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A final inspiring message from Deborah James to her army of supporters: ‘Find a life worth enjoying… and always check your poo!’

by www.dailymail.co.uk Leave a Comment

Dame Deborah James has urged her fans to ‘find a life worth enjoying, take risks, have no regrets and always check your poo’ in a final message to her army of supporters.

The podcaster tragically passed away following her five-year battle with bowel cancer, her family announced this evening.

Sharing the news to Instagram , her loved ones wrote: ‘We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy. Deborah passed away peacefully today, surrounded by her family.’

The presenter, 40, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016 and received palliative care at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey after being told she may not live beyond five years – a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021.

She spent her time raising awareness about the disease leaving ‘no stone unturned’ during her search for ‘magic medicine miracle’ and even designed an InTheStyle clothing collection emblazoned with the words ‘rebellious hope’ after revealing the slogan ‘got her through the last five years’.

In an emotional statement announcing the news of her death, her family shared the final words penned by the inspirational podcaster.

She told fans: ‘Find a life worth enjoying, take risks, love deeply, have no regrets, and always, always have rebellious hope.

‘And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life.’

Dame Deborah James has urged her fans to ‘find a life worth enjoying, take risks, have no regrets and always check your poo’ in a final message to her army of supporters

The podcaster tragically passed away following her five-year battle with bowel cancer, her family announced this evening

The presenter, 40, was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016 and received palliative care at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey after being told she may not live beyond five years – a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021

Deborah – who has two children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien – was constantly labelled ‘inspirational’ by fans after candidly sharing her struggles on social media, as well as on Radio 5 Live’s You, Me and the Big C, of which she was one of three presenters.

On May 9, the mother-of-two shared a heartbreaking ‘goodbye’ message to her 470,000 Instagram followers, revealing she was being moved into hospice-at-home care, while ‘surrounded by family’, because ‘my body simply isn’t playing ball.’

While she said at the time that no one knew how long she may live, she recently revealed she was given just days when she was released from hospital last month.

Deborah also launched her Bowelbabe Fund for cancer research, which has received more than £6.5 million in donations.

She was made a dame by the Duke of Cambridge at her family home, with William praising her for ‘going above and beyond to make a very special memory’.

He later called her ‘incredible’ telling staff at the Royal Marsden who had treated her: ‘She is a brave and inspirational woman.’

Deborah – who has two children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien – was constantly labelled ‘inspirational’ by fans after candidly sharing her struggles on social media

On May 9, the mother-of-two shared a heartbreaking ‘goodbye’ message to her 470,000 Instagram followers, revealing she was being moved into hospice-at-home care, while ‘surrounded by family’

BOWEL CANCER: THE SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE

Bowel, or colorectal, cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum.

Such tumours usually develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps.

Symptoms include:

  • Bleeding from the bottom
  • Blood in stools
  • A change in bowel habits lasting at least three weeks
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Extreme, unexplained tiredness
  • Abdominal pain

Most cases have no clear cause, however, people are more at risk if they:

  • Are over 50
  • Have a family history of the condition
  • Have a personal history of polyps in their bowel
  • Suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease
  • Lead an unhealthy lifestyle

Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy.

More than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis.

This drops significantly if it is diagnosed in later stages.

According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK.

It affects around 40 per 100,000 adults per year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The star broke her social media silence last week to reveal that toilet paper brand Andrex will start listing bowel cancer symptoms on its packaging.

Deborah campaigned for supermarkets to put symptoms of bowel cancer on their toilet rolls so that people were more aware of the signs to watch out for in a bid to catch it early.

Andrex announced the news earlier today on social media, writing: ‘Thank you for the brilliant work you are doing to raise awareness of bowel cancer.’

Dame Deborah shared the post, adding a caption saying: ’28 million packs! Coming soon! @andrexuk. Puppy we are embracing the poo.’

