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Tag: Queen Elizabeth

  • New Notes: Australia to redesign currency, set to remove Queen Elizabeth’s image

    New Notes: Australia to redesign currency, set to remove Queen Elizabeth’s image

    Australia government has concluded plans to remove the British monarch from its banknotes, with no plans of replacing her successor on the new notes.

    According to the Australian government, it would be replacing the late Queen Elizabeth II’s image on its $5 note, saying the new notes will come with a design honouring Indigenous culture, in the country.

    The decision to leave her successor King Charles III off the $5 note means no monarch would remain on Australia’s paper currency.

    The statement says that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said it would consult Indigenous people on a new design that “honours the culture and history of the First Australians”.

    Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8 last year was marked by public mourning in Australia but some Indigenous groups also protested against the destructive impact of colonial Britain, calling for the abolition of the monarchy.

    Australia is a constitutional monarchy, a democracy with Charles III as its head of state. A referendum proposing a switch to a republic was narrowly defeated in 1999.

    The central bank said its decision was supported by the centre-left Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who favours an eventual move to an Australian republic.

    The new banknote would take “a number of years” to be designed and printed, it said, with the existing $5 note remaining legal tender even after the new design is in people’s hands.

    In addition, the RBA’s move was hailed by the nation’s republican movement, which noted that Indigenous people predated British settlement by 65,000 years.

    “Australia believes in meritocracy so the idea that someone should be on our currency by birthright is irreconcilable, as is the notion that they should be our head of state by birthright,” said Australian Republic Movement chair Craig Foster.

    “To think that an unelected king should be on our currency in place of First Nations leaders and elders and eminent Australians is no longer justifiable at a time of truth-telling, reconciliation and ultimately formal, cultural and intellectual independence.”

    The Australian Monarchist League said the decision was “virtually neo-communism in action”.

  • British royal family return to normal duties as mourning period ends

    British royal family return to normal duties as mourning period ends

    The British monarchy and their households are returning to official duties as the period of royal mourning in memory of the late queen ends.

    Flags at royal residences were at half-mast until 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Tuesday, when they were raised back to full-mast, while William and Kate, the new prince and princess of Wales, will visit the nation.

    The visit will be the first visit since taking up their titles.

    After the death of the queen on Sept. 8, the royal family only carried out official duties where appropriate, and its members dressed in black as a mark of respect when in public.

    From Tuesday they are carrying out their normal official roles in full after observing the seven-day period of mourning.

    William and Kate will spend the day travelling the length of Wales, first visiting Holyhead in Anglesey, North Wales, and then travelling to Swansea in South -West Wales.

    The royal couple had promised to visit at the earliest opportunity following the death of the queen, and return hoping to begin “deepening the trust and respect” they have with the people of Wales.

    The last official visit the pair made to Wales was as duke and duchess of Cambridge to Cardiff Castle in June, where rehearsals for the Platinum Jubilee concert were taking place.

    Charles carried out one official engagement during royal mourning, holding a telephone audience with the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on Thursday evening, the eve of his tax-cutting mini budget.

    The prince and princess of Wales praised volunteers and operational staff they met at Windsor that day, for their efforts at events surrounding the queen’s committal service.

    The king travelled to Scotland soon after the queen’s funeral last Monday and could remain at his home of Birkhall into early October, following the tradition set by the late monarch.

    The queen would normally spend around 10 weeks at her Scottish home during summer, returning to London around the time the autumn session of parliament began.

    Planning is likely to be under way for Charles’ coronation, and Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court in south London heard the suggestion a date has been set for the national event expected in 2023.

  • Biden to address UN on 2nd day of General Assembly

    Biden to address UN on 2nd day of General Assembly

    U.S President, Joe Biden is due to address the 77th General Debate of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

    In a break with tradition, Biden’s appearance came on the second day of the high-level annual diplomatic event instead of the first, the delay was due to Biden’s attendance of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral in London on Monday.

    Other high-profile world leaders due to address the 193-member assembly on Wednesday include Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and British Prime Minister Liz Truss.

    Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky is also due to give a speech on Wednesday, though he would  be speaking by video, after a motion allowing him to address the body remotely due to the war in Ukraine was approved by UN member states.

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had overshadowed this year’s speeches so far as well as topping the agenda of many meetings on the event’s sidelines.

    UN Secretary General, António Guterres and Brazilian, President Jair Bolsonaro were among those who gave speeches to the General Assembly on Tuesday.

    Over 140 heads of state and government were expected to have attended the week-long event by the time it ended on Monday.

    Russian President, Vladimir Putin is not attending, however but had sent Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to represent Moscow instead.

