International

Queen’s coffin heads to Scottish palace, historic church

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.