Toy inventor Burt Meyer, who dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, dies age 99

Born in 1926 as Burton Carpenter Meyer, he enlisted in the Navy and served for two years as an aircraft mechanic. After ...
The New York Times

Paul Tagliabue, Who Led the N.F.L. for 17 Prosperous Years, Dies at 84

He helped achieve labor peace, pushed for minority hiring and oversaw the league’s expansion. But he minimized the risks of concussions. By Richard Goldstein and Ken Belson Paul Tagliabue, who ...
The New York Times

Prunella Scales, Sybil on ‘Fawlty Towers,’ Dies at 93

Best known “for playing unfortunate wives,” she had a decades-long career in the theater and on television. By Natasha King Prunella Scales, the British actress best known for her role as Sybil Fawlty ...
The New York Times

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Trans Activist Who Saw It All, Dies

She spat in a policeman’s face at the Stonewall Riot, ran a nursing service during the AIDS crisis and boycotted Pride parades when they welcomed corporations. By Alex Traub Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, ...
The New York Times

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, Loyola Basketball Superfan and Team Chaplain, Dies at 106

She led the Ramblers’ players in pregame prayers, pointed out opponents’ strengths and weaknesses and supported the team in N.C.A.A. tournaments. By Richard Goldstein Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who ...
The New York Times

Jane Goodall, a Revered Conservationist, Dies at 91

new video loaded: Jane Goodall, a Revered Conservationist, Dies at 91 transcript Chimps have taught me over these years is that they’re so like us. They’ve blurred the line between human and animal.
The New York Times

Overlooked No More: Eglantyne Jebb, Who Started a Movement With Save the Children

She co-founded the organization after she was outraged to learn that children were starving after World War I, when the British blocked aid to several countries. Eglantyne Jebb in 1922. Her ...
The New York Times

Lee Roy Jordan, Ferocious Linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, Dies at 84

He was a favorite of Coach Bear Bryant at Alabama, then helped make the Cowboys “America’s Team.” By Alex Traub Lee Roy Jordan, a middle linebacker convinced that the foundation of success was hitting ...
The New York Times

Overlooked No More: Tina Modotti, Whose Life Was as Striking as Her Photographs

Her work is now in museums, but in the early 20th century, it was obscured by her romantic relationships with prominent men, among them her mentor, Edward Weston. Tina Modotti in an undated photo.
The New York Times

Rahaman Ali, Boxer Whose Brother Was ‘the Greatest,’ Dies at 82

Some said he had shown nearly as much promise in the ring as Muhammad Ali. But he gave up his own career to join the champ’s entourage. By Alex Traub Rahaman Ali, who gave up a boxing career of his ...
The New York Times

Edwin Feulner, Heritage Foundation’s ‘George Washington,’ Dies at 83

As co-founder and longtime head of the conservative Washington think tank, he picked policies and staffers for G.O.P. presidents from Reagan to Trump. By Alex Traub Edwin J. Feulner Jr., a former ...
The New York Times

Muhammadu Buhari, Strongman President of Nigeria, Dies at 82

A former feared military leader, he won one democratic election in 2015 and another in 2019, but struggled to make good on promises to tackle corruption and terrorism. By Alan Cowell and Ruth Maclean ...