World War Ii

Japanese Princess Yuriko, Emperor Hirohito's sister-in-law, dies at 101

Japanese Princess Yuriko, the wife of wartime Emperor Hirohito's brother and the oldest member of the imperial family, has died after her health deteriorated recently, palace officials said. She was 101. Yuriko died Friday at a Tokyo hospital, the Imperial Household Agency said. It did not announce the cause of death, but Japanese media said she died of pneumonia. Born in 1923 as an aristocrat, Yuriko married at age 18 to Prince Mikasa, the younger brother of Hirohito and the uncle of current Emperor Naruhito, months before the start of World War II. She has recounted living in a shelter with her husband and their baby daughter after their residence was burned down in the U.S. fire bombings of Tokyo in the final months of the war in 1945. Yuriko raised five children and supported Mikasa's research into ancient Near Eastern history, while also serving her official duties and taking part in philanthropic activities. She outlived her husband and all three sons. Her death reduces Japa

In a World War II reminder for Japan, war-era bomb detonates at airport

Japan authorities confirmed that a Second World War-era 500-pound US bomb was responsible for the explosion at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan, and no further threat remains

WW2 veteran Singh turns 100, Indian Army celebrates his centennial birthday

Lance Naik Charan Singh (retd), a World War II veteran who served the Army for 17 years and received the prestigious Burma Star Award has turned 100. The Army celebrated his centennial birthday on Saturday at his home in Himachal Pradesh, marking a century of extraordinary life and service. Born on September 7, 1924, Singh's journey with the Army began on August 26, 1942, at Firozepur Cantonment, when he got enrolled in the Indian Army, a senior official said on Sunday. His distinguished military career saw him serve with the Army Service Corps during the World War II. His service took him from Singapore to Lahore and eventually to Yol Cantonment in Himachal Pradesh, he said. "Over the years, his dedication was recognised with the prestigious Burma Star Award and the Indian Independence Medal. After 17 years of valiant service, he retired from the Indian Army on May 17, 1959," the Army said. Now residing in Dekwala village of Himachal Pradesh's Ropar district, Singh lives surround

Poland marks 85th anniv of Nazi Germany's invasion during World War II

Solemn ceremonies started early Sunday in Poland to mark the 85th anniversary of German Nazi forces invading and bombing Polish territory at the start of World War II. President Andrzej Duda attended observances in Wielun, the first civilian town targeted by German bombs in the small hours of September 1, 1939. Meanwhile, at a monument on the Baltic Sea's Westerplatte peninsula, where a military outpost was shelled by a German warship just minutes after Wielun was attacked, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz laid wreaths and attended a memorial roll call for fallen soldiers. At the time, the outpost's outnumbered troops fought for seven days before surrendering to the Germans, becoming a symbol of heroism and patriotism. In more than five years of war and brutal German occupation, Poland lost 6 million citizens or a sixth of its population, of which 3 million were Jewish. The country also suffered huge losses to its infrastructure, industry an

Japanese shrine that honors war dead, convicted war criminals, vandalised

Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including convicted World War II war criminals, was vandalized again overnight Monday. It is deplorable that an act seeking to denigrate the shrine's dignity has happened again, the shrine said in a statement. In May, a stone pillar at Yasukuni was spraypainted red. A Chinese suspect was arrested in July. Neither the police nor the Shinto shrine would go into details of the latest vandalism, saying an investigation was ongoing. Japanese media reports said graffiti reading toilet in Chinese, written with what appeared to be black markers, was found Monday morning on a stone pillar near the shrine's arch. Asian nations that suffered from Japanese aggression before and during World War II see Yasukuni as a symbol of militarism. Convicted Class A war criminals, including Hideki Tojo, Japan's wartime prime minister, are among the 2.5 million Japanese war dead enshrined at Yasukuni. The shrine itself, a dramatic-looking building w

Hiroshima Day 2024: History, significance, facts and impact of bombings

Hiroshima Day 2024: This day is observed every year on August 6 to commemorate the tragic event of the dropping of atomic bomb on Japan's Hiroshima in World War II

