OBITUARY
Henry Kissinger, American diplomat and Nobel winner, dead at 100
Henry Kissinger, a diplomatic powerhouse whose roles as a national security adviser and secretary of state under two presidents left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy and earned him a controversial Nobel Peace Prize, died on Wednesday at age 100.
Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut, according to a statement from his geopolitical consulting firm, Kissinger Associates Inc. No mention was made of the circumstances.
It said he would be interred at a private family service, to be followed at a later date by a public memorial service in New York City.
Kissinger had been active late in life, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. In July 2023 he made a surprise visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping
During the 1970s in the midst of the Cold War, he had a hand in many of the epoch-changing global events of the decade while serving as national security adviser and secretary of state under Republican President Richard Nixon.
The German-born Jewish refugee’s efforts led to the U.S. diplomatic opening with China, landmark U.S.-Soviet arms control talks, expanded ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and the Paris Peace Accords with North Vietnam.
Kissinger’s reign as the prime architect of U.S. foreign policy waned with Nixon’s resignation in 1974 amid the Watergate scandal. Still, he continued to be a diplomatic force as secretary of state under Nixon’s successor, President Gerald Ford, and to offer strong opinions throughout the rest of his life.
While many hailed Kissinger for his brilliance and broad experience, others branded him a war criminal for his support for anti-communist dictatorships, especially in Latin America. In his latter years, his travels were circumscribed by efforts by other nations to arrest or question him about past U.S. foreign policy.
His 1973 Peace Prize was awarded for ending American involvement in the Vietnam War but it was one of the most controversial ever. Two members of the Nobel committee resigned over the selection as questions arose about the secret U.S. bombing of Cambodia. North Vietnamese diplomat Le Duc Tho was selected to jointly receive the award but declined it.
Ford called Kissinger a “super secretary of state” but also noted his prickliness and self-assurance, which critics were more likely to call paranoia and egotism. Even Ford said, “Henry in his mind never made a mistake.”
“He had the thinnest skin of any public figure I ever knew,” Ford said in an interview shortly before his death in 2006.
With his dour expression and gravelly, German-accented voice, Kissinger possessed an image of both a stuffy academic and a ladies’ man, squiring starlets around Washington and New York in his bachelor days. Power, he said, was the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Voluble on policy, Kissinger was reticent on personal matters, although he once told a journalist he saw himself as a cowboy hero, riding off alone.
HARVARD FACULTY
Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born in Furth, Germany, on May 27, 1923, and moved to the United States with his family in 1938 before the Nazi campaign to exterminate European Jewry.
Anglicizing his name to Henry, Kissinger became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1943, served in the Army in Europe in World War Two, and attended Harvard University on a scholarship, earning a master’s degree in 1952 and a doctorate in 1954. He was on Harvard’s faculty for the next 17 years.
During much of that time, Kissinger served as a consultant to government agencies, including in 1967 when he acted as an intermediary for the State Department in Vietnam. He used his connections with President Lyndon Johnson’s administration to pass on information about peace negotiations to the Nixon camp.
When Nixon’s pledge to end the Vietnam War helped him win the 1968 presidential election, he brought Kissinger to the White House as national security adviser.
But the process of “Vietnamization” – shifting the burden of the war from the 500,000-troop U.S. forces to the South Vietnamese – was long and bloody, punctuated by massive U.S. bombing of North Vietnam, the mining of the North’s harbors, and the bombing of Cambodia.
Kissinger declared in 1972 that “peace is at hand” in Vietnam but the Paris Peace Accords reached in January 1973 were little more than a prelude to the final Communist takeover of the South two years later.
In 1973, in addition to his role as national security adviser, Kissinger was named secretary of state – giving him unchallenged authority in foreign affairs.
An intensifying Arab-Israeli conflict launched Kissinger on his first so-called “shuttle” mission, a brand of highly personal, high-pressure diplomacy for which he became famous.
Thirty-two days spent shuttling between Jerusalem and Damascus helped Kissinger forge a long-lasting disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
In an effort to diminish Soviet influence, Kissinger reached out to its chief communist rival, China, and made two trips there, including a secret one to meet with Premier Zhou Enlai. The result was Nixon’s historic summit in Beijing with Chairman Mao Zedong and the eventual formalization of relations between the two countries.
Former U.S. ambassador to China Winston Lord, who served as Kissinger’s special assistant, saluted his former boss as a “tireless advocate for peace,” telling Reuters, “America has lost a towering champion for the national interest.”
STRATEGIC ARMS ACCORD
The Watergate scandal that forced Nixon to resign barely grazed Kissinger, who was not connected to the cover-up and continued as secretary of state when Ford took office in the summer of 1974. But Ford did replace him as national security adviser in an effort to hear more voices on foreign policy.
Later that year Kissinger went with Ford to Vladivostok in the Soviet Union, where the president met Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and agreed to a basic framework for a strategic arms pact. The agreement capped Kissinger’s pioneering efforts at detente that led to a relaxing of U.S.-Soviet tensions.
But Kissinger’s diplomatic skills had their limits. In 1975, he was faulted for failing to persuade Israel and Egypt to agree to a second-stage disengagement in the Sinai.
And in the India-Pakistan War of 1971, Nixon and Kissinger were heavily criticized for tilting toward Pakistan. Kissinger was heard calling the Indians “bastards” – a remark he later said he regretted.
Like Nixon, he feared the spread of left-wing ideas in the Western hemisphere, and his actions in response were to cause deep suspicion of Washington from many Latin Americans for years to come.
In 1970 he plotted with the CIA on how best to destabilize and overthrow the Marxist but democratically elected Chilean President Salvador Allende, while he said in a memo in the wake of Argentina’s bloody coup in 1976 that the military dictators should be encouraged.
When Ford lost to Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, in 1976, Kissinger’s days in the suites of government power were largely over. The next Republican in the White House, Ronald Reagan, distanced himself from Kissinger, who he viewed as out of step with his conservative constituency.
After leaving government, Kissinger set up a high-priced, high-powered consulting firm in New York, which offered advice to the world’s corporate elite. He served on company boards and various foreign policy and security forums, wrote books, and became a regular media commentator on international affairs.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, President George W. Bush picked Kissinger to head an investigative committee. But outcry from Democrats who saw a conflict of interest with many of his consulting firm’s clients forced Kissinger to step down from the post.
Divorced from his first wife, Ann Fleischer, in 1964, he married Nancy Maginnes, an aide to New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, in 1974. He had two children by his first wife.
-Reuters
Former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan has died at the age of 75, his former club Newcastle United said on Monday.
Keegan’s family and Newcastle announced in January that the two-time European Footballer of the Year was undergoing cancer treatment, without disclosing details of his illness.
In June, Keegan, who was nicknamed ‘King Kev’ and ‘Mighty Mouse’ and was one of the most influential figures of his generation in English football, revealed he had stage four cancer.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club’s history,” Premier League Newcastle said in a statement.
“As a player, he brought world-class talent, ambition and belief to St. James’ Park, helping to transform perceptions of what Newcastle United could be.
“As a manager, he ignited our city. Kevin gave supporters hope and pride, and led a team whose style, spirit and passion captured the imagination of football fans around the world. He was so much more than an entertainer.”
GLITTERING CAREER
Keegan began his career at Scunthorpe United before joining Liverpool in 1971.
He made 323 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 100 goals over six seasons. He won three First Division titles, the FA Cup, two UEFA Cups and the 1977 European Cup during a glittering spell at Anfield.
After moving to Hamburg, Keegan was named European Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1979, becoming the only British player to win the Ballon d’Or twice. He later returned to England to play for Southampton and Newcastle before retiring in 1984 at the age of 33.
Keegan scored 21 goals in 63 appearances for England between 1972 and 1982, captaining the side 31 times.
He moved into management at Newcastle in 1992, guiding the club into the Premier League and transforming it into one of England’s most entertaining sides.
Keegan’s team came agonisingly close to winning the 1995-96 Premier League title before they were overtaken by Manchester United.
After leaving St James’ Park in January 1997, he had a brief spell at Fulham before taking charge of England in 1999 following Glenn Hoddle’s departure.
He resigned after Euro 2000 and a defeat by Germany at Wembley Stadium, famously saying he was “not good enough” to do the job, at a media conference. He won seven of his 18 matches in charge.
Keegan later managed Manchester City before leaving the club in March 2005 and initially announcing his retirement from football. He made an emotional return to Newcastle in 2008, though his second spell at the club lasted only eight months.
A treasured World Cup memory: Former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan poses with Sports Village Square Publisher Kunle Solaja during the France ’98 FIFA World Cup in France
A LASTING LEGACY
A statement from Keegan’s family, quoted by British media, said on Monday: “It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75.
“The former England player and manager had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.”
Tributes poured in for Keegan, with Liverpool saying in a statement: “Our ‘Mighty Mouse’, his legacy at Liverpool will be forever etched in history.”
England Football wrote on X: “We are incredibly saddened by the news that Kevin Keegan OBE has passed away,” while former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer wrote: “My Hero. My manager. My friend. Sleep easy Boss”.
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-Reuters
An Argentine footballer playing in Venezuela’s second division has suffered a devastating personal loss after last week’s powerful earthquakes claimed the lives of his wife and two children, according to CNN Español.
