Giant explosive-laden Nazi warships emerge in low water levels of drying Danube river - see pics

The remains of one of the largest aristocratic collections is on display to the public in Hungary. The artefacts destroyed during the world war II are slowly being restored but this is the first time the damage remains are being exhibited.

Damaged WWII relics on display for 1st time

Lead Mead in the United States is shrinking, and it has resulted in a sunken boat dating back to the second world war resurfacing near the reservoir that lies between Nevada and Arizona. The lake has been severely impacted by drought as the water level has gone down drastically and according to local officials, the boat was deep below the surface of the water. The boat, identified as a landing craft, was sunk after being used for surveys, according to dive tours company Las Vegas Scuba.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-accuses-russia-of-firing-phosphorus-bombs-on-snake-island-493706" hreflang="en">Ukraine accuses Russia of firing phosphorus bombs on Snake Island</a>

This is the second time that an object has resurfaced due to the water levels going down after two sets of human remains were found earlier. Lake Mead is the largest human-made reservoir in the US but the decline has been steady, and experts said that climate change will make things worse.

The boat found in Lake Mead was identified as the ones made by Higgins Industries in New Orleans during the second world war, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. These boats were used quite regularly by the army and a number of them were even used in Normandy in 1944.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-may-ban-concealed-guns-in-sensitive-areas-including-times-square-493711" hreflang="en">New York may ban concealed guns in 'sensitive areas', including Times Square</a>

The situation is concerning for the authorities and Camille Touton, the US Bureau of Reclamation commissioner, said that the department will be looking into it. The fall in water levels has also impacted the electricity production on the Arizona-Utah line. The states around the area has been deeply impacted by the dip in hydropower and that has resulted in more power cuts in the recent past.

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Lead Mead in the United States is shrinking, and it has resulted in a sunken boat dating back to the second world war resurfacing near the reservoir that lies between Nevada and Arizona.

Lead Mead in the United States is shrinking, and it has resulted in a sunken boat dating back to the second world war resurfacing near the reservoir that lies between Nevada and Arizona. The lake has been severely impacted by drought as the water level has gone down drastically and according to local officials, the boat was deep below the surface of the water. The boat, identified as a landing craft, was sunk after being used for surveys, according to dive tours company Las Vegas Scuba. Also read | Ukraine accuses Russia of firing phosphorus bombs on Snake Island This is the second time that an object has resurfaced due to the water levels going down after two sets of human remains were found earlier. Lake Mead is the largest human-made reservoir in the US but the decline has been steady, and experts said that climate change will make things worse. The boat found in Lake Mead was identified as the ones made by Higgins Industries in New Orleans during the second world war, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. These boats were used quite regularly by the army and a number of them were even used in Normandy in 1944. Also read | New York may ban concealed guns in 'sensitive areas', including Times Square The situation is concerning for the authorities and Camille Touton, the US Bureau of Reclamation commissioner, said that the department will be looking into it. The fall in water levels has also impacted the electricity production on the Arizona-Utah line. The states around the area has been deeply impacted by the dip in hydropower and that has resulted in more power cuts in the recent past. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. (With inputs from agencies)

World War II-era boat emerges from Lake Mead as water levels decline

The remains of the USS Samuel B Roberts, a US navy destroyer escort sunk during World War II, were found by explorers below the Pacific Ocean, split in half and lodged on a slope.

Also known as the Sammy B, the world's deepest shipwreck was located on June 22 by Texan financer Victor Vescovo, an explorer who has previously completed expeditions to the world's deepest points.

It lies at a depth of 6,895 meters (22,621 feet) in the Philippine Sea. It was out of sight for nearly 80 years, until now.

&nbsp;The previous deepest wreck&nbsp;that was ever identified and discovered was the USS Johnston, found last year by Vescovo. It lies at 6,469 meters.

Samuel B. Roberts was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort that was commissioned on April 28, 1944. It went down during the Battle of Samar in the Philippine Sea in October 1944.

The vessel is remembered for its heroic battle against three Japanese battleships, including the Yamato, said to be the largest ever constructed.

The US ship carried 224 crewmembers, 89 of whom were killed. Captain Robert W. Copeland was one of the survivors.

