Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Oscar Hijuelos Dies at 62

Pulitzer Prize-winning Cuban-American novelist Oscar Hijuelos, best known as the author of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, has died.

His wife said Hijuelos collapsed while playing tennis in New York. He was 62.

The New York-born Hijuelos captured the Cuban immigrant experience in The Mambo Kings -- the story of two Cuban brothers who move to the United States and form a band.

They gain short-lived celebrity after appearing on the real-life television comedy I Love Lucy, starring Cuban-born entertainer Desi Arnaz.

The 1989 novel won Hijuelos a Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was turned into a popular movie.

Hijuelos wrote several other novels and also his 2011 memoirs, Thoughts Without Cigarettes.

Disco Era Icon Robin Gibb Dies of Cancer at 62

British singer Robin Gibb, an iconic voice of the disco era of the 1970s, died Sunday in London after a long fight against cancer. He was 62 years old.

Gibb and his brothers Barry and Maurice formed their band, appropriately named the Bee Gees, for the Brothers Gibb, in the late 1950s.

The band was a success. But the brothers did not become global superstars until disco was born in the mid 1970s, becoming the defining sound of the era.

The Bee Gees sold hundreds of millions of records including the smash hits How Deep Is Your Love, Stayin' Alive, and Night Fever.

The band survived the decline of disco's popularity and broke up when Maurice Gibb died in 2003.

Robin Gibb kept performing until earlier this year. He had been battling liver and colon cancer.

Photo courtesy of AVRO. Robin Gibb (of the Bee Gees) in AVRO's TopPop (Dutch television show), 12 January 1973.

Provocative British-Born Author Christopher Hitchens Dead at 62

Provocative British-born American writer and intellectual Christopher Hitchens has died at the age of 62 following a long battle with cancer.

Vanity Fair magazine, where Hitchens worked as a columnist, said the sharp-witted commentator died late Thursday of pneumonia, a complication of the esophageal cancer he was diagnosed with in 2010.

Though Hitchens developed a high-profile in 2007 with his controversial international bestseller, “God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything,” he spent the majority of his career as a war-time journalist, literary critic and prominent political commentator.

Hitchens did not fit into any easily definable political mold. After spending years as a correspondent for the left-leaning magazine The Nation, he went on to become a strong supporter of former Republican President George W. Bush and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Hitchens was born to a nominally Christian family, but discovered later in life that his mother had deliberately hidden her Jewish heritage.

His combative disdain for organized religion and love for debates made him one of the world's most well-respected and most reviled religious skeptics.

A heavy smoker with a love for Scotch whisky, Hitchens was forced to postpone a national book tour after being diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in June 2010.

Upon his death, Vanity Fair described him as an “incomparable critic masterful rhetorician, fiery wit, and fearless bon vivant.”

Photo: Christopher Hitchens, 2007 by José Ramírez a.k.a. ensceptico.

Final Exits, 8-14 December 2011

Susan Gordon, as seen in The Five Pennies, 1959.

Obituaries for 8-14 December 2011

8
* Gilbert Adair, 66, Scottish author, film critic and journalist, brain haemorrhage.
* Robert Brown, 61, American politician, Georgia State Senator (1991–2011), suicide by gunshot. (body discovered on this date)
* Lewis Bush, 42, American football player (San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs), apparent heart attack.
* Sir Zelman Cowen, 92, Australian constitutional lawyer and academic, 19th Governor-General of Australia (1977–1982).
* Vinko Cuzzi, 72, Croatian footballer. (Croatian)
* Ladislas de Hoyos, 72, French journalist and news anchor (TF1). (French).
* Nancy Hoyt, 56, American reality show contestant (The Amazing Race), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
* Gene Huff, 82, American politician, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (1967–1971) and State Senator (1971–1994), lung disease.
* Giorgio Mariani, 65, Italian footballer. (Italian)
* Minoru Miki, 81, Japanese composer. (Japanese)
* Andrew Pataki, 84, American Eastern Catholic hierarch, Bishop of Parma for Ruthenian (1984–1995) and Passaic for Ruthenian (1995–2007).
* Joe Restic, 85, American NCAA and CFL football coach (Harvard Crimson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats).
* Nakdimon Rogel, 86, Israeli journalist and broadcaster, author of the Nakdi Report.
* Roman Simakov, 27, Russian boxer, injuries sustained during a fight.
* Dick Sims, 60, American keyboardist (Eric Clapton, Bob Seger).
* Dan Spears, 62, American musician (Willie Nelson and Family), exposure.
* Alan Styles, 75, British roadie (Pink Floyd), subject of the song "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast".

