatar Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, during which they discussed new opportunities for bilateral cooperation. They subsequently co-chaired the Seventh Qatar-Singapore High-Level Joint Committee (HLJC) meeting, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the HLJC as the pillar of bilateral cooperation.

The two sides released a joint statement welcoming their strong engagement in various sectors since the first HLJC in October, 2006, particularly in the fields of economic cooperation, civil service training, urban planning, security and civil defence cooperation, information and communications technology, and legal cooperation.

Mr Teo departs Qatar today for Cairo, Egypt.

ISIS claims fuel-tanker attack that killed 60

SYDNEY • The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack with an explosive-laden fuel tanker on an Iraqi police checkpoint south of Baghdad, killing at least 60 people and wounding more than 70, medical and security officials said. "It's the largest bombing in the province to date," said Mr Falah al-Radhi, head of the provincial security committee.

REUTERS