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Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Esther Rantzen's daughter's condition that left her unable to speak or move
Dame Esther Rantzen has spoken candidly about her daughter Emily's battle with a debilitating illness that 'slowly paralysed her', leaving her unable to read or speak Dame Esther Rantzen 's daughter Emily was just 14 when her life was turned upside down by a chronic and often debilitating illness. Struck down following a bout of glandular fever, Emily became bedbound, unable to read, write, or even speak as the condition took hold. She was diagnosed with ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, which is a complex, multi-system disease that severely impacts a person's quality of life - and in extreme cases, can be fatal. Reflecting on her daughter's diagnosis in 2011, Dame Esther recalled the heartbreak of watching Emily's decline. 'She never fully recovered,' she wrote for MailOnline. 'We watched helplessly as she struggled with chronic fatigue which, like a sticky web, slowly paralysed her. 'In the end she was imprisoned - bed-bound, lying in a darkened room, unable to read, write or even to speak.' She added: 'At that point she went to hospital, where they pushed her by baby-steps, one word at a time, one more minute of light each day, until she progressed into a wheelchair, and then on to her feet.' There is no known cause of ME, and it can affect anyone. According to the NHS, the four main symptoms of the condition include fatigue, sleep problems, problems with thinking, concentration and memory and symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activity. There is no specific test available to diagnose the condition. Instead, a diagnosis is given based on symptoms and ruling out other causes, which can take years. There is currently no cure, but treatments can help ease and manage symptoms. Discussing this, Esther added: 'She continued to improve - slowly, year by year. But it was through management and willpower, not treatment and cure. As with many families battling an illness for which there is no known treatment, we were offered countless 'miracle cures'.' The broadcaster's own health has been in the spotlight recently after she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Initially, Dame Esther found a lump under her armpit after feeling tired over the Christmas period in December 2022. Sadly, just weeks later, a biopsy confirmed she had stage four cancer. In a new interview, Dame Esther's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox shared a heartbreaking health update. When asked about a new medication which was initially believed to help improve Dame Esther's condition, Rebecca revealed that this was not the case. 'I really wish that was true,' she said, adding: 'I don't think that's the case anymore,' she told 5 News. Speaking in February last year, Esther said the thought of her own death is always present in her mind as she discussed her opinions on legalising assisted dying. She told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'My own death is constantly in my mind. It would give me so much confidence if I could also know that however the illness progresses, whatever pain it causes, wherever it strikes me next, I will still have the choices of a pain free, dignified private death surrounded by the people I love. 'I'm not demanding that everybody in the world agrees with me, I'm just saying let's debate all the issues now that we've got international evidence and we know the public attitude is in favour.'
NDTV
14-05-2025
- NDTV
US Woman Who Cut Foetus From Pregnant Woman's Body Faces Death Penalty
A Missouri woman who killed a pregnant lady and cut the foetus out of her body in 2022 is now facing the death penalty. Amber Waterman, 45, was convicted in federal court last year for the kidnapping and murder of 33-year-old Ashley Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant at the time, as per reports. She is serving two consecutive life sentences for the crime. On May 8, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that state prosecutors could continue with a capital murder trial against Waterman, rejecting her defence team's argument that a second trial would violate double jeopardy laws. According to investigators, Waterman created a fake Facebook account under the name "Lucy Barrows" on October 25, 2022, and used it to contact Bush, offering her maternity clothes and a job opportunity. She convinced Bush to meet her in a convenience store parking lot, where she kidnapped and later fatally shot her. Authorities say her motive was to steal Bush's unborn child and raise it as her own, as per 5News. After the murder, Waterman allegedly cut the foetus from Bush's body and called 911, pretending to be the mother. She told emergency responders that she had given birth in her truck on the way to the hospital and that the baby died during delivery. Federal complaints revealed that Waterman led her husband, Jamie Waterman, to Bush's body. He then allegedly burned the body in a fire pit behind their home, placed the remains in the bed of his pickup truck, and dumped them in a remote location. He later took the police to the site. The Watermans were arrested on November 3, 2022. "This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims," US Attorney Teresa Moore said in a statement last July. "Today's guilty plea holds this defendant accountable for her actions and ensures that justice will be served." Even though Waterman is already behind bars for life, Benton County prosecutors announced they still planned to pursue the death penalty, largely because Bush's family requested it. "The worst crimes need to carry the worst punishment, whatever that happens to be," said Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Joshua Robinson. Waterman's lawyers appealed in October 2024, arguing that charging her again violated double jeopardy laws. But the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled on May 8 that the federal and state cases were based on different crimes - federal kidnapping vs state premeditated murder. The court upheld the decision, allowing the state to proceed with capital murder charges.
Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Dead Man Walking: Dan Walker on Death Row review — flaws laid bare
Dan Walker on death row? Blimey. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of his work on BBC Breakfast, 5 News and Football Focus, that seems a bit harsh. Walker was in America to examine the deadly serious matter of capital punishment. 'Without wanting to sound too morbid, do you think about your death?' he asked Charles Thompson through a prison telephone. Well, let's see now. The man has been on death row for 26 years, awaiting execution by lethal injection. I think we can safely assume the answer is yes. But though Walker failed to ask Thompson, a double murderer, any killer questions in Dead Man Walking: Dan Walker on Death Row (5), the film was an intelligent, if occasionally repetitive, examination
Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
New poll shows 4 in 5 Brits think crime has worsened over past decade
Survey for TV channel also finds that more than half the population supports the return of the death penalty A poll commissioned for Channel 5 's Lawless Britain season has found that the majority of Brits feel crime is out of control, with the police nowhere to be seen. The survey, conducted as part of the station's week of special programming on crime, found that: 80% of Brits believe crime has increased over the past decade 1 in 5 feel unsafe in their own community only 14% of people have confidence in the police 82% of people support police carrying tasers 71% of people surveyed want mandatory sentencing for knife crime 54% of people across all age groups want the death penalty to return While the majority of the public (82%) support the police carrying tasers as well as batons, it was found that more than half of those polled were opposed to them carrying guns. The poll also sought views on sentencing and the justice system. When asked if individuals caught with knives should be sent to prison, 71% of those surveyed believed they should. READ MORE: Sir David Attenborough to front new landmark BBC series weeks after 99th birthday ITN News boss Ian Rumsey said: 'The results of this poll will no doubt resonate with our audience as we take a closer look at the findings on 5 News and Jeremy Vine across next week, with thought-provoking discussion and reporting, that tackles the issue of crime in modern Britain.' C5 chief content officer Ben Frow said: 'This season isn't just about television, it's about confronting the questions the public are already asking. People are worried. They feel let down. With Lawless Britain, we're holding up a mirror to those concerns, and giving a platform to the stories and experiences that too often go unheard. At 5, we're proud to reflect real Britain and spark meaningful national conversations.' The week-long Lawless Britain season comprises special reports on 5 News and a host of debates on Jeremy Vine, Storm Huntley with Matt Allwright and Vanessa. The programming will see crime and punishment at the forefront of the channel's output and also include documentaries plus a one-off drama. Sentencing and the justice system is explored by Anne Robinson in You Be the Judge: Crime & Punishment tonight (TUES) while Dan Walker explores the death penalty in his documentary Dan Walker on Death Row tomorrow (WEDS). The poll of 2009 British adults, conducted last month for Channel 5 and 5 News, was conducted by More in Common for Lawless Britain week which asks whether Britain really is in danger of losing the war on crime.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
British couple imprisoned by Taliban faced 29 ‘interrogations', daughter says
An elderly British couple imprisoned in Afghanistan have faced 29 'interrogations' and several court appearances – while no charges have been brought against them, their daughter has said. Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were arrested as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, in central Afghanistan, in February. The couple were detained alongside Faye Hall, an American friend who had rented a plane to travel with them, and a translator from the couple's Rebuild training business. Their daughter, Susie Romer, told Channel 5's 5 News on Thursday that the pair had 'absolutely no idea' why they are being imprisoned and called on the UK government to do more to secure their release. The daughter of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, a British couple currently being held by the Taliban, has told 5 News in an exclusive interview that she urges the UK government to do more to secure their release. Susie Romer says her parents have lived in Afghanistan for over 18… — Channel 5 News (@5_News) April 10, 2025 She said: 'They've been through so many investigations – I believe it's 29 interrogations that they've had to endure. 'They've been in court three or four times now, I believe, and various accusations that have been brought against them, they've been thoroughly investigated and shown up as empty accusations. 'So they've been told that there is not actually a charge against them.' Ms Romer went on to say that while the British government has been assisting the family, she is not convinced that the message that her parents should be 'immediately released' has been conveyed by the Government to the Taliban. She said the family had met Foreign Officer minister Hamish Falconer, who had told them the case was a 'priority' for him. Ms Romer continued: 'We do want the Government to make it clear to the Taliban that my parents should be immediately released and we've told them this. 'It's been 10 weeks now, and we've not been reassured that this message has been conveyed, but this is really urgent. 'Each day that they remain in prison, they're at risk, so we'll keep on asking the Government to send that message.' Ms Romer added that the conditions her parents were being held in were 'absolutely horrific', that they were receiving one meal per day and there were mice and cockroaches 'running around'. She said that hearing her parents 'weep' on the phone was 'excruciating' for her. In an interview with BBC News last week, their son, Jonathan Reynolds, said he had been 'interacting' with the US government after a video plea to President Donald Trump for help to get his parents released. The couple, who originally met at the University of Bath, married in Kabul in 1970 and have run school training programmes for 18 years. They remained in the country after the Taliban takeover in 2021. After taking power, the Taliban introduced a ban on women working and education for girls older than 12. In a statement to The Associated Press this week, the Taliban said the case 'will soon be resolved' and 'should not be a cause for concern'. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for comment.
