Dies Aged

Ittai Gradel died of renal cancer days after museum awarded him medal for ‘very significant contribution’The academic turned antiquities dealer who exposed the theft of hundreds of artefacts from the British Museum has died aged 61.Dr Ittai Gradel, from Denmark, alerted the British Museum and the police after he was able to buy dozens of museum artefacts on eBay over the course of several years. Continue reading...

Singer performed hits including Be My Baby with her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle BennettNedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the 1960s pop band the Ronettes, has died aged 80.Talley Ross, who was one part of the band with her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett, died at home on Sunday morning, her daughter Nedra K Ross announced on social media. Continue reading...

Renowned artist, who won 12 Grammys, died at home after being diagnosed with an aggressive type of brain cancerSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMichael Tilson Thomas, a leading American conductor for a half-century who headed orchestras in Buffalo, Miami, London and San Francisco while also composing, died on Wednesday. He was 81.Tilson Thomas had surgery for a brain tumor in 2021 and resumed his career, then said in February 2025 that the tumor had returned. He conducted his final concert with the San Francisco Symphony in April 2025 and died at his home in San Francisco, spokesperson Connie Shuman said. Continue reading...

Acclaimed Brisbane-born writer was known for his work exploring his own childhood, great myths and colonial AustraliaDavid Malouf, the acclaimed Australian author of books including Ransom, An Imaginary Life and the Booker prize-nominated Remembering Babylon, has died aged 92.Malouf died on Wednesday, his publisher, Penguin Random House Australia, said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...

Scott, who represented Atlanta suburbs since 2003, had qualified to run for a 12th term before his deathDavid Scott, a Georgia congressman and moderate Democrat representing Atlanta’s southern suburbs since 2003, has died at the age of 80.Scott’s health has been an open question for several years. He was ranking member of the House agriculture committee, and was the first Black chairman of that committee when Democrats controlled the house. Continue reading...

British singer and guitarist wrote and performed Traffic classics including Feelin’ Alright? before platinum-selling solo albums and work with Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac and moreDave Mason, the co-founder of rock band Traffic who also collaborated with Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac and many other A-list musicians, has died aged 79.A statement from his representative said he died peacefully on Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada, having settled in the US in 1969. “Dave Mason lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved,” the statement added. Continue reading...

Democrat led Hawaii from 1973 to 1986, coinciding with the party’s rise to power in the stateGeorge R Ariyoshi – Hawaii’s former governor and the nation’s first Asian American governor – has died at age 100.Ariyoshi, a Democrat who led the state from 1973 to 1986, died peacefully while surrounded by family on Sunday night, according to a statement Monday from the current governor, Josh Green. Continue reading...

Morris pursued dual passions of zoology and surrealist art, presenting BBC documentaries and hosting exhibitionsThe zoologist Desmond Morris, perhaps best known for his book the Naked Ape and his work on the ITV programme Zoo Time, has died aged 98.Morris’s son Jason paid tribute to him after his death on Sunday, praising his many professional achievements as well as his role as a father and grandfather. Continue reading...

Actor who worked with the great French auteurs in the 1970s and 80s and starred in Spielberg’s Catch Me if You Can died of Lewy body dementia, says familyThe French film star Nathalie Baye, who starred in Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, has died at the age of 77, her family said on Saturday.Baye, a stalwart of French cinema, starred in about 80 films and took home the best actress César, France’s equivalent of the Oscars, four times, including three years running from 1981 to 1983. She died on Friday evening at her home in Paris from Lewy body dementia, her family told AFP. Continue reading...

DJ spent almost three decades working for corporation, and was best known for Radio 1 show from 1985 to 2000The broadcaster Andy Kershaw, who presented BBC Radio 1 for almost 15 years, has died at the age of 66, his family have told the BBC.The DJ spent almost three decades working for the corporation, and was best known for his Radio 1 show, which ran from 1985 to 2000. Continue reading...

Two-time grammy nominee was one of Bollywood’s most versatile and celebrated voicesThe Indian singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, has died aged 92, her family said.The two-time Grammy nominee had been admitted to hospital in Mumbai with complaints of “extreme exhaustion” and chest infection. Continue reading...

The Bronx born rapper and DJ helped introduce hip-hop to the mainstream and was also accused of child sexual abuseThe American rapper and DJ Afrika Bambaataa has died aged 67. The musician died in Philadelphia at around 3am local time due to complications from cancer, TMZ reported.The Hip-Hop Alliance, a group headed by musician Kurtis Blow, wrote: “Today, we acknowledge the transition of a foundational architect of hip-hop culture, Afrika Bambaataa. As the founder of the Universal Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa helped shape the early identity of hip-hop as a global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun. Continue reading...

