Daily Briefing: Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest
The funeral for Queen Elizabeth II is being held Monday morning before she is laid to rest in the afternoon. More news today: Hurricane Fiona made landfall Sunday in southwestern Puerto Rico, shortly after the entire island lost power.
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Queen Elizabeth II state funeral to be held at Westminster Abbey
Queen Elizabeth II is being celebrated at a funeral at Westminster Abbey Monday and later laid to rest beneath St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle with her husband, her sister Margaret and her parents. The state funeral is expected to be the biggest gathering of world leaders in years, drawing millions of people to the streets of London, and billions more to their TVs and computer screens. Security will be high as this is expected to be the biggest one-day policing operation in London. Read more.
- What's the significance of Westminster Abbey? The church has had a centuries-long association with the royal family, hosting generations of coronations, royal weddings and funerals. Queen Elizabeth II was "married here and was crowned" at the site, according to a statement on the abbey's website.
- How was the funeral planned? Royal funerals are planned decades in advance by governments and the crown, and the plans are updated regularly. The monarch plays a crucial role in deciding details. The choice of flowers in the wreath on her coffin, the music and prayer selections, even the bespoke design of the Royal Hearse, were all decisions made by the queen.
- Who is attending? Family members and heads of state, including President Joe Biden, are among the some 2,000 people attending the funeral. It is not open to the public.
Hurricane Fiona makes landfall in Puerto Rico, approaches Dominican Republic
Hurricane Fiona is expected to roar near the Dominican Republic's northern coast Monday, approximately a day after it made landfall in Puerto Rico. Fiona, a Category 1 storm, made landfall in Puerto Rico shortly after the entire island lost power. It had brought maximum sustained winds of 85 mph to the island, the National Hurricane Center said. The system is expected to unleash historic rainfall of up to 30 inches, widespread flooding and dangerous mudslides, forecasters said. LUMA Energy, the company that operates power transmission and distribution, said fully restoring power could take several days. Read more.
- Storm tracker: Follow path of Hurricane Fiona
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- On today's 5 Things podcast, hear how Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.
Zelenskyy says 'torture chambers' were found
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 10 “torture chambers” have been found in the Kharkiv region since a counterattack prompted Russian forces to retreat last week. The region's prosecutor's office said on Telegram that it has launched an investigation after seizing tools of torture and documents indicating the Russians had established a police force that operated a jail where the alleged abuse took place. Last week, officials said they found more than 440 graves outside the city of Izium with bodies that showed signs of violent deaths. Read more.
Las Vegas Aces win their first WNBA championship 🏆
The Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun, 78-71, in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals to win the series 3-1 and capture the 2022 title. Guard Chelsea Gray was named the Finals MVP, after capping off the series with 20 points in the closeout game. Gray was one of five players to score in double figures for Las Vegas on Sunday. As impressive as Vegas' accomplishment is, it might just be the beginning. The Aces will return the core of their roster led by A'ja Wilson, a two-time WNBA MVP. “The Aces aren’t done,” Wilson said after Game 4. Read more.
- Opinion: Las Vegas Aces title heralds new era for franchise and, perhaps, entire WNBA
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Millions ordered to evacuate due to typhoon in Japan
More than 8 million people in Japan were ordered to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol roars across the country. Government officials across Japan told national broadcaster NHK that a level 5 alert, the highest on Japan's disaster warning scale, was issued to more than 330,000 people in about 160,000 households in Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Oita prefectures. A total of nearly 8 million people in about 3.7 million households affected by a level 4 alert were ordered to evacuate in parts of the Kyushu, Shikoku and Chugoku regions, NHK said. The Japan Meteorological Agency said it was "raining like never before" in Miyazaki. Read more.
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A little less heavy
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Associated Press contributed reporting.