Obituary

The fastest gun in the west

Elinor Otto did not realise what giant strides she was making for women

The longest-working “Rosie the Riveter” died on November 12th, aged 104

A hundred ways to peace

Vivian Silver knew no good could ever come of war

The veteran Canadian-Israeli peace activist has been confirmed killed on October 7th, aged 74

Elastic adventures

David Kirke believed safe sport repressed people’s imaginations

The world’s first bungee-jumper and founder of the Dangerous Sports Club died on October 21st, aged 78

When the laughter stops

Matthew Perry changed the way America spoke

The star of the sitcom “Friends” died on October 28th, aged 54

An eye over Gaza

Rushdi Sarraj loved to record what others did not or would not see

The Palestinian photo-journalist and film-maker was killed in an Israeli missile strike on October 22nd

Life on the edge

Ofir Libstein had extraordinary dreams for his small patch

The mayor of Sha’ar HaNegev was killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7th, aged 50

A foe who never was

Muhammad Amir Muhammad Khan fought India’s government for five decades

The still-dispossessed Rajah of Mahmudabad died on October 4th, aged 80

Beauty been

The Sycamore Gap tree held a particularly deep place in people’s hearts

It was felled maliciously in the small hours of September 28th, aged around 300

Life in its fullness

Fernando Botero became famous for his over-size people and animals

But the Colombian painter and sculptor, who died on September 15th, had a different agenda

On a spear’s edge

Mangosuthu Buthelezi had his own vision for a democratic South Africa

The Zulu chief, a rival to Nelson Mandela, died on September 9th, aged 95

Rules in the millions

Douglas Lenat trained computers to think the old-fashioned way

The mathematician who insisted that AI needed a basis of pure common sense died on August 31st, aged 72

Building revolution

Isabel Crook devoted her long life to making a new China

The Canadian anthropologist and teacher died on August 20th, aged 107