ACTOR AND COMEDIAN ROBIN WILLIAMS DEAD AT 63

Tributes have been pouring in for Robin Williams, as Alastair Leithead reports

US actor and comedian Robin Williams has been found dead, aged 63, in an apparent suicide.

Marin County Police in California said he was pronounced dead at his home shortly after officials responded to an emergency call around noon local time.

Williams was famous for such films as Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society and won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting.

His publicist said he had been "battling severe depression".

In the past he had talked, and even joked, about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.

Williams had recently returned to a rehabilitation centre to "fine-tune" his sobriety, the Los Angeles Times reported in July.

The local Sheriff's office said Williams was found unconscious and not breathing at his home near Tiburon, north of San Francisco.

"At this time, the Sheriff's Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made," police said in a statement.

His wife Susan Schneider asked that he be remembered for the joy he brought to the world

In a statement, Williams's wife, Susan Schneider, said she was "utterly heartbroken".

"This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken," she said.

"On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.

Watch key moments from the career of Robin Williams

Williams had three children from previous marriages.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1951, Williams joined the drama club in high school and was accepted into Juilliard School in New York, the prestigious American academy for the arts.

There, he was encouraged by a teacher to pursue comedy.

The actor was first known for his zany portrayal of an alien in the 1970s TV show Mork and Mindy, a character first seen in the sitcom Happy Days.

He was a regular stand-up comedian while continuing to act in such films as Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Mrs Doubtfire and as the voice of the genie in Aladdin.

While many of his roles were in comedies, Williams won the Oscar in 1998 for best supporting actor as a therapist in Good Will Hunting.

In a 2009 interview, the actor told Reuters his children often referenced his own struggles with alcohol when he told them off for bad behaviour.

"They went: 'And you had a three-year drunken relapse'. Ah, thank you for bringing that back, my little happy creatures," Williams joked.

In his final Instagram post two weeks ago, he published a photo of himself and his daughter as a toddler with the message: "Happy Birthday to Ms Zelda Rae Williams! Quarter of a century old today but always my baby girl. Happy Birthday @zeldawilliams Love you!"
Williams' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has become a makeshift memorial

Tributes have also been left outside the house in Boulder, Colorado used in Mork and Mindy's title sequence

Fellow comedian Steve Martin tweeted he "could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Martin and Williams appeared on stage together during an 1988 Broadway revival of Waiting for Godot.

Comedian and talk show host Ellen de Generes tweeted: "I can't believe the news about Robin Williams. He gave so much to so many people. I'm heartbroken."

Actor Danny DeVito, who worked with Williams in Death To Smoochy, said: "So sad to think about this. Hard to speak. Hard to say. Hard to take.

"All I can think about is what a joy he was to be with. I'm devastated. My heart is broken by this news."

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GAME OF THRONES ACTOR DEAD

Veteran actor dies after filming first Game of Thrones scenes

JJ Murphy had joined the cast of Game of Thrones as the oldest member of the Night's Watch

A veteran actor who had just filmed his first scenes for Game of Thrones has died.

JJ Murphy, 86, died suddenly on Friday at his home in Belfast.

Mr Murphy had joined the cast for series five of the HBO series recently, which is largely filmed in Northern Ireland.

He had been cast as Ser Denys Mallister of the Night's Watch. The character was due to appear throughout series five.

Mr Murphy had been expected to film more scenes this summer.

He also had a role alongside fellow Game of Thrones actor, Charles Dance, in the upcoming Hollywood film, Dracula Untold.

The movie was filmed in Northern Ireland in 2013 with a budget of £100m, and is due to be released in October.

Dracula Untold was not Mr Murphy's first experience of Bram Stoker's creation. He played Van Helsing in a 1980 production of The Death of Dracula at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.

He was well known in Northern Ireland for his stage work having trained at the Old Group Drama School in the 1940s, and as a member of the Lyric Players Theatre.

Belfast born Mr Murphy leaves behind wife Mary, and two children, Joseph and Jane, and granddaughter Sarah-Jane.

His funeral will be held in Belfast on Wednesday.

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WOMAN HANGS HERSELF IN FESTIVAL TOILET

Up to 38,000 people attended the four-day event at Matterley Bowl near Winchester

A woman who died at a music festival in Hampshire was found hanging in a campsite toilet, an inquest has heard.

Lisa Williamson, from Bromyard, Herefordshire, was found unconscious at the BoomTown Fair site near Winchester, on Saturday afternoon.

