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King Charles flies to Edinburgh to keep vigil
Queen Elizabeth’s coffin moves from palace to cathedral
Children walk in procession behind hearse
EDINBURGH, Sept 12 (Reuters) – The coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth was taken along the Royal Mile in the Scottish capital Edinburgh on Monday in a solemn procession watched by thousands of people lining the street to pay their respects to Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
The skirl of bagpipes was the only sound as kilted soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland bore the coffin from the Palace of Holyrood House and placed it in the hearse.
King Charles and his siblings – Anne, Andrew and Edward – then walked behind the hearse up the historic street. The coffin will lie in St Giles’ Cathedral for an overnight vigil before being flown to London on Tuesday.
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A gun salute crashed out from a battery on Edinburgh Castle as the hearse began its journey. Then there was just silence.
Britain’s King Charles, Princesss Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward follow the hearse carrying the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain September 12, 2022. REUTERS/Carl Recine
Elizabeth died on Thursday morning in her holiday home at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, at the age of 96 after a 70-year reign, plunging the nation into mourning.
Charles became king on her death and was formally proclaimed as monarch on Saturday.
Tina Richardson, 63, a retiree from Dunbar, was among those standing on the centuries-old Royal Mile beside the Cathedral. She said her middle name was Elizabeth after the late queen.
“She’s like a member of my own family. There’ll never be anyone like her,” she told Reuters. “She was such a beautiful lady who gave us all so much. She dedicated her whole life to the country. In good times and bad she was there, especially during COVID. She united everybody.”
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Reporting by Michael Holden in London and Andrew MacAskill in Edinburgh; Additional reporting by Kate Holton, Muvija M, Will Russell and William James; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Janet Lawrence and Alex Richardson
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Queen’s coffin taken from Balmoral Castle where she died
Coffin arrives at royal palace in Edinburgh
Crowds, some tearful, line the route
Funeral will be held on Sept. 19
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept 11 (Reuters) – Queen Elizabeth’s coffin arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday after a six-hour journey from her summer home in the Scottish Highlands, past tens of thousands of mourners lining the route, many in sombre silence, some applauding and others in tears.
Shortly after 10 a.m. (0900 GMT), a hearse carrying Elizabeth’s oak coffin emerged from the gates of Balmoral Castle, where she died on Thursday aged 96, at the start of a slow drive to the Scottish capital.
The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath on top made of flowers taken from the Balmoral estate including sweet peas, one of Elizabeth’s favourites.
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Crowds, fifteen deep in places, massed in the centre of Edinburgh to greet the cortege, which included the queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, as it made it way to the Palace of Holyroodhouse where it was met by a military guard of honour.
Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland then carried the coffin to the throne room of the palace where it will remain overnight.
“There was no way I could miss this. I would regret it for the rest of my life,” said Eilidh Mackintosh, 62, who left her home at 6 a.m. to be sure of a good view on Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile where large crowds were gathering.
“She never let us down and I didn’t want to let her down either. Now she has gone there is a big hole in the heart of the nation.”
The journey from Balmoral was the first of a series of events leading up to the state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19.
In an emotional tribute to his mother on Friday, the new monarch, King Charles, said she had begun a “last great journey” to join Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years who died last year.
Her death has drawn tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen’s own close family and many in Britain, but also from around the globe – reflecting her presence on the world stage for seven decades.
Wherever the cortege went as it wound its way through picturesque countryside, villages, small towns and cities, people lined the road or stopped their cars to get out and watch. At one point, it passed a guard of honour formed by dozens of tractors lined up in adjacent fields by farmers.
Many watched silently in bright sunshine. Some threw flowers into the road. For others, the emotion of the moment moved them to tears.
“It’s just very, very sad. I’m happy I was here to say our goodbyes,” said Elizabeth Alexander, 69, who was born on the day the queen was crowned in 1953. read more
Many thousands are continuing to gather at other royal palaces across Britain, and large piles of flowers are massing as people visit to pay their respects.
Charles became king immediately after his mother’s death and was officially proclaimed the new monarch at a ceremony on Saturday, full of pageantry and centuries-old traditions. read more
Britain’s King Charles arrives outside the Buckingham Palace, following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain September 11, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Similar proclamations are following across the United Kingdom and the other 14 realms of which Charles is now head of state, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. read more
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said parliament would be recalled on Thursday to allow members to pay tribute. read more
The queen came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25. Her coronation took place a year later.
