Britain remembers Prince Philip

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The flag at Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom is flying at half-mast on Friday following an announcement from the royal family that Prince Philip had died. Philip, 99, was the husband of the country’s monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and was the longest-serving consort in British history.

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and father to the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, had been hospitalized several times in recent years. Soon after the announcement, people began to line up outside Buckingham Palace to see the official death notice that had been attached to the gate.

Following the announcement, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Philip “earned the affection of generations here in Britain, across the Commonwealth and around the world.”

While the nation mourns, many remember the duke’s more often controversial and racist remarks. He was also known to embody the British stiff upper lip but perhaps equally known for his awkward one-liners.

What The World is following

Israel said it will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into potential war crimes committed in the Palestinian Territories during and after the 2014 Gaza war. ICC prosecutors have named groups on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides as possible perpetrators. Israel is not part of the Rome statute which created the ICC. The country claims the global court does not have the authority to investigate. The probe is also expected to look at Israel’s settlements in the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem.

And, despite a surge in COVID-19 cases, the neighboring South American countries of Ecuador and Peru are holding presidential elections on Sunday. In Ecuador, which is facing a severe economic slowdown and high unemployment, voters will choose between conservative businessman Guillermo Lasso and Andrés Arauz, a political ally and disciple of the country’s former leftist President Rafael Correa in a runoff election. And in Peru, there is a large field of 18 candidates all but assuring a runoff in June. In both elections, recent polling suggests that voters are unhappy and many may even leave their ballots blank in protest.

From The World

Chinese students in the US grapple with the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes

Chinese students make up the largest number of international students in the US, but that number is dropping. The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes fueled by the pandemic may be a contributing factor to this trend.

Chinese students in the US grapple with the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes

Chinese students make up the largest number of international students in the US, but that number is dropping. The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes fueled by the pandemic may be a contributing factor to this trend.

Bright spot

All clear, for the next century! This week, NASA ruled out any chance of Apophis striking planet Earth ? — phew. The asteroid was first detected in 2004 and a potential collision with the blue planet in 2068 loomed. Scientists were able to refine Apophis’ orbit around the sun, ruling out that possibility.

In case you missed it

Listen: Belfast riots raise concerns over escalating post-Brexit tensions

Rioters set fire to a hijacked bus and lobbed gasoline bombs at police in Belfast Wednesday. Tensions have been on the rise since Britain’s exit from the European Union. And, New Zealand recently made headlines when its Parliament approved a bill that requires employers to offer three days of bereavement leave for people who miscarry. Also, when pubs reopen fully in mid-May, the UK government is considering a COVID-19 certificate scheme that requires customers to prove they have been vaccinated.

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