Cross

Moroccan authorities intercepted dozens of migrants seeking to cross into the Spanish North African exclave of Ceuta on Saturday, reports say.

More than 100 people were blocked trying to make their way to the border on the outskirts of the town of Fnideq, according to Moroccan security sources cited by Spanish media and the Reuters news agency.

It comes a fortnight after roughly 78,000 migrants arrived in the exclave by sea in a matter of hours – 100 of whom died, according to the city’s mayor, who also said the vast majority of arrivals had returned to Morocco.

Security had been stepped up in the area after the influx and amid suggestions on social media of a second mass crossing attempt this weekend.

The security sources said 111 people had been detained in or around Fnideq – known in Spanish as Castillejos – about 3km (1.8 miles) from the border, the majority of whom were from sub-Saharan Africa.

Moroccan police – including some in riot gear – reportedly used tear gas to disperse groups of migrants gathered on nearby hills.

Earlier this week, Rabat said it was monitoring “the circulation of social media posts and messages of unknown origin” calling for a mass crossing Saturday, warning it would prosecute organisers and participants.

A small boat has crossed the English Channel carrying 230 people, the largest-ever recorded number to make the journey in a single vessel.

The boat arrived in the UK on Saturday, when a total of 258 migrants on four boats made the crossing.

The 230 people on one boat breaks the previous record from July when 165 people made the crossing on a single vessel.

A Home Office spokesperson said this latest incident demonstrated the “reckless and dangerous tactics employed by criminal gangs… who continue to put lives at risk by cramming ever greater numbers of people onto unseaworthy vessels”.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, external, on X, external, and on Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk, external or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

Charity warns that shrinking humanitarian support could threaten efforts to support communities trying to rebuild lives after 1,200 days of conflict.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has called for greater international support for Sudan, saying humanitarian needs are escalating while funding falls far short.

“Sudan is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, yet it is also one of its most overlooked” IFRC Special Envoy for Sudan, Derk Segaar, told reporters in Geneva after returning from the Sudan.

Sudan plunged into all-out war in April 2023 between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese military, leading to the deaths of at least 59,000 people, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a conflict monitoring group.

Aid groups say the figure is an undercount and the true number could be many times higher.

Segaar said while some aid is trickling into Kordofan and Darfur regions, the whole of Sudan has been devastated by the war, including Khartoum, where millions lack reliable electricity, clean water and healthcare, as cholera, malnutrition and floods pose additional risks.

He said 35 million people require humanitarian assistance, more than 9 million are internally displaced, and fighting has driven 4.5 million people out of Sudan.

Fighting

Speaking before a gathering of soldiers, Sudanese Army Lieutenant-General Yasser al-Atta on Monday said the military is advancing on all fronts with the aim of eliminating the RSF before the end of the year.

The location of the gathering was not specified.

“We are implementing the theory of advancing in all directions, with all fronts moving simultaneously, as happened during the recapture of Khartoum state,” al-Atta said.

“Before the end of this year, there will not be a single Janjaweed fighter,” he said, using a term to refer to the RSF, “or a foreign fighter, and we are determined to achieve that”.

Al-Atta’s remarks came days after the army and allied forces carried out a rapid operation in which they seized Bara, Jabra al-Sheikh, Um Sayala and other positions along a key road connecting Omdurman with el-Obeid in North Kordofan.

Sudan’s three Kordofan states – North, West and South – have witnessed continued fighting between the army and the RSF since October 2025.

Diplomacy

Meanwhile, the United Nations is ramping up efforts to get the stalled political process on track.

The UN says representatives from five international organisations, including the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the European Union and the League of Arab States held talks with Sudanese political parties on Monday.

“Building on exploratory consultations held in Addis Ababa in June, the Quintet engaged Sudanese civilian political leaders in recent days. Discussions continued on proposals and perspectives for advancing the political process, including through the establishment of confidence-building measures,” said UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, is also talking with RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to discuss reducing escalation.

Aug. 3 (UPI) — Myanmar’s detained and ousted democratically elected leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met with the International Committee of the Red Cross resident representative in Myanmar on Monday morning, the junta-controlled President’s Office said.

Myanmar’s Presidential Press and Information Bureau published four photos of Aung San Suu Kyi, two showing her with Arnaud de Baecque. In one, she is seen shaking his hand. In a second, they are sitting around a coffee table.

A third photo published by the President’s Office is of a birthday cake with the words “Happy Birthday Aunty Suu, 19.6.2026” written in icing on top of the cake. The fourth photo is of Aung San Suu Kyi cutting the pink-and-white cake with a spatula.

The one-sentence statement accompanying the photographs did not provide context for the meeting or say what Aung San Suu Kyi and de Baecque discussed.

Little information and visual evidence of Aung San Suu Kyi have been made public by the junta government since it detained her and seized control of Myanmar on Feb. 1, 2021. It also appears to be the first confirmed meeting with a foreign representative since her detention.

Aung San Suu Kyi is currently serving an 18-year sentence sentence on multiple charges, including corruption and election-related offenses.

In late April, she was moved from prison to house arrest.

This is a developing story.

Estimates of up to 2,000 migrants have entered Spain’s territory of Ceuta in recent days in attempts to reach Europe.

Authorities in Ceuta have raised the alarm after thousands of migrants breached the border to the North African Spanish enclave from neighbouring Morocco in recent days.

The government of Ceuta said on Thursday that between 1,500 and 2,000 people had entered in the last 10 days. Hundreds more were estimated to have arrived on Thursday, prompting regional President Jesus Vivas to declare an “absolute humanitarian and social emergency” and call on Madrid to send troops to reassert control of the border.