While Elizabeth’s death was not totally unexpected given her age and deteriorating health, there was still a sense of shock at the news.
“We all thought she was invincible,” her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne, told a well-wisher on Saturday as he met crowds at Windsor castle. read more
FUNERAL
The day of Elizabeth’s funeral will be a public holiday in Britain, officials have announced. U.S. President Joe Biden said he would be there, although full details of the event and the attendees have not yet been released.
Before that, her coffin will be flown to London and there will be a sombre procession when it is later moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where it will lie in state for four days.
“It goes without saying that we can expect large numbers of people,” a spokesperson for Prime Minister Liz Truss told reporters.
Truss, whose appointment as prime minister on Tuesday was the queen’s last public act, will join King Charles as both the new head of state and prime minister tour the four nations of the United Kingdom in the next few days. read more
Charles, 73, is now the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066.
Elizabeth’s death has capped a difficult couple of years for the royal family.
The most high-profile issue has involved her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who stepped down from royal life in 2020 to move to California from where they both have heavily criticised the institution.
That has left them alienated from the rest of the family, with Harry and his older brother William said to be barely on speaking terms. But the death of their grandmother has seen differences put aside, as they appeared together with their wives outside Windsor Castle to meet the crowds on Saturday. read more
A royal source described it as an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.
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Reporting by Michael Holden, William James and William Schomberg in London, Russell Cheyne in Balmoral, Lewis MacDonald and Marco Trujillo in Ballater, and Andrew MacAskill in Edinburgh; Editing by Kate Holton, Mark Potter, Frances Kerry and Andrew Heavens
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LONDON, Sept 10 (Reuters) – The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, royal officials said on Saturday, as her son Charles was officially proclaimed Britain’s new king in a colourful ceremony laden with pageantry and dating back centuries.
The death of the 96-year-monarch has provoked tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen’s own close family and many Britons, but also from around the world – reflecting her presence on the world stage for 70 years.
“We all thought she was invincible,” said her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne. read more
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“It’s been surreal,” he said during a walkabout outside Windsor Castle where he and his wife Kate appeared closely in public for the first time in two years with his younger brother Harry and his wife Meghan – a sign Elizabeth’s death might help heal a rift between Charles’ sons.
Elizabeth’s oak coffin, covered with the royal standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, has been lying in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle, her summer home in Scotland where she died peacefully on Thursday.
On Sunday, it will be driven by hearse through remote highland villages to Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, during a six-hour journey that will allow people to pay their respects. read more
The coffin will then be flown to London on Tuesday where it will remain at Buckingham Palace before being taken to Westminster Hall to lie in state until the funeral at Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m (1000 GMT) on Sept. 19.
The death of Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has prompted an outpouring of emotion around the globe. Buildings and landmarks in Europe, America and Africa have been lit up in the red, white and blue of the United Kingdom’s flag.
Charles, 73, immediately succeeded his mother but an Accession Council met at St James’s – the most senior royal palace in the United Kingdom built for Henry VIII in the 1530s – to proclaim him as king on Saturday.
The council – formed of Privy Counsellors whose centuries-old role has been to advise the monarch – included his son and heir William, wife Camilla and Britain’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, who signed the proclamation of his accession.
Six former prime ministers, senior bishops and a swathe of politicians cried out “God Save The King” as the announcement was approved.
“I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty which have now passed to me,” Charles said. “I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set.”
Later, on the Proclamation Gallery, a balcony above Friary Court of St James’s Palace, the Garter King of Arms, David White, accompanied by others in gold and red heraldic outfits read out the Principal Proclamation, as trumpets sounded.
Soldiers in traditional scarlet uniforms shouted “hip, hip, hurrah” as White called for three cheers for the king.
Watching on were a few hundred people allowed into the court, including small children on parents’ shoulders, a woman clutching flowers and elderly people on mobility scooters.
ROYAL POMP
Britain’s King Charles arrives at Buckingham Palace after the Accession Council ceremony during which he was proclaimed Britain’s new monarch, following the passing of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, September 10, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Charles is the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066. Saturday’s events reflected proclamations announcing new kings and queens that date back hundreds of years.