Brazilian govt apologises for post-WWII persecution of Japanese immigrants

The Brazilian government on Thursday apologized for human rights violations in the persecution and incarceration of Japanese immigrants in the years after World War II. I want to apologize on behalf of the Brazilian state for the persecution your ancestors suffered, for all the barbarities, atrocities, cruelties, tortures, prejudice, ignorance, xenophobia and racism, said Ene de Stutz e Almeida, president of the Amnesty Commission, an advisory board of Brazil's Ministry of Human Rights that analyzes amnesty and reparation requests to victims of political persecution in the country. The board approved the apology plea in a session in Brasilia attended by members of the Brazilian government and prominent members of the Japanese community. Flags of both countries were displayed on the table where the speakers sat. A report by the Amnesty Commission acknowledged that 172 immigrants were sent to a concentration camp off the coast of So Paulo, where they were mistreated and tortured from

Hindujas announce launch of sale of Churchill's Old War Office residences

The OWO Residences by Raffles includes a range of 85 homes, from studios and one-bedroom apartments up to five-bedroom residences, with a two-bed apartment priced at around 5.8 million pound

Oppenheimer tickets go for as high as Rs 2450 in this Indian city

Oppenheimer movie tickets went as high as Rs 2450 at one place, with all tickets sold out. The film is about the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer who led the creation of the first atomic bomb

UK PM Sunak honours Sikh World War II veteran with Points of Light award

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has honoured Rajindar Singh Dhatt, one of the last surviving Sikh soldiers who fought in the Second World War with a Points of Light honour at a UK-India Week reception at 10 Downing Street. Dhatt, 101, was recognised on Wednesday for his service and his work running the "Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association" to help bring together British Indian war veterans. Dhatt, based in Hounslow in southwest London since 1963, was born in pre-Partition India in 1921 and fought with the Allied forces during the British colonial period. It is an immense honour to receive this recognition from the Prime Minister, to whom I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for acknowledging the importance and impact of the 'Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association'," said Dhatt. The journey of establishing this organisation was driven by a deep sense of duty as an ex-serviceman and the vision of fostering unity, support, and camaraderie. This award serves

Betrayal and survival

In The Collaborators, some readers may find Buruma's permissiveness toward his subjects' conduct and moral barometers disturbing

Poland to seek US help with WWII compensation from Germany: Dy FM Mularczyk

Poland will seek help from the US in its pursuit to claim World War II reparations from Germany, Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk said here.

Poland asks for UN intervention to secure WWII damages from Germany

On September 1, 2022, the Polish government presented a report detailing the material losses suffered by Poland during World War II, along with a pledge to demand money from Germany in reparations

Poland sends diplomatic note on request for WW II reparations from Germany

On September 1, the Polish government presented a comprehensive report detailing the material losses suffered by the country during the war, reports Xinhua news agency

World faces most dangerous decade since World War II: Vladimir Putin

The world faces "probably the most dangerous" decade since the end of World War Two, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned

World faces most dangerous decade since WWII: Russian President Putin

Ultimately, Putin said, the West would have to talk to Russia and other major powers about the future of the world.

Govts across globe stoked global inequality since pandemic, finds study

Analysis by the nonprofits Oxfam and Development Finance International found that of the 161 countries surveyed, almost all either froze or lowered taxes on their richest citizens

Giorgia Meloni's right-wing bloc set wins big in Italian election

Giorgia Meloni won a clear majority in Italian election, setting herself up to become the country's first female prime minister at the head of the most right-wing government since World War II

After Queen Elizabeth's funeral, UK's royal family must reform to survive

As recession looms, however, and the pound sinks to its lowest in nearly four decades, it is time to ask: Can the monarchy reform fast and radically enough to adapt?

The Hollywood sign is going to look jolly good on its 100th anniversary

the iconic Hollywood sign gets a facelift, here's a look at its birth and evolution