Olympic medal-winning sprinter Bowie mourned after death at 32

LOS ANGELES -- Tori Bowie, a three-time Olympic medalist and 2017 100m world champion, was remembered Wednesday as a rare athletics talent and warm friend after her death at the age of 32.

Bowie anchored the US team that won 4x100m relay gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she also earned silver in the 100m and 200m bronze.

USA Track and Field and her management company confirmed her death a day after sheriff's deputies in Orlando, Florida, found her dead at her home.

"This is beyond stats and speed," retired US sprint great Justin Gatlin said on Instagram. "Tori was a beautiful human being and had a smile that made you want to smile too.

"A country girl that loved her roots. I remember sitting with Tori and listening to her stories of growing up and racing horses on foot lol. She was a fierce competitor and great teammate. A true legend that made her mark in our sport and hearts."

USATF chief executive Max Siegel said the federation was "deeply saddened" by Bowie's death.

"A talented athlete, her impact on the sport is immeasurable, and she will be greatly missed," Siegel said.

Icon Management tweeted they were "devastated to share the very sad news that Tori Bowie has passed away.

"We've lost a client, dear friend, daughter and sister," the firm said.

A cause of death was not immediately known.

The Sheriff's Office in Orange County, Florida, said deputies had found the woman identified as Bowie "when conducting a well-being check of a woman in her 30s who had not been seen or heard from in several days."

"Entry was made into the residence and a woman, tentatively identified as Frentorish "Tori" Bowie (DOB: 8/27/1990), was found dead in the home. There were no signs of foul play."

Bowie, raised by her grandmother in rural Mississippi, converted from the long jump in 2014 and became the fastest woman in the world that year.

Two years later in Rio, she prevented a Jamaican clean sweep of the 100m medals when she finished second to Elaine Thompson in a time of 10.83sec with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce third.

She won the 100m world title in London the following year and remains the lone American woman to win an Olympic or world 100m title since Carmelita Jeter in 2011.

"I'm so heartbroken over this," 2012 Olympic long jump gold medalist Brittney Reese said. "You have made a lot of us proud thank you for representing our state of Mississippi like you did."

"This hurt," tweeted Will Claye, who has represented the US internationally in triple jump and long jump. "Long live the champ, the sister, the daughter, the model and so much more!"

Sprinter Tianna Madison posted a picture of herself and Bowie on Twitter as they celebrated the United States' relay triumph in Rio.

Fraser-Pryce, the Jamaican reigning world 100m champion, tweeted: "My heart breaks for the family of Tori Bowie. A great competitor and source of light. Your energy and smile will always be with me. Rest in peace."

US Olympic athlete Lolo Jones also paid tribute to Bowie on Twitter, calling her an "incredible talent" and "A beautiful runner."

Like miracles 

Bowie received a hero's welcome in her home state after her 2016 Olympic exploits, the governor declaring November 25, 2016 "Tori Bowie Day."

Pisgah High School, in the small town of Sand Hill, displayed a sign designating "Tori Bowie Lane" on campus.

"To see things like that and like this, it's just like miracles, I guess," Bowie told the Hattiesburg American newspaper in Mississippi.

Bowie re-entered the long jump and came fourth at the 2019 world championships in Doha, her last major competition.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said in a statement he was "Shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Olympic gold medalist Tori Bowie.

"In this moment of grief, let me express my heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. The sports world has lost a true champion."

Agence France-Presse

Legendary MLB Dodgers broadcaster Scully dead at 94

LOS ANGELES -- Legendary Major League Baseball broadcaster Vin Scully, "voice" of the Los Angeles Dodgers for 67 years, died Tuesday at age 94, the club announced.

Scully, who retired in 2016, began as the Dodgers broadcaster in 1950 when the club was Brooklyn-based and followed them to Los Angeles when they moved to Southern California in 1958.

"We have lost an icon," said Dodgers president Stan Kasten. "Vin Scully was one of the greatest voices in all of sports.

"He was a giant of a man, not only as a broadcaster but as a humanitarian. He loved people. He loved life. He loved baseball and the Dodgers. And he loved his family. His voice will always be heard and etched in all of our minds forever.

"Vin will be truly missed."

His stay with the Dodgers was the longest by any US sports broadcaster with a single club. He covered 25 World Series and 12 no-hitters with a descriptive style and smooth vocal tone that became a trademark, delighting generations of listeners.

Scully also handled broadcast duties at NFL games and PGA Tour events in the 1970s and 1980s for CBS Sports telecasts.

The press box at Dodger Stadium has been named for Scully since 2001 and a street in the club's Florida pre-season training complex is named Vin Scully Way.

Agence France-Presse

World reacts to death of Britain's Prince Philip

LONDON - Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth and a leading figure in the British royal family for almost seven decades, has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

Here are reactions from major public figures in Britain and around the world.

UK PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON

"We remember the Duke ... above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen, not just as her consort, by her side, every day of her reign, but as her husband, has strength and stay of more than 70 years. And it is to Her Majesty, and her family, that our nation's thoughts must turn today."

"Like the expert carriage driver that he was he helped to steer the royal family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life."

JUSTIN WELBY, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

"I join with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and give thanks to God for his extraordinary life of dedicated service."

"On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life. He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special."

UK OPPOSITION LABOUR PARTY LEADER KEIR STARMER

"The United Kingdom has lost an extraordinary public servant in Prince Philip."

"Prince Philip dedicated his life to our country - from a distinguished career in the Royal Navy during the Second World War to his decades of service as the Duke of Edinburgh."

"However, he will be remembered most of all for his extraordinary commitment and devotion to The Queen."

SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER NICOLA STURGEON

"I am saddened by news that the Duke of Edinburgh has died. I send my personal and deepest condolences - and those of @scotgov and the people of Scotland - to Her Majesty The Queen and her family."

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI

"He had a distinguished career in the military and was at the forefront of many community service initiatives. May his soul rest in peace."

IRISH PRIME MINISTER MICHEAL MARTIN

"Saddened to hear of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Our thoughts and prayers are with Queen Elizabeth and the people of the United Kingdom at this time."

SINN FEIN LEADER MARY LOU MCDONALD

"Sincere condolences to Queen Elizabeth and family on the death of her husband Prince Phillip. Sympathies to those of a British identity on our island, for whom his death will be felt as a great loss."

FORMER US PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

"Throughout his long and remarkable life, he devoted himself to worthy causes and to others. He represented the United Kingdom with dignity and brought boundless strength and support to the sovereign. Laura and I are fortunate to have enjoyed the charm and wit of his company, and we know how much he will be missed."

FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR

"He will naturally be most recognised as a remarkable and steadfast support to the Queen over so many years. However, he should also be remembered and celebrated in his own right as a man of foresight, determination and courage."

NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN

“Prince Philip will be fondly remembered for the encouragement he gave to so many young New Zealanders through The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award. In over fifty years of The Award in New Zealand, thousands of young people have completed life-changing challenges through the programme.”

KING HARALD OF NORWAY

"Our thoughts are with Queen Elizabeth and the rest of her family. We also send our condolences to the British people."

KING KARL XVI GUSTAF OF SWEDEN

"Prince Philip has been a great friend of our family for many years, a relation which we have deeply valued. His service to his country will remain an inspiration to us all."

-reuters-

Italy's 1982 World Cup hero Paolo Rossi dead at 64

ROME — Paolo Rossi, a hero of Italian football who fired the Azzurri to victory in the 1982 World Cup, has died aged 64, prompting an outpouring of grief and tributes.

Rossi's wife Federica Cappelletti announced the death with a post on Instagram alongside a photo of the couple, accompanied by the comment "Forever," followed by a heart.

"There will never be anyone like you, unique, special, after you the absolute nothing....," Cappelletti also wrote on Facebook.

The cause of his death was not revealed but Italian media reported that Rossi had been suffering from "an uncurable disease".

Tributes were paid to 'Pablito', the star who was banned for three years for his part in a betting scandal, but returned to win the World Cup in Spain and the Ballon D'Or the same year.

Despite breaking in the early hours, Italian media splashed with the news, while social media lit up with tributes and "Paolo Rossi" was Italy's number one trending search item.

"Football and Italy mourns Paolo Rossi," headlined the Gazzetta dello Sport, as La Stampa called him the "hero of Spain '82".

The news of his passing comes two weeks after the death of Argentina football legend Diego Maradona, winner of the 1986 World Cup.

Bribery scandal 

Rossi won the hearts of Italian fans during the summer of 1982, when his goals dragged Enzo Bearzot's Azzurri to a third world title.

Italy started the tournament with three uninspiring draws before they came to life and marched to the title.

But Italy's sporting icon almost missed out on the tournament.

He was caught up in a bribery scandal and banned for three years in 1980, but after continually protesting his innocence was cleared to play after two.

A slight and sprightly winger who converted to center-forward, Rossi had an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.

He exploded onto the stage of the 1982 tournament with a hat-trick in the 3-2 defeat of Brazil. 

In the semi-finals he scored both goals as Italy beat Poland 2-0, and he hit the opener in the 3-1 win over West Germany in the final.

Rossi finished top scorer in the tournament with six goals. 

He was also a member of the Italy side that finished fourth in Argentina in 1978. 

Along with Christian Vieri and Roberto Baggio, he holds the Italian record for nine goals scored in the World Cup.

He scored 20 goals in 48 appearances for Italy and was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1982.

Heysel tragedy 

Born in Prato in Tuscany, Rossi made his professional debut at Juventus in 1973, but his initial two-year spell at the Turin club was blighted by knee injuries.

His first club successes were with Vicenza where he was the top scorer in Serie B with 21 goals in the 1976-1977 season, and helped the club into the top flight.

The following season Vicenza challenged Juventus for the league title and Rossi finished the season as top Serie A scorer with 24 goals.

He spent another season with Vicenza but following relegation he left for a loan spell at Perugia, becoming embroiled in the 1980 match-fixing scandal known in Italy as Totonero.

As a result, Rossi missed out on the 1980 European Championship, where Italy finished fourth on home soil.

After his suspension Rossi returned to Juventus, and the 1983-1984 season was his most successful at club level.

He formed a formidable partnership with Michel Platini and Zbigniew Boniek and accumulated trophies -- two Serie A, the Italian Cup, Cup of Cups, and European Supercup. 

In 1985, Juventus won the European Cup amid the tragedy of the Heysel Stadium final, where 39 fans were killed, which was to be Rossi's last match with the 'Bianconeri'.

He went to rivals AC Milan for an unsuccessful season which wsa overshadowed by injury, as was his final season at Hellas Verona. 

In 1987, aged 31, Rossi decided to turn the page after nearly 400 league games and 154 goals, and 48 caps and 20 goals for Italy.

After his career as a footballer, Rossi worked as a TV pundit. 

"Such terribly sad news: Paolo Rossi has left us," said RAI Sport presenter Enrico Varriale. 

"Unforgettable Pablito, who made all of us fall in love in that summer of 1982 and who was a precious and competent work colleague in RAI over recent years.

"RIP dear Paolo."