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Part of the dive on the Sammy B. It appears her bow hit the seafloor with some force, causing some buckling. Her stern also separated about 5 meters on impact, but the whole wreck was together. This small ship took on the finest of the Japanese Navy, fighting them to the end. <a href="https://t.co/fvi6uB0xUQ">pic.twitter.com/fvi6uB0xUQ</a>
— Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo) <a href="https://twitter.com/VictorVescovo/status/1540295606970769409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The ship "fought ferociously even though she was completely outclassed by the Japanese battleships and heavy cruisers she went up against," Vescovo told CNN.

"The heroism of her captain and crew is legendary in the Navy, and it was a great honor to find her final resting place. I think it helps bring closure to the story of the ship, for the families of those who were lost and those who served on her. I think that having a ship vanish into the depths, never to be seen again, can leave those affiliated with the ship feeling a sense of emptiness.”

"Finding the wrecks can help bring closure, and also bring details about the battle that perhaps we didn't know before. As we say, 'Steel doesn't lie.'"

The explorers also went lower to over 7,000 meters to look for one other vessel —a carrier, called Gambier Bay —but couldn’t find it. They didn't look for the other destroyer, USS Hoel, due to lack of data, reports CNN.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The remains of the USS Samuel B Roberts, a US navy destroyer escort sunk during World War II, were found by explorers below the Pacific Ocean, split in half and lodged on a slope.

The remains of the USS Samuel B Roberts, a US navy destroyer escort sunk during World War II, were found by explorers below the Pacific Ocean, split in half and lodged on a slope. Also known as the Sammy B, the world's deepest shipwreck was located on June 22 by Texan financer Victor Vescovo, an explorer who has previously completed expeditions to the world's deepest points. It lies at a depth of 6,895 meters (22,621 feet) in the Philippine Sea. It was out of sight for nearly 80 years, until now. The previous deepest wreck that was ever identified and discovered was the USS Johnston, found last year by Vescovo. It lies at 6,469 meters. Samuel B. Roberts was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort that was commissioned on April 28, 1944. It went down during the Battle of Samar in the Philippine Sea in October 1944. The vessel is remembered for its heroic battle against three Japanese battleships, including the Yamato, said to be the largest ever constructed. The US ship carried 224 crewmembers, 89 of whom were killed. Captain Robert W. Copeland was one of the survivors. Part of the dive on the Sammy B. It appears her bow hit the seafloor with some force, causing some buckling. Her stern also separated about 5 meters on impact, but the whole wreck was together. This small ship took on the finest of the Japanese Navy, fighting them to the end. pic.twitter.com/fvi6uB0xUQ — Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo) June 24, 2022 × The ship "fought ferociously even though she was completely outclassed by the Japanese battleships and heavy cruisers she went up against," Vescovo told CNN. "The heroism of her captain and crew is legendary in the Navy, and it was a great honor to find her final resting place. I think it helps bring closure to the story of the ship, for the families of those who were lost and those who served on her. I think that having a ship vanish into the depths, never to be seen again, can leave those affiliated with the ship feeling a sense of emptiness.” "Finding the wrecks can help bring closure, and also bring details about the battle that perhaps we didn't know before. As we say, 'Steel doesn't lie.'" The explorers also went lower to over 7,000 meters to look for one other vessel —a carrier, called Gambier Bay —but couldn’t find it. They didn't look for the other destroyer, USS Hoel, due to lack of data, reports CNN. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

World's deepest shipwreck discovered around 23,000 feet under sea

In an auction in New York held by Christie's, a Rolex watch worn by a British prisoner during the 'Great Escape' from a Nazi war camp fetched $189,000.

In 1944, Gerald Imeson was a part of the group of Allied soldiers who undertook the daring escape from the Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp.

During this escape, which inspired the 1963 movie starring Steve McQueen, Imeson was wearing the Rolex watch that has been auctioned.

According to Christie's, which is a British auction house, Imeson had ordered the watch from Rolex in Switzerland.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texas-man-uses-covid-19-relief-funds-to-buy-lamborghini-rolex-imprisoned-for-9-years-433314">Also read |&nbsp;Texas: Man uses COVID-19 relief funds to buy Lamborghini, Rolex; imprisoned for 9 years</a>

Rolex had shipped a steel watch with a black luminous dial to the prison camp near the present-day Polish town of Zagan via the Red Cross.

Calling the watch "instrumental in the planning and execution" of their bid for freedom, the auction house added that it helped prisoners in timing patrols of the camp guards along with the time needed for crawling through the tunnels.

While he waited 172nd in line to escape, Imeson wore the Oyster Chronograph which he possessed until his death in 2003 at the age of 85.

The Rolex watch, which was first auctioned in Britain in 2013, was expected to be sold for $200,000.