The company, which has donated £65,000 to the charity, teamed up with Bowel Cancer UK to put the information on packaging and is aiming to have the symptoms on all of their packaging within the next year.

Additionally, there will be a QR code on the packs which redirects people to Bowel Cancer UK’s website where they can find more information.

Deborah also appeared in an episode of Embarrassing Bodies – filmed earlier this year – and revealed she had a ‘gut instinct that something wasn’t right’ before receiving her bowel cancer diagnosis.

During her final TV appearance on E4’s Embarrassing Bodies on June 16, Deborah explained: ‘I started going to the poo – we need to say that – eight times a day. And I used to be a once-a-day kind of girl.

‘Then I started getting really tired and I remember drinking loads of cups of coffee just to try and keep myself awake. Then I started losing loads of weight and I started having blood in my poo.’

It was the combination of these changes, Deborah said, that led her to having a ‘gut instinct that something wasn’t right.

Deborah was diagnosed ‘late’ with incurable bowel cancer in 2016. She had frequently said that as a vegetarian runner, she was the last person doctors expected to get the disease.

After sharing her experiences on living with the illness on social media, Deborah became known as the ‘Bowel Babe’ and in 2018, she joined Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland to present the award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C on Radio 5 Live.

Bland tragically died of breast cancer on September 5 that year; her husband Steve Bland now co-presents the show.

It had been a difficult year for Deborah, who in previous years had defied the odds by running 5K races and taking part in triathlons.

Speaking about her cancer battle, Deborah said she had been ‘consumed by anger’

Family: Dame Deborah (centre, with husband Sebastien Bowen, left, and children Eloise, 12 and Hugo, 14) was awarded a damehood by Prince William last month

The campaigner previously revealed she had started her ‘to-do death list’ to support son Hugo, 14, and daughter, Eloise, 12. Pictured: Deborah with her husband Sebastien Bowen in 2019

BBC podcast host Deborah James revealed in April after she was discharged after more than a month in hospital. Pictured, leaving the Royal Marsden Hospital

Deborah was diagnosed ‘late’ with incurable bowel cancer in 2016. She had frequently said that as a vegetarian runner, she was the last person doctors expected to get the disease

However, she told Lorraine Kelly earlier this year that she spent ’80 per cent’ of it in hospital receiving treatment after suffering sepsis and a traumatic varicose vein bleed.

In January, she said the ‘trauma’ of nearly dying from the bleed was still ‘very raw and real’ as she returned home after three weeks in hospital.

Speaking on her You, Me and the Big C podcast with co-host Steve Bland, Deborah said: ‘I was in a state, an absolute state. I was flummoxed. I can’t describe it. I just survived something I never thought… I thought that was it. I thought I was a goner.

‘How do you process that I said my goodbyes, I thought that was it, I thought that was the end of my life, how do you stop reliving that trauma? I did not know what to do with myself.

‘And it’s amazing how you suddenly go back to the things you realise you can do, which is to chat into a microphone or write – whatever your normal coping mechanism are even in a crisis.

‘I’m always somebody that has to have a bit of a purpose so I was like: ‘If I’m going through this I need each and every day to find a purpose’. Obviously the purpose is to live but it also gave me a structure during the day. It gave me something to do (in hospital).

‘I thought I feel so awful, not just physically, but mentally. I thought I knew what rock bottom was. I thought I knew what tough was and I didn’t. I cracked – there’s no embarrassment in saying that. I hit a new low that I never knew existed.’

