CEUTA, Spain (AP) — Against the murmur of prayers, body bags were lowered into graves marked only with numbers. Gravediggers placed the first four victims in cinderblock plots while a small group of locals watched at a cemetery on the tip of North Africa.

The dead, whose identities are unknown, were among the more than 90 migrants who lost their lives during Spain’s deadliest border crisis three weeks ago. Fueled by misinformation, poverty and a lack of opportunities, more than 72,000 people poured into Ceuta, a Spanish territory that neighbors Morocco.

At a Muslim cemetery in Ceuta, 18 migrants were laid to rest on Friday. An Islamic cleric read prayers and chants praising God while funeral workers worked quickly to lower the white body bags and cover them with soil. More migrants are expected to be buried soon.

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights, a left-leaning nongovernmental organization, called for the burials in Ceuta to be halted until every effort had been made to identify the bodies and repatriate them to Morocco, the country of origin for most of the migrants who made the perilous journey.

Many of those who died drowned or were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier near a border checkpoint.

In a statement, the NGO asked Morocco’s foreign ministry to ensure that “the bodies are returned to the families so they can be buried with dignity.”

It called the burials in Ceuta a “new human tragedy,” adding to the “disaster of displacement and missing persons.”

A spokesperson for Ceuta’s city government said last week the paperwork to repatriate the bodies of the deceased was complete, but that Morocco’s government hadn’t accepted it.

Morocco’s foreign ministry didn’t respond to questions from The Associated Press about the burials that started on Friday in Ceuta or suggestions that Morocco is blocking the repatriation of identified migrant bodies.

While most of those who crossed into Ceuta in late July returned to Morocco almost immediately, local authorities say that up to 10,000 migrants — including women and children — could still be in the small Spanish city, prolonging a humanitarian crisis as authorities and locals struggle to shelter and attend to them. Spain’s national government cites a lower figure of around 5,000 people.

Moroccan and Spanish authorities have blamed social media rumors and human smuggling networks for the deadly event, while migrants cited unemployment and low wages as reasons for why they made the journey.

And not just any trader – a household name, no less. It’s always a pleasure to be at my neighbour’s house when “the Ringtons man” calls. Ringtons tea and coffee business is 119 years old – a mere 22 years older than Betty, who lives over the road from me.

As vans whizz up and down our lane and drivers race to and fro leaving cardboard boxes on doorsteps, the Ringtons man – aka Lee – knocks on Betty’s door with a basket full of goodies from beverages to biscuits and cakes, from which she takes her pick – she’s very partial to ginger snaps.

Of course, Lee arrives by van, but once he’s in the street, the basket takes over.It’s a lovely, nostalgic scene to witness, like something from another era, and takes me back to my childhood when many goods were brought to our North Yorkshire village by local traders. There was Eric the butcher whose van drew up on the high street every Saturday afternoon. I used to love climbing the steps into the back of it and watching Eric cutting meat for my mum. Often, Eric would walk down our path with a pre-ordered joint of beef Mum had ordered for Sunday dinner.

Our village had a visiting grocery van that sold everything, from cereal to soap. I loved its little wooden shelves. I have a vague memory of a bread van too, and a weekly fishmonger’s van also pulled up in the high street, in a different spot to Eric. These traders were always on time, and drew many customers, who chatted while waiting their turn.

In those days everyone had their milk delivered. In common with everybody in the village, ours came from Bert Smith, the milkman who lived locally. We would hear the glass bottles clinking as he left them on our doorstep while we were getting up for school.

A local coalman, who travelled in the van with his pet Alsatian, brought fuel for the fire and coke for the boiler, heaving it onto his back before tipping it into the bunker.

My parents knew all these traders by name, as did everyone. When they called, they often spent half an hour chatting, passing on titbits from neighbouring communities. Sometimes, they would stop for a cup of tea.

There are more delivery vans on our roads than ever before

Today’s world brings different types of home delivery. Our streets now have more vans coming and going than ever before, dropping off goods of every type and size. But whereas in the past it was the trader who brought them to your street, now it’s specialist fleets of delivery personnel. Nowadays people order their entire supermarket shop online, waiting at home for it to be dropped off.

There is little time for social niceties. Most drivers work on strict, computer-planned routes with tight delivery time slots. They may have a quick chat, but are under pressure to deliver their quota within certain deadlines.

Buying online brings a blink-and-you-miss-it delivery, all very impersonal. We rarely get to meet the people behind the goods and few people know those making deliveries by name.

The decades did roll back a little during the pandemic, when local traders started home delivery rounds to help people out. It kindled memories of an almost forgotten way of life.

It’s not all disappeared. Our street does have a milkman who delivers to a handful of homes, bizarrely, around 11pm after we have gone to bed. I am ashamed to say that we don’t use him.

Todays way of life moves at a different pace. We have almost instant access to everything, and that’s what we want. But we have lost a special sense of community along the way.

