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.
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.
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.
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
María Corina Machado: “Venezuela is closer than ever to regaining freedom”
Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado declared on Friday that Venezuela is facing “the most decisive moment in its contemporary history” and that the country is “closer than ever to regaining freedom and democracy.”
Her remarks were delivered via video message during the 81st General Assembly of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Machado emphasized that the situation in Venezuela remains “extremely serious” due to censorship and repression imposed by Nicolás Maduro’s regime, particularly in a global context where “society is built on information.”
She warned that authoritarian governments manipulate public opinion through “psychological warfare” and disinformation, while shutting down media outlets and persecuting journalists.
“The only way to topple these regimes is through the constant, relentless, and unrestricted preaching of the truth. It is absolutely true that the truth will set us free,” she stated.
International
Millions to join “No Kings” march in U.S. amid Trump’s growing authoritarian backlash
Millions of Americans are set to take to the streets this Saturday in more than 2,500 cities across the United States for the second edition of the “No Kings” march, a massive protest organized by progressive groups and activists against what they describe as the authoritarian direction of President Donald Trump’s second administration.
The demonstration, expected to be the largest since Trump’s return to power, comes amid a federal government shutdown, further heightening political tensions in Washington.
From the White House, press secretary Abigail Jackson dismissed the event with a brief “Who cares?”, while senior Republican leaders labeled the march as an act of “hate against America.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of blocking negotiations to reopen the government and claimed they were “unable to stand up to their raging base.” He also linked the protests to “supporters of Hamas and the Antifa terrorist group.”
President Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News, blamed Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer for the legislative deadlock.
“He’s got nothing else left to do. Everyone’s hitting him hard,” Trump said.
The organizers — a coalition of Democratic leaders and more than 200 civil society and labor groups — argue that the Republican refusal to reopen the government is a clear symptom of the authoritarianism they seek to denounce.
The main rally will take place in Washington, D.C., which has been under heightened National Guard surveillance for weeks, officially to control rising crime. However, organizers contend the deployment is aimed at intimidating and silencing dissent.
Protesters have been urged to wear yellow, a reference to the 2019 pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
“With this color, we align ourselves with a historical context and remind the world that power must come from the people, not from crowns,” organizers stated on their website.
In addition to the capital, large marches are scheduled in New York, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, and Honolulu, as well as abroad in London, Paris, Frankfurt, and several Spanish cities — Madrid (Puerta del Sol), Barcelona (Plaça Sant Jaume), Seville (Plaza Nueva), and Málaga (Plaza de la Marina).
During the first edition, held in June, the movement gathered around five million people, a figure organizers expect to surpass this weekend.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
María Corina Machado: “Venezuela is closer than ever to regaining freedom”
Millions to join “No Kings” march in U.S. amid Trump’s growing authoritarian backlash
Environmental groups denounce Nicaragua’s mining deals as ‘ecocide’ in protected areas
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International3 days agoMexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
-
International4 days agoSheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
-
International3 days agoNew road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
-
International4 days agoArmed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
-
International2 days agoPetro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
-
Central America2 days agoNicaragua grants 2,500-hectare mining concession to chinese firm in protected region
-
International4 days agoVenezuelan media faces fresh restrictions after reporting on opposition leader’s Nobel win
-
International2 days agoPeru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
-
Central America2 days agoPanama’s president accuses U.S. Embassy official of visa threats amid China tensions
-
Central America1 day agoEnvironmental groups denounce Nicaragua’s mining deals as ‘ecocide’ in protected areas
-
International7 hours agoMaría Corina Machado: “Venezuela is closer than ever to regaining freedom”
-
International4 days agoCaracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
-
International7 hours agoMillions to join “No Kings” march in U.S. amid Trump’s growing authoritarian backlash