HOW DEPUTY HEAD TURNED SOCIAL MEDIA STAR HAS TRANSFORMED BOWEL CANCER AWARENESS

In 2018, Deborah (left) joined Lauren Mahon (front) and Rachael Bland (right) to present the award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C on Radio 5 Live. Bland tragically died of breast cancer on September 5th that year; her husband Steve Bland now co-presents the show

  • In December 2016, the West London mother-of-two, a deputy head, was diagnosed ‘late’ with incurable bowel cancer
  • After sharing her experiences on living with the disease on social media, Deborah became known as the ‘Bowel Babe’
  • In 2018, she became one of three presenters on Radio 5 Live’s You, Me and the Big C, which was conceived by her late co-host Rachael Bland
  • On September 5th 2018, Welsh journalist and presenter Bland, diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, died at the age of 40
  • Deborah and her co-host Lauren Mahon continue to present the show, with Steve Bland, Rachael’s husband, joining the duo
  • On social media and in her column for the Sun newspaper, Deborah has documented the many chemo, radiotherapy sessions and surgery she’s had since

During her treatment, Deborah told followers on Instagram ‘By my general lack of being on here (dancing!), that Things have moved (in the wrong direction) very quickly cancer wise.’ Pictured: Deborah James undergoing a scan at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London

  • In 2019, she had a procedure known as CyberKnife, a highly targeted form of radiotherapy to attack an inoperable lymph node close to her liver
  • The pandemic’s impact on cancer services saw her campaign for care to continue as normal and, earlier this year, she launched the ITV’s Lorraine’s ‘No Butts’ campaign, raising awareness on bowel cancer symptoms
  • Since last year, she has been taking new experimental drugs as part of a trial after her oncology team gave her the green light to do so
  • August, Deborah revealed that scans she’s had in recent days have revealed her cancer has gone in the ‘wrong direction very quickly’
  • She told followers she would be taking a break on social media over the weekend to ‘snuggle’ with her family ahead of more scans
  • The mother-of-two said a new ‘rapidly-growing’ tumour near her liver had wrapped itself around her bowel
  • On October 1, Deborah celebrates her 40th birthday
  • By October 18, the mother-of-two told her followers her chemotherapy is working
  • Days later, she was rushed to A&E with ‘spiking 40 degree temperatures’
  • In November, she reveals she is unable to walk for more than 20 minutes and remains ‘very weak’
  • By December, Deborah said she was ‘not sure what her options were’ after her liver stent ‘stopped working’
  • In January, she had five operations in 10 days after nearly dying in an acute medical emergency
  • January 25, Deborah returns home from hospital after three weeks
  • March 14, the mother-of-two is back in hospital as an in-patient after suffering from septic infection
  • In April, she concerned fans with snaps after suffering ‘a rough few days’
  • April 14, the mother-of-two tells fans she has been discharged from hospital but calls the situation ‘very tough’
  • April 27, she tells Lorraine that she has spent ’80 per cent’ of the year in hospital
  • May 9 – Deborah announces she has moved to hospice care
  • June 28 – Deborah’s loved ones tragically reveal the podcaster has passed away in a touching Instagram post

Spring Statement 2018 recap: Updates as Chancellor Philip Hammond reveals the financial state of the nation

by www.mirror.co.uk Leave a Comment

Tory Chancellor Philip Hammond today revealed the financial health of the nation in the 2018 Spring Statement.

In the first speech of its kind, the Cabinet minister addressed the House of Commons to reveal there was “light at the end of the tunnel” on austerity.

But he was accused of “complacency” as his slimmed down mini-Budget gave no new cash for anything and showed GDP will actually be lower than expected in 2022.

Meanwhile experts revealed we’ll still be paying for Brexit in 2064 and the Treasury paved the way for scrapping 1p and 2p coins.

Read our handy round-up here or a verdict by our pundit Jason Beattie. Follow blow-by-blow text updates and analysis as it all happened below.

KEY EVENT

1p and 2p coins could be SCRAPPED

1p and 2p coins could be scrapped after the government launched a wide-ranging review of the “cash landscape”.

A Treasury consultation today warns 60% of the coppers are used just once before they are put in piggy banks or – in 8% of cases – thrown away.

To replace them the Royal Mint has to produce more than 500million 1p and 2p coins each year, the Treasury warned.

The news could be a relief for shoppers – but a blow to collectors and seaside arcades.