East Cambridgeshire District Council approved plans to convert the church in Burwell despite concerns around parking

Plans to convert a village church into a nursery have been approved despite concerns from neighbours around parking. Clarence House Day Nurseries applied to turn Burwell United Reform Church into a nursery as church attendance has “declined”.

They said the new use would allow the “underutilised” High Street building to continue to host “community-oriented activity”.

Neighbours raised concerns that nearby Hall Street could be used for parking and asked for a condition to be put in place forbidding staff and parents from parking there.

They said: “There are several elderly residents living on Hall Lane who rely on unrestricted access to their driveways. Additionally, on-street parking could result in driveways being partially or fully obstructed, causing significant inconvenience and potential safety concerns.”

They were also concerned this could lead to reduced visibility and pose a safety risk for children catching the bus to school or walking with their parents to and from Burwell Primary School.

But East Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning officer said in their report that this wouldn’t be necessary as the highway authority didn’t raise any objections.

Neighbours also asked for the nursery to operate as a “strictly non-smoking and non-vaping site for staff, parents and visitors”.

They said: “We are particularly concerned that the side passageway may become an informal smoking or vaping area. Such use could result in a nuisance from smoke, odour and litter, negatively affecting neighbouring properties and residents.”

The planning officer’s report said they can only attach conditions which are “necessary, relevant, precise and reasonable” which they didn’t feel this met. They added that there are laws to control smoking in enclosed spaces and the lack of this condition wouldn’t stop the nursery from operating a smoke-free operation.

Permission was granted under the conditions that the nursery only open between 7.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and not on weekends or bank holidays.

​A large mural on a Grade-II listed building in Scarborough town centre will be extended as part of council efforts to boost civic pride and enhance the local environment.

​However, concerns about the scheme were raised by local residents who questioned the artistic quality of the design.

​The existing mural at 3, West Square, Scarborough, faces Westborough and will be extended towards the gable-end elevation.

Proposed West Square Mural Extension, Scarborough. Nyc

​Speaking at a council meeting last week, local resident Susan Millar objected to the plans as she said the design lacked “sufficient artistic quality, creativity and visual impact when compared with other large-scale public artworks elsewhere in the region”.

​She added that the mural made “poor use of the available wall space” and that it occupied “only part of the elevation and that sections of the artwork are obscured by existing street furniture”.

“The entire project should be reconsidered and opened to tender for alternative artistic proposals,” she told the planning committee meeting, adding: “Public art should benefit both residents and visitors, foster civic pride and contribute positively to the appearance of a prominent gateway location opposite the Railway Station.”

Members of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Planning Committee debated the artistic merits of the mural, with several members stating that it would be “a positive addition that enhanced the appearance of West Square”.

​However, council planners reminded councillors that the application, submitted by North Yorkshire Council, was for listed building consent and they had not been tasked with making a judgement on the design.

​An officer said: “The committee is not acting as an arbiter of artistic merit, and wider concerns regarding the process through which the mural was originally commissioned are beyond the remit of the committee.”

​The existing mural is eight metres wide and 11m high, while the extension will be 6.5 metres wide and around four metres high.

​North Yorkshire Council said the aim of the proposed works is to enhance the town centre public realm by fostering a “stronger sense of civic pride”.

​Councillors voted to approve the application with five votes in favour and one against.

​

By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 20:07 BST, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 20:18 BST, 21 August 2026

The brother of Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson has broken his silence to reveal the late actress’s final moments.

Brian administered Narcan to the star after he and his brother, Zach, found her unconscious in an AirBnB in Greenville, South Carolina, Zach told TMZ.

Zach said he was calling 911 while Brian gave Panettiere the medication, which is typically administered to reverse an opioid overdose.

The 38-year-old said he, Brian and the actress were planning to get lunch and go indoor golfing after he attended church.

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He called and texted Panettiere and his brother as he was leaving the Sunday service, but didn’t hear back form them, he recalled. 

Zach assumed the pair were sleeping so he drove back to the rental, but he didn’t have the door code to the unit so he couldn’t get in.

‘I knocked loudly which apparently woke Brian up from a nap they were both taking on the pull out couch bed in the living room. When we went in and tried to wake Hayden up for lunch, we realized she was unconscious,’ he said.

‘I immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan. We then jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived.’

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‘At that point we watched as they tried every measure possible to save her life,’ he added.

Brian Hickerson administered Narcan to Hayden Panettiere, pictured together, after he and his brother Zach found her unconscious in an AirBnB in Greenville, South Carolina

Zach Hickerson called 911 as Brian administered the drug

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Zach says he is ‘beyond heartbroken and devastated’ by Panettiere’s death.

He shared how over the past eight years the actress had become one of my ‘dearest and closest friends,’ adding they she was someone he loved and cared for deeply.

He urged for an end to the ‘assumptions, speculations and accusations’ that are swirling around the star’s death.

Zach claimed the ‘truth’ will come out once police have completed their investigation. 

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This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. 