  • Queen Elizabeth ll: Meet Nigerian Pastor, only black man who officiated at funeral

    Queen Elizabeth ll: Meet Nigerian Pastor, only black man who officiated at funeral

    Nigerian pastor, Agu Irukwu of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was among the officiating ministers who preached the word of God at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

    Pastor Irukwu is a senior pastor of the RCCG in the United Kingdom, he officiates at the Jesus House parish in England.

    He was selected to be one of the Eight ministers representing the church of England at the Queen’s funeral.

    Pastor Irukwu, a former Chairman of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the United Kingdom, who still maintains his pastoral role in the RCCG as the Senior Pastor of Jesus House, United Kingdom, is one of the eight pastors representing the churches of England at the event.

    Irukwu stepped down as the chairman of UK RCCG in April 2021. He also ceased from being the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Executive Council of the RCCG in the UK and the Deputy Continental Overseer of the church in Europe.

    In a recent interview with Church Times Uk, Irukwu explained reasons for stepping down

    He told the RCCG that the decision to step down from the position was personal. He however said he would maintain his pastoral role at the Jesus House as the Senior Pastor.

    .Irukwu said the decision was an outcome of a retreat that he had with the Lord adding also that his decision was a fulfillment of prophecy and what God had been taking him through in the last few months.

    “The joy of prophetic words is when it comes to past. A few months ago, the Lord gave us an exciting prophetic word from Isaiah 43v18 and 19. God was encouraging us to forget the former things and embrace new things.

    He said while he was encouraging people to embrace these words, he was also going through it saying he had to share his experience because of those who had been part of his ministry.

    He stated, “I went away for a retreat and the Lord spoke clearly to me that certain parts of ministry which I had served for years, some of them for more than 20 years; that I will have to step away from those aspects of ministry and move away or hand over my responsibilities in all my national and international positions. And of course, I am passionate about the RCCG. I have served there all my life literally since I gave my life to Christ.

    According to the church’s website, Irukwu was conferred with the inaugural Alphege Award for Evangelism and Witness by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby at Lambeth Palace in 2016.

    The award was after St. Alphege the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1006 to 1012. The Archbishop was reputed for his simplicity, wise and holy counsel, as well as care for the poor.

    Pastor Irukwu was also elected Churches Together in England (CTE) Pentecostal President in 2017, making him one of six CTE Presidents.

    He is a  graduate of the University of Warwick, Coventry, UK, Pastor Irukwu was a former Investment Banker prior to his decision to go into full-time Christian ministry.

    He is described as a “very practical and down-to-earth preacher, his ministry is characterized by a desire to see revival in the UK and help build men and women of faith who will achieve their God-given purposes in life.”

    Irukwu is the son of Prof Joe Irukwu, a foremost insurance expert. He is married to Pastor Shola Irukwu

  • Queen Elizabeth’s coffin arrives Windsor Castle

    Queen Elizabeth’s coffin arrives Windsor Castle

    Queen Elizabeth’s coffin has arrived Windsor Castle in the state hearse, after an elaborate and somber procession though London with huge crowds lining the route.

    Windsor, where the Queen broadcast to the nation in wartime and spent so much of her time throughout her life, will be her final resting place.

    The Queen’s coffin was followed by King Charles, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York, and the Princess Royal during its procession to Wellington Arch.

    The route is a three-mile (4.82km), tree-lined avenue leading from Snow Hill – where Henry VIII is said to have awaited news of the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn – through Windsor Great Park towards the castle itself.

    The route was lined by the armed forces from Westminster Abbey to the top of Constitution Hill at the Commonwealth memorial gates.

    Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire.

    It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British Royal Family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.

    The original castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror.

  • Race to exchange old currency for new polymer notes hots up in UK

    Race to exchange old currency for new polymer notes hots up in UK

    Following September 30 deadline for the paper notes to cease to become legal tender in the United Kingdom, the people of the country are racing to exchange their old  paper notes for the new polymer notes in the bank of England.

    The Bank of England has already warned people to expect long queues at its headquarters at Threadneedle Street in the City of London as they try to swap paper £20 and £50 notes.

    However, BOE has assured the people of England that there is no deadline yet for the exchange of old notes to new ones but it will cease to be legal tender from October 1st, 2022.

    Customers have had to wait more than an hour in recent days, according to the Bank’s website, as a result of “very high demand”.

    It said customers arriving after 2pm may not get served because the counter where notes can be exchanged is open only between 9.30am and 3pm.

    “There will be long queues and you may encounter waiting times in excess of an hour,” the Bank warned. “We would ask that you kindly consider the long wait times when travelling to the Bank to undertake an in-person exchange.”

