Lisa Marie Presley has died at the age of 54, her mother Priscilla Presley has announced.
The singer, who was the daughter of rock legend Elvis, is reported to have suffered a cardiac arrest.
On Thursday 12 January, Priscilla had told fans that her daughter had been ‘rushed to the hospital’.
She was found unresponsive by her housekeeper at her home in California, according to TMZ.
Priscilla has now confirmed that Lisa Marie has passed away, describing her death as a ‘profound loss’.
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She said in a statement: “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us.
“She was the most passionate strong and loving woman I have ever known.
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“We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers. At this time there will be no further comment.”
Lisa Marie Presley with her father, Elvis. Credit: Instagram, @lisampresley
Lisa Marie Presley was a respected musician in her own right, with three studio albums released over the course of her career.
She was also well-known for her high-profile marriages to both Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage, and to musicians Danny Keough and Michael Lockwood.
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Lisa Marie had four children and leaves behind three daughters, including actress Riley Keough. Her only son, Benjamin Keogh, died in 2020 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At the time, Lisa Marie wrote: “My beautiful beautiful angel, I worshipped the ground you walked on, on this earth and now in Heaven. My heart and soul went with you…
“Please wait for me my love, and hold my hand while I stay to continue to protect and raise your little sisters and to be here for Riley.”
Just two days before her death, she attended the Golden Globes with her mother and Austin Butler, who played Elvis in the recent biopic by Baz Luhrmann.
In a previous update, Priscilla wrote: “My beloved daughter Lisa Marie was rushed to the hospital. She is now receiving the best care. Please keep her and our family in your prayers. We feel the prayers from around the world, and ask for privacy during this time.”
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Tributes have already begun to pour in for Lisa Marie as rock royalty and Hollywood stars alike around the globe honour her talent.
Billy Idol wrote: “Sad news 2 hear of #LisaMariePresley passing .. she was very loving 2 me, in Memphis in the 90’s she gave me a viewing of the private sections of Graceland which was very special. She was very lovely & we performed together at NYFW early 2000’s. RIP.”
Rock band Garbage shared: “Utterly devastated to learn of the hideously premature death of a surprisingly sweet, fierce, generous, talented and painfully vulnerable Lisa Marie Presley. I will treasure you always in my heart girl. Thank you for your kindness. May you now be granted peace.”
Bette Midler said: “Dear God, #LisaMariePresley has died; I’m in shock. So beautiful and only 54 years old; I can’t actually comprehend it.”
Actress Leah Remini said: “I’m heartbroken over the passing of Lisa Marie Presley. Lisa did not have an easy life, as some might think. May she be at peace, resting with her son and father now. Her mom Priscilla and her three daughters, Riley, Finley, and Harper, are in my prayers.”
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And Octavia Spencer posted: “So sad that we’ve lost another bright star in Lisa Marie Presley. My condolences to her loved ones and multitude of fans.”
Featured image: Facebook
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Greater Manchester’s ‘clean taxi’ plans backed by government funding
Danny Jones
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) ‘clean taxi’ initiative has been officially backed by the UK government, with an extra boost coming from a leading electric vehicle brand.
Millions of pounds are set to be pumped into the scheme over the coming years as the North West at large strives to become greener.
The Mayor himself, Andy Burnham, has made environmentally conscious travel a core part of his plans for the city region ever since he took up the post back in 2017; now he and his team are helping link up with connections in the capital to secure further investment.
With the new £8 million Hackney Support Fund being put into action as we speak, a further £2m is now set to go towards Manchester city centre and its surrounding boroughs via LEVC.
LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) have done away with classic petrol and diesel engines in their particular corner of the automotive industry, setting a more eco-friendly example for metropolitan cities up and down Great Britain.
As a result, Manchester City Council and the GMCA as a whole are looking to take a leaf out of their book as part of their wider carbon reduction targets, with local authorities having recently reaffirmed their five-year ‘climate change action plan’.
For context, the Hackney Support Fund in question is a series of government-backed grants aimed at helping taxi drivers replace older black cabs with more modern, zero-emission capable vehicles.
Not only that, but LEVC will also be offering licensed carriage drivers extended warranties on new and used TX cabs – like their new ‘eCity powetrain’ pictured above – as well as taxi scrappage allowance on other models.
Like any part of the country, our region itself has its own clean air goals, and with the continued expansion of the Bee Network continuing to advance that progress, we’re heading in the right direction.
It goes without saying that adding a fully-fledged fleet of cleaner, more energy-efficient EV taxis into that mix could help benefit these greener pursuits.
Managing Director at LEVC, Chris Allen, noted that the company has “helped the capital achieve legal air quality targets for the first time” and strongly believes that they can do the same up North.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our taxi trade is a vital part of Greater Manchester’s transport network and supports the local economy.
“That’s why we’re working hard to secure funding and practical support to help drivers upgrade to cleaner, greener vehicles – improving air quality for everyone, while protecting livelihoods. By backing our taxi trade, we’re building a fairer, healthier city-region for all.”
Paedophile cousins jailed for combined 58 years after sexually exploiting teen girls in Bury
Emily Sergeant
A duo of paedophile cousins have been handed lengthy jail sentences for non-recent child sexual exploitation.
Manzorr Hussain and Imtiaz Ali, from Bury and Radcliffe respectively, appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court this week, where they were subsequently jailed for the systematic grooming and sexual abuse of teenage girls in Bury during the late 1990s.
Hussain and Ali particularly targeted ‘vulnerable’ girls, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained as the two men were sentenced.
They groomed the victims by offering them alcohol, drugs, money, and lifts in their cars before subjecting them to repeated sexual abuse in homes, vehicles, and other locations in Bury and parts of Wales in the 1990s.
The abuse was orchestrated and sustained, with victims often being made to feel indebted to the men. In some cases, they were threatened or coerced into sexual acts.
At the time, both men ran market stalls, which is how they first met some of the girls.
#JAILED | Thanks to the bravery of the victims coming forward, two paedophiles have today been jailed for a combined 58 years for the systematic grooming and sexual abuse of vulnerable teenage girls in Bury during the late 1990s pic.twitter.com/lYsh2lXl7G
Following the trial, Hussain was jailed for 30 years after being found guilty of seven counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault, while Ali was jailed for 28 years after being found guilty of five counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, and one count of an attempted indecent assault.
Chief Inspector Ian Partington, who was the senior investigating officer in this case, described Hussain and Ali as being ‘sexual predators’.
Claire Brinton, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), added: “These sentences reflect the severity of the appalling crimes committed by Manzorr Hussain and Imtiaz Ali, who deliberately targeted, groomed and systematically abused five vulnerable children, treating them as objects for their own sexual gratification.
“The defendants showed no remorse for their actions, which have had a lasting and profound impact on the victims’ lives.
“These women have carried the trauma of this abuse for more than two decades. I would like to thank them again for coming forward, speaking so bravely about what happened to them, and seeing this case through to its conclusion.
“I hope these sentences provide some sense of justice and closure for the victims and demonstrate that no matter how much time has passed, those who commit such heinous crimes against children will be held accountable.”
Daisy Jackson -
13th January 2023 