Lucas Trejo, 38, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, had spent days desperately searching through the rubble of his destroyed beachfront home in La Guaira for signs of his wife, Yanina, and their children, Aarón and Ainhoa, following the twin earthquakes that struck the country.
According to CNN Español, Trejo was attending a training camp with his club in Caracas when the earthquakes — described by the U.S. Geological Survey as a rare “doublet” because two major quakes struck just 39 seconds apart — rocked Venezuela. The player immediately travelled to La Guaira, approximately 18 miles north of the capital, only to find widespread devastation.
Trejo’s brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, told CNN Español that the footballer was “emotionally overwhelmed” by the tragedy.
“What he found was a horrific scene,” Ardiles said. “He found absolutely nothing of what the building itself had been.”
For several days, Trejo combed through the debris alongside friends, teammates and volunteers while appealing for heavy machinery to assist in the rescue effort. A video circulated by fellow players highlighted the desperate need for additional equipment.
“Right now we only have one machine, but it’s not enough,” Venezuelan footballer Robert Garcés of Metropolitanos F.C. said in the appeal, according to CNN Español.
The search ended in heartbreak on Sunday when Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira confirmed the deaths of Trejo’s wife and children.
In a message posted on social media, the club said it “deeply mourns the irreparable loss” of the player’s family and offered its support during the difficult period.
“Lucas, you are not alone. Your family at Maritime La Guaira is with you,” the club stated alongside a family photograph.
The tragedy has resonated throughout the football community in Venezuela and beyond. According to CNN Español, the earthquakes have claimed the lives of several footballers and affected many others connected to the sport.
Among the victims was 18-year-old Yimvert Berroteran, regarded as one of Venezuela’s promising young talents. The Venezuelan national team and the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) confirmed his death on Friday. Berroteran had represented Venezuela at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Doha just months earlier and had recently featured for the country’s U-20 national team.
The disaster also claimed the lives of young players Víctor Palacios and Razan Sijaa, according to the FVF and their respective clubs.
Another footballer, Héctor Bello, lost his partner in the tragedy. Bello revealed on social media that she died while protecting their young daughter during the earthquake.
“I’ll make sure to remind our baby girl how wonderful you were and how much you loved her,” Bello wrote in an emotional tribute.
The wider humanitarian crisis continues to unfold. Venezuelan authorities reported on Sunday that more than 1,400 people have died, while thousands remain missing. Sports Village Square reports that a minute of silence was observed before World Cup matches during the group stage last week in honour of the earthquake victims.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals. Chinese state media reported that eight Chinese citizens were among the dead, while Spain’s Foreign Ministry said at least nine Spanish nationals had been killed and more than 100 remain missing.
Rescue operations are continuing, although hopes of finding more survivors are fading as search efforts move beyond the critical first 72 hours after the disaster. Experts note that survival chances diminish significantly after that period, particularly in the absence of access to water.
As Venezuela mourns one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history, the football community is among those grappling with profound personal losses that extend far beyond the game.
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The Association of Sports Veterans of Nigeria has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of two of its pioneer members, Adegboye Onigbinde and Henry Nwosu, describing them as towering figures whose contributions greatly shaped Nigerian football.
In a statement jointly signed by the association’s president, Chief Jonathan Ogufere, and secretary, Elder Paul Bassey, the body paid glowing tributes to the late football icons, recalling their immense service to the nation and their achievements on the global stage.
Henry Nwosu
The association noted that Onigbinde rose to prominence after succeeding Brazilian coach Otto Gloria at a time when many Nigerians were clamouring for an indigenous coach to handle the national team.
The late Modakeke-born tactician went on to make history by becoming the first Nigerian coach to lead the national team to a silver medal finish at the 1984 African Cup of Nations finals in Côte d’Ivoire.
Widely respected for his calm touchline demeanour, the traditional chief of Modakeke also achieved another historic milestone when he became the first coach — indigenous or foreign — to defeat Ghana national football team on home soil in Accra during the qualifying campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The veterans further highlighted Onigbinde’s role in nurturing young talents, recalling how he introduced a teenage Femi Opabunmi into Nigeria’s World Cup squad in 2002. They also credited him for recommending legendary goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who later earned over 100 caps for Nigeria.
According to the statement, Onigbinde managed the Super Eagles in 37 international matches across two spells between 1983 and 1984, and later in 2002, recording 13 victories, 17 draws and seven defeats.
The association also paid tribute to former international midfielder Henry Nwosu, who was part of Nigeria’s victorious squad at the 1980 African Cup of Nations and represented the country for more than a decade.
Nwosu later served as assistant coach to Onigbinde during the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea and also handled several domestic clubs and youth teams, including the national U-17 side, Ibom Stars, Union Bank FC and Gateway FC.
The Sports Veterans Association said both men would be greatly missed for their lasting contributions to the advancement of football in Nigeria.
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