He became king and head of state not only of the United Kingdom but of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
It was the first proclamation of a monarch to be televised. And for most Britons, it was the first such event in their lifetime as Elizabeth was the only monarch they have ever known. Charles himself was just 3 when she became queen in 1952.
Britain has declared a period of mourning until the state funeral for Elizabeth, which will be a public holiday. Leaders from around the world are expected to attend, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who said he would be there.
Charles’ coronation will take place at a later date – and the timing for that is not yet clear. There was a 16-month gap between Elizabeth becoming queen and her coronation in 1953.
He has already made his eldest son William, 40, the new Prince of Wales, the title traditionally held by the heir to the throne, and William’s wife Kate becomes Princess of Wales, a role last held by the late Princess Diana.
The couple had a highly public falling out with Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, after they decided to exit royal duties and move to California in 2020.
Harry and Meghan coincidentally happened to be in Britain this past week to attend some charity events and had not even been expected to see William – until the death of their grandmother.
However, the foursome stood together and chatted briefly, although they looked rather awkward and did not spend much time together during the 40-minute walkabout in Windsor, which followed an invitation from William to his brother.
It was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family, a royal source said.
‘VERY EMOTIONAL’
Meanwhile at Balmoral, the queen’s three younger children – Anne, Andrew and Edward – and their own families also made a public appearance, visiting a nearby church before they inspected the messages among the flowers and thanked the crowd for their support.
Princess Eugenie, one of Prince Andrew’s daughters, was seen wiping away tears and hugging her father.
“It was a very emotional moment, it was very heartfelt,” said Ian Smith, a local businessman who was at the front of the barriers. “It was really special that they came to acknowledge us and we could show them our support.”
Elizabeth, who was the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25.
Over the decades she witnessed a seismic change in the social, political and economic structure of her nation. She won praise for modernising the monarchy during her long reign, despite intense media scrutiny and the often highly public travails of her family.
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Reporting by Kate Holton and Michael Holden
Additional reporting by Muvija M, Peter Nicholls, and Alistair Smout in London and Andrew MacAskill in Balmoral, Scotland;
Editing by Andrew Heavens, Christina Fincher and Frances Kerry
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
BALMORAL, Scotland, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, died at her home in Scotland aged 96 on Thursday.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Elizabeth’s eldest son Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. His wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.
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News that the queen’s health was deteriorating emerged shortly after midday on Thursday when her doctors said she was under medical supervision, prompting her family to rush to be by her side at her Scottish home, Balmoral.
The queen had been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements.
Her last public engagement came only on Tuesday, when she appointed Liz Truss prime minister – her 15th premier.
At her palaces and at government buildings across London, flags were lowered to half-mast.
Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25.
CROWNED
She was crowned in June the following year. The first televised coronation was a foretaste of a new world in which the lives of the royals were to become increasingly scrutinised by the media.
“I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust,” she said in a speech to her subjects on her coronation day.
Elizabeth became monarch at a time when Britain still retained much of its old empire. It was emerging from the ravages of World War Two, with food rationing still in force and class and privilege still dominant in society.
Winston Churchill was Britain’s prime minister at the time, Josef Stalin led the Soviet Union and the Korean War was raging.
In the decades that followed, Elizabeth witnessed massive political change and social upheaval at home and abroad. Her own family’s tribulations, most notably the divorce of Charles and his late first wife Diana, were played out in full public glare.
While remaining an enduring symbol of stability and continuity for Britons at a time of relative national economic decline, Elizabeth also tried to adapt the ancient institution of monarchy to the demands of the modern era.
“She has managed to modernise and evolve the monarchy like no other,” her grandson Prince William, who is now heir to the throne, said in a 2012 documentary.
RECORDS
Elizabeth was the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to Norman King William the Conqueror who claimed the English throne in 1066 after defeating Anglo-Saxon ruler Harold II at the Battle of Hastings.
Her long reign meant she repeatedly broke records for British rulers. When she surpassed the more than 63 years her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne, she said it was not a landmark to which she had ever aspired.
“Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones – my own is no exception,” she said.
Her marriage to Prince Philip lasted 73 years, until his death in April 2021, and they had four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
She never gave a media interview and critics said she came across as distant and aloof.
But for the vast majority of her subjects, for whom she was the only monarch they have known, she was a figure who commanded respect and admiration. Her death marks the end of an era.
