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Queen’s coffin heads to Scottish palace, historic church

MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

AFP

The Palace of Holyroodhouse and St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, where Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will rest in the coming days, are both steeped in royal history — and anti-English sentiment.

Since the queen’s death aged 96 on Thursday, her body has remained at her Balmoral estate in northeast Scotland while her eldest son travelled to London to be formally proclaimed King Charles III.

On Sunday, the coffin will be taken by road to the 500-year-old Holyroodhouse palace, set against the dramatic backdrop of Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcano that dominates Edinburgh’s sweeping Holyrood Park.

The palace has been used by Scottish and English monarchs for centuries, since James IV began construction on the site of the Holyrood (“holy cross”) abbey.

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According to legend, the abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I after he saw a vision of a stag with a glowing cross between its antlers, which he took as a sign from God.

One of the palace’s most notable residents was Mary Queen of Scots. It was in her private apartments there that, in 1566, she witnessed the brutal murder of her secretary instigated by her jealous husband.

In 1633, Holyroodhouse was the site of the Scottish coronation of King Charles I, whose reign led to a civil war in which he was executed, and the palace was damaged and abandoned.

After a brief republic, his son returned as King Charles II in 1660 and renovated the palace.

Elizabeth was a regular visitor during her reign, holding an annual garden party attended by around 8,000 people, and in 2010 she received Pope Benedict XVI there during his UK visit.

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Protestant roots

On Monday, the new king will accompany his mother’s coffin in procession along the Royal Mile to the magnificent St Giles’ Cathedral, where he will also hold a vigil.

Founded around 1124 as a Catholic parish church, St Giles’ has witnessed key moments in British history.

It was at the heart of the Reformation, with Protestant theologian John Knox installed as minister there in 1559, the year before Scotland officially threw off the Catholic Church.

In 1637, a riot erupted after a local woman threw a stool at the preacher in St Giles’ in protest at Charles I’s attempts to impose English Anglican worship on Presbyterian Scotland.

And in 1707, when England and Scotland were joined by the Act of Union, legend has it that the bells of St Giles’ rang out the tune to “Why should I be so sad on my wedding day?”, reflecting the opposition among many Scots to the move.

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St Giles’ also houses the Thistle Chapel, home to Scotland’s highest chivalric order, the Order of the Thistle.

Elizabeth, as head of the order, was present when Charles was installed as a member in 1977.

It was also at St Giles’ that she was symbolically presented with the Honours of Scotland — a crown, sword and sceptre — at a service of thanksgiving for her coronation in 1953.

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International

Florida officials warn against raw milk after dozens sickened

Unprocessed milk from a farm in Florida has sickened at least 21 people, prompting state authorities to issue a public health alert, U.S. media reported Monday.

The 21 cases include six children under the age of 10, all diagnosed with infections caused by E. coli and Campylobacterbacteria linked to raw milk from the farm in the southeastern U.S. state. Local authorities have also warned about the dangers of drinking unpasteurized milk.

Seven people have been hospitalized, two of whom have suffered complications, according to multiple reports.

The Florida Department of Health has urged the public to avoid raw milk consumption and blamed the outbreak on the farm involved—without naming it directly—citing poor sanitary practices.

Florida law prohibits the sale of unprocessed milk for human consumption, although it can be sold if labeled for pets. Pasteurization, which involves heating milk to kill harmful bacteria, is required under U.S. federal regulations for any dairy products sold across states.

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Despite these regulations, sales of raw milk have been increasing in recent years, fueled by online promotion from wellness influencers and advocates of unprocessed foods.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that raw milk can contain potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria, or Salmonella, which can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion to severe complications like kidney failure.

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International

Massive wildfire in Southern France kills one, injures nine

Hundreds of firefighters battled on Wednesday to contain a massive wildfire in southern France that has left one person dead and nine others injured.

The blaze, which broke out Tuesday in the Aude department, is the largest recorded in France during the current summer season. Authorities have deployed 1,800 firefighters in an effort to bring it under control.

An elderly woman died in her home in the town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, while two others were injured—one in serious condition due to burns—according to the local prefecture. Seven firefighters suffered smoke inhalation injuries, and one person remains missing. The wildfire has already scorched an estimated 12,000 hectares of land.

“The fire is spreading very quickly due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is one of the driest areas of the department, and strong winds are fueling the flames,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. Rémi Recio, subprefect for the city of Narbonne, added, “The fire is still spreading and is far from being contained or under control.”

The A9 motorway, which runs along the Mediterranean coast between France and Spain, has been closed in both directions between Narbonne and Perpignan, along with numerous secondary roads.

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In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, the smell of smoke lingers over the charred hectares. A helicopter was seen drawing water from the river below the village and dropping it several kilometers away, AFP reporters observed.

A campsite and at least one village were partially evacuated, with 25 houses and around 35 vehicles damaged, according to a preliminary assessment.

French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced he will visit the affected area on Wednesday.

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International

Japan marks 80 years since Hiroshima bombing with call for nuclear disarmament

Japan observed a minute of silence on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a solemn reminder to the world of the horror it unleashed, amid heightened tensions between nuclear powers the United States and Russia.

At exactly 8:15 a.m. local time (23:15 GMT), the moment when the U.S. bomber Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, the city paused to remember.

The bombing claimed an estimated 140,000 lives, not only from the devastating blast and fireball but also from the deadly radiation that followed. Three days later, another bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed 74,000 more. Japan’s surrender on August 15 marked the end of World War II.

On a sweltering morning, hundreds of students, survivors, and officials dressed in black laid flowers at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, warned of “an accelerating trend toward military buildup worldwide,” citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that Japan has a mission “to take the lead toward a world without nuclear weapons.”

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Today, Hiroshima is a thriving metropolis of 1.2 million people, yet the skeletal remains of one building still stand at its center as a powerful reminder of the tragedy.

Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including delegates from Taiwan and Palestine for the first time.

Among the attendees was 96-year-old Yoshie Yokoyama, who arrived in a wheelchair accompanied by her grandson. She told reporters that her parents and grandparents were victims of the bombing.

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