World 12 Ashburton Guardian
www.guardianonline.co.nz
Monday, June 13, 2016
■ BRITAIN Rod Stewart knighted Some guys have all the luck. Rocker Rod Stewart has been knighted by the Queen in her annual Birthday Honours List, which also included recognition for astronaut Tim Peake and Downton Abbey star Penelope Wilton. Stewart, the raspy-voiced singer of Maggie May, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy and Some Guys have All the Luck, was honoured in the list “for services to music and charity”. The 71-year-old will be able to call himself Sir Roderick David Stewart. Peake, who is nearing the end of a six-month stint aboard the International Space Station, was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, which recognises “service rendered internationally or in a foreign country”. - AP
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II looks across the crowd with Prince Philip (right) Prince William (centre) his son Prince George and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge holding Princess Charlotte on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour parade at Buckingham Palace, in London, yesterday. PHOTO AP
Colourful ceremony for Queen Tens of thousands of people have turned out in London to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday as Princess Charlotte made her first Buckingham Palace balcony appearance. Three cheers rang out across The Mall for the Queen after she marked her milestone with the traditional pomp and pageantry of the Trooping the Colour ceremony. Surrounded by some 45 members of her family, the monarch smiled and waved from the balcony as she acknowledged the good wishes of the crowds which were larger than in previous years. Her 13-month-old great-granddaughter Charlotte - sucking on a finger to combat apparent teething - took the event in her stride and acknowledged the traditional flypast of historic and modern aircraft by putting one hand over an ear as she was held by the Duchess of Cambridge. Wave after wave of military aircraft
– from a Spitfire and Hurricane, made famous during the Battle of Britain, to modern fighters like the Typhoon – roared overhead with the Red Arrows trailing red, white and blue smoke to end the display. The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry stood by the Queen who was the centre of attention in her neon green ensemble. The nation was paying tribute at the weekend to Britain’s longest reigning and oldest sovereign with formal ceremonies and carnival street parties. After Saturday’s poignant St Paul’s Cathedral service of thanksgiving for the Queen’s life, the Trooping the Colour ceremony was all precision displays of formation marching by the immaculately turned out troops. Thousands of forces’ families sat in stands around Horse Guards Parade -
Henry VIII’s former jousting yard - and watched the Queen inspect the troops from her vintage carriage as the three royal colonels - Charles, Anne and William wearing their military uniforms followed on horseback. On parade was the long line of guardsmen who not only take part in major ceremonial occasions like Trooping the Colour but are fighting soldiers. Inevitably, like most years, a few collapsed during the ceremony but were attended to. The colour of Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards was paraded past the troops, an ancient tradition thought to originate from the practice of marching banners past soldiers so they could identify the flag they were fighting under. During George II’s reign it was ordered in 1748 that the ceremony of Trooping the Colour should mark the official birthday of the sovereign. - PA
Christina Grimmie
Singer killed in Florida Christina Grimmie, a rising singing star who gained fame as a YouTube sensation and contestant on television’s The Voice, has died after being shot while signing autographs at a concert hall in Orlando, Florida, police say. The suspected attacker, identified as 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was tackled by the 22-year-old singer’s brother, police said. Police earlier said the suspect was 21. Authorities believe the suspect travelled to Orlando to carry out the attack. They said he had two loaded handguns, additional ammunition and a hunting knife. Orlando Police Chief John Mina told reporters the suspect did not appear to have a criminal record and there was no indication he and Grimmie knew each other. - Reuters
■ UNITED STATES
Bubbles the pilot whale dies at SeaWorld Bubbles, a female pilot whale at SeaWorld in San Diego that was believed to have been the oldest animal of her species in a zoo, has died. SeaWorld Entertainment Inc said Bubbles was in her early to mid 50s and had been at the park for nearly 30 years. “SeaWorld San Diego is saddened to announce the passing of one of the world’s most beloved animals, Bubbles the pilot whale,” the company said on its website. A necropsy is planned to determine the cause of death. The company, which operates marine parks in San Diego, San Antonio, Texas, and Orlando, Florida, did not say when she died.
Pilots, which live in pods of 20 or 90 animals, are about as intelligent as dolphins and easily trained, according to the American Cetacean Society. Weighing roughly 1360kg and measuring five metres long, Bubbles was considered the “grande dame” of SeaWorld. She was known for her ability to jump out of the water and spin at great velocity. SeaWorld has faced intense public scrutiny over its public display of marine animals, especially killer whales. In March, the company said it would stop breeding killer whales in captivity, but would still put on performances with orcas at its three parks. - Reuters
Lorde
Lorde co-writes new track
Bubbles, a short-finned pilot whale that lived at SeaWorld San Diego for nearly 30 years, has died. PHOTO AP
Lorde has co-written a song with upand-coming duo Broods. The Royals singer teamed up with Broods - siblings Georgia and Caleb Nott - for the new song Heartlines. The track is the third single from their forthcoming second album Conscious, the follow-up to 2014’s Evergreen. Heartlines comes off the back of the announcement that the New Zealand-based duo will play an east coast tour of Australia next month. The latest song is a little less on the industrial side in comparison with the other tracks, with Lorde’s influence evident in the production and melodic vocals. Before the song’s premiere on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 Radio show on Thursday, Lorde, real name Ella Yelich-O’Connor, shared her excitement about the new tune in a Twitter post. - WENN