Rossi is survived by his wife and three children.

Agence France-Presse

Darth Vader actor Dave Prowse dead at 85: agent

LONDON, United Kingdom  - Dave Prowse, the British actor behind the menacing black mask of Star Wars villain Darth Vader, has died, his agent Thomas Bowington said Sunday.

"It's with great sadness that we have to announce that our client Dave Prowse... passed away yesterday morning at the age of 85," Bowington wrote on Facebook.

"May the force be with him, always!" the agent told the BBC.

Bowington added that Prowse's death was "a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world".

A former body-builder turned actor, Prowse's towering stature at almost two metres (6.5 feet) clinched him the role of the instantly-recognisable antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy.

But while he donned the glossy black armour and cape, the Bristol native's strong western English accent meant the filmmakers turned to James Earl Jones for the chilling voice that would emerge from behind the mask.

Prowse nevertheless remained attached to the character, telling AFP in 2013 that he was "the greatest big-screen villain of all time".

Since the original Star Wars trilogy was released in the late 1970s and early 80s, Prowse had travelled the world meeting hardcore fans.

Agence France Presse

US talk show legend Regis Philbin dead at 88

WASHINGTON - Regis Philbin, an award-winning fixture of American talk show culture, has died at the age of 88, media reports said Saturday.

Philbin, a playful and self-deprecating New Yorker with a thick Bronx accent, died Friday of natural causes, People magazine reported, quoting a statement from the family.

Philbin was best known to many Americans as co-host of a daytime talk show that began in 1988 called "Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee."

Working with Kathie Lee Gifford and later with another co-host, Philbin appeared on the show for 23 years.

Part of his popular shtick was to spend a few minutes at the beginning of each show talking about banalities like where he had dinner the night before. 

Philbin also hosted the wildly popular "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" game show, which ran from 1999 to 2002.

He won Emmys as a talk show and game show host.

And he held the Guinness record for number of hours spent on television in America -- about 17,000, according to The New York Times.

In 2011, as Philbin was preparing to leave his talk show, the Times paid tribute to him as someone who stood out on TV.

"In a daytime landscape filled with bland, polished hosts and smarmy good cheer, Mr Philbin was crumpled, nasal and histrionic. He was a snaggletooth amid cosmetic dentistry and porcelain veneers," the paper said.

Among those remembering Philbin on Saturday was a fellow New Yorker, Donald Trump.

"He was a fantastic person, and my friend. He kept telling me to run for President," the US president tweeted. "Holds the record for 'most live television,' and he did it well. Regis, we love you."

Agence France-Presse

Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green dies aged 73

LONDON -- Peter Green, the influential blues guitarist who co-founded British rock giants Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 73, his family's legal representatives announced on Saturday.

Described by the late guitar legend B.B. King as having "the sweetest tone I ever heard..., the only one who gave me the cold sweats," Green formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood in London in 1967.

The virtuoso blues/rock guitarist was behind songs such as "Albatross" and "Oh Well" that helped define the band's unique sound and propel them to worldwide fame.

Green also penned "Black Magic Woman," covered famously by Carlos Santana in 1970.

"It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep," said a statement from Swan Turton solicitors.

"A further statement will be provided in the coming days."

Green, who was born Peter Greenbaum in London's Bethnal Green into a Jewish family, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, along with the rest of the band.

"...with the original Fleetwood Mac, he was Britain's most progressive blues guitarist," said Rolling Stone magazine, which in 2015 included Green in its 100 Greatest Guitarists.

The Smiths guitarist and songwriter Johnny Marr, also paid tribute to Green. "R.I.P Peter Green. A unique artist and a beautiful guitar player," he tweeted.

In 1970, mental health issues and substance abuse forced Green out of Fleetwood Mac and he ended up sleeping rough and later underwent electro-convulsive therapy in hospital.

Fleetwood drafted in Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, wife of original member Jon McVie, as the band went on to record iconic albums "Fleetwood Mac" and "Rumours."

Singer/songwriter Cat Stevens paid tribute on Twitter to "the ineffable Peter Green", calling him "one of the unsung heroes of musical integrity, innovation and spirit."

"When I heard he left Fleetwood Mac in 1970 to get a real life and donate his wealth to charity, he became something of a model for me."

Legendary guitarist Pete Frampton called Green "one of the most tasteful guitar players ever."

Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale saluted a musician he said he once played support for when Green was still playing with the original Fleetwood Mac.

"An Artist I Truly Loved & Admired…" he wrote on Twitter. "He Was A Breathtaking Singer, Guitarist & Composer… I know Who I Will Be Listening To Today … RIP."

Green is survived by daughter Rosebud from his brief marriage to Jane Samuels.

Agence France-Press

Member of K-pop group TST dies at age 28

K-pop artist Yohan, a member of the boy group TST, has died. He was 28. 

KJ Music Entertainment, Yohan's talent agency, confirmed the news this Tuesday, according to several Korean news outlets. 

A cause of death was not mentioned.

View this post on Instagram

여행가고 싶다✈

A post shared by 김요한 (@yohanee0416) on May 31, 2020 at 2:32am PDT

Yohan, whose real name is Kim Jeong-hwan, was a member of the group TST (formerly Top Secret), which had just released a single album called "Countdown" last January. 

His death came as a shock to many of TST's fans, as he had been active on social media these past few weeks. 

Last May 31, he posted photos of himself and wrote, as translated in the reports on his death: "I want to travel." 

news.abs-cbn.com

TRIBUTE: Anita Linda continued acting and earning awards well into her 90s

MANILA -- If an actor had been in the movies for more than 70 years and had done close to 400 films, that’s undoubtedly an unparalleled feat.