A rise in contactless and digital payments has meant processors are “holding increasingly large stocks of coin”, the consultation warned.

The consultation also paves the way for the potential scrapping of the £50 note because it is “rarely used for routine purchases.”

It makes no firm proposals but could raise the direct threat to scrap the denominations after it reports back in June.

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Damning blow as budget watchdog says predictions are ‘much weaker’ than 2 years ago

The respected Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank has brought a dose of hard reality.

Director Paul Johnson says: “Not that much to be Tiggerish about here.

“Growth forecasts dreadful compared with what we thought in March 2016, dreadful by historical standards and dreadful compared with most of the rest of the world.”

The Tigger metaphor continues

The gloomy Chancellor’s been nicknamed Eeyore – but today he said he was more like Tigger.

And it seems his chief secretary to the Treasury agrees with which Winnie the Pooh character he might be.

KEY EVENT

We’ll be paying the Brexit divorce bill until 2064

Britain will still be paying for Brexit until 2064, the Treasury’s watchdog warned today.

The Office for Budget Responsibility put the total cost of the financial settlement with Brussels at £37.1bn, in line with the figure quoted by Theresa May.

But it suggested the bill will not be paid in full for almost 50 years.

Even though the UK will stop making full contributions to the EU after Brexit, the government has committed to spend money on items that used to get funding through EU membership – including pension liabilities.

There is only one year – 2029 – in the table where it’s suggested Britain will be a net beneficiary from the EU.

Eloise Todd, chief executive of anti-Brexit group Best for Britain, said: “We already knew that the cost of Brexit would fall on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren – now we’re told that even our great grandchildren will have a bill to pay.

“Far from the fantasy millions promised by Brexiteers, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Britain will be facing a ‘Brexit deficit’.”

£1.5bn of Brexit spending at a glance

The Chancellor announced how £1.5bn of cash for Brexit will be spent in 2018/19.

Much of it is for preparations for ‘No Deal’ – even though the government is desperate to avoid it.

It includes the following. Look at the huge sums going to border and passport controls as officials face having to hire new staff – just in case there is no deal.

  • Home Office: £395m
  • Environment Department: £310m
  • HM Revenue and Customs: £260m
  • Business Department: £185.1m
  • Transport Department: £75.8m
  • International Trade Department: £74m
  • Cabinet Office: £49.4m
  • Foreign Office: £29.6m
  • Culture Department: £26.2m
  • Treasury: £24.8m
  • Competition and Markets Authority: £23.6m
  • Health and Social Care Department: £21.1m
  • Ministry of Justice: £17.3m
  • Food Standards Agency: £14m
  • Ministry of Defence: £12.7m

Lib Dems brand Spring Statement a ‘non-event’

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: “The Spring Statement was a non-event. The OECD gave us the clearer picture – that the economy is bumping along the bottom of the G20, well behind the likes of Australia, Canada and the euro area.

“The OBR’s fresh forecasts are still a long way behind the figures estimated in March 2016 before the EU referendum.

Budget watchdog officially puts the Brexit divorce bill at £37.1billion

The Office for Budget Responsibility says it now has “sufficient clarity” to estimate the cost of the Brexit “divorce bill” at £37.1 billion.

This is similar to previous estimates of up to £39billion.

Based on “broad-brush assumptions”, the OBR projected that £16.4 billion would be spent in 2019 and 2020 from “UK participation in EU budgets as if it had remained in the EU”.

Outstanding commitments would cost £18.2 billion between 2021 and 2028, and other net liabilities between 2019 and 2064 would amount to £2.5 billion.

‘Philip Hammond’s propaganda’ – Verdict from our Head of Politics Jason Beattie

Philip Hammond had promised a brief Spring Statement.

The only reason it overran to nearly 30 minutes was because he was so busy congratulating himself.

This was a party political broadcast on behalf of the Philip Hammond party.