“In her public duties she was selfless and wise, with a wonderful generosity of spirit. That is how she lived – and how she led,” former Prime Minister John Major said.
“For millions of people – across the Commonwealth and the wider world – she embodied the heart and soul of our nation, and was admired and respected around the globe.”
Opinion polls have suggested that Charles does not enjoy anywhere near the same level of support and there is speculation that the loss of Elizabeth may see a rise in republican sentiment, particularly in the other realms.
“I think it will be an enormous shock to everybody, much more than they realise. I don’t know if it’s an exaggeration to think there will be some sort of almost national nervous breakdown,” royal historian Hugo Vickers said.
He said her reign was unlikely to be rivalled.
“I think to be quite honest, if we lived 1,000 years, we would never see anything quite like it again.”
At her death the queen was head of state of not only the United Kingdom but also of Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda.
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Additional reporting by Muvija M, Kate Holton, William James, Alistair Smout, Paul Sandle, Kylie MacLellan, Sachin Ravikumar, Farouq Suleiman, Elizabeth Piper, William Schomberg, David Milliken, Hannah McKay and Sarah McFarlane; Reporting by Michael Holden in London and Russell Cheyne in Balmoral; Editing by Kate Holton, Janet Lawrence and Angus MacSwan
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Doctors say queen, 96, under medical supervision
Heir to the throne Prince Charles is with queen
Family members head to Balmoral Castle
BALMORAL, Scotland, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Britain’s royal family rushed to be with Queen Elizabeth after doctors said they were concerned about the health of the 96-year-old monarch on Thursday and said she should remain under medical supervision.
The queen, Britain’s longest-reigning sovereign and the world’s oldest monarch, has been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year.
“Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the palace said in a statement.
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“The queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”
Her eldest son and heir Prince Charles and his wife Camilla travelled to her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle, where she is staying, along with his eldest son Prince William, officials said. Her other children – Anne, Andrew and Edward – were also at the castle.
A spokesperson said Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, in Britain for a number of events, would also travel to Scotland.
Such a family gathering, outside of holiday events such as Christmas or Easter or major public events, is extremely rare.
The BBC interrupted its normal schedule to switch to constant coverage of the queen.
“My prayers, and the prayers of people across the @churchofengland and the nation, are with Her Majesty The Queen today,” Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said on Twitter. read more
Last October, Elizabeth spent a night in hospital and she has been forced to cut back on public engagements since then. On Wednesday she cancelled a virtual meeting with senior ministers after being advised to rest by her doctors.
The previous day she had been pictured appointing Liz Truss as the country’s new prime minister at Balmoral, the 15th premier of her record-breaking reign.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth waits in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Britain September 6, 2022. Jane Barlow/Pool via REUTERS
A palace source played down speculation that the monarch had suffered a fall.
RECORD-BREAKING REIGN
Elizabeth has been queen of Britain and more than a dozen other countries since 1952, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and earlier this year marked her 70th year on the throne with four days of national celebrations in June.
“I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come,” she said at the time.
Elizabeth came to the throne after the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25.
She was crowned in June the following year. The first televised coronation was a foretaste of a new world in which the lives of the royals were to become increasingly scrutinised by the media.
She became monarch at a time when Britain retained much of its empire. It was emerging from the ravages of World War Two, with food rationing still in force and class and privilege still dominant in society.
Winston Churchill was the first prime minister who served during her reign, Joseph Stalin was leader of the Soviet Union, the Korean War was raging.
The prime minister said: “My thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time.”
Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, interrupted an energy debate in parliament to say he sent his best wishes to the monarch.
“Along with the rest of the country, I am deeply worried by the news from Buckingham Palace this afternoon,” opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter: “All of us are feeling profoundly concerned at reports of Her Majesty’s health. My thoughts and wishes are with the Queen and all of the Royal Family at this time.”
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Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Kate Holton and Janet Lawrence
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Truss appointed PM in Scotland
Outgoing PM Johnson resigns to queen
New PM faces daunting in-tray
LONDON, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Liz Truss took over as British prime minister on Tuesday, facing one of the most daunting set of challenges for an incoming leader in post-War history led by soaring energy bills, a looming recession and industrial strife.
Truss, the fourth Conservative prime minister in six years, flew to the royal family’s Scottish home to be asked by Queen Elizabeth to form a government. She replaces Boris Johnson who was forced out after three tumultuous years in power.
