Ted Kennedy to Be Knighted

(NEWSER) - All four living former presidents will attend Ted Kennedy’s invitation-only funeral, the Boston Herald reports. President Obama will also be there, breaking off his Martha’s Vineyard vacation to deliver a eulogy. Gordon Brown also plans to attend, as will Irish PM Brian Cowen. “Sen. Kennedy is being honored as though he were a former sitting president,” observed one political scientist. More»

King Abdullah sweeps into London with 23 advisers and 400 aides

(NEWSER) - In the first visit of a Saudi king to the UK in 20 years, King Abdullah was treated to a Buckingham Palace banquet last night. His host, Queen Elizabeth, said Britain and Saudi Arabia must fight together against "terrorists who threaten the way of life of our citizens." Abdullah urged British Muslims to be "honest and upright Muslims and worthy British citizens," the BBC reports. More»

PM takes final questions; queen asks Brown to form government

(NEWSER) - Tony Blair handed his resignation to the queen at 1:15 this afternoon, ending a decade as prime minister of the United Kingdom marked by unprecedented prosperity but marred by a deeply unpopular war in Iraq. In a choreographed ritual, Elizabeth II asked Chancellor Gordon Brown, who has been waiting patiently for the question for 13 years, to form a government. More»

Novelist's knighthood prompts uproar from some corners of the Muslim world

(NEWSER) - Pakistan wants Britain to revoke Salman Rushdie's just-granted knighthood—and the UK should prepare for suicide attacks if it doesn't, a Pakistani cabinet minister said today. "If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologizes and withdraws the 'sir' title," the minister of religious affairs told Pakistan’s parliament. More»

Thanks British people as Diamond Jubilee kicks off

(NEWSER) - It's 60 years to the day since Elizabeth II became queen, and she's kicking off a year of celebrations with a message to the British people. "I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years," she writes. "In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope that we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship, and good neighborliness." More»