And, as with all pieces of propaganda, the Chancellor was under the illusion that if you say something often enough, however tenuous its relationship to the truth, people will believe it.

Britain was, he told us, an outward-looking, free trading nation and a “force for good in the world.”

The economy was performing wonders, he claimed, and “good progress” was being made on Brexit.

Perhaps in Mr Hammond’s favourite children’s books such a world exists.

Those who are witnessing the decay in our public services, who are in insecure jobs and struggling on stagnant wages, may beg to differ.

Read the full verdict from our head of politics here.

VERDICT from Mirror associate editor Kevin Maguire

Emphasising the Con in Conservative was a Chancer of the Exchequer deluding himself – but not a country which knows Torynomics is failing. Stuck in an austerity tunnel is a bad place to be.

VIDEO: Spring Statement in full

KEY EVENT

SUMMARY: All the key points from the Spring Statement at a glance

Click here for our round-up of the biggest announcements.

We’ll be pulling away a bit from the debate now – keep following this blog for analysis, fallout and detail.

Including what it means for you.

Chancellor Philip Hammond brands Labour’s ideology “sinister” and says it would wreck the economy

Hitting back, Chancellor Philip Hammond brands Labour’s ideology “sinister” and says it would wreck the economy.

And he slams John McDonnell for attacking Tory “bully boys”.

This is the man, Hammond says, who “still refuses to apologise to the Work and Pensions Secretary” Esther McVey.

McDonnell had quoted an activist who suggested she should be lynched.

KEY EVENT

“People know now that austerity was a political choice” fumes John McDonnell in furious speech

John McDonnell reels off a hit parade of Tory cuts, rising homelessness and an impending crisis in children’s social care.

“People know now that austerity was a political choice – not an economic necessity,” he says.

“The Conservatives chose to cut taxes for the super-rich, the corporations and the bankers. And it was paid for by the rest of us in society.

“We were never all in this together as they claimed – never.”

He adds: “Today we have the indefensible spectacle of the Chancellor congratulating himself on marginally improved economic forecasts.

“While he refuses to lift a finger as councils go bust, the NHS and social care are in crisis, school budges are cut, homelessness has doubled and wages are falling.

“This isn’t a government preparing our country for the future – it’s a government setting us up to fail.”

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“How many people have to die waiting for an ambulance before he acts?”

Labour’s John McDonnell says the pressures on the NHS have been shifted “onto the shoulders of doctors and managers throughout the country.”

“Does the Chancellor really think the NHS can wait eight months” for cash, he asks?

“How many people have to die waiting for an ambulance before he acts?”

On the NHS pay rise – said to be in exchange for a day’s holiday – he says: “Taking away a day’s holiday from those dedicated staff is mean-spirited. And I ask him now – will he drop this miserly act?”

Labour’s John McDonnell slams ‘Tory bully boys’ snide remarks’

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell gets his turn as he slams the Tory government for complacency.

He says these Green Conservatives are the same ones who “single-handedly destroyed the solar industry.”

As Tory MPs shout in protest he declares: “The Tory bully boys can shout all they want.

“They can make their snide remarks. People out there know the crisis in our community.”

And on cutting the deficit and debt, he says, “it’s a bit rich coming from a party that’s put £700bn on the national debt in the last eight years.

“It’s worth remembering – this was the party that promised us the deficit would be eliminated completely by 2015!”

Chancellor finishes with hint tax could change on plastics

The Chancellor finishes with a hint that tax could change on single-use plastics.

He says the government will issue a “call for evidence” on plastic pollution that looks at the “whole supply chain”.

He adds: “It will look at how the tax system can help drive the technological progress and behavioural change we need.”

Consultation on stripping away tax relief on ‘red diesel’

There will be a consultation on new plans to strip away tax relief on ‘red diesel’.

It will examine whether “non agricultural red diesel tax relief” contributes to poor quality air, he says.

He adds “we’ll help the great British white van driver go green” by holding a consultation on reduced vehicle tax rates for the cleanest vans.