“Ms Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and kissed hands upon her appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury,” Buckingham Palace said.
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The 47-year-old former foreign secretary will later address the country from Downing Street before appointing her government. Johnson urged the country and his warring party to unite behind the new leader.
Truss inherits an economy in crisis, with inflation at double digits, the cost of energy soaring and the Bank of England warning of a lengthy recession by the end of this year. Already, workers across the economy have gone on strike.
Her plan to revive growth through tax cuts while also potentially providing around 100 billion pounds ($116 billion) for energy has rattled financial markets, prompting investors to dump the pound and government bonds in recent weeks.
She also enters the latest crisis to buffet Britain with a weaker political hand than many of her predecessors.
Having held a place in the cabinet of senior ministers for eight years, she defeated rival Rishi Sunak in a vote of Conservative Party members by a tighter margin than expected, and more of the party’s lawmakers initially backed her rival.
Johnson, who tried to cling on to power in July despite ministers resigning en masse over a series of scandals, told reporters and politicians gathered in Downing Street early on Tuesday that the country must unite.
“This is it folks,” he said in his farewell speech. “What I say to my fellow Conservatives, it’s time for politics to be over, folks. It’s time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her team and her programme.”
After speaking outside the famous black door, he left London to travel to northeast Scotland and tender his resignation to the 96-year-old queen before Truss followed him into Balmoral Castle. read more
Queen Elizabeth welcomes Liz Truss during an audience where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Britain September 6, 2022. Jane Barlow/Pool via REUTERS
Johnson used his departure speech to boast of his successes, including an early vaccine programme during COVID-19 and his staunch support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia.
He also listed “delivering Brexit” as one of his main achievements, although polls now show that a majority of people think leaving the European Union was a mistake.
FROM CRISIS TO CRISIS
Britain, under Conservative rule since 2010, has stumbled from crisis to crisis in recent years and there is now the prospect of a long energy emergency that could drain the savings of households and threaten the futures of businesses still weighed down by COVID-era loans.
Household energy bills are due to jump by 80% in October, but a source familiar with the situation has told Reuters that Truss may freeze bills in a plan that could cost towards 100 billion pounds ($115.33 billion), surpassing the COVID-19 furlough scheme.
It is not clear how Britain will pay for the support but it is likely to increase government borrowing.
The scale of the package, plus the fact the energy crisis could run for a couple of years, has spooked investors.
The pound has fared worse against the U.S. dollar than most other major currencies recently.
In August alone sterling shed 4% against the greenback and it marked the worst month for 20-year British government bonds since around 1978, according to records from Refinitiv and the Bank of England.
Britain’s public finances also remain weighed down by the government’s huge coronavirus spending spree. Public debt as a share of economic output is not far off 100%, up from about 80% before the pandemic.
($1 = 0.8671 pounds)
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Writing by Kate Holton; additional reporting by Michael Holden, Alistair Smout, Andy Bruce, Paul Sandle and Muvija M; editing by Angus MacSwan
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Rugby Union – Six Nations Championship – Scotland vs England – BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Britain – February 24, 2018 Author JK Rowling in the stand before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
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LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) – Scotland’s police said on Sunday they are investigating a report of an “online threat” made to the author JK Rowling after she tweeted her condemnation of the stabbing of Salman Rushdie.
The Harry Potter creator said she felt “very sick” after hearing the news and hoped the novelist would “be OK”.
In response, a user said “don’t worry you are next”
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After sharing screenshots of the threatening tweet, Rowling said: “To all sending supportive messages: thank you police are involved (were already involved on other threats)”.
A spokeswoman for Scotland’s police said: “We have received a report of an online threat being made and officers are carrying out enquiries.”
Rushdie, 75, was set to deliver a lecture on artistic freedom on Friday in western New York when a man rushed the stage and stabbed the Indian-born writer, who has lived with a bounty on his head since his 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses” prompted Iran to urge Muslims to kill him.
Following hours of surgery, Rushdie was on a ventilator and unable to speak as of Friday evening. The novelist was likely to lose an eye and had nerve damage in his arm and wounds to his liver. read more
The accused attacker, 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault at a court appearance on Saturday.
Rowling has in the past been criticised by trans activists who have accused her of transphobia.