The 31-year-old, who was at the event with her husband, was treated by medical staff on site and taken to hospital but unfortunately, died later.

The inquest, which was adjourned, heard the cause of death was hanging.

Up to 38,000 people attended the four-day event at Matterley Bowl near Winchester.

Last year, Ellie Rowe, 18, also died after taking the drug ketamine during the festival.

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THREE YEAR OLD GIRL DIES IN BUS COLLISION

The road was closed for four hours after the accident

A three-year-old girl has died after being hit by a bus in Luton.

Mayah Shazad was struck by the bus on Dunstable Road in the town's Bury Park area at about 15:45 BST on Friday, Bedfordshire Police said.

The road was closed for more than four hours while officers investigated the scene. Police are appealing for people to come forward with any information.

Buses will not currently run along the Dunstable Road route and will use Dallow Road and Hatters Way instead.

"The girl's family are being supported by family liaison officers who are keeping them in touch with developments," said Bedfordshire Police.

"Our condolences are with them at this time."

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DEATH OF CLUELESS STAR BRITTANY MURPHY COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HER MOTHER CALLED AN AMBULANCE 24 HOURS EARLIER

Hollywood actress Brittany Murphy would still be alive today if her mother had called for an ambulance 24 hours before she collapsed, a leading pathologist claimed yesterday.

Tragically Murphy was so frightened of the paparazzi outside her home she had turned into a social recluse and was reluctant to receive medical help when she first started having trouble breathing.

Miss Murphy was also very sedated due to the drugs she was taking and so may not have appeared as ill as she was.

As a result Miss Murphy’s mother Sharon only called 911 after her daughter sank into her arms, lifeless, on the morning of December 20, 2009.




Tomorrow night a new documentary will examine the final hours of the 32-year-old actress, who soared to fame after appearing in the hit 1995 comedy Clueless before starring in films including 8 Mile and Sin City.

Officially, the coroner attributed her death to pneumonia and anaemia - the same ailments that would kill her husband, British filmmaker Simon Monjack, 40, five months later. Rumours also circulated at the time that Miss Murphy was a cocaine addict and had an eating disorder.


Now pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd, who was involved in examining the deaths of Princess Diana and murdered Crimewatch host Jill Dando, has claimed Miss Murphy’s life could have been saved if she had been seen by doctors 24 hours earlier.



Dr Shepherd said: ‘By the time Brittany collapsed in her bathroom there was probably nothing the paramedics or hospital staff could have done to save her. But had she been taken to hospital 24 hours earlier and given intravenous drugs, there is a very good chance she would have survived and would still be here today.’

The pathologist doesn’t say it was deliberate, nor does he directly blame the mother. But it is the mother who called the ambulance in the end. Dr Shepherd does not blame Sharon for her daughter’s death and in the documentary explains they may not have realised how ill she was as she was addicted to prescription drugs and was in a sedated state.




Brittany Murphy, right, rose to fame for her role alongside Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash in the movie Clueless



He said: ‘Brittany was so sedated it’s quite possible neither Simon nor Sharon had any idea how ill she actually was. That may be the reason why they didn’t call an ambulance.’

In the days and weeks leading up to Miss Murphy’s death she had been taking a ‘cocktail’ of prescription medication, Dr Shepherd said, including anti-depressants, sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs.

She was also taking cough medicine to help ease the symptoms of her chest infection.

According to the pathologist the combination of drugs in Miss Murphy’s system might have contributed to her death.

Dr Shepherd said: ‘Drugs can have a very beneficial effect but they also have side effects. And mixing them together means that these side effects can combine and become lethal.’

He added: ‘Cough medication is designed to stop you coughing so that you feel better. But actually it also stops you bringing up the mucus and the bacteria out of your lungs. So it tends to make pneumonias worse. Brittany was perhaps coughing but she wasn’t coughing enough or fiercely enough to clear the mucus in her lungs.’

Theories about Miss Murphy’s death have ranged from anorexia to cocaine and even suspicion she was poisoned – none of which Dr Shepherd’s analysis of her autopsy report found to be true. Traces of Methamphetamine, for example, came from an inhaler not illegal drug usage.

But he said there is evidence the poor condition of her home – described by her mother-in-law Linda Monjack as ‘a place of unhealthiness’ – exacerbated her condition.

At the time, Miss Murphy’s mother asked the pathologist to investigate whether fungi in the mould growing on her walls and poorly ventilated rooms could have contributed to her death.