9
* Alf R. Bjercke, 90, Norwegian business magnate. (Norwegian)
* Davida Karol, 94, Israeli actress. (Hebrew)
* Len Phillips, 89, British footballer.
* Stanislaw Podemski, 82, Polish journalist . (Polish)
* Richard J. Rabbitt, 76, American politician, Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives (1973–1977), heart failure.
* Roy Tattersall, 89, British Test cricketer.
* Myra Taylor, 94, American jazz singer.

10
* Cary D. Allred, 64, American politician, member of the North Carolina Senate (1980–1984) and North Carolina House of Representatives (1994–2009).
* Jean Baucus, 94, American author, historian and arts patron, mother of Max Baucus.
* Hamilton Bobby, 44, Indian footballer.
* John Gower, 70, American politician, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1973–1979).
* Shinichi Ichikawa, 70, Japanese scriptwriter. (Japanese)
* Vida Jerman, 72, Croatian actress, lung cancer. (Croatian)
* Albert Overhauser, 86, American physicist.
* Panagiotis Sideris, 33, Greek handball player, heart attack. (Greek)
* Karryl Smith, American rapper (The Conscious Daughters).
* Sotia Tsotou, 69, Greek lyricist, cancer. (Greek)

11
* Ahmed Bahgat, 79, Egyptian writer and journalist.
* Rodolfo Bottino, 52, Brazilian actor, pulmonary embolism. (Portuguese)
* Trevor Christian, 69, Australian boxer, first Indigenous Australian to referee world title bout.
* Phillip Cottrell, 43, Scottish journalist (BBC Scotland, Radio New Zealand), assaulted.
* John Patrick Foley, 76, American Roman Catholic Cardinal and Grand Master Emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, leukemia and anemia.
* Mihnea Gheorghiu, 92, Romanian writer and filmmaker, natural causes. (Romanian)
* Susan Gordon, 62, American child actress (The Five Pennies, My Three Sons, The Twilight Zone), cancer.
* J. Lynn Helms, 86, American Marine Corps officer, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (1981–1984), cardiopulmonary failure and pneumonia.
* Hans Heinz Holz, 84, German Marxist philosopher. (German)
* Harold Hopkins, 67, Australian actor (Don's Party, Gallipoli, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities), mesothelioma.
* Ke Yan, 82, Chinese poet and writer.
* Ahmed İhsan Kırımlı, 91, Turkish doctor, politician, poet and philanthropist. (Turkish)
* Leonida Lari, 62, Moldovan-born Romanian writer and politician, member of the Supreme Soviet (1989–1991) and Romanian Parliament (1992–2008), breast cancer.
* Mario Miranda, 85, Indian cartoonist.

12
* John Atterberry, 40, American music industry executive (Death Row Records), shot.
* Sunday Bada, 42, Nigerian Olympic athlete.
* Predrag Ćeramilac, 67, Serbian actor, suicide. (Croatian)
* John Gardner, 94, British classical music composer.
* Alberto de Mendoza, 88, Argentine actor.
* Mălina Olinescu, 37, Romanian singer (Eurovision Song Contest 1998), suicide. (Romanian)
* Robert Peliza, 91, Gibraltarian politician, Chief Minister (1969–1972).
* Bert Schneider, 78, American film and television producer (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Monkees), natural causes.
* Will Townsend, 33, American video game producer, car crash.

13
* Juan Calderón, 75, Mexican journalist and announcer. (Spanish)
* Kabir Chowdhury, 88, Bangladeshi writer.
* Russell Hoban, 86, American writer.
* Park Tae Joon, 84, South Korean businessman, honorary chairman of POSCO, lung disease.
* Klaus-Dieter Sieloff, 69, German footballer. (German)
* Erica Wilson, 83, Scottish embroidery designer.