A membership card for The Goldfish Club, reserved for pilots and crew who have crash-landed into the sea and survived, along with a Royal Air Force whistle were among other famous items sold with the timepiece.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In an auction in New York held by Christie's, a Rolex watch worn by a British prisoner during the 'Great Escape' from a Nazi war camp fetched $189,000. In 1944, Gerald Imeson was a part of the group of Allied soldiers who undertook the daring escape from the Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp.

In an auction in New York held by Christie's, a Rolex watch worn by a British prisoner during the 'Great Escape' from a Nazi war camp fetched $189,000. In 1944, Gerald Imeson was a part of the group of Allied soldiers who undertook the daring escape from the Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp. During this escape, which inspired the 1963 movie starring Steve McQueen, Imeson was wearing the Rolex watch that has been auctioned. According to Christie's, which is a British auction house, Imeson had ordered the watch from Rolex in Switzerland. Also read | Texas: Man uses COVID-19 relief funds to buy Lamborghini, Rolex; imprisoned for 9 years Rolex had shipped a steel watch with a black luminous dial to the prison camp near the present-day Polish town of Zagan via the Red Cross. Calling the watch "instrumental in the planning and execution" of their bid for freedom, the auction house added that it helped prisoners in timing patrols of the camp guards along with the time needed for crawling through the tunnels. While he waited 172nd in line to escape, Imeson wore the Oyster Chronograph which he possessed until his death in 2003 at the age of 85. The Rolex watch, which was first auctioned in Britain in 2013, was expected to be sold for $200,000. A membership card for The Goldfish Club, reserved for pilots and crew who have crash-landed into the sea and survived, along with a Royal Air Force whistle were among other famous items sold with the timepiece. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Rolex watch worn by prisoner during 'Great Escape' from Nazi war camp fetches $189,000 in auction

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. 
 
About 60 people were feared dead after a bomb struck a school in eastern Ukraine, authorities said, while Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to lead celebrations on Monday marking the Soviet Union`s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. 
 
Luhansk region Governor Serhiy Gaidai said the school in Bilohorivka, where about 90 people were sheltering, was hit on Saturday by a Russian bomb, setting it ablaze. 
 
"There is almost no hope that anyone survived. The aerial bomb exploded in the middle (of the building)," Gaidai wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "In the school, there were approximately 90 people, 27 were rescued. About 60 people were probably killed."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/victory-will-be-ours-says-putin-on-ukraine-war-ahead-of-may-9-celebrations-477367">Also Read:&nbsp;Victory will be ours, says Putin on Ukraine war</a> 
 
Reuters could not immediately verify his account. There was no response from Moscow to the report. 
 
In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the deputy commander of the Azov regiment holed up in the sprawling Azovstal steel plant pleaded with the international community to help evacuate wounded soldiers. 
 
"We will continue to fight as long as we are alive to repel the Russian occupiers," Captain Sviatoslav Palamar told an online news conference. 
 
As the fighting, now in its third month, raged on, leaders of the Group of Seven industrial nations vowed on Sunday to deepen Russia`s economic isolation and "elevate" a campaign against Kremlin-linked elites. 
 
The G7 said it was committed to phasing out or banning Russian oil and denounced Putin`s invasion of Ukraine. 
 
"His actions bring shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people," the group said in a statement, referring to Soviet Russia`s role in defeating Nazi Germany 77 years ago. 
 
Putin has repeatedly likened the war in Ukraine - which he casts as a battle against dangerous "Nazi"-inspired nationalists in Ukraine - to the challenge the Soviet Union faced when Adolf Hitler invaded in 1941. 
 
Ukraine and its allies say Russia launched an unprovoked war. 
 
In a video address, filmed in front of charred Ukrainian apartment blocks with footage of Russian missile strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that evil had returned, but his country would prevail. 
 
"We will overcome everything. And we know this for sure, because our military and all our people are descendants of those who overcame Nazism," Zelenskiy said. 
 
Putin will preside over a parade in Moscow`s Red Square of troops, tanks, rockets and intercontinental ballistic missiles, making a speech that could offer clues on the future of the war. 
 
MARIUPOL 
 
More than 170 civilians were evacuated from the Mariupol area on Sunday, bringing the total to around 600 given safe passage during a week-long rescue operation, the United Nations said. 
 
In the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 230 km (140 miles) northwest of Mariupol, dozens of people who had fled the city and nearby occupied areas waited to register in a car park set up for evacuees. 
 