The site is “manifesting” roles for Meghan in the musical adaptation of 13 Going On 30, which has yet to debut in the West End; The Devil Wears Prada, which currently stars Vanessa Williams; Agatha Christie’s Witness for The Prosecution; and 2:22 A Ghost Story, which counts Lily Allen, James Buckley, Laura Whitmore, Sophia Bush, Stephanie Beatriz, Nathaniel Curtis, and more famous names among its stars.

EastEnders fans think Sean Slater’s confirmed comeback to the BBC soap spells the return of Lacey Turner’s character Stacey Slater, and it could be linked to a New Year twist

Could Stacey Slater be confirmed for a New Year’s Day twist on EastEnders?

Fans certainly think so, as they’re predicting that her comeback looms. Lacey Turner is currently not filming with the show, taking extended leave, while she’s also due to star in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

So when Sean Slater’s return was confirmed, fans questioned if Stacey’s own return was imminent. After all, Stacey left to live with her brother Sean in Brazil.

So with Sean coming back for good, surely Stacey will head back too? Fans think it confirms one of two flashforward theories linked to New Year’s Day 2027.

Now that fans know there’s a chance Stacey will be back sooner than we thought, they think she will return at New Year. The other theory that fans have speculated for months and now “seems plausible” is that Stacey could be the pregnant woman in her ex Max Branning’s bed.

So does Sean’s return confirm Stacey is coming back, and are fans right that she will be in the New Year episode? Fans are convinced with one writing: “Stacey is surely not far behind! Return at new year’s??”

Another fan said: “I just had a thought: what if Stacey returns close to new year heavily pregnant by some Brazilian boyfriend, and she cheats with Max while pregnant.” A third fan said: “Stacey will probably soon follow back wherever the Slaters set up home next.

“Lacey’s doing Strictly, an easy commute with both filmed at Elstree to film for NY return?” New Year or not, other viewers were sure a return for Stacey had been sealed.

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A fan said: “The prospect of a surprise Stacey comeback when Sean returns has really lifted my spirits. The queen of the square is back and I could not be more seated.”

Another posted: “If this doesn’t raise the prospect of Stacey coming back before earlier than we thought, I don’t know what does.” A further comment said: “Surely this means Stacey isn’t too far behind then?”

The theory kept on being shared as one fan posted: “Stacey looms! Return imminent?” Another said: “Does that mean Stacey isn’t far behind bc she went to Brazil to live with him didn’t she.”

Meanwhile, fans have wondered why Stacey won’t return sooner for the funeral of her cousin Zoe Slater, who is reportedly being killed off. Cast members were on location this week filming someone’s send-off, and it’s thought to be Zoe’s as the Slaters were out in force, minus Stacey.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

At least 15 people have been killed in a Russian double-tap drone strike on a shopping centre in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, local officials have said.

Another 130 people – including 23 children – were injured in the city’s biggest mall. More people are also reported to be trapped in the rubble.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the “absolutely cynical and despicable” daytime attack in his home town was carried out in “two waves”, with the second strike targeting emergency workers at the scene.

Dramatic footage verified by the BBC shows the second drone hitting the already burning shopping centre in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russia’s military has not commented.

Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said on Friday evening that there were now 15 confirmed fatalities, including two people who died later in hospital.

He said that 130 people were injured, including 29 who were in a serious condition. There are fears the death toll would rise further.

Rescuers teams from four other Ukrainian regions are being urgently deployed to help search for survivors.

Earlier in the day, Kryvyi Rih Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul said the Russian drones were flying at “extremely low altitudes”, describing the attackers as “animals”.

“There are missing people who are not responding to calls,” the mayor added.

This comes a day after 17 people were killed and more than 40 injured in a major Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.

Blocks of flats and warehouses were struck overnight across the city, local officials said. A children’s hospital and school were also damaged.

Earlier on Friday, Ukraine’s military said it carried out strikes on an oil refinery and a military airfield deep inside Russia.

Ukraine has in recent months intensified attacks on Russian energy facilities, as well as on warehouses of the country’s largest online retailer Wildberries.

Kyiv describes them as legitimate targets because they help finance Russia’s war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and currently Moscow controls about a fifth of Ukrainian territory in the south-east.

The fire service attended the incident at the Waterworks in North Belfast

The fire service rescued a child who had got stuck in “dangerous” silt in a North Belfast park.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service were called to the Waterworks off Antrim Road at 8.39pm on Thursday, August 20, following reports that a child had got stuck in the mud.

An appliance from Whitla and one from Westland Fire Station attended the scene along with a specialist rescue team.

Over the past few weeks a section of the water at the waterworks has dried up. It is understood that a football was kicked onto this area and the child had got stuck when going to retreive it.

Signs have been put up on fencing warning people that the silt that has been revealed is soft and could be dangerous.

The child was quickly rescued by firefighters upon their arrival.

A NIFRS spokesperson said: “Firefighters were called to reports of a casualty stuck in mud on Cavehill Road, Fortwilliam, Belfast. Firefighters used specialist rescue equipment to rescue the casualty. The incident was dealt with by 9.06pm.”

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