Nonagenarian actress Anita Linda could boast about that enviable record. She started acting way back in 1943 and charted a total of 384 films in her lifetime.

The veteran actress passed on Wednesday, June 10, at 6:15 a.m. at age 95 at her home in Paranaque. 

Linda’s daughter, Francesca Lake-Legaspi, told ABS-CBN News her mother succumbed to heart failure after several days of labored breathing. She also had late stage dementia at the time of her passing.

“She lived a good life, love niya ang showbiz. Sobrang pasasalamat namin because everyone is good to her. Love siya ng lahat!” her daughter said.

A true-blue Manilena, Linda was born Alice Buenaflor Lake on November 23, 1924. She was the daughter of James Lake, an American mining engineer, and Gorgonia Buenaflor of Iloilo.

Linda married actor Fred Cortes with whom she had a son, Fred Cortes, Jr. She also has a daughter Francesca Lake-Legaspi.

The actress completed grade school at the Polo Elementary School and graduated from the Good Shepherd Convent High School.

Before World War II, while watching a stage show at the Avenue Theater with Leopoldo Salcedo and comedian Lopito, the young pretty Linda was spotted by director Lamberto Avellana, who asked her if she wanted to become an actress.

Young as she was then, Linda already had the makings of becoming a star. However, being Visayan and hardly fluent in speaking Tagalog, prevented her from easily giving her nod. 

Nevertheless, she was asked to report for rehearsals for the next show. When she failed to show up, she was asked to be picked up from where she was staying at that time.

It was Avellana who gave her the screen name Anita Linda. Initially, she was cast in non-speaking characters in her early big0screen appearances – “High School,” “Biyernes sa Quiapo” with Jaime de la Rosa and “Aksesorya” opposite Leopoldo Salcedo.

Linda’s big-screen debut for LVN Pictures was “Tia Juana,” released in 1943.

The war saw film studios closing down, so Linda shifted her focus, instead, to bodabil at the Avenue Theater. After the war, she moved to Premiere Productions and Avellana got her anew to share stellar billing with comedians Pugo and Togo in “Sekretang Hong Kong” (1947).

She got her first lead role in “Alyas Sakim” (1947), with Leopoldo Salcedo.

The '50s saw Linda as active as ever in doing movies. She was churning out as many as six films a year. In 1951, she played a memorable title role as “Sisa” in director Gerardo de Leon’s take on the female character in Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere.”

She significantly played the Sisa whom people took pity on and not the Sisa whom people simply laughed at and made fun of.

The film earned for Linda the prestigious Best Actress Maria Clara award, even before FAMAS started. The following year, the awards were scrapped and the first set of FAMAS trophies were handed out.

In 1952, De Leon cast Linda in “Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo,” for which she earned her first Best Actress nomination from the FAMAS.

In the '70s and '80s, Linda remained as active and visible as ever. She worked with many directors in award-winning films and gained critical acclaim.

She was in Lino Brocka’s “Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang” (1974), “Isa Dalawa Tatlo” (1974) where she won the FAMAS Best Supporting Actress Award, and “Jaguar” (1979) for which she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress at the Gawad Urian Awards. 

In the '80s and '90s, she appeared in Joey Gosiengfiao’s “Temptation Island,” Mike de Leon’s “Sister Stella L” (1984), Chito Rono’s “Itanong Mo sa Buwan” and Brocka’s “Gumapangh Ka sa Lusak” (both shown in 1990).

In 1982, she was given the Natatanging Gawad Urian from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino. She was accorded with another Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actress award for “Takaw Tukso” (1987).

Linda gained more sterling accomplishments. For playing an aging film actress in Mario O’Hara’s “Ang Babae sa Bubungang Lata” (1998), she became the oldest actress to win a FAMAS award, after she was given the Best Supporting Actress trophy, her second. For the same movie, Linda bagged the same honors from the Star Awards.

Even in her 80s, Linda continued to face the cameras in still a number of memorable roles. 

Fake news that she died had circulated repeatedly. In November 2012, while the actress was vacationing in the US, there was an online report that she died.

However, Linda was alive and well in the US, where she celebrated her 88th birthday in Los Angeles with her son. In fact, in August that year, she finished the Cinema One drama, Adolf Alix’s “Mater Dolorosa.”

In 2008, at age 83, Linda was named Best Actress in the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival (Southeast Asia Competition) for her portrayal of the title character in “Adela.”

She felt truly blessed that even in her 90s, she was given the chance to act and display her know-how in doing one different role after another.

Up until 2019, Linda was still acting in front of the cameras. She starred in Alix’s “Circa,” where she played the film company’s matriarch, Dona Atang, who was about to celebrate her 100th birthday with a get-together with the screen luminaries she had worked with.

Linda was only six years younger than Philippine cinema, which celebrated its centennial last year.

“Circa” was one of the films screened in the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, shown last September and organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). The film gathered respected names in Philippine cinema led by the late Eddie Garcia, with Gina Alajar, Laurice Guillen, Jaclyn Jose, Perla Bautista, Elizabeth Oropesa, Dante Rivero, Liza Lorena, Ricky Davao and Rosanna Roces.

Alix was present in June last year when FDCP honored Linda in “Sandaan: Dunong ng Isang Ina,” for her contributions to Philippine cinema. At that time, she was recognized as the oldest living actress in the local film industry.

She said then, “Somebody up there must love me because I am still here. I am grateful.”

Throughout her career, Linda never had a respite from acting. She delivered brilliant portrayals and tour de force performances that only proved her longevity, professionalism and excellence in cinema.

(Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said Linda starred in the film 'Lola Igna.' It was Angie Ferro who starred in 'Lola Igna.' We regret the error.)

news.abs-cbn.com

Larry Kramer, gay rights and AIDS activist, dies at 84

Larry Kramer, a prominent gay rights activist whose vociferous writings and actions took on a lagging government response to the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, has died. He was 84 years old.

"Rest in power to our fighter Larry Kramer. Your rage helped inspire a movement. We will keep honoring your name and spirit with action," tweeted Act Up -- the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power -- one of several groups he founded as the HIV virus ravaged the gay community in the late 20th century.

Citing Kramer's husband, The New York Times attributed his death to pneumonia. The octogenarian had suffered a number of afflictions in his storied life, including HIV and liver disease, for which he underwent a transplant in 2001.

In 1981 Kramer founded the Gay Men's Health Crisis, the first organization supporting HIV-positive people, leaving a year later following disputes with his fellow organizers.

He went on to found Act Up in 1987, leading protest marches and disruptions of government offices, Wall Street and Catholic leadership to shock US leaders into combatting AIDS.

Born on June 25, 1935 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Kramer graduated from Yale in 1957 before doing a stint in the Army.

He then made a foray into film, working in London on "Dr. Strangelove" and "Lawrence of Arabia."

He was known as a provocative screenwriter, nabbing a 1971 Academy Award nomination for his adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's "Women in Love."

He later turned to themes of homesexuality, publishing in 1978 a lightning rod of a first novel -- "Faggots" -- which through its piercing satire explored promiscuity, drug use and sadomasochism in the gay community.

In the early 1980s Kramer was among the first activists to recognize AIDS as a fatal infection likely to spread and kill globally across lines of gender.

"Our continued existence depends on just how angry you can get.... Unless we fight for our lives we shall die," he wrote in a 1983 essay published in a gay-focused outlet, the New York Native.

Though his harsh rhetoric and often combative style alienated some, he channeled his furor over the government's perceived apathy on AIDS into urgent work that ultimately transformed American health care.

"In American medicine, there are two eras -- before Larry and after Larry," Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert now leading the US fight against the coronavirus pandemic, told The New Yorker in 2002.

Fauci, who became one of the nation's most prominent voices on federal AIDS research, developed a friendship with Kramer after the activist grabbed his attention after dubbing the doctor an "incompetent idiot" and killer in 1988.

Kramer's singular voice played a key role in pushing the federal government to improve testing and approval of drug regimes for HIV patients.

"Once you got past the rhetoric," Fauci told the NYT upon learning of the activist's death, "you found that Larry Kramer made a lot of sense, and that he had a heart of gold."

"Larry Kramer's death hits our community hard," tweeted GLAAD, a nonprofit centered on LGBTQ acceptance.

"He was a fighter who never stood down from what he believed was right, and he contributed so much to the fight against HIV/AIDS."

Agence France-Presse

Singer-actor Sonny Parsons of Hagibis dies at 61

MANILA -- Singer-actor Sonny Parsons, best known as a member of the OPM novelty macho group Hagibis in the '70s and '80s, passed on Sunday, May 10, at 61 years old. 

His son Jeff Parsons told ABS-CBN News that his father succumbed to suspected heart attack due to heat stroke between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Tayabas, Quezon while on a charity drive with his motorcycle club, Law Enforcers Riders Association of the Philippines (LERAP). 

“We do not have complete details yet of his final moments," said the younger Parsons who, as of this writing, is en route with his family from the Parsons residence in Marikina to the Islamic Center in Taguig. 

He said the family has yet to finalize Parsons’ burial arrangement following Muslim tradition. 

"He was a datu and we will see how to carry out his wish to be cremated," he said.

At the height of their success, Parsons and Hagibis churned out “Katawan,” “Legs” and other hit songs extolling Pinoy virility. 

Parsons also transformed himself as an an action lead star in the '90s. 

He was elected councilor of Marikina in the late '90s. 

Parsons last performed with Hagibis at the Philippine Arena concert of Imelda Papin and was slated to tour Australia this year. 

news.abs-cbn.com

Don Shula, winningest NFL coach who led Dolphins to perfect season, dead at 90

Don Shula, a masterly coach with a square jaw who won more National Football League games than anyone else and guided the Miami Dolphins to two Super Bowl titles and the only perfect season in league history, died on Monday at 90.

Shula, whose NFL coaching prowess with the Dolphins and the Baltimore Colts from 1963 to 1995 made him one of the most famous sports figures in America, died peacefully at his home, the Dolphins said in a statement.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Shula will be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of American football.

"He was a remarkable teacher and mentor who for decades inspired excellence and exemplified integrity," said Goodell. "His iconic legacy will endure through his family and continue to inspire generations to come."

The 1972 Miami Dolphins team that Shula guided stands as the only team in NFL history to post a perfect record - 17-0 - as they marched to a Super Bowl victory over the Washington Redskins. The next season, Shula led them to a second straight victory in the Super Bowl, America's biggest sporting event.

His coaching record in 33 NFL seasons, including regular season and playoff games, was 347 wins, 173 losses and six ties. No coach won more NFL games. Only one other coach, Chicago Bears stalwart George Halas, exceeded 300 wins, with 324. Shula took six teams to the Super Bowl, winning twice.

"I want to count my blessings. I've been able to do something for a lifetime that I have enjoyed doing," Shula, with sunglasses, combed-back white hair and his trademark jutting jaw, said in 1997 as he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. "I've had good health and I've met a lot of great people along the way."