"There's lots of people still in Mariupol who want to leave but can`t," said history teacher Viktoria Andreyeva, 46, who said she had only just reached the city after leaving her bombed home in Mariupol with her family in mid-April. 
 
"The air feels different here, free," she said in a tent where volunteers offered food, basic supplies and toys to the evacuees, many travelling with small children. 
 
Mariupol is key to Moscow`s efforts to link the Crimean Peninsula, seized by Russia in 2014, and parts of the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk that have been controlled by Russia-backed separatists since then. 
 
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said on Telegram that he visited Mariupol on Sunday, the country`s most senior government figure to set foot in the city after weeks of Russian bombardment. 
 
A number of Western officials, including U.S. first lady Jill Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a German parliament head and the Norwegian foreign minister arrived in Ukraine on Sunday in a show of support. 
 
Irish rock group U2's frontman Bono and his bandmate The Edge performed a 40-minute concert in a metro station in Kyiv on Sunday and praised Ukrainians fighting for their freedom.

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. About 60 people were feared dead after a bomb struck a school in eastern Ukraine, authorities said, while Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to lead celebrations on Monday marking the Soviet Union`s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. Luhansk region Governor Serhiy Gaidai said the school in Bilohorivka, where about 90 people were sheltering, was hit on Saturday by a Russian bomb, setting it ablaze. "There is almost no hope that anyone survived. The aerial bomb exploded in the middle (of the building)," Gaidai wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "In the school, there were approximately 90 people, 27 were rescued. About 60 people were probably killed." Also Read: Victory will be ours, says Putin on Ukraine war Reuters could not immediately verify his account. There was no response from Moscow to the report. In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the deputy commander of the Azov regiment holed up in the sprawling Azovstal steel plant pleaded with the international community to help evacuate wounded soldiers. "We will continue to fight as long as we are alive to repel the Russian occupiers," Captain Sviatoslav Palamar told an online news conference. As the fighting, now in its third month, raged on, leaders of the Group of Seven industrial nations vowed on Sunday to deepen Russia`s economic isolation and "elevate" a campaign against Kremlin-linked elites. The G7 said it was committed to phasing out or banning Russian oil and denounced Putin`s invasion of Ukraine. "His actions bring shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people," the group said in a statement, referring to Soviet Russia`s role in defeating Nazi Germany 77 years ago. Putin has repeatedly likened the war in Ukraine - which he casts as a battle against dangerous "Nazi"-inspired nationalists in Ukraine - to the challenge the Soviet Union faced when Adolf Hitler invaded in 1941. Ukraine and its allies say Russia launched an unprovoked war. In a video address, filmed in front of charred Ukrainian apartment blocks with footage of Russian missile strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that evil had returned, but his country would prevail. "We will overcome everything. And we know this for sure, because our military and all our people are descendants of those who overcame Nazism," Zelenskiy said. Putin will preside over a parade in Moscow`s Red Square of troops, tanks, rockets and intercontinental ballistic missiles, making a speech that could offer clues on the future of the war. MARIUPOL More than 170 civilians were evacuated from the Mariupol area on Sunday, bringing the total to around 600 given safe passage during a week-long rescue operation, the United Nations said. In the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 230 km (140 miles) northwest of Mariupol, dozens of people who had fled the city and nearby occupied areas waited to register in a car park set up for evacuees. "There's lots of people still in Mariupol who want to leave but can`t," said history teacher Viktoria Andreyeva, 46, who said she had only just reached the city after leaving her bombed home in Mariupol with her family in mid-April. "The air feels different here, free," she said in a tent where volunteers offered food, basic supplies and toys to the evacuees, many travelling with small children. Mariupol is key to Moscow`s efforts to link the Crimean Peninsula, seized by Russia in 2014, and parts of the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk that have been controlled by Russia-backed separatists since then. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said on Telegram that he visited Mariupol on Sunday, the country`s most senior government figure to set foot in the city after weeks of Russian bombardment. A number of Western officials, including U.S. first lady Jill Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a German parliament head and the Norwegian foreign minister arrived in Ukraine on Sunday in a show of support. Irish rock group U2's frontman Bono and his bandmate The Edge performed a 40-minute concert in a metro station in Kyiv on Sunday and praised Ukrainians fighting for their freedom. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Putin to mark Soviet World War II victory as Ukraine decries school bombing

France marked the World War II victory day today and the French President Emmanuel Macron led victory day commemorations in Paris. Macron paid tribute to the fallen soldiers of World War II.

