Queen to visit emotive Croke Park stadium

The Queen is to visit sports stadium Croke Park in Dublin, where 14 spectators were killed by British forces more than 90 years ago.

On her second day in the Republic of Ireland, she will also attend a service honouring Ireland's war dead.

Later at a banquet at Dublin Castle, she will make her only public speech.

She is likely to acknowledge past difficulties, but is unlikely to apologise for past behaviour, BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said.

Wednesday will start with a trip to tourist attraction the Guinness Storehouse, but later the Queen will move on to Croke Park in inner city north Dublin, the home of gaelic sports.

The spectators were killed by British forces during the War of Independence in November 1920.

BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt described it as "the once unimaginable becoming the norm" when the Queen will walk on hallowed nationalist turf at Croke Park.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13434653

London bomb threat shuts down area around Buckingham Palace

Irish militants opposed to the peace process with Britain warned of a bomb in central London on Monday, a day before Queen Elizabeth makes a historic visit to Ireland, security sources said.

"A bomb threat ... has been received relating to central London today. The threat is not specific in relation to location or time," London police said in a statement.

A security source said the caller had used a codeword known to the police, lending credibility to the threat.

The warning came on the eve of the first visit to Ireland by a British monarch in a century and a week before U.S. President Barack Obama makes a state visit to London.

Police said earlier that a security alert had led to the closure of the Mall, a broad avenue leading to Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth's residence, but refused to say what had prompted it.

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http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0517/London-bomb-threat-shuts-down-area-around-Buckingham-Palace

London bomb threat shuts down area around Buckingham Palace

Irish militants opposed to the peace process with Britain warned of a bomb in central London on Monday, a day before Queen Elizabeth makes a historic visit to Ireland, security sources said.

"A bomb threat ... has been received relating to central London today. The threat is not specific in relation to location or time," London police said in a statement.

A security source said the caller had used a codeword known to the police, lending credibility to the threat.

The warning came on the eve of the first visit to Ireland by a British monarch in a century and a week before U.S. President Barack Obama makes a state visit to London.

Police said earlier that a security alert had led to the closure of the Mall, a broad avenue leading to Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth's residence, but refused to say what had prompted it.

Read More

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0517/London-bomb-threat-shuts-down-area-around-Buckingham-Palace