Funeral

Woman who knocked on coffin at her funeral dies after week in hospital

Bella Montoya, 76, was first declared dead by a doctor at a hospital in the city of Babahoyo last week.

But when mourners attending her wake heard her knocking on her coffin, she was immediately rushed back to the same hospital for treatment.

After seven days in intensive care, Ecuador's health ministry confirmed she died on Friday from an ischemic stroke.

The ministry's statement added that she had remained under "permanent surveillance" while at the hospital.

Lisa Marie to be buried next to son at Graceland

The singer, who died after reportedly suffering cardiac arrest in her home Thursday, was 54 years old.

She was the only child of the "King of Rock 'n' Roll", Elvis Presley.

"Lisa Marie's final resting place will be at Graceland, next to her beloved son, Ben," a representative for her daughter said.

Presley's son, Benjamin Keough, took his own life in August 2020 aged 27.

In one of her final posts on social media, Presley shared an essay she wrote for People Magazine about her struggle with grief after her son's death.

Brazil bids farewell to soccer star Pele in funeral procession

Reuters reports young and old embraced as the funeral procession wound its way through the costal city's streets for hours, with some fans in tears and others cheering and drumming for a national hero who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known athletes in modern history.

"It's an irreparable loss for Brazil," said Brazil's newly sworn-in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

"Pele, in addition to being the best soccer player in the world, was a humble, simple man."

'Simply the best' - Shane Warne farewelled in private funeral

Warne, one of the finest bowlers of all time whose talent and personality transcended cricket, died about two weeks ago at the age of 52 while on holiday on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui. Thai authorities said an autopsy showed his death was from natural causes and Warne's family later accepted the findings.

About 80 people attended the service including retired Australian Test captains Mark Taylor, Allan Border and Michael Clarke, while former England skipper Michael Vaughan was also present.

Preparations in Auckland to farewell Joeli Vidiri

The 49-year-old died last month in the United States, a day after Va'aiga Tuigamala.

Another rugby legend, Sir Michael Jones, is reflecting on the massive loss.

"It is hard to reconcile the fact that they are gone, in some ways we need to just need to pick up and run with their legacy and be the best we can and it is our responsibility to learn from that and pick up our own batons", he said.

The funeral for Joeli Vidiri will take place this Friday at Auckland's Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe.

Mourners pay respects to Kenyan running star

Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, appeared in court this week as a suspect in her killing.

Ms Tirop was being buried at her parents' home in Nandi County, Kenya, on what would have been her 26th birthday.

Speakers at the funeral called for an end to domestic violence.

Her mother, Dinah Tirop, also spoke.

"I don't have much to say for today, I have mourned, I have cried, all my tears are gone," she said. "I give my daughter her final send-off and I ask God to give her her place."

Unrest mars funeral of assassinated Haitian leader

The US and other delegations left early after shooting rang out as the event got under way.

Protesters blamed some of those at the service for the leader's death.

Authorities accuse foreign mercenaries of the killing but questions about the attack remain.

The president's widow Martine, who was injured in the attack and treated in hospital in the US, was at the funeral with three of her children.

"Cry for justice. We don't want revenge, we want justice," she said, according to Reuters news agency.

Florida building collapse: First funerals held for Surfside victims

The Guara family - Marcus, 52, Ana, 42, and their daughters, Lucia, 10, and Emma, four - are among 32 people now known to have died when Champlain Towers South collapsed on 24 June.

More than 110 people are still missing, with 70 confirmed to have been inside.

Rescue efforts are continuing, but no one has been found alive since the first morning.

The teams are still carefully sorting through the wreckage of the 12-storey building in Surfside, just north of Miami, even as experts warn the chance of finding survivors is now slim.

Royal Family honours duke's 'humour and humanity'

The Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Prince Philip's "kindness, humour and humanity" during the ceremony.

The congregation wore masks and was socially distanced in line with Covid rules, with the Queen seated alone.

The duke's children walked behind his coffin in a funeral procession, followed by a national minute's silence.

More than 730 members of the armed forces took part in the event, but there was a limit of 30 mourners inside St George's Chapel, under coronavirus rules.

Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April, aged 99.

PNG’s Wewak welcomes late Sir Michael Somare casket

East Sepik Governor Allan Bird led the delegation of provincial and national leaders, in receiving the casket of the late founding father.

Outside the airport carpark hundreds gathered to witness this momentous occasion. 

The people of Sepik cried as the ADF C27 aircraft landed and casket was carried out. 

A guard of honor was carried out by the PNG Defense Force.

Prime Minister James Marape, who travelled to Wewak aboard the Q400 aircraft, handed over casket of the late Grand Chief, to Governor Bird.