Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Obituaries

Obituaries
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Obituaries. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the London Symphony Orchestra in Sibelius’s Symphony No 2 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on March 24, 2015. The renowned conductor has died at the age of 81. Photo: Los Angeles Times/TNS
World of performing arts

‘Bad boy of classical music’, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, dies at 81

Former child prodigy Michael Tilson Thomas led many of the world’s top orchestras, including 25 years with the San Francisco Symphony.

China’s military

Chinese rocket force scientist Major General Feng Yufang dies aged 63

videocam
Hong Kong society

Maisy Ho remembered as dedicated philanthropist and community servant

Chinese-Americans

Henry Lee, forensic expert who testified in the O.J. Simpson trial, dies at 87

Born in China, Lee eventually moved to the US, where he gained prominence for his involvement in high-profile cases.

Henry Lee poses for a photograph at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science in New Haven, Connecticut, in August 2011. Photo: AP
Trump-Russia collusion

US ex-special counsel Robert Mueller dies. Trump: ‘I’m glad he’s dead’

Mueller had 34 people indicted, including Trump associates, but ultimately stopped short of a criminal indictment of the US president.

videocam
16
Hong Kong society

Anthony Mason, who helped put top Hong Kong court on the map, dies at age 100

City leader, current and former top judges pay tribute to former Australian chief justice and praise ‘his profound wisdom and illustrious experience’.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Germany

Habermas, the philosopher who shaped Germany’s post-war conscience, dies at 96

A critic of fascism and nationalism, his ideas remain relevant as post-war pacifism wanes and the far-right gains influence in Germany.

German philosopher Juergen Habermas speaks during a press conference in Athens, Greece, in August 2013. Photo: EPA
Hollywood

Actor Robert Duvall, star of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, dead at 95

Over his six decades-long career, Duvall won a best actor Oscar in 1983 for Tender Mercies and was nominated 6 other times.

Fame and celebrity

Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek dead at 48

The actor, who played Dawson Leery in the 1990s teen drama, had battled colorectal cancer.

Fame and celebrity

Schitt’s Creek star Catherine O’Hara dies at 71

Emmy-winning actress played a permanently embarassed millionaire in Schitt’s Creek and Macaulay Culkin’s mother in the Home Alone films.

Catherine O’Hara poses for photographers upon arrival at the UK premiere of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” in London in August 2024. Photo: AP
Music

Former Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz dies at 71

His time with the legendary German rock band was marked by hits like ‘Winds of Change’ and ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’.

Francis Buchholz of the Scorpions performs in London in 1989. Photo: TNS
Valentino Garavani

Valentino, fashion designer to the jet set, stars and royalty, dead at 93

Adored by movie stars and first ladies alike, the Italian designer was a master of high glamour and timeless elegance.

Malaysia

Missing Malaysian actress Nadia Kesuma dies of heart attack in Saudi

Family and friends confirmed the death of the star, who was on a pilgrimage trip to the Gulf kingdom.

Japan

Nie Weiping, Chinese Go master known for victory over Japanese rival, dies at 73

The win catapulted him to national icon status and sparked a fever for the board game across China.

Chinese Go player Nie Weiping, who inspired legions of players, has died at the age of 73. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong economy

‘One of a kind’: tributes pour in for David Webb, Hong Kong’s ‘voice of integrity’

Financial and civic leaders remember former activist investor, hailed for his fearless pursuit of corporate transparency and accountability.

Tributes have poured in for former corporate governance activist David Webb, who died in Hong Kong on Tuesday at the age of 60. Photo: May Tse
Art

Scott Adams, Dilbert cartoonist and Trump fan, dead at 68

Ex-wife shares a final message from the artist, whose comic strip lampooned office life and whose career flagged after a racist rant.

Asian cinema: Korean films

Korean film icon Ahn Sung-ki remembered: 5 of his best films

Known affectionately as ‘The Nation’s Actor’, South Korea’s Ahn Sung-ki starred in more than 100 feature films during his long career.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
History

Anne Frank’s stepsister, Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, dies at 96

Schloss co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK foundation in 1990 to pass on the memory of the Holocaust to young people and combat prejudice.

Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust UK, has died aged 96, her foundation said on Sunday. Photo: AFP
US Politics

Tatiana Schlossberg, journalist and JFK’s granddaughter, dead at 35

Schlossberg, who wrote about her battle with cancer, was critical of her relative Robert F Kennedy Jnr, the US health secretary.

Bangladesh

Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia dies after prolonged illness

Despite her ill health, 80-year-old Zia, a dominant figure in Dhaka’s turbulent power struggles, had vowed to run in next year’s election.

videocam
Music

The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte dies aged 65

Bamonte, who became a full member of The Cure in 1990, was initially part of the British Goth rock band’s road crew from 1984.

Perry Bamonte of The Cure performs at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California in May 2023. Bamonte has died aged 65, the British band said on Friday. Photo: Getty Images North America / AFP
Singapore

Former Singapore lawyer and human rights activist M Ravi dies

The 56-year-old was a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community and supported the abolition of the death penalty in the city state.

M Ravi (right) was widely known for taking on human rights cases in Singapore. Photo: Facebook/MRaviLawMyanmar
Fame and celebrity

Call of Duty co-creator Vince Zampella dies in US car crash

The 55-year-old gaming pioneer was one of two people who died in a crash on a scenic road north of Los Angeles.

Britain

Chris Rea, UK singer of ‘Driving Home for Christmas’, dead at 74

After a career spanning five decades and 40 million records sold, the Middlesbrough-born musician died in hospital following a short illness.

Fame and celebrity

In memoriam: 29 beloved celebrities we lost in 2025

We remember stars from the worlds of Hollywood, TV, music, fashion and more, from Jane Goodall to Giorgio Armani and Hulk Hogan.

Ozzy Osbourne, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford are just three of the celebrities we lost this year. Photos: EPA, TNS, AFP
Racism and other prejudice

Christine Choy, who made documentary on racist killing of Vincent Chin, dies at 73

The indie filmmaker brought attention to the 1982 slaying, a galvanising moment in the fight against anti-Asian hate in the US.

Filmmaker Christine Choy attends a screening of “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” at the 59th New York Film Festival in 2021. Photo: Film at Lincoln Centre via AP
Britain

Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic author, dies at 55 from brain cancer

The celebrated British author wrote over 30 books, and leaves behind a legacy of humour and relatability.

Hong Kong society

Robert Ho, Hong Kong journalist, philanthropist and devout Buddhist, dies at 93

Grandson of Robert Ho Tung died peacefully on November 30, notice on Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation’s website says.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement