LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)—The Nigerian man accused of trying to bring down a U.S. airliner cut off contact with his relatives and disappeared from their lives until they awoke to news of the attempted Christmas Day attack, his family said Monday.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s father talked to Nigerian security agencies two months ago and a month later to foreign security agencies about his concerns that his son had disappeared and ceased contact with the family, the family said in a statement. U.S. authorities said that in November, Abdulmutallab’s father visited the U.S. embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss his concerns about his son’s religious beliefs.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

by Celean Jacobson

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—South Africa’s former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who gained notoriety for her dogged promotion of lemons, garlic and olive oil to treat AIDS, has died. She was 69. The ruling African National Congress said Tshabalala-Msimang died in a Johannesburg hospital Dec. 16 from complications related to a 2007 liver transplant.

TSHABALALA-MSIMANG

Tshabalala-Msimang’s disastrous HIV policies during her nine years in office made her the most unpopular government minister in post-apartheid South Africa. She was ridiculed locally and internationally and nicknamed “Dr. Beetroot”—another one of her suggested AIDS remedies—and “Dr. Garlic.”

Human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe commended the U.S. president “for his leadership on matters such as global warming, ending nuclear proliferation, bringing to an end poorly regulated financial markets, and making more friends than enemies for the U.S., for showing what presidents must do [and not do].”

VATICAN CITY (AP)—The Vatican says it has stripped charismatic African Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo of his priestly duties because he defiantly continues to ordain bishops despite already being excommunicated.

DEFROCKED—In this Jan. 29 file photo, Zambian prelate Emmanuel Milingo takes part in a TV show in Milan, Italy.

A Vatican spokesman, Rev. Ciro Benedettini, says last Thursday’s announcement of the defrocking means any future ordinations by the Zambian prelate will be considered invalid by the Catholic Church.