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The British monarchy wades the crisis after the operation of the Princess of Wales

The British monarchy is still immersed in a worrying crisis of public confidence after the controversy over the edited photo of the Princess of Wales, two months after her mysterious “abdominal surgery” that has given rise to all kinds of conjectures by the media.

The princes of Wales, William and Catherine, two of the most beloved members of royalty in this country, have become in the last days a focus of questions after a difficult week for the institution.

The Financial Times (FT) recalls today that since the princess’ hospitalization in January and since she was removed from public life, speculation has varied, raising all kinds of theories “that go from being in a coma to having undergone a facial stretch or is divorcing,” among others.

This newspaper also raises another interesting debate of what he calls the “Kate Gate”, the one that surrounds the reconciliation on its public and private role: “Being exposed is what has kept the monarchy for centuries. If someone disappears for too long, the citizens take their revenge,” he says.

He also notes that Catalina’s paradox is that she “suffers in part because of her popularity” and she sums that the “obsession with her private life” could be due to the fact that the number of members who actively work for the institution has been reduced “accidentally” with the cancellation of commitments by William to take care of his children, after the departure of the Dukes of Sussex to California (United States) and with Prince Andrew at disgrace.

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Although the media tsunami has declined in the United Kingdom, the firstborn of Carlos III and his wife are still analyzed with a magnifying glass for their way of managing the dissemination on March 10 – Mother’s Day in this country – in their X account of an image of Catalina and her three children that she later confessed that she had retouched.

Several international graphic agencies took the unusual decision to remove the photo from their services when she realized that it had been manipulated, which forced the princess to publicly admit that she herself had edited it by “experimenting as an amateur photographer” and apologizing for it.

Given the opacity that surrounds Catalina’s state of health since her operation on January 16, the image, in which she was seen sitting with her children very smiling, aroused great public expectation.

In the photo, some slight inconsistencies could be noticed in the line of Princess Carlota’s cuff, the print of Luis’s sweater and other blurred contours.

“Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally experiment with (photo) editing,” he wrote in X Catalina, who expressed his apologies “for any confusion” that the incident had caused.

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Despite the fact that the family tried to downplay those tweaks – probably made with editing programs or with the mobile – emphasizing the informality of the image, for many experts the incident undermines the credibility of royalty and their messages.

The episode, which has been echoed by media from all over the world, also takes on particular relevance at a time when speculations do not cease about the nature of Catalina’s ailment, of which absolutely nothing is known, except that it is not cancer and that will keep her away from her commitments until after Easter.

King Charles III, who is undergoing cancer treatment, and Camila, whose press office is different from that of the princes of Wales, have remained out of this controversy.

The controversial British presenter Piers Morgan wondered this week on his YouTube channel if the royal family “is hiding something” and insinuated – although he did not confirm – that he had heard “alarming” rumors related to the princess.

“I have been told things that, even if only half of them were true, it is quite alarming what is happening. I don’t know what to believe, nor any of us. We’re not there,” he said.

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Since the publication of the photo, local media have been attentive to the movements of royals, and documented how Prince William and Catherine left together on Monday by car from their residence in Windsor (about 40 kilometers from London).

According to the palace, William was on his way to a religious service in London’s Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day (the Commonwealth of Ancient British Territories), while his wife, who was already known not to attend, was on her way to a private appointment.

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International

Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave

Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.

The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.

Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.

Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.

“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.

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Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.

Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.

The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.

One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.

Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.

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Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.

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International

Peru Expands Emergency Measures Ahead of Heavy El Niño Rains

Peru has declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions due to the imminent threat of heavy rainfall linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon, the government announced on Thursday.

El Niño, which causes unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, disrupts global wind and rainfall patterns, often triggering extreme weather events. In Peru, the phenomenon has already driven temperatures up to 26 degrees Celsius, around five degrees above the seasonal average.

According to Peru’s National Center for Disaster Risk Estimation, Prevention and Reduction (Cenepred), more than 9.3 million people are at very high risk of flooding and landslides associated with El Niño.

Interim President José María Balcázar signed a decree extending an emergency measure that has been in effect since January, allowing authorities to implement immediate response and recovery actions in affected areas.

Under the decree, regional and local governments, working alongside Civil Defense and supported by national ministries, are authorized to take extraordinary measures to protect communities and critical infrastructure from the expected impacts of heavy rainfall.

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“We have declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions due to intense rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon for a period of 60 days,” the Presidency of the Council of Ministers said in a statement.

Peru is divided into approximately 1,800 municipalities.

The country’s agency responsible for monitoring El Niño recently upgraded its forecast for the phenomenon from moderate to strong for the period between June and September, with conditions expected to persist through the first quarter of 2027.

Scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimate there is a 63% probability of a very strong El Niño developing between November and January, potentially making it one of the most intense events recorded since 1950.

Peru last experienced El Niño in 2023, when flooding and landslides claimed 99 lives.

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The country’s most devastating El Niño events occurred in 1997-1998, leaving around 500 people dead and reducing gross domestic product (GDP) by 6%, and in 1982-1983, when approximately 9,000 people died and the economy contracted by 11.6%.

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International

Three Die During World Cup Celebrations in Mexico City After Mexico’s Victory

Three people died in Mexico City while celebrating Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

According to the city’s Health Secretariat, the victims—a 44-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman, and a 19-year-old woman—died from asphyxiation following the post-match celebrations.

Emergency services were dispatched to the Juárez district after reports that three people had lost consciousness shortly after Tuesday night’s match.

Paramedics, firefighters, and police officers responded to the scene, where the victims received first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before being transported to a hospital for specialized medical care. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, all three were later pronounced dead.

“We are in contact with their families to provide all the support they need,” Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada Molinasaid in a statement posted on social media.

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“With my hand on my heart, I extend my deepest condolences to their loved ones. We once again call on everyone to celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy,” she added.

Mexico’s victory over Ecuador sparked massive celebrations at the Estadio Azteca and across the capital. Goals from Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones secured the hosts’ place in the Round of 16, where they are set to face either England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who meet on Wednesday in Atlanta.

Should Mexico advance to the quarterfinals, the team would face either Brazil, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, or Norway.

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