An idealistic ophthalmologist, he came up with an ingenious way to treat blindness in far-flung places: by outfitting an airplane with an operating room.
Tag: Deaths (Obituaries)
Aliza Magen, Highest-Ranking Woman in the Mossad, Dies at 87
Her career at Israel’s national intelligence agency included working undercover before serving as deputy under three directors.
Francis, the First Latin American Pope, Dies at 88
After decades of conservative leadership, Francis tried to reset the course of the Roman Catholic Church, emphasizing inclusion and care for the marginalized over doctrinal purity.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a Calming Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dies at 85
From 2003 to 2009, he brought a quiet style of leadership to his Southeast Asian nation after the strongman rule of Mahathir Mohamad.
Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel-Winning Peruvian Novelist, Dies at 89
Mr. Vargas Llosa, who ran for Peru’s presidency in 1990 and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010, transformed episodes from his personal life into books that reverberated far beyond the borders of his native country.
Irmgard Furchner, Secretary at a Hub of Nazi Atrocities, Dies at 99
Her work for the commandant of a concentration camp in German-occupied Poland led to her conviction as an accessory to more than 10,000 murders.
Fridrik Olafsson, Grandmaster Who Led Iceland’s Rise in Chess, Dies at 90
At a time before his country became a chess powerhouse, he defeated four world champions, including Bobby Fischer and another in an unlikely turn of events.
Kim Shin-jo, North Korean Commando Who Sought to Kill South Korea’s Leader, Dies
He famously said the mission of a hit squad sent by Pyongyang in 1968 was to “slit the throat” of the South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee.
Amadou Bagayoko, Half of Malian Duo Who Went Global, Dies at 70
As Amadou & Mariam, he and his wife were improbable pop stars on two counts. Their style was venturesome and eclectic, and they were blind virtuosos.
Richard Bernstein Dies at 80; Times Correspondent, Critic and Author
He wrote from Europe and Asia, served as a book critic and produced a raft of books, on subjects ranging from the French condition to multiculturalism.