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'AMERICAN IDOL' FINALIST-MICHAEL JOHN DEAD AT 35

'American Idol' finalist Michael Johns dead at 35: Autopsy results inconclusive as 911 tape reveals shocking discovery of lifeless musician
The former 'American Idol' finalist had suffered an ankle sprain before he was found lifeless on his friend's couch in Tustin, Calif. A 911 tape obtained by The News reveals an attempt to revive the seventh season finalist.



An autopsy conducted on former "American Idol" finalist Michael Johns was inconclusive, so further testing is needed, a southern California coroner spokesman told the Daily News Tuesday.

"We conducted the autopsy, and the pathologist was not comfortable issuing a cause of death until toxicology tests are done," Lt. Jeff Hallock with the Orange County Sheriff's Department and Coroner said.

"There's no criminal investigation," Lt. Hallock said, adding that the screening for drugs and alcohol could take eight to twelve weeks.

Johns, 35, was found dead on a friend's couch in Tustin, Calif., around noon on Friday, authorities said.

The friend quickly called 911 and said he found the contestant from the seventh season from "American Idol" unresponsive upon returning home after a two-hour absence.

He said Johns was cold to the touch and was showing early signs of rigor mortis because it was difficult to get him flat on the floor for chest compressions, the 911 recording obtained by The News revealed.

Celebrity website TMZ.com was first to report the death and said the musician had sprained his ankle prior to his death and went to the doctor with swelling up to his knee on Thursday.

An unidentified police source later told TMZ that heavy alcohol consumption might have been a factor.

It's not clear if Johns was given pain medication for his ankle.

"Idol" producers released a statement calling Johns "an incredible talent."

"We are deeply saddened by the news of his passing. He was a part of our 'American Idol' family and he will be truly missed," the statement continued. "Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."

Originally from Perth, Australia, Johns is survived by his Los Angeles-based wife Stacey Vuduris.
The top six male finalists of the seventh season of 'American Idol': David Hernandez (from left), Jason Castro, David Archuleta, David Cook, Michael Johns and Chikezie.

"There are no words, only the thought of how lucky we were to have had the chance to meet such a spirit and talent," Vuduris' friend Ceci Lara wrote in a Facebook post. "The memories I have of you both are full of smiles."

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ABA: MAD WOMAN STONES HER BABY TO DEATH AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO TWINS

A young mentally challenged woman caused
a stir in Aba, Abia State at the weekend when
she gave birth to a set of female twins on a
heap of refuse and stoned one to death be­
fore the police were invited.
It was gathered that an unknown person
impregnated the woman, in her mid 20s and
whose name could not be ascertained as at
press time, late last year.
Sources told Daily Sun that in the wee hours
of Saturday, she gave birth to two girls
without any assistance on top of a heap of
garbage close to an AGIP filling station at
Alaoji, along the Ikot Ekpene Road, near Aba.
It was gathered that after giving birth to the
babies, the insane woman fell asleep and
when one of the babies started crying, she
woke up used a stone she found within the
place to hit her and the child died before she
could be rescued.
Sensing that the life of the second baby could
also be in danger, residents of the area
alerted the police and the Divisional Police
Officer (DPO) for Ogbor Hill Division, Mrs.
Helen Nze, was said to have led a team of
policemen to the refuse dump.
The police rushed the baby that was still alive
to a private hospital, where she was cleaned
and given medication, and deposited the
dead one in a mortuary.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that police
might have concluded plans to hand over the
baby to the Welfare Department of Aba South
Local Government after the necessary
documentations because of the inherent
danger in allowing the baby to stay with her
mother.

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11 PARENTS OF ABDUCTED CHIBOK GIRLS DEAD

About a dozen parents of the more than 200
kidnapped schoolgirls will never see their
daughters again. Since the mass abduction of the
schoolgirls by Islamic extremists three months
ago, at least 11 of
their parents have died and their hometown, Chibok,
is under siege from the militants, residents report.
Seven fathers of kidnapped girls were among 51
bodies brought to Chibok hospital after an attack on
the nearby village of Kautakari this month, said a
health worker who insisted on anonymity for fear of
reprisals by the extremists.
At least four more parents have died of heart failure,
high blood pressure and other illnesses that the
community blames on trauma due to the mass
abduction 100 days ago, said community leader Pogu
Bitrus, who provided their names.