In 2013, he wore the cream-colored jacket given to members of the Hall of Fame to the White House when President Barack Obama invited Shula and the rest of the 1972 Dolphins for a special tribute. Obama lauded Shula, who at age 83 sat in a motorized scooter, as a legendary coach.

Shula was such an enduring figure in professional football that one of his former players, fearsome defensive lineman Bubba Smith, once joked: "If a nuclear bomb dropped, the only things I'm certain would survive are AstroTurf and Don Shula."

Fellow Hall of Fame coach John Madden in 1997 told the Miami Herald: "Nobody else has done it in so many ways, in so many different eras, with so many different kinds of players."

Donald Francis Shula was born on Jan. 4, 1930, in Grand River, Ohio, the son of Hungarian parents. He played college football at John Carroll University in Ohio before spending seven seasons as a defensive back with the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins of the NFL. He retired after the 1957 season before working as a college football assistant coach at the University of Virginia.

He came back to the NFL in 1960 when the Detroit Lions made him their defensive coordinator. In 1963, the Baltimore Colts hired Shula as head coach. At age 33, Shula was the youngest head coach ever in the NFL at the time.


A PUNCH IN THE MOUTH'

Shula once called his coaching style "as subtle as a punch in the mouth," and his players knew he was firmly in charge. But he also knew human psychology enough to understand that different players needed to be motivated according to their own individual personalities - with a tongue-lashing for some, a calm explanation for some and humor for others.

Shula did experience some noteworthy failures. On Jan. 12, 1969, his Colts were heavily favored to beat the New York Jets in Super Bowl III in Miami. But Joe Namath, the brash Jets quarterback, guaranteed his team would win.

At the time, the Super Bowl pitted the champion of the venerable NFL against the champion of the upstart American Football League. The two leagues had already revealed plans to merge (they did so in 1970) but NFL teams had thrashed the AFL's champions in the first two Super Bowls.

In one of the biggest upsets in the annals of American sports, the underdog Jets shocked Shula's Colts, 16-7. Shula coached the Colts one more season before going to the Dolphins, a former AFL team struggling to make it in the merged league.

He coached the Dolphins from 1970 until 1995, taking them to the Super Bowl five times. The first time they reached the Super Bowl - following the 1971 season - they were flattened by unflappable coach Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys, 24-3.

The 1972 Dolphins were a team on a mission. Shula guided them to victories in all 14 regular season games and their first two playoff games to earn a spot in Super Bowl VII.

The team was led by quarterback Bob Griese, back from a broken leg, with additional offensive firepower from running backs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris and wide receiver Paul Warfield. Miami's sturdy "No-Name Defense" featured the likes of linebacker Nick Buoniconti and safety Jake Scott.

Miami beat Washington, 14-7, in the Super Bowl on Jan. 15, 1973, in Los Angeles to finish the season 17-0. Shula's players carried him off the field on their shoulders as he punched his right fist skyward in triumph.

He led the Dolphins to a third consecutive Super Bowl berth the next season - and a second straight victory - as they walloped quarterback Fran Tarkenton's Minnesota Vikings, 24-7.

Shula never again won a Super Bowl. He took the Dolphins to the title game after the 1982 season, losing to the Redskins, and after the 1984 season, falling to the San Francisco 49ers.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Shula coached quarterback Dan Marino, one of the most prolific passers in NFL history, but the two were unable to win a Super Bowl together. Shula said his biggest career regret was failing to win another Super Bowl.

"Coach Shula - you will truly be missed! You embody the definition of 'greatness.' You brought that winning attitude with you every day and made everyone around you better," Marino wrote on Twitter.

"Thank you for always believing in me. You made me a better player and person. My thoughts & prayers are with the entire Shula family. Love you Coach!"

Shula was married twice and had five children. 

(Reporting by Will Dunham in Washington and Peter Szekely in New York; Additional reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Bill Trott, Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis)

-reuters-

Irrfan Khan, Indian actor in 'Life of Pi', dies after battling cancer

MUMBAI - Irrfan Khan, an Indian actor who brought a modern sensibility to recent hit films and had roles in Hollywood movies such as "Life of Pi" and "The Namesake," died on Wednesday, aged 54.

The death, after a prolonged battle with cancer, was confirmed by a spokesman who said Khan was surrounded by family at the time.

"He fought the many battles that came with it," the spokesman said in a statement, referring to the diagnosis of Khan's rare cancer in 2018.

Khan was among the first Indian actors to make a consistent mark in Western cinema, following in the footsteps of crossover pioneers such as Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth and Om Puri.

Born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan in the western desert state of Rajasthan, in a family with no ties to cinema, the actor recalled in interviews that as children, he and his siblings were not allowed to watch movies.

The only exception was when a visiting uncle took them to the theater.

"An incredible talent," said Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, among the tributes on Twitter that followed Khan's death. "A gracious colleague. A prolific contributor to the world of cinema... left us too soon creating a huge vacuum."

Another well-known director, Karan Johar, said, "Thank you for raising the bar as an artist... Thank you for enriching our cinema... We will miss you terribly, Irrfan." 

-reuters-

US country legend Kenny Rogers passes away

American country music legend Kenny Rogers has passed away, his family announced Saturday. He was 81. 

Rogers, a Grammy-award winning singer and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, passed away Friday night of natural causes. 

"The Rogers family is sad to announce that Kenny Rogers passed away last night at 10:25 p.m. at the age of 81. Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by family," his family said. 

Rogers was best known for his 1978 hit "The Gambler" and the classic "Through the Years."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Iconic General Electric CEO Jack Welch dead at 84

NEW YORK -- Jack Welch, an iconic American businessman who built General Electric into one of the world's industrial flagships, died on Monday aged 84, the company said.

