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TOPIC: united kingdom

This Happened

This Happened — September 10: The First Invictus Games

The first Invictus Games opened at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London on this day in 2014, which had been the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The games lasted from September 10 to 14.

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This Happened — September 6: Boris Johnson Resigns

Boris Johnson stepped down as British Prime Minister on this day last year.

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This Happened — August 31: Death Of Lady Diana

Princess Diana died on this day in 1997.

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This Happened — August 22: Assassination of Michael Collins

Michael Collins, Commander in Chief of the Irish Free State, is shot in an ambush on this day in 1922.

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In The News
Yannick Champion-Osselin and Anne-Sophie Gobinet

Deadly Tripoli Clashes, Wildfires Worldwide, Iceman Baldeth

👋 اسلام عليكم*

Welcome to Thursday, where Libya’s capital sees its worst clashes in years, wildfires rage on the Canary Islands and in northern Canada, and we now know what Ötzi the Iceman may have looked like. For our special Summer Reads edition of Worldcrunch Today, we feature an article by Teresa Son and Emma Gómez in Buenos-Aires-based newspaper Agencia Presentes — and three other stories from around the world on LGBTQ+ news.

[*Ssalamū ‘lekum - Darija, Morocco]

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This Happened

This Happened — July 7: London Subway And Bus Bombings

A total of four bombs were detonated in London on this day in 2005. Three of them targeted crowded subway trains, while the fourth targeted a double-decker bus.

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In The News
Marine Béguin, Sophie Jacquier, Valeria Berghinz and Anne-Sophie Goninet

Ukraine Gains On Bakhmut, France Riots Spread, Book Your Barbie’nB

👋 Halo!*

Welcome to Thursday, where Kyiv says it’s regaining territory in the Bakhmut region, more than 150 protesters are arrested near Paris as violent clashes spread after the police shooting death of teenager during a traffic stop, and you can now live out your life-size Barbie dream. Meanwhile, Jacques Henno in French daily Les Echos explores how global warming could change humans on a genetic level.

[*Bislama, Vanuatu]

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This Happened

This Happened — June 23: The UK Votes On Brexit

The Brexit referendum was held on this day in 2016. The options in the referendum were "Remain" or "Leave," giving voters the choice to either support the UK remaining in the European Union or to vote for the UK to leave the EU.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 21: Prince William Is Born

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was born on this day in 1982 at St Mary's Hospital in London, United Kingdom.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 3: London Bridge Attack

The London Bridge terrorist attack took place on this day in 2017.

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This Happened

This Happened — May 19: Harry And Meghan, The Big Day

Five years ago today, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England.

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Geopolitics
Sean Lang

Why The King's Coronation Is (Still) A Celebration Of The British Empire

The coronation ceremony of King Charles III reflects how the monarchy has developed since Saxon times, but it still carries many vestiges of Britain’s imperial past.

-Analysis-

LONDON — In the 18th century, the royal title changed from “King of England” to “King of the United Kingdom”, as successive Acts of Union joined England, Scotland and Ireland into one political unit. However, the biggest change in the royal title came in 1876, when the Royal Titles Act made Queen Victoria Empress of India. This gave her authority even over those areas of India which were not formally subject to British rule.

To give this change of title a formal announcement in India, the British authorities staged what became the first of three durbars – ceremonial events held in the British Raj to formally proclaim the imperial title. Queen Victoria’s was held in 1877, the year following the act, but Edward VII’s and George V’s were held in conjunction with their coronations.

The viceroy of India in 1877, Lord Lytton, concocted the original durbar from a mixture of Persian, Mughal and English ceremonial traditions, as a formal proclamation of the queen’s title. When her son became Edward VII in 1901, a bigger durbar was organised to proclaim his imperial title – although, like his mother, Edward remained in London.

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