DevonDeathTrip

The Kashmiri separatist leader, Ali Shah Geelani, who only has one kidney, has been diagnosed with cancer of the...kidney.

Thinley Lundup Lama, a yak herdsman from Nepal, who starred in 'Caravan', which was nominated for an Oscar in 1999, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Ian Porterfield, who scored the winning goal for Sunderland against Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup final, is battling colon cancer. When in charge of Chelsea in 1992, he became the first manager to be sacked in the Premiership era. He is now the manager of the Armenian national team.

Fidel could be going back to work soon.

The farmer baseball plater and commentator, Bobby Murcer, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. Sadly I don't know anything about baseball (except that the Cubans play it better) so I don't know if he is famous enough to get a UK obit, I can see the New York Times giving Gary Lineker an obit, but they would prohably disregard Tony Gubba.

The Jazz drummer, Bobby Rosengarden has died at the age of 82. He played for an eclectic group of entertainers, ranging from Igor Stravinsky to Jimi Hendrix, and Dick Hyman to Arlo Guthrie, The New York Times said "Besides traditional percussion instruments, Rosengarden was adept at the saw, washboard and spoons."

The Portugese international goalkeeper Manuel Bento, who played for Benfica for 18 years (most of them on the subs bench by the looks of his Wiki page) has died suddenly at the age of 58.

Bugger, he's getting fed again: "A new tube was introduced which necessitates the complete immobility of the prisoner, who is now strapped down to the bed."

Phil Drabble is a noted badger enthusiast. He hand raised a badger (which he gave the wonderful name of 'Bill') and wrote about the experience in the rather trippy book 'Badgers At My Window', not content with this magnum opus, he wrote an apocalyptic follow up 'No Badgers In My Wood', which detailed the sad decline and fall of 'Bill'. I remember it as a sad parable of our times.

No one in my team has died yet. But I'm confident that once the only lady in my team (Tammy Faye) has gone, the gents will follow and come the end of the year, I'll be in the running for a UEFA cup place.

Lord Forte, of Travelodge fame, has checked out at the age of 98

Billy Thorpe, one of Australia's most beloved rock stars, has died of a heart attack and died away. FAO Star Crossed. It was me who reported your previous post to the mods as deeply offensive. I've never had cause to do it before but, in my opinion, your description of a recently deceased 16 year old girl said more about you than it did about her. You can shout and scream and throw your rattle out of your pram if you wish, it will only reinforce the opinion I have of you; that of a slightly unhinged and rather unpleasant individual. Grow up.

Here's a man who looks like he might go the distance - Inaki de Juana Chaos, an Eta terrorist implicated in the deaths of 25 people, has removed the nasal tube through which he was forcibly fed, and is now “taking no nutrients whatever”, Spain’s prison service said. He already looked very ill in a Times article on Feb 5th, Spanish authorities now have the dilemma of binding him 24 hours a day so he doesn't rip his tube out again, or letting him starve himself to death. Interesting times.

It was a damn fool idea to think that John Bowman would ever get a UK obit. Whoever suggested him is clearly an idiot. Ah.

French 'Spiderman' or 'Idiot' Alain Robert has just climbed a 185m building without any safety equipment. He only needs to get unlucky once to become of interest to this site. At 44, he is probably past his climbing prime.

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, one of India's finest and most distinguished old soldiers, is reported to be in very bad health. The President is going to visit him in hospital, which is never a good sign. As a holder of the Military Cross, The Times or The Telegraph should give him an obit.

Clive Dunn should be able to continue to enjoy life's little luxuries for a while longer. His cousin and fellow Deathlist pick, Gretchen Franklin, left him one sixth of her estate.

Ephraim 'Jock' Dodds, the oldest surviving FA cup finalist, who played in the 1936 final for Sheffield United, has died at the age of 91. For many years he held the football league record for the fastest hat-trick in football (2mins 30 secs), he also scord a hat-trick for Scotland against England in a wartime international.

The actor Peter O'Toole is reported in this recent article to be gravely ill. An earlier report, from last September mentioned he was too ill to travel because of intestinal problems. One to keep an eye on.

Pit bull dies saving 2 women from cobra

One of the world's finest mandolin and guitar players, the misleadingly named Al Viola, has died at the age of 87. He recorded with over 500 artists and had a 25 year musical association with Frank Sinatra. He also played on the theme tunes for The Godfather, Blazing Saddles and West Side Story.

^ Is that a squid?

Looks like we all missed the Prime Minister of Chad, Pascal Yoadimnadji, who has just died in Paris.

The very talented but virtually unknown musician, Kirk Rundstrom, who was mentioned in the ideas thread last year, has died of cancer at the age of 38.

A lovely article about Prince Philip and how, in one part of the world, he is believed to be immortal, the son of an ancient spirit who inhabits a nearby mountain. "Despite worshipping the prince for half a century, the villagers [...] only learnt recently that his birthday falls on June 10. Ambitious plans are under way to celebrate the occasion this year. There will be dancing and a feast. Chief Jack Naiva has acquired a Union Jack, which will be raised and saluted. But the celebrations will only really be complete if Prince Philip turns up, say the tribespeople. "You must tell King Philip that I'm getting old and I want him to come and visit me before I die," said the white-haired chief, who thinks he is about 80. "If he can't come perhaps he could send us something: a Land Rover, bags of rice or a little money"