Lewis was the father of Avi Lewis, who was elected leader of the progressive New Democratic party one day before his father diedStephen Lewis, the Canadian diplomat, politician and human rights advocate, who spent decades tirelessly working to focus global attention on the HIV/Aids epidemic, has died of cancer.Lewis, who served as the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, as well as the head of Ontario’s New Democratic party (NDP), was 88. Continue reading...

Tolkan, known for portraying authoritarian figures, died ‘peacefully’ in Lake Placid, New York, his agent saidJames Tolkan, known for his roles as an authoritarian figure in the Back to the Future and Top Gun films, has died. He was 94.Tolkan died Thursday in Lake Placid, New York, where he lived, his booking agent, John Alcantar, said Saturday. A brief obituary published on the Back to the Future website said Tolkan died “peacefully”, but no cause of death was given. Continue reading...

Crofts helped define the sound of yacht rock with 1970s hits such as Summer Breeze and Diamond GirlDash Crofts, the yacht rock musician who helped craft 70s hits such as Summer Breeze and Diamond Girl as part of duo Seals and Crofts, has died at age 85.The news was announced on social media by the duo’s producer, Louie Shelton. He wrote: “Sad to hear our dear brother and partner in music has passed away today. Sending love and prayers to all his family and many fans. R.I.P. my brother.....Dash Crofts.” A family member confirmed that that Crofts died due to complications following heart surgery. Continue reading...

Writer looked to topics such as computer engineering and life in a nursing home to produce richly researched booksTracy Kidder, an award-winning narrative nonfiction writer who turned everything from computer engineering to life in a nursing home into unexpected bestsellers, has died. He was 80.Kidder’s longtime publisher Random House confirmed his death in a statement on Wednesday: “Tracy’s gifts for storytelling and tireless reporting are an enduring reflection of the empathy, integrity, and endless curiosity he brought to everything he did.” Continue reading...

Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned subscription service for adult content died of cancer, the company saysLeonid Radvinsky, the owner of OnlyFans, has died of cancer at the age of 43, the company announced on Monday.“We are deeply saddened ​to announce the death of Leo ​Radvinsky. Leo passed away peacefully after a ⁠long battle with cancer,” said a spokesperson for the company, best known for subscriptions to pornographic content creators. “His family have requested privacy at ​this difficult time.” Continue reading...

Roberts, who was the first Aboriginal person to host a prime-time current affairs program, was diagnosed with a rare type of ovarian cancer seven months agoRhoda Roberts, the Bundjalung Widjabul Wiyebal cultural leader and arts devotee, has died at the age of 66.In a statement made via Instagram, Roberts’s family announced she had died peacefully in hospital on Saturday afternoon, having been diagnosed with a rare type of ovarian cancer seven months ago. Continue reading...

Veteran broadcaster interviewed prominent female leaders including Margaret Thatcher and Hillary ClintonThe former BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray has died at the age of 75.Murray, who joined the programme in 1987 and left in 2020, established a reputation as a formidable presenter, conducting interviews with prominent female figures including Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton. Continue reading...

Actor who rose to fame after starring in Bruce Lee’s The Way of the Dragon also became a TV fixture with Walker, Texas RangerChuck Norris, the former world karate champion who used his fight prowess to become the star of a string of low-budget but financially successful action movies, has died aged 86.His family posted a message on social media saying Norris had died on Thursday, adding: “While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.” Continue reading...

Habermas’ political consensus-building theory argued formation of public opinion vital for democracies to surviveThe influential German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas has died at the age of 96, his publisher has said.Habermas, a towering figure in the intellectual history of postwar Germany, is best known for his theory of political consensus-building. Widely considered one of most influential philosophers of the 20th century, he also helped to shape the discourse around European integration and the formation of the EU. Continue reading...

Former Oldham East and Saddleworth MP remained in Westminster for New Labour’s entire 13 years in powerFormer Labour MP and minister Phil Woolas has died of brain cancer, his family and close friends announced on Saturday morning.Woolas, 66, was elected to parliament to represent Oldham East and Saddleworth as part of Labour’s landslide victory in the 1997 general election, and remained in Westminster for New Labour’s entire 13-year stretch in power. Continue reading...