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Intel has demoed Samsung’s recently unveiled PM1743 Gen 5.0 SSD on its Alder Lake Desktop CPU platform, showcasing the improvements in bandwidth against a Gen 4.0 SSD.
Intel Puts Alder Lake’s Gen 5.0 Capabilities To The Test With Samsung’s PM1743 SSD, Achieves Almost 14 GB/s Throughput
The demo was showcased by Intel’s Chief Performance Strategist, Ryan Shrout, who had the whole thing planned out for a press unveil at CES 2022 but since all major companies have backed out & canceled their on-site events, switching over to virtual-only conferences/keynotes, Ryan decided it was time to show the PCIe Gen 5.0 capabilities over on his Twitter feed.
Intel’s Entire 12th Gen Alder Lake Non-K Desktop CPU Lineup Leaked By Colorful & ASUS
Perks of the job! Was going to save this demo for #CES2022 but with that off the table, why not just share it with everyone right now?! Here’s a 12th Gen @intel Core i9-12900K system paired with a new @Samsung PM1743 PCIe 5.0 SSD getting over 13GB/s!! pic.twitter.com/oyL08KzDtV
— Ryan Shrout (@ryanshrout) December 30, 2021
The demo is comprised of an Intel Alder Lake Core i9-12900K CPU that was running on an ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard. The APEX comes with two PCIe Gen 5.0 slots (x16 & x8), electrical. While the GPU, an EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3, was installed in the first slot, the second slot featured an adapter board that let Ryan equip the Samsung PM1743 SSD. The adapter is used to convert and adapt the enterprise tier or any 2.5″ drive to the PCIe slot using an x4 interface.
With the SSD installed, what’s left to see is the performance and like most high-end PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, the one Ryan used to compare (WD SN850) ended up with around 7000 MB/s throughputs. It was a bit lower than 7000 since the drive had an OS loaded onto it but the Samsung PM1743 Gen 5 SSD ended up almost twice as fast with blisteringly fast speeds that could read 14,000 MB/s or 14 GB/s within the IOMeter test.
Ryan also mentions that he did test dual Samsung PM1743 SSDs too, probably in RAID0 mode, and hinted that they were ‘fast’. You can see the two PCIe Gen 5.0 SSDs running together and offering up to 28.3 GB/s of throughput which is literally insane.
A few asked why we didn’t show both of the PCIe 5.0 drives running at the same time. Fine @IanCutress here you go. Addressing them independently in IOmeter for a combined bandwidth over 28 GB/s!! https://t.co/107wlJ4wit pic.twitter.com/c8fecGkxli
— Ryan Shrout (@ryanshrout) December 30, 2021
Intel’s $9 Billion Business Sale Secures Chinese Approval As Year Ends
PCIe 5.0 offers a bandwidth of 32 Giga transfers per second (GT/s), doubling that of PCIe 4.0. Leveraging a proprietary controller designed to support the latest PCIe standard, the PM1743 will deliver outstanding read and write speeds to accommodate the rapidly increasing performance requirements of data centers.
Samsung’s PM1743 will feature a sequential read speed of up to 13,000 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a random read speed of 2,500K input/output operations per second (IOPS), offering 1.9x and 1.7x faster speeds over the previous PCIe 4.0-based products. Moreover, write speeds have been elevated significantly, with a sequential write speed of 6,600 MB/s and a random write speed of 250K IOPS, also delivering 1.7x and 1.9x faster speeds, respectively. These remarkable data transfer rates will allow enterprise server manufacturers deploying the PM1743 to enjoy a much higher level of performance.
via Samsung
Samsung is the first to offer PCIe Gen 5.0 compliant SSDs of the enterprise but we can expect other manufacturers to hop onboard the consumer/enterprise bandwagon later next year as Gen 5 gets a wider adoption by the next-generation of AMD and Intel CPU platforms.
COPENHAGEN/STOCKHOLM, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Two crew members on a British cargo vessel were found to be over the legal limit for alcohol after a collision with a Danish barge in the Baltic Sea that killed at least one person, a Swedish prosecutor and the owner of the British ship said.
The 55-metre Karin Hoj barge capsized when it crashed with the 90-metre Scot Carrier off the island of Bornholm in fog and darkness early on Monday. read more
One of the two Danish crew members from the capsized barge was found dead in the hull. The other crew member was still missing and rescue efforts were abandoned after ships and helicopters scoured the waters to no avail on Monday.