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The government will consult “on a new VAT mechanism for online sales”

The government will consult “on a new VAT mechanism for online sales” to ensure the tax actually reaches the Exchequer.

60,000 first time buyers “have already benefited” from stamp duty relief

60,000 first time house buyers have already benefited from stamp duty relief announced at the autumn budget, the Chancellor says.

“The party opposite voted against it.”

West Midlands signs deal to deliver 215,000 homes… over more than a decade

The Chancellor highlights an already announced £44bn housing pot.

He says the Housing minister is working with 44 councils that have bid for the £4.1bn housing infrastructure fund.

The government have just agreed a deal with the West Midlands – who have committed to deliver 215,000 homes by 2030-31, paid for by a £100m grant from the land remediation fund.

Further announcements will come over the following days.

London will receive an extra £1.7bn to deliver a further 26,000 affordable homes – making 116,000 total by the end of 2021/22.

£80million of cash for firms to support apprentices

The Chancellor announces £25m for 5G phone networks which was actually announced over the weekend.

And he promises funding for T-levels for young people.

The Education Secretary will also release up to £80m of funding for firms to support apprentices, he announces today.

£1.5bn of allocations for Brexit preparation funding will be detailed for the first time today

Philip Hammond is jeered as he says Britain has made “substantial progress” in Brexit negotiations.

And he says he looks forward to another step forward at next week’s European Council.

But the government is still planning for No Deal.

Today more than £1.5bn of allocations for 2018/19 Brexit preparation funding will be detailed for the first time.

The cash was announced last autumn but not in detail.

Business rates revaluation brought forward to 2021

The next business rates revaluation will be brought forward to 2021.

Business rates will then be reviewed every three years from that date.

KEY EVENT

Full Spending Review to be held in 2019

A full “detailed” Spending Review will be held in 2019, Philip Hammond announces.

This goes much further than the annual Budget. The Tories held them in 2010 and 2015 to enact sweeping austerity.

But this time the purpose may be to spend more.

The Chancellor says: “At this year’s Budget I will set an overall path for public spending for 2020 and beyond.”

He adds: “That is how responsible people budget.

“First you work out what you can afford, then you decide what your priorities are.”

If there is continued improvement in the finances, “I would have capacity to enable further increases in public spending and investment in the years ahead – while continuing to drive value for money to ensure not a single penny of precious taxpayers’ money is wasted.”

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Chancellor jeered as he says Tory cuts aren’t “ideological”

Labour MPs jeer as the Chancellor says he was not reducing spending for “ideological” reasons.

And they jeer some more as he says: “Judge me by my record!”

He says he has poured billions into the NHS – and “more to come if, as I hope, management and unions reach an agreement” on pay.

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KEY EVENT

“Light at the end of the tunnel” – Debt DOWN from prediction every year

NET DEBT (% of GDP)

Year – Autumn Budget 2017 prediction – Prediction now

2017-18 86.5 85.6

2018-19 86.4 85.5

2019-20 86.1 85.1

2020-21 83.1 82.1

2021-22 79.3 78.3

2022-23 79.1 77.9

The Chancellor says: “The first systained fall in debt in 17 years – a turning point in this nation’s recovery from the financial crisis of a decade ago.

“Light at the end of the tunnel.”

He adds: “We have to make sure it’s not the Shadow Chancellor’s train hurtling out of control… towards Labour’s next train wreck.”

“It’s taken Labour just nine months to work up a plan to squander the fruits of eight years of hard work”

NET BORROWING (£bn)

Year – Autumn Budget 2017 prediction – Prediction now

2017-18 49.9 45.2 – DOWN

He says it’s billions less than originally predicted overall.

That happens to match Labour’s spending pledges, he adds.

“It’s taken them just nine months to work up a plan to squander the fruits of eight years of hard work of the British people.”

The Chancellor insists targets are “there to be beaten” and there will be more jobs than predicted – and lower inflation.