Dubbed the "manager of the century," by Fortune magazine in 1999, Welch transformed GE into a sprawling conglomerate during his 2 decades as chief executive, and was considered one of the most influential men in the global business community.

"Today is a sad day for the entire GE family. Jack was larger than life and the heart of GE for half a century. He reshaped the face of our company and the business world," GE chief executive Larry Culp said in an email confirming Welch's death.

Welch, the son of a train driver, expanded GE beyond household appliances, healthcare and aeronautics into finance with GE Capital and media with NBCUniversal.

The company's market capitalization grew from $12 billion when he took over in 1981 to $410 billion when he left.

"There was no corporate leader like 'neutron' Jack," President Donald Trump tweeted, referring to a nickname Welch earned for his ruthless job cuts.

The entrepreneur didn't mind the reputation: in his memoir, he said GE's workforce shrank from 411,000 to 299,000 in his first 5 years as CEO.

"He was my friend and supporter. We made wonderful deals together. He will never be forgotten," the president said of Welch, an ardent supporter of the Republican party.

Born in Massachusetts, Welch received a doctorate in 1960 and joined GE the same year as a chemical engineer in its plastics division, rising through the ranks to become vice chairman in 1979, then CEO two years later.

However his reign in bitter failure, when European regulators denied GE's merger attempt with Honeywell, another US industrial conglomerate.

Welch left GE in 2001, handing his successor Jeff Immelt a company in good health, a few days before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 by Al-Qaeda.

Immelt's reign was marked by 9/11, the bursting of the Internet bubble and the global financial crisis, forcing him to sell off NBCUniversal to cable operator Comcast, while GE Capital, caught up in subprime mortgage crisis, had to liquidate one asset after another.

The company is now fighting for its survival, having been ejected from the Wall Street benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average, with a value of only $95 billion under current CEO Larry Culp.

Agence France-Presse

'Cut, copy and paste' inventor dies, Silicon Valley mourns

SAN FRANCISCO - Silicon Valley on Wednesday was mourning a pioneering computer scientist whose accomplishments included inventing the widely relied on "cut, copy and paste" command.

Bronx-born Lawrence "Larry" Tesler died this week at age 74, according to Xerox, where he spent part of his career.

"The inventor of cut/copy & paste, find & replace, and more was former Xerox researcher Larry Tesler," the company tweeted.

"Your workday is easier thanks to his revolutionary ideas. Larry passed away Monday, so please join us in celebrating him."

A graduate of Stanford University, Tesler specialized in human–computer interaction, employing his skills at Amazon, Apple, Yahoo, and the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC).

The cut and paste command was reportedly inspired by old time editing that involved actually cutting portions of printed text and affixing them elsewhere with adhesive.

"Tesler created the idea of 'cut, copy, & paste' and combined computer science training with a counterculture vision that computers should be for everyone," the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley tweeted Wednesday.

The command was made popular by Apple after being incorporated in software on the Lisa computer in 1983 and the original Macintosh that debuted the next year.

Tesler worked for Apple in 1980 after being recruited away from Xerox by late co-founder Steve Jobs.

Tesler spent 17 years at Apple, rising to chief scientist.

He went on to establish an education startup and do stints in user-experience technology at Amazon and Yahoo.

Agence France-Presse

Kirk Douglas, Hollywood's tough guy on screen and off, dead at 103

Kirk Douglas, the cleft-chinned movie star who fought gladiators, cowboys and boxers on the screen and the Hollywood establishment, died on Wednesday at the age of 103, his son Michael Douglas said.

“It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” Michael Douglas said in a statement to People magazine and on his Facebook page.

“To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to,” Douglas added.

“Kirk’s life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet,” Michael added, saying he was "so proud" to be his father's son.

Douglas made more than 90 movies in a career that stretched across seven decades and films such as "Spartacus" and "The Vikings" made him one of the biggest box-office stars of the 1950s and '60s.

He also played a major role in breaking the Hollywood blacklist - actors, directors and writers who were shunned professionally because of links to the communist movement in the 1950s. Douglas said he was more proud of that than any film he made.

A stroke in 1996 at age 80 left Douglas with slurred speech and damaged facial nerves. But two weeks later he showed his spirit by attending the Academy Awards ceremony to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. He also continued to take small acting roles through 2008 but said the stroke left him suicidal.

"Humor saved me," Douglas told Parade magazine in 2014. "At first, I thought my life was at an end. But when I put the gun in my mouth, it hit a tooth. Ow! And that struck me funny. A toothache was stopping me from committing suicide?"

In one of his last public appearances, Douglas was frail and barely audible in a wheelchair as he helped daughter-in-law Catherine Zeta-Jones present the Oscar for best screenplay in January 2018. In November of that year he joined his son Michael as the younger Douglas was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Douglas had a distinctive chin, razor-sharp cheekbones and a jutting jaw - looks that he passed along to Michael - and that made him a natural for playing all manner of rugged characters.

He also had a demanding nature that earned him a reputation in his prime as the actor who directed directors. Long-time friend and sometime co-star Burt Lancaster loved to introduce him by saying, "Kirk would be the first to admit he is a difficult person. (Pause) I would be the second."

"I make my own way," Douglas once told an interviewer. "Nobody's my boss. Nobody's ever been my boss ... I've been a maverick."

Douglas said playing Vincent van Gogh in "Lust for Life" (1956) was his favorite role but "Spartacus" (1960) was his favorite film because, as producer, he took a big step toward breaking the Hollywood blacklist.

