International
Queen Elizabeth II dies: Thursday’s timeline
AFP | by Helen ROWE
A rare palace announcement about Queen Elizabeth II’s health at 12:32 pm (1132 GMT) on Thursday prompted a dash to her country estate in Scotland by close members of the 96-year-old’s family.
A second statement at 6:30 pm announced her death.
Here is the day’s timeline:
Around noon (1100 GMT)
Senior minister Nadhim Zahawi slips into the House of Commons, shortly after new Prime Minister Liz Truss finishes her first major policy announcement outlining a freeze on energy prices.
Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour party, is on his feet responding to the announcement.
Zahawi sits next to Truss and hands her a note, sending ripples around the chamber. Starmer is handed his own note and both leaders leave.
12:32 pm
Buckingham Palace releases its statement.
“Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” it says.
“The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”
Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle interrupts debate on the energy plan to relay the development to members of parliament, sending the House’s prayers to the royal family.
Truss says: “The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunch-time.”
12:39 pm
The BBC interrupts scheduled programming with the announcement and launches rolling news coverage of developments.
Presenter Huw Edwards appears dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, in line with the BBC’s dress code for when a member of the royal family dies.
Just before 1:00 pm
The queen’s heir Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla have travelled to Balmoral, aides say.
Around 1:15 pm
The queen’s grandson Prince William, who is second in line to the throne after Charles, is also travelling to Scotland to be with his grandmother, the Duke of Cambridge’s office says.
Around 1.35 pm
Princess Anne is at Balmoral, and Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie are on the way to Scotland, the domestic Press Association (PA) news agency says of the queen’s three younger children.
1.55 pm
A spokesman for Prince Harry, Charles’s second son, and his wife Meghan says the US-based couple will be travelling to Scotland after breaking off engagements on a rare trip home.
But in the end, only Harry makes the trip.
Around 4:00 pm
Princes Andrew and Edward, Sophie and Prince William arrive by plane in Aberdeen for the road journey to Balmoral.
People begin to gather outside Buckingham Palace in London, despite rain.
5:05 pm
A car carrying a grim-faced Andrew, Edward, Sophie and with William at the wheel sweeps through the gates of Balmoral.
6.30 pm
Buckingham Palace announces: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.”
“The King (Charles) and The Queen Consort (Camilla) will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Foreign tributes begin to pour in including from US President Joe Biden’s White House, Europe and the Commonwealth, which was headed by the late queen.
Britain’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, who was only appointed on Tuesday in one of the queen’s last official acts, is expected to speak shortly.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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