Latest news with #GeneralAssemblyofthe
STV News
16-05-2025
- General
- STV News
Royal Navy to guard Edinburgh Castle for first time
Sailors from across the Royal Navy say it is a 'privilege and honour' to guard Edinburgh Castle for the first time in history. The sailors are guarding the castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from Friday until May 22 as Lady Elish Angiolini is welcomed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. It marks the first occasion where the Navy has carried out such a task, with sailors in full uniform ahead of a senior service march for the arrival parade on Friday to welcome Lady Angiolini into the city at the Ceremony of the Keys. LPhot Stuart Dickson/Royal Navy The Royal Navy performed a dress rehearsal of the guard of honour. The duty is normally carried out by the British Army. Warrant Officer 1 Glynn 'Moffs' Moffat, the Royal Navy's state ceremonial training officer, said: 'It is a tremendous privilege and honour for the Royal Navy to be granted the unique opportunity, for the first time in history, to mount the ceremonial guard at both Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. 'These men and women, having so proudly represented the Royal Navy during the VE Day commemorations, now carry that same sense of duty and pride into the heart of Edinburgh. 'This historic moment follows a remarkable period in which the Royal Navy took centre stage as the lead service at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – another proud chapter in our enduring relationship with the city and its traditions. 'As someone who served aboard HMS Edinburgh and had the honour of marching her ship's company up the Royal Mile when we were granted the Freedom of the City in 2013, it's incredibly special to return under such historic circumstances. It truly feels like coming home.' The sailors have been rehearsing their routine alongside their colleagues in the Army, with drill instructors from both regiments at Redford Barracks ensuring they are up to scratch. A rehearsal took place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Wednesday, before a full dress rehearsal for the inspecting officer of His Majesty's Governor of Edinburgh Castle, Major General Bob Bruce, on Thursday. The officer passed the guard of honour fit for duties. Brigadier Andrew Muddiman, Naval regional commander for Scotland and Northern Ireland, will be in attendance for the royal salute. He said: 'The General Assembly week is an important fixture in the Scottish calendar, and I'm delighted that this year the Royal Navy is able to provide the ceremonial support, from the Ceremony of the Keys to the individual guard mounts at the palace and Edinburgh Castle. 'It's a privilege to be in attendance for Lady Angiolini as the Lord High Commissioner as she inspects the Guard of Honour and meets our young sailors. 'For some this will be their first time in Edinburgh, for others a welcome return to the city. 'This is an opportunity for the Royal Navy to showcase its ceremonial skill and precision to the people of Scotland, who will not be disappointed.' The appointment of Lady Angiolini, a practising Roman Catholic, is a reflection of the historic declaration of friendship between the Kirk and the Catholic Church in Scotland. The Lord High Commissioner is the King's personal representative at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which meets in May each year. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
In an increasingly polarised world, Pope Francis brought people together
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The day before he died, Pope Francis celebrated a very special Easter Sunday. For, as the Gregorian and Julian calendars aligned, all Christians marked the occasion on the same day, a rare event. He expressed the hope that 'this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward toward unity around a common date for Easter'. His long-standing hopes of creating a single Easter day was just one sign of his goodwill towards the different branches of Christianity, and he also held out the hand of friendship to people of all faiths and none. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In 2023, Francis made an 'ecumenical peace pilgrimage' to South Sudan with the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the then Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Iain Greenshields, calling them 'two brothers'. Pope Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar shake hands outside the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, in September (Picture: Oscar Siagian) | Getty Images 'A universal peace' for all He frequently visited synagogues and spoke out against anti-semitism, insisting that 'due to our common roots, a Christian cannot be anti-semitic!' He was the first Pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula, and in 2019, he issued a joint statement with Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in which they called for 'reconciliation and fraternity among all believers, indeed among believers and non-believers, and among all people of good will'; condemned 'deplorable violence and blind extremism'; and spoke to the need to find 'a universal peace that all can enjoy in this life'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Following Pope Benedict's decision to retire, Francis turned out to be less of a reformer than some within the church had hoped, but the change of tone was undeniable. In the many tributes, his sense of humour was mentioned repeatedly, and it was a subject he took seriously. In an essay for the New York Times in December, Francis wrote: 'Irony is a medicine, not only to lift and brighten others but also ourselves, because self-mockery is a powerful instrument in overcoming the temptation toward narcissism.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local TPUSA chapter to host ‘The Fight for Space Command' at UAH theater
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Huntsville has been involved in a back-and-forth battle to stake claim over Space Command's new headquarters. Members of the local chapter of Turning Point USA are set to host an informational session titled 'The Fight for Space Command' with Dylan Smith, District Director for U.S. Representative Dale Strong. NASA to continue analyzing data after completion of Firefly's first moon mission The session will be held at the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Charger Union Theater on Thursday, March 20, at 11 a.m. At the session, the effort to get Space Command moved back to Huntsville, DOGE and its impact on our local economy will be discussed along with other questions raised by the audience. Admission is free and open to the public, and there will be a Q&A session. Snacks will be provided at the event. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP here. 6 arrested in Franklin County for meth, various drugs during search In November, state lawmakers were hopeful that the new presidential administration would bring Space Command to Huntsville, where it was voted to reside in 2022. Huntsville was named a finalist in early 2021. Then, in 2022, the Department of Defense named the city as the 'preferred permanent location for U.S. Space Command headquarters.' The Rocket City finished first in both the Air Force's evaluation phase and the selection phase, while Colorado Springs finished fourth and fifth respectively. In June 2023, a U.S. Space Command General reportedly confirmed to Alabama politicians in D.C. and the Alabama Delegation that the state is still 'the preferred location for SPACECOM headquarters.' However, come July 2023, the Pentagon released a statement that President Biden selected Colorado Springs as the permanent location for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters. In September 2023, the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on the decision for Space Command about the decision to select Colorado Springs over Huntsville for the command headquarters. Kentucky man charged with rape of 15-year-old to be held without bond following Aniah's Law hearing U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, the committee chairman, said the committee's investigation determined that the justification of concerns about 'operational readiness' as the basis for leaving the headquarters in Colorado is 'just fabricated.' In February, the General Assembly of the State of Ohio sent a petition to the Senate Armed Services Committee 'urging the federal government to select Ohio for the permanent headquarters of the United States Space Command.' The General Assembly of the State of Ohio stated that the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton is 'uniquely situated' to help Space Command. Because of this, the members of the 135th General Assembly of the State of Ohio are asking that the Senate pick Ohio as the new permanent home of Space Command since the government has not made a final decision on the final, permanent location. In a 2023 plea to the federal government, Ohio State Representative Tom Patton said, 'Ohio is proud to be known as the 'birthplace of aviation.'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
