LONDON: King Charles III and other members of the royal family in uniform wore black armbands and observed a moment of silence during his annual birthday parade Saturday as the monarch commemorated those who died in this week’s Air India plane crash.
Charles requested the symbolic moves “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy,” Buckingham Palace said.
An Air India flight from the northwestern city of Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground. The plane was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. One man survived.
In addition to being Britain’s head of state, Charles is the head of the Commonwealth, an organization of independent states that includes India and Canada.
The monarch’s annual birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour, is a historic ceremony filled with pageantry and military bands in which the king reviews his troops on Horse Guards Parade adjacent to St. James’ Park in central London.
The military ceremony dates back to a time when flags of the battalion, known as colours, were "trooped,'' or shown, to soldiers in the ranks so they could recognize them.
All members of the royal family in uniform wore black armbands. The moment of silence occurred while the king was on the dais after reviewing the troops.
Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, held a similar moment of silence in 2017 when Trooping the Colour took place three days after a fire ripped through the Grenfell Tower apartment bloc in west London, killing 72 people.
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King Charles III marks Air India tragedy at Trooping the Colour
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King Charles III marks Air India tragedy at Trooping the Colour
Albanese tells Australia to ‘turn the heat down’ after bomb threat
- Australian prime minister evacuated from his residence in Canberra late on Tuesday following a security threat
SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday he did not take his security for granted, after he was evacuated from his residence for several hours following an alleged bomb threat.
Albanese was evacuated from his residence in Canberra late on Tuesday following a security threat, and returned a few hours later after nothing suspicious was found.
Police said there was no ongoing threat.
“I think it’s just a reminder, take every opportunity to tell people, turn the heat down for goodness sake,” Albanese said at an event in Melbourne on Wednesday.
“We can’t take these things for granted.”
State broadcaster ABC said on Wednesday the threat was linked to Shen Yun, a classical Chinese dance troupe banned in China that is due to perform in Australia this month. The message sent to the group’s local organizers falsely claimed that explosives had been placed around Albanese’s residence, and would detonate if the group performed in the country, the ABC reported.
Police declined to comment on the source of the threat.
New York-based Shen Yun did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier on Wednesday Albanese posted on Instagram a photo of his dog standing by a door at The Lodge, his official residence in Canberra, with a caption thanking police for their work.
Albanese was evacuated from his residence in Canberra late on Tuesday following a security threat, and returned a few hours later after nothing suspicious was found.
Police said there was no ongoing threat.
“I think it’s just a reminder, take every opportunity to tell people, turn the heat down for goodness sake,” Albanese said at an event in Melbourne on Wednesday.
“We can’t take these things for granted.”
State broadcaster ABC said on Wednesday the threat was linked to Shen Yun, a classical Chinese dance troupe banned in China that is due to perform in Australia this month. The message sent to the group’s local organizers falsely claimed that explosives had been placed around Albanese’s residence, and would detonate if the group performed in the country, the ABC reported.
Police declined to comment on the source of the threat.
New York-based Shen Yun did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier on Wednesday Albanese posted on Instagram a photo of his dog standing by a door at The Lodge, his official residence in Canberra, with a caption thanking police for their work.
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