    The Bank has suggested that customers who do not need to use the paper money immediately can send their old banknotes to its offices by post.

    Meanwhile, Holders of old paper banknotes, including those based outside the UK, have been contacting the Bank on social media to ask whether they will be left with worthless currency.

    In its response BOE npoted : “All genuine Bank of England notes that have been or are soon-to-be withdrawn from circulation retain their face value for all time and can be exchanged with the Bank of England in London.”

    Polymer banknotes were introduced by the Bank in 2016, ending 320 years of paper money in Britain, with the £5 note featuring Sir Winston Churchill the first to be switched.

    New £20 notes featuring the artist JMW Turner were issued in February 2020, followed by the polymer £50 banknote featuring the Bletchley Park codebreaker and scientist Alan Turing in June 2021.

    From October, these polymer £20 and £50 notes will be the only versions accepted by British businesses, but the Bank explained that some UK banks will also accept the withdrawn notes if they are deposited by a customer, and some Post Office branches would also accept them.

    While the majority of paper £20 and £50 banknotes in circulation have already been replaced with the new polymer version, more than £6bn worth of paper £20 notes – featuring the economist Adam Smith – remain in circulation, along with more than £8bn of paper £50 notes – featuring the entrepreneur Matthew Boulton and the engineer James Watt.

    After the death of the Queen, the nation’s coins and banknotes will in time be replaced with versions featuring the head of King Charles. However, the process is expected to take at least two years, and probably longer for the coins.

    In the meantime that the polymer notes will suffice, the nation’s coins and banknotes will in time be replaced with versions featuring the head of King Charles. However, the process is expected to take at least two years, and probably longer for the coins.

     

     

  • Queen Elizabeth II: Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not attend State Reception at Buckingham Palace

    Queen Elizabeth II: Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not attend State Reception at Buckingham Palace

    As late Queen Elizabeth’s grandchildren gather for a vigil in Westminster Hall on Saturday as mourners passed through and paid their respects, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not attend State Reception for the Queen at Buckingham Palace, Report Says.

    TheNewsGuru.com gathered that despite earlier reports that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were invited to a State Reception of World Leaders on Sunday, only working members of the royal family have been invited.

    The couple received an invitation to the event, hosted by Harry’s father King Charles III, and Queen Consort Camilla, earlier this week.

    However, the publication reports that royal aides “insisted” Harry and Meghan were not invited and not expected to make an appearance.

    The pair won’t attend after the palace officials said the reception is “for working members of the royal family,” according to a source.

    Representatives for Buckingham Palace and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to request for comment.

    Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royal family has been described as tense since they stepped back as senior royals in 2020.

    They joined Prince William and Kate Middleton to view floral tributes to the Queen on September 10, but it’s unclear if the promenade around Windsor Castle is a sign of reconciliation.

    Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who are not working royals, will also not be at the reception.
    Queen Elizabeth: Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not attend State Reception at Buckingham Palace

    However, Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, released their first public statement since the death of the queen, saying it has been the honor of their lives to be her granddaughters.

    The princesses said in a statement:”We, like many, thought you’d be here forever. And we all miss you terribly. For now dear Grannie, all we want to say is thank you.

    “Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy. You, being you, will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.”

  • Biafra War: Biafrans will not forgive the late Queen Elizabeth- IPOB

    Biafra War: Biafrans will not forgive the late Queen Elizabeth- IPOB

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Biafrans will not forgive the late Queen Elizabeth following the roles she played during the Nigerian/Biafran War.

     

    According to IPOB, “Biafrans both young and old will not forgive the late Queen and the British people, especially the politicians unless the British Government allows Biaran to regain their Sovereignty through Referendum.”

     

    This came as IPOB supported the controversial remarks made by a Nigerian-born American academic, Uju Anya, on late Queen Elizabeth.

     

    IPOB pointed out that Anya’s views on the late queen and the British government represented the opinion of over 98 percent of people in the southeast.

     

    Anya had wished the queen “excruciating pain” in her last moments for allegedly sponsoring the “genocide” (Nigerian/Biafran War) which Anya said displaced her family.

     

    Anya got knocks for her comments but she insisted she had nothing but disdain for the late monarch and would offer no apology.

     

    IPOB, in a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, said Anya’s views on the late queen and the British government represented the opinion of over 98 percent of people in the southeast.

     

    The statement reads: “British Government and her allies under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth supplied military equipment and manpower to Nigeria to wipe out Biafrans. They used their propaganda media BBC to label Biafrans rebels and prevented any assistance to Biafrans.