KEY EVENT

GDP growth DOWN in 2021 and 2022

GDP GROWTH

Year – Autumn Budget 2017 prediction – Prediction now

2018 1.4% 1.5% – UP

2019 1.3% 1.3% – SAME

2020 1.3% 1.3% – SAME

2021 1.5% 1.4% – DOWN

2022 1.6% 1.5% – DOWN

Salman Rushdie still in critical condition, but feisty and defiant: Son

by www.rediff.com Leave a Comment

Salman Rushdie is “pulling through” and has his “feisty and defiant” sense of humour intact despite battling severe, life-changing injuries, his son and former wife Padma Lakshmi said on Sunday, two days after the Mumbai-born author was stabbed in what US authorities described as a “targeted, preplanned” attack.

IMAGE: Salman Rushdie.

Rushdie, 75, was taken off a ventilator on Saturday and could talk after the best-selling author was stabbed on stage at a literary event in New York state on Friday.

His son Zafar Rushdie said on Sunday that the family was “extremely relieved” that the best-selling author was taken off the ventilator and additional oxygen on Saturday and he was able to say a few words.

“Following the attack on Friday, my father remains in critical condition in hospital receiving extensive ongoing medical treatment,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

“Though his life-changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact,” he said.

The family expressed gratitude to the audience members who bravely leapt to Rushdie’s defense and administered first-aid after he was stabbed multiple times at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York on Friday.

The family thanked the police and doctors for their care. They also expressed gratitude for the “outpouring of love and support from around the world.”

“We ask for continued patience and privacy as the family come together at his bedside to support and help him through this time,” the statement said.

Earlier, Rushdie’s former wife and celebrated TV personality Lakshmi said in a tweet: “Relieved @SalmanRushdie is pulling through after Friday’s nightmare. Worried and wordless, can finally exhale. Now hoping for swift healing.”

Rushdie and Chennai-born Lakshmi married in 2004 and got divorced in 2007. Lakshmi, 51, who is herself an author and the host of the hit culinary TV show TopChef , was Rushdie’s fourth wife.

The New York Times reported that Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wylie said, “The road to recovery has begun. It will be long; the injuries are severe, but his condition is headed in the right direction.”

Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing The Satanic Verses , was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar, the US national of Lebanese origin, on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at a literary event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.

“@SalmanRushdie off ventilator and talking! Continued prayers from all @chq,” Chautauqua Institution president Michael Hill said in a tweet on Saturday night. Rushdie’s agent Wylie confirmed this to the US media.

Rushdie was put on a ventilator after he was stabbed by Matar.

Earlier on Saturday, Matar pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault at a brief court appearance where he was denied bail.

Matar was charged with attempted murder and assault in the stabbing of Rushdie and he pleaded not guilty. He made his appearance in court, wearing a black-and-white striped jumpsuit and handcuffed.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt provided the details of Rushdie’s injuries in court during Matar’s arraignment Saturday afternoon.

The author’s injuries include three stab wounds to the right side of the front of his neck, four stab wounds to his stomach, a puncture wound to his right eye and chest, and a laceration on his right thigh, according to the county prosecutor.

“This was a targeted, unprovoked, preplanned attack on Mr Rushdie,” Schmidt alleged.

Matar faces up to 32 years if convicted of both charges, Schmidt said.

The attack on Rushdie drew shock and condemnation from world leaders and literary stalwarts.

United States President Joe Biden said in a statement on Saturday that he and First Lady Jill Biden were “shocked and saddened” to learn of the “vicious” attack on the author.

“Salman Rushdie — with his insight into humanity, with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced — stands for essential, universal ideals. Truth. Courage. Resilience. The ability to share ideas without fear. These are the building blocks of any free and open society. And today, we reaffirm our commitment to those deeply American values in solidarity with Rushdie and all those who stand for freedom of expression,” Biden said.