Spain’s Interior Ministry rejected calls to declare a national emergency, saying such a measure does not cover migration crises, but promised additional resources.

Footage showed some of the migrants shouting “Viva Espana!” as they entered the territory, many of them having travelled by water from the Moroccan side on inflatable devices.

Crowds were shown walking around the breakwaters onto local roads, reported The Associated Press news agency. State news agency EFE said others had crossed by the border by land, scaling fences.

Migrant rights activist Zakaria Zarroqui told the Reuters news agency that the surge in migrant numbers was similar to one that occurred in May 2021, when some 10,000 Moroccan and sub-Saharan youths entered ⁠the enclave within days.

“The situation remains out of control as we speak,” ⁠Zarroqui said, adding that people were still flocking to the Moroccan city of Fnideq in an attempt to cross the border.

Ceuta, together with Melilla — another autonomous ‌Spanish city in North Africa — represents the European Union’s only land border with Africa. Both cities often experience surges in attempted crossings by people seeking to migrate to Europe.

Earlier this month, Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla cannot ⁠be returned to Morocco.

“It has been a slow trickle since the Supreme Court’s ruling, but today has been an explosion,” ⁠a Guardia Civil spokesperson told Reuters.

Spain’s Interior Ministry said it was working closely ‌with Morocco to address the surge in irregular arrivals, blaming people-smuggling networks for exploiting the Supreme Court’s ruling and encouraging undocumented migration.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is expected to visit Ceuta on Friday to evaluate the situation.

There’s also a handy hack you should try – and it involves socks

The British Red Cross has highlighted something many of us already know: “it can be difficult to sleep in a heatwave”.

However, what fewer people realise is that the amount of sleep you get can influence how your body copes with the heat – and we’re not just talking about your mood.

It explains: “If it’s too hot or too cold, your internal body temperature may be affected, disrupting your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is important as getting good-quality sleep during a heatwave helps your body recover, stay cool, and maintain overall physical and mental health.

For people in vulnerable groups, getting sufficient rest is especially important. Good-quality rest can help support the immune system, improve energy levels, promote heart health, and help the body manage the additional strain caused by extreme heat.

How can I sleep during a heatwave?

Discussing how to sleep during a heatwave and periods of high temperatures, it is important to aim for the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night. With temperatures expected to rise across the UK this week, this is a timely reminder of the importance of prioritising rest during hot weather.

It explains: “According to the NHS, an adult usually needs between seven to nine hours sleep a night. However, this will change depending on age, health and personal circumstances. Teenagers, children and babies need more sleep than others.”

In fact, a lack of sleep, even for one night, can impact your health and may negatively affect your:

• immune system
• alertness and reaction times
• attention
• cognitive ability
• mood changes and irritability
• anxiety and depression
• quality of life and social activity

The NHS notes that there are signs and symptoms of sleep problems you should keep an eye out for.

You may:

• find it difficult to fall asleep
• lie awake for long periods at night
• wake up several times during the night
• wake up early and be unable to get back to sleep
• feel down or have a lower mood
• have difficulty concentrating
• be more irritable than usual

It adds: “Longer-term sleep problems can affect our relationships and social life, and leave us feeling tired all the time, eating more and not able to do daily tasks.”

If you regularly struggle to sleep and find it difficult to get at least seven hours of rest, consider speaking to your GP. This is particularly important if poor sleep is starting to affect your daily life and wellbeing.

Did you know that cooling your feet may help you feel cooler overall? The Red Cross suggests placing a pair of socks in the fridge during the day and putting them on before bed to create a refreshing cooling effect as you wind down for the night.

You can read more about how to stay cool and sleep during a heatwave here.

It was built by locals to be able to cross a huge river

There are thousands upon thousands of bridges across the world, yet one has the unwelcome title of being the most dangerous. Not all bridges are created equally when it comes to safety.

Often called the “most dangerous” in the world, the Hussaini Suspension Bridge in Pakistan is known for its high winds. Despite the title, the bridge remains a masterpiece of local engineering and has become a magnet for thrill seekers.

It was built in 1968 by local villagers of Hassaini and Zarabad using only raw materials. The 635-foot-long bridge is made of wooden planks and steel cables, held together by six main ropes that span its length.

The Hussaini Suspension Bridge was designed to provide a lifeline to transport goods and livestock across the Hunza River. Following a devastating landslide in 2010, the bridge was reconstructed.

Between the wooden planks of the bridge are larger spaces designed to resist the wobbly vibrations caused by the wind. Travel Magazine Conde Nast Traveller named the bridge as among the most dangerous in the world in 2013.

While it was built for local access, it has become popular with tourists. To visit and cross the bridge, tourists must wear life jackets.

Tragically, in July 2022, a student from Sindh reportedly died from drowning after falling from the bridge. It was sealed off while an investigation was under way, and later renovations were carried out.

Safety upgrades were implemented, including replacing the old, rotting and uneven wooden boards. The local community and authorities also worked together to tighten the steel cables.

Many tourists are still braving the crossing and have shared their experiences on TripAdvisor. One said: “What a thrilling bridge! People who have mental strength and not afraid of heights should give a try on this bridge! It’s a dare!”

Another added: “The journey to reach the bridge itself is an adventure, with winding roads and breath-taking landscapes that set the stage for the thrill to come.”

Someone else commented: “About 400 steps from one end to the other end of the bridge.

“The bridge is secure and safe. However, precautions should be taken when crossing the bridge as it is still a risk of falling accidentally. Give it a try!”

However, a fourth wrote: “Firstly, I refused to cross that bridge, but now I literally repent my decision. Looks dangerous , definitely not for people with fragile hearts like me , but its damn daring.”