The lifetime Oscar was Douglas' only Academy Award even though he was nominated for playing ruthless boxer Midge Kelly in "Champion" (1949), a movie executive in "The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952) and van Gogh in "Lust for Life."

Douglas' first movie was "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers," in 1946 after being suggested for the part by acting school classmate Betty Joan Perske, who became famous after changing her name to Lauren Bacall.

Douglas was known for powerful performances as characters who had to endure intense on-screen pain. He was stabbed in "Ace in the Hole," crucified in "Spartacus," lost an eye in "The Vikings," an ear in "Lust for Life," and a finger in "The Big Sky."

His other notable movies were "Lonely Are the Brave," "The Devil's Disciple," "Victory at Entebbe" and "Tough Guys," which he made with Lancaster in 1986.

Douglas' independent streak led him to set up Bryna Production Co, which he named after his mother, in 1955, snubbing big studio bosses and helping break their monopoly on the industry.

Born Issur Danielovich on Dec. 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York, Douglas was the only son of seven children born to illiterate Russian immigrants.

After graduating from high school, he hitch-hiked to St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, where he became a wrestling champion. He also staged and starred in theatrical productions and changed his name to Izzy Demsy.

After St. Lawrence, he graduated from New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1941 and changed his name to Kirk Douglas. He joined the Navy following two small Broadway roles.

While in the Navy he married British actress Diana Dill and they had two sons, Michael and Joel, before the marriage ended after eight years.

Douglas had a reputation as a Hollywood ladies' man. Among the lovers listed in the 1988 book "The Ragman's Son," one of several books he wrote about his life, were Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Maxwell, Patricia Neal and Gene Tierney.

While making "Act of Love," Douglas met and Anne Buydens, the film's publicist, and they married in 1954. Their marriage became one of Hollywood's most enduring despite his affairs. They had two sons, Peter and Eric.

Douglas, who survived a 1991 helicopter crash that killed two people, tried to discourage his children from following him into acting. Still, Michael became a superstar and a successful producer, Joel and Peter also were producers and Eric was an actor until his 2004 death from a drug overdose.

"You see how they listened to me," Douglas once said.

Douglas, who grew a long white ponytail in his later years, published several books, including a book of poetry, prose and photographs in 2014 and “Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter and a Lifetime in Hollywood," in 2017 with his wife.

He established the Douglas Foundation for making charitable donations and in 2015 he and Anne announced plans to give away his $80 million fortune to a variety of causes. The beneficiaries included a shelter for homeless women named after Anne, the Los Angeles public school district, St. Lawrence University and hospitals.

To mark his 99th birthday in 2015 he donated $15 million to the Motion Picture and Television Fund to help build a facility for entertainment industry figures with Alzheimer’s disease.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Author of memoir 'Prozac Nation' dead at 52

NEW YORK -- Elizabeth Wurtzel -- author of the highly acclaimed 1994 memoir "Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America" -- died in New York on Tuesday, US media reported. She was 52.

The cause of death was metastatic breast cancer, The New York Times said, quoting writer David Samuels, a long-time friend of Wurtzel's.

Wurtzel had undergone a double mastectomy, but the breast cancer metastasized to her brain, The Washington Post said, citing her husband, Jim Freed.

Wurtzel announced in 2015 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, writing in an article for Vice that she carried the BRCA gene mutation.

But she said it was "nothing" compared to her recovery from drug addiction, which she described as "the most difficult thing I have ever put myself through."

Wurtzel's candid memoir, released when she was 27, was lauded for drawing attention to and starting conversations about clinical depression. 

She was praised for her explicit, no holds barred writing in "Prozac Nation," which takes its name from an antidepressant.

Wurtzel's detailing of her mental health struggles and battle with drugs also paved the way for a whole genre of confessional memoirs.

In a September 1994 review, New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani described the book as "wrenching and comical, self-indulgent and self-aware." 

"'Prozac Nation' possesses the raw candor of Joan Didion's essays, the irritating emotional exhibitionism of Sylvia Plath's 'Bell Jar' and the wry, dark humor of a Bob Dylan song," wrote the reviewer.

The book was adapted into a feature film, released in 2001 and starring Christina Ricci. 

Agence France-Presse

Co-inventor of barcode dies aged 94

MIAMI - US engineer George J. Laurer, who co-invented the barcode and helped to transform the retail world in the 1970s, has died at age 94.

The former IBM employee's funeral was held Monday in his hometown of Wendell, North Carolina, according to a family obituary. He died at home last week.

Laurer is recognized as the co-inventor of the Universal Product Code (UPC), or barcode, which can be found on millions of products, services and other items for identification.

The marking -- made up of black bars of varying thickness and a 12-digit number -- can be scanned, quickly identifying the product and its price.

In 1969, Laurer rose to become senior IBM engineer and scientist in Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, according to a tribute posted on the company's website.

"Only a few years later, in 1973, Laurer went on to spearhead the development of the now-ubiquitous Universal Product Code (UPC) symbol that revolutionized virtually every industry in the world," it said.

Fellow IBM employee Norman Woodland, who died in 2012, is considered the pioneer of the barcode idea, which he initially based on Morse code.

Woodland patented the concept in 1952 but was unable to develop it -- years before low-cost laser and computing technology.

Two decades later, Laurer developed a scanner that could read codes digitally. He also used stripes rather than circles that had proved impractical to print.

IBM launched the product in 1973, and the first barcode transaction took place on June 26 of the following year, in a supermarket in the city of Troy, Ohio.

The first product scanned was a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum, which is now on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington.

source: news.abs-cbn.com