“We, together with all Americans and people around the world, are praying for his health and recovery. I am grateful to the first responders and the brave individuals who jumped into action to render aid to Rushdie and subdue the attacker,” he added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is “appalled” to learn about the attack on Rushdie. “The Secretary-General was appalled to learn of the attack on renowned novelist Salman Rushdie,” a statement issued on Friday by his spokesperson said.

“In no case is violence a response to words spoken or written by others in their exercise of the freedoms of opinion and expression,” Guterres said, conveying his wishes for Rushdie’s early recovery.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell “strongly” condemned the attack on Saturday night.

“International rejection of such criminal actions, which violate fundamental rights and freedoms, is the only path towards a better and more peaceful world”, Borrell tweeted.

Rushdie lived in hiding and under police protection for years after late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini put out a fatwa in 1989 calling for his death in retribution for his book The Satanic Verses .

A report in The New York Times said according to prosecutors, Rushdie was stabbed roughly 10 times in the premeditated attack.

“In court, prosecutors said that the attack on the author was premeditated and targeted,” the report said, adding that Matar travelled by bus to the “intellectual retreat in western New York and purchased a pass that allowed him to attend” the talk “Rushdie was to give on Friday morning”.

Rushdie, the author of 14 novels, was knighted in 2007 for services to literature.

Anne Heche taken off life support system following tragic car crash in California

by www.dailystar.co.uk Leave a Comment

Anne Heche has been pronounced dead at the age of 53 after the actress was taken off life support yesterday (Sunday).

Anne spent just over a week on life support following an horrific car crash on August 5 in which she suffered a severe brain injury and lung damage from smoke inhalation.

She was pronounced brain dead on Friday, which in California means the person has died and was kept on life support in a bid to preserve her organs while authorities tried to find people who could use them.

READ MORE: Anne Heche dies aged 53 as tragic actress is taken off life support after crash

It was claimed over the weekend that surgeons had removed several organs, according to sources at TMZ, the online newspaper..

According to the US publication, matches have now reportedly been found and the multiple organs “are due to be transplanted”.

Earlier this week, Donnie Brasco actress Anne’s family released a statement in which they revealed it had “long been her choice to donate her organs and she’s being kept on life support to determine if any are viable”.

Anneis survived by two sons, Homer, 20, and Atlas, 13.

Following her death, a representative for her family told TMZ: “We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend.

“Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy.

“Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”

The Los Angeles Police Department has announced it was dropping its felony investigation into the crash, adding: “As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case.”

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It added: “When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”

Her celebrity ex Ellen DeGeneres was among those sharing their sadness as messages of condolence flooded in following news of her condition at the weekend.

The star, who dated Anne between 1997 to 2000 took to Instagram to write: “This is a sad day. I’m sending Anne’s children, family and friends all of my love.”

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Anne Heche: US actress remains in critical condition after car crash

by www.bbc.co.uk Leave a Comment

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Actress Anne Heche is still in a coma after a car crash left her vehicle “engulfed in flames”, her representative has confirmed.

The star of films such as Donnie Brasco was taken to hospital following the collision on Friday in Los Angeles.

A spokesperson told the PA news agency: “Previous reports stating that Anne Heche was stable were inaccurate.

“Shortly after the accident, Anne became unconscious, slipping into a coma and is in critical condition.”

The statement continued: “She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.”

The 53-year-old has also featured in films including Donnie Brasco, Cedar Rapids and the 1998 Psycho remake.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), Heche’s vehicle “erupted in heavy fire” after it was driven 30 feet into a two-storey home, leaving the property “uninhabitable”.

They confirmed that a female adult found within the vehicle had been taken to hospital by LAFD paramedics in a “critical condition”, while the home’s occupant had escaped without injury.

“59 firefighters took 65 minutes to access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure,” an LAFD report stated.

Heche is a mother of two and has also appeared on Dancing with the Stars, the US’s equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.

She is also the former partner of US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

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