14
* Luigi Carpaneda, 86, Italian Olympic fencer. (Italian)
* Boris Chertok, 99, Polish-born Soviet and Russian rocket designer. (Russian)
* Karl-Heinrich von Groddeck, 75, German Olympic rower. (German)
* Thomas C. Kelly, 80, American Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Louisville (1981–2007).
* Mark Francis Schmitt, 88, American Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Marquette (1978–1992).
* Joe Simon, 98, American comic book writer (Captain America, Fighting American, Prez).
* Billie Jo Spears, 74, American country music singer ("Blanket on the Ground"), cancer.
* George Whitman, 98, American bookstore proprietor, complications of a stroke.

Rare Unity at Funeral for Zimbabwean Hero Solomon Mujuru

20 August 2011
Peta Thornycroft
Johannesburg

The  burial Saturday of one of Zimbabwe’s best known soldiers drew record crowds and rare unity among Zimbabweans of all political parties. Retired general Solomon Mujuru, the former army commander who backed President Robert Mugabe to lead Zimbabwe during the war to end minority white rule, died in a fire at his farm house last week.  

President Mugabe praised Mujuru as a great soldier and freedom fighter and said his legacy would be defended by his comrades and a strong security service.

Mujuru, who was in Mr. Mugabe’s Zanu PF party for more than 40 years, was the husband of Zimbabwe’s current vice president Joice Mujuru.

Mr Mugabe said it was strange that a man known for his courage as a soldier should have been burned to ashes at his home.  And the president called the death, "inexplicable."  But he said people must accept this as God’s will.

At the ceremony at Heroe’s Acre on the outskirts of Harare,  Mr. Mugabe used the opportunity, as he often does at public events, to attack the West. “We continue to  say  to the British and allies and the Americans leave us alone. Get away from us we are an independent people we are a sovereign people but no,  the British want to debate us every month in parliament as if we are an extension of Britain," he said.

Mr Mugabe also said that political violence has decreased recently and called on the country to ensure that peace continued.  "Let’s create peace. We are very happy that over these last months there has been quite some remarkable peace in the country, and we all agree, no violence, no violence, no violence," he said.

Mr Mugabe was forced to enter into a unity government with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party after disputed elections in 2008.

Leaders of the MDC who attended the burial of Mujuru, have blamed Mr. Mugabe's Zanu PF party for incidents of political violence since the government came to power in 2009.

Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC leader and now prime minister in the inclusive government,  attended the funeral and praised Mujuru for his role in ending white rule.

Mujuru was known as "Rex Nhongo" during the war for independence and left government service to become a businessman and farmer. He never gave interviews and many  political analysts saw him as one of the few prepared to stand up to Mr Mugabe.

Famed British Peace Activist Brian Haw Dead at 62

Brian Haw on 24 February 2007 (Photo: David Hunt)

Famed British Peace Activist Brian Haw Dead at 62
Sunday, 19 June 2011

Brian Haw, a peace activist who for years held a nearly non-stop vigil in a tent across from Britain's parliament, has died, his family announced Sunday.

Almost everyone who worked in or visited the London landmark had seen him. A former carpenter and member of the Merchant Navy, Haw set up his tent near opposite the Houses of Parliament in 2001 to protest British and U.S. sanctions against Iraq.

His protests became more vocal and elaborate when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were launched — accusing Western leaders of mass murder and draping his tent with posters and pictures.

British courts rejected efforts to evict Haw and he often tussled with passersby who argued with him.

But many others, including some members of Parliament, praised Haw for what they say was his commitment to peace and refusal to keep silent.

Haw was being treated for lung cancer in Germany when he died Saturday. He was 62 years old.

Abkhazia President Dies, New Elections in Three Months

Sergei Bagapsh in May 2008. Photo: Aleshru (Митя Алешковский)

Abkhazia President Dies, New Elections in Three Months
Sunday, 29 May 2011

Abkhazia is mourning the death on Sunday of the president of the breakaway Georgian region.

Officials said the 62 year old Sergei Bagapsh died from complications following lung surgery in a Moscow hospital.

He was in the middle of his second 5-year term as president.

Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia in 1992, but it is only recognized by Russia and a few other countries.

Abkhazia officials say Vice President Alexander Ankvab will be acting president until elections for a new president are held in three months.

Abkhazia's Security Council is meeting Sunday to decide on the official days of mourning as funeral arrangements are finalized.