     

    “As a result, many Biafran lives were wasted including the family members of Prof Uju. The world should know that Biafrans both young and old will not forgive the late Queen and the British people, especially the politicians unless the British Government allows Biaran to regain their Sovereignty through Referendum.

     

    “Biafrans doesn’t rejoice over the death of anybody neither do we mourn the death of evildoers, especially murderers. Queen of England committed much atrocities against humanity and God Almighty. Queen was a mass murderer, hence Chukwu Okike Abiama and our ancestors forbid us from mourning such a person or persons.

     

    “Prof Uju Anya has an indomitable Igbo spirit. She expressed anger that is hidden in all Biafrans especially Igbos who lost so much to the war levied and are still being levied on us by the same people we shared the same country.

     

    “Dear Prof Uju Anya, we thank you for showing the world our resilience and determination to fight for justice and to get justice.”

     

    IPOB denied any knowledge of Anya until her viral comments on Twitter, insisting that what was certain was that the pain and scar occasioned by the killings during the war lived with the Igbo.

     

    “Those accusing Prof Uju Anya as being an IPOB member or financier are just using that to intimidate and blackmail her. IPOB don’t know who she was until this moment and anybody or group threatening her is playing with fire. Moreover, IPOB doesn’t have secret members nor secret financiers, we are IPOB and we fund our movement.

     

    “We expect Prof Anya to stand her ground without giving attention to Nigeria and those blackmailers who intimidate some influential Igbo so that they can publicly bring IPOB to submission. We have seen all and IPOB is still marching forward,” the statement said.

  • Thousands pass Queen Elizabeth’s coffin as she lies in state in London

    Thousands pass Queen Elizabeth’s coffin as she lies in state in London

    Mourners from all walks of life filed past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth through the night as she lay in state in London’s ancient Westminster Hall, paying their final respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch before her funeral on Monday.

    On the first night people were able to pay their respects to the late Queen, queues stretched back to near the Blackfriars Bridge, with the line still about two miles long at 7am on Thursday.

    Metropolitan Police officers, volunteers, and stewards are helping to manage the queue, with toilets and water fountains also available at various points along the route.

    People waiting in line have been given a coloured and numbered wristband to secure their place in the queue.

    In the early hours of this morning, one of the guards watching over the late Queen’s coffin suddenly collapsed, prompting officials to quickly rush to his aid after he appeared to faint.

    Meanwhile, the King is set to take a day off from public duties today, allowing him to pause and grieve the loss of his late mother, while preparing for his new role.

  • Queen Elizabeth ll: I’ve received a lot of threats – Prof. Uju Anya

    Queen Elizabeth ll: I’ve received a lot of threats – Prof. Uju Anya

    American professor of Nigerian descent,  Uju Anya has voiced out over threat to her life since the day she tweeted negative things about late Queen Elizabeth ll.

    Professor Uju is a Professor of Second Language Acquisition, Department of Modern Languages, Carnegie Mellon University, United States of America.

    Anya had made some unsavoury statement on Twitter  about the Queen Elizabeth while still  on the sick bed before she finally  gave up the ghost.

    Her tweet reads in part “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating.”

    After series of backlash from Twitter users and from the public, her tweet has been been taken down by the micro-blogging site.

    Anya also confirmed to newsmen that her Twitter account has been yanked off for same reason.

    The professor of Second Language Acquisition has also lambasted billionaire businessman Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, of inciting the public against her and making her vulnerable to verbal attacks.

    Bezos, rumoured to be a huge donator to the school Anya teaches, had quoted her post, saying, “This is someone supposedly working to make the world better? I don’t think so. Wow.”

    Anya had replied Bezos, “May everyone you and your merciless greed have harmed in this world remember you as fondly as I remember my colonizers.”

    Anya has further explained that due to the incidence, some persons have started impersonating her and linking her to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

    She disclosed that she doesn’t have any link with IPOB.

    She said, “I feel like my life is in danger. I don’t feel safe anymore because of these lies being peddled around against me. I left Facebook four years ago. I don’t have a Facebook account. People are putting out fake statements, saying I am a member and financier of IPOB or Independent Biafra or any political candidate like that, and they are using a fake Facebook account that bears my name. It is a lie. There is nothing like that.

    “It is urgent that the world knows that these people are trying to put me in harm’s way. Nothing that anybody sees with my name on Facebook is true. I am not a member of IPOB.

    “They are using me for political movements and messages that I do not align with, and they are seriously damaging me and my safety.

    “This is going to be a huge problem for me. What if the Nigerian government considers me a terrorist and wants to arrest me? They are putting my life in danger.”

    However, Professor Anya said she has resolved to only speak to just One  News medium in the country to avoid being misquoted.