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The Swedish Prosecution Authority is investigating several suspected crimes – negligence in maritime traffic, causing death through negligence, and marine intoxication.
Two of the Scot Carrier’s crew, a Briton and a Croatian, remained in custody on Tuesday as part of the preliminary investigation. The prosecutor has until Thursday to decide whether to hold the suspects longer.
“The suspects that are in custody have both tested positive for alcohol,” Public Prosecutor Tomas Olvmyr told Reuters. “One person is suspected of gross marine intoxication based on actions in connection with the accident.”
The lawyer representing the Croatian suspect had not yet spoken to his client, with interviews scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
The Briton in custody was suspected on multiple counts, including causing death through negligence, and had been on watch at the time of the collision, after which the smaller Danish ship capsized.
The Briton’s lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
“As things look at present, the two ships have moved in parallel and then one of the ships has swerved and run into the other one,” Olvmyr said.
Scotline, which owns the Scot Carrier, said in a statement it has a strict drug and alcohol policy in place and zero tolerance of any breaches.
The overturned Karin Hoj was towed into shallow water on Monday to allow divers to gain access without the risk of being pulled down if it sinks. The Swedish Coastguard plans to move it again to a place where it can be turned upright.
“It’s not likely the second (missing) person is there,” Swedish Coastguard spokesperson Valdemar Lindekrantz said. “But we can’t be absolutely sure until we’ve righted the ship and examined every single space.”
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Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Writing by Niklas Pollard; Editing by Timothy Heritage
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing December 4, 2013. REUTERS/Lintao Zhang/Pool//File Photo
WELLINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) – Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum vowed on Friday to address economic recovery in the region by shoring up supply chains, tackling labour issues and continuing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a joint statement after a virtual meeting hosted by New Zealand, the leaders of the 21 member grouping also pledged to work together to address climate and environmental challenges.
The summit of the Pacific Rim countries came amid heightened regional trade and geopolitical tensions, particularly between China and the United States, and global efforts to tackle the pandemic and the climate crisis.
Addressing APEC leaders at the summit, U.S. President Joe Biden underscored his commitment to strengthening the U.S. relationship with APEC economies “in order to advance fair and open trade and investment, bolster American competitiveness, and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
Biden said the climate crisis was an enormous opportunity to create good jobs and that countries must work together to move towards a sustainable future, according to a White House statement. read more
“The President discussed ways to unleash the economic power of the region and to deepen U.S. economic engagement throughout the Indo-Pacific,” the statement said, without elaborating.
China’s President Xi Jinping told the meeting that economic and technological cooperation is important for the bloc and should receive further investment, Chinese state media reported.
Speaking via video link, Xi also said China would “unswervingly” expand its opening up to the outside world and share China’s development opportunities with the world and Asia-Pacific countries, state broadcaster CCTV said.
The APEC summit came ahead of a much-anticipated online summit between Biden and Xi expected on Monday. U.S. officials have said they believe direct engagement with Xi is the best way to prevent the relationship between the world’s two biggest economies from spiralling toward conflict. read more
China set the tone for the APEC meeting with Xi warning in a video recording on Thursday that the region must not return to the tensions of the Cold War era.
The comment was seen as a reference to efforts by the United States and its regional allies to blunt what they see as China’s growing coercive economic and military influence. read more
Speaking ahead of the expected Biden-Xi meeting, a Chinese official said Beijing was also keen to avoid confrontation and focus on “positive competition,” while pushing for cooperation on issues such the climate crisis and ending the coronavirus pandemic.
A framework deal on boosting cooperation to tackle climate change, unveiled by the two countries at the U.N. climate conference in Scotland, sent “quite a positive signal” for the upcoming summit, the official said. read more
APEC is the last multi-lateral meeting of the year and comes after a flurry of gatherings including the high-profile G20 summit in Rome and the COP26 climate meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.
The leaders’ statement made no mention of a U.S. offer to host the gathering in 2023. Officials have said a consensus had not been reached on this proposal. read more
The APEC summit will be held in Thailand next year.
During a session on Friday, German chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated the importance of vaccinations in the fight against the pandemic. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern then paid tribute to the outgoing chancellor. read more
Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland and Andrea Shalal in Washington and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Michael Perry, Andrea Ricci and Raissa Kasolowsky
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