Troubled area

"One father of two of the girls kidnapped just went
into a kind of coma and kept repeating the names of
his daughters, until life left him," said Bitrus.
Chibok is cut off because of frequent attacks on the
roads that are studded with burned out vehicles.
Commercial flights no longer go into the troubled
area and the government has halted charter flights.
Through numerous phone calls to Chibok and the
surrounding area, The Associated Press has gathered
information about the situation in the town where the
students were kidnapped from their school.
Boko Haram is closing in on Chibok, attacking villages
ever closer to the town. Villagers who survive the
assaults are swarming into the town, swelling its
population and straining resources. A food crisis
looms, along with shortages of money and fuel, said
community leader Bitrus.

Counselling

On the bright side, some of the young women who
escaped are recovering, said a health worker, who
insisted on anonymity because he feared reprisals
from Boko Haram.
Girls who had first refused to discuss their
experience, now are talking about it and taking part
in therapeutic singing and drawing — a few drew
homes, some painted flowers and one young woman
drew a picture of a soldier with a gun last week.
Girls who said they would never go back to school
now are thinking about how to continue their
education, he said.
Counselling is being offered to families of those
abducted and to some of the 57 students who
managed to escape in the first few days, said the
health worker. He is among 36 newly trained in grief
and rape counselling, under a programme funded by
USAID.
All the escapees remain deeply concerned about
their schoolmates who did not get away.

Stigma

Boko Haram filmed a video in which they threatened
to sell the students into slavery and as child brides. It
also showed a couple of the girls describing their
"conversion" from Christianity to Islam.
At least two have died of snake bites, a mediator who
was liaising with Boko Haram told AP two months
ago. At that time he said at least 20 of the girls were
ill — not surprising given that they are probably
being held in an area infested with malarial
mosquitoes, poisonous snakes and spiders, and
relying on unclean water from rivers.
Most of the schoolgirls are still believed to be held in
the Sambisa Forest — a wildlife reserve that includes
almost impenetrably thick jungle as well as more
open savannah.

Famine

The forest borders on sand dunes marking the edge
of the Sahara Desert. Sightings of the girls and their
captors have been reported in neighbouring
Cameroon and Chad.
In Chibok, the town's population is under stress.
"There are families that are putting up four and five
other families," local leader Bitrus said, adding that
food stocks are depleted. Livestock has been looted
by Boko Haram so villagers are arriving empty
handed. Worst of all, no one is planting though it is
the rainy season, he said.
"There is a famine looming," he warned.
Chibok and nearby villages are targets because they
are enclaves of staunch Christians in predominantly
Muslim north Nigeria.
The number of soldiers guarding Chibok has
increased from 15 to about 200 since the kidnapping
but they have done little to increase security in
Chibok, said Bitrus. The soldiers often refuse to
deploy to villages under attack though there is
advance warning 90 percent of the time, he said.

State of emergency

Last month the extremists took control and raised
their black flags over two villages within 30km of
Chibok. Last week they ordered residents of another
village just 16km away to clear out, Bitrus said. Every
village in the neighboring Damboa area has been
attacked and sacked, and all the villages bordering
Cameroon have been burned and are deserted,
Bitrus said, quoting residents who fled.
The attacks continue despite the fact the military
placed the area under a state of emergency in May
2013.
Residents feel so abandoned that they appealed this
month for the United Nations to send troops to
protect them. The UN has repeatedly urged Nigeria's
government to live up to its international
responsibility to protect citizens.
President Goodluck Jonathan insists his government
and military are doing everything possible to ensure
the girls' release. The defence ministry says it knows
where they are but fears any military campaign could
lead to their deaths.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in a new video
released this week repeated his demands that
Jonathan release detained extremists in exchange for
the girls — an offer Jonathan has so far refused.
After three months, few Chibok residents believe all
the schoolgirls will ever return home.

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PROMINENT HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVIST BAMIDELE ATURU DIES AT 49

One of Nigeria’s foremost human rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu, is dead. Mr Aturu, known for his commitment to championing human rights and constitutionalism, died in a Lagos hospital on Wednesday evening after a brief illness. Associates of the deceased confirmed his death.

The late lawyer was one of the founding members of a political group committed to pursuing deep-rooted democratic principles and holding those in power accountable to the governed – Democratic Alternative.

He came to prominence as a fighter against power abuses when, as a member of the National Youth Service Corps, he refused to shake the hand of a military administrator of Niger State, Col. Lawan Gwadabe, in 1988 during his NYSC passing out parade declaring that the military had caused great harm to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians.

Mr Aturu studied law at the University of Ife, and devoted much of his legal practice to representing marginalised or oppressed individuals and groups.

He was nominated as a member of the ongoing national confab, but he renounced his membership, arguing that the conference was designed to achieve nothing.

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