This week: an activist for 640million people, a soul star who gave it all up to become a pastor, and a star of Egyptian cinema

THE politician and activist Surin Pitsuwan, who has died aged 68, was a former foreign minister of Thailand and secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). As such, he represented some 640million people and had been mentioned as a possible candidate for United Nations secretary-general.

Surin served as Thailand's foreign minister in the late 1990s under a Democrat-led government, but is best known for his time at the head of the 10-member Asean from 2008 until 2012.

He remained active in regional diplomatic circles until his death.

Two weeks ago, he spoke at a conference marking the 50th anniversary of Asean. His remarks, punctuated with emphasis in his trademark deep voice, lauded co-operative organisations like Asean as a means of creating a space for the region to talk to itself.

He asked: "How can we unleash the energy, the creativity, the power of 640 million people onto the platform of Asean?"

He also suggested that a new era - possibly one of less co-operation - might be emerging.

"It has been an age of multilateralism, talking to each other in a big group," he said. But, he lamented, "the era of multilateralism is disappearing".

"Be ourselves," he said of Asean nations. "Be self-sufficient. Be helpful to each other before we wait for contributions from the outside."

THE soul singer Wayne Cochran, who has died aged 78, was known for his huge hair-do but he was a hugely respected musician whose fans included the Blues Brother, Rod Stewart and Elvis Presley. Known as the White Knight of Soul, his heyday was in the 1960s and '70s before he gave it all up to become a minister at a church he founded in Miami.

At the height of his musical success, his life in the fast lane took a toll on him. Tired of partying, he broke up with his band in the 1970s and started the Voice for Jesus Church near Miami Gardens in a row of warehouses

As a white teen growing up in west Georgia, Cochran was captivated by black music. "I never heard race in the music. It was just music that spoke to me. It moved me," he said. He moved to nearby Macon, and met soul singer Otis Redding. In 1960, he played bass with Redding's band on the single, Shout Bamalama.

Cochran used the power of popular music for the rest of his life through ministry, saying his was not a typical church, but one where people came to get ecstatic, have a good time and boogie.

At one point, his church spiritually adopted 800 families living in housing projects in Miami's impoverished Liberty City.

"He was all about family," said his son Christopher, who is also a pastor. "Over the course of his 25-year career in the music industry he employed over 300 people with different members of the band and the people at his church. He always looked after people. He ran his building like a big family."

THE actress and singer Shadia, who has died aged 86, was an Egyptian star who captivated millions for decades.

Born Fatimah Shaker but known throughout her career by her single stage name, Shadia suffered a stroke this month and later went into a coma.

She has more than 100 films to her name and hundreds of singles in a career that stretches back to the late 1940s.

Her film roles ranged from those depicting country girls and career women, to comical portrayals of emotionally disturbed women and hopeless romantics.

Her songs have defined the entertainment scene for decades, mostly with hit singles in Egypt's distinctive vernacular Arabic.

Shadia lived in almost total seclusion after she retired more than two decades ago.