France: President Macron pays tribute to the fallen soldiers of World War II

Nearly 80 years after it crashed, a missing World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas. The discovery was made after a very dangerous search operation.&nbsp;

The incident took place in the first week of 1945.&nbsp;

The discovery was made after the team stumbled upon the plane on a snow-clad mountain top last month.&nbsp;

According to reports by AFP, the C-46 transport aircraft was carrying 13 people from Kunming in southern China. It suddenly disappeared due to stormy weather at a mountainous stretch in Indian state Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

Three guides, who were a part of the operation died because of hypothermia at a very initial stage of the project in the month of September.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/stunning-images-from-underwater-lion-dance-at-malaysian-aquarium-days-before-chinese-new-year-446478">Also read |&nbsp;Stunning images from underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium days before Chinese New Year</a>

Clayton Kuhles, a US adventurer led the mission after a request was made from Bill Scherer, whose officer father was one of those who were on board.&nbsp;

Speaking about the incident, Kuhles said, "This aircraft was never heard from again. It simply disappeared."

In an email, Scherer told the AFP news, "All I can say is that I am overjoyed, just knowing where he is. It is sad but joyous. I grew up without a father. All I can think of is my poor mother, getting a telegram and finding out her husband is missing and she is left with me, a 13-month-old baby boy.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Nearly 80 years after it crashed, a missing World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas. The discovery was made after a very dangerous search operation.

Nearly 80 years after it crashed, a missing World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas. The discovery was made after a very dangerous search operation. The incident took place in the first week of 1945. The discovery was made after the team stumbled upon the plane on a snow-clad mountain top last month. According to reports by AFP, the C-46 transport aircraft was carrying 13 people from Kunming in southern China. It suddenly disappeared due to stormy weather at a mountainous stretch in Indian state Arunachal Pradesh. Three guides, who were a part of the operation died because of hypothermia at a very initial stage of the project in the month of September. Also read | Stunning images from underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium days before Chinese New Year Clayton Kuhles, a US adventurer led the mission after a request was made from Bill Scherer, whose officer father was one of those who were on board. Speaking about the incident, Kuhles said, "This aircraft was never heard from again. It simply disappeared." In an email, Scherer told the AFP news, "All I can say is that I am overjoyed, just knowing where he is. It is sad but joyous. I grew up without a father. All I can think of is my poor mother, getting a telegram and finding out her husband is missing and she is left with me, a 13-month-old baby boy.” (With inputs from agencies)

World War II aircraft found in India after nearly 80 years

The conspiracies and mysteries around one of the most famous incidents of World War II , namely the betrayal of Anne Frank, &nbsp;might have been solved. A Jewish notary has been identified as the 'prime suspect' who betrayed the teen diarist and her family to the Nazis.&nbsp;

Frank, who died aged 15, was a German-Dutch diarist of Jewish heritage and emerged as one of the most discussed victims of the Holocaust.&nbsp;

Her name became popular posthumously with the 1947 publication of 'The Diary of a Young Girl' in which she documented her life while in hiding from 1942 to 1944.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/old-letters-of-couple-reveal-underground-network-set-up-to-help-jewish-families-escape-nazi-rule-434408">Old letters of couple reveal underground network set up to help Jewish families escape Nazi rule</a>

<h2>The diary</h2>

Frank started diary entries in an autograph book she received as a gift, which was bound with red-and-white checkered cloth with a small lock on the front.&nbsp;

In the diary, she listed many of the restrictions placed upon the lives of the Dutch Jewish population. She also wrote about her wish to publish a book about her time in the 'Secret Annex'. After the war, her father Otto Frank fulfilled her wish.

Since then, Anne Frank's diary has been translated into more than 70 languages, becoming one of the most haunting accounts of the Holocaust, selling some 30 million copies.

<h2>The betrayal</h2>

In 1944, Anne and seven other Jews were discovered by the Nazis on August 4, after they had hidden for nearly two years in a secret place above a canal-side warehouse in Amsterdam.&nbsp;

The secret hiding place became known as the Achterhuis, which was translated into "Secret Annex" in English editions of the diary.&nbsp;

After they were found, all were deported and reportedly Anne died in the Bergen Belsen camp at age 15.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-swiss-museum-orders-experts-to-review-nazi-era-art-collection-437261">Swiss museum orders experts to review Nazi-era art collection</a>

<h2>The investigation</h2>

A team that included retired US FBI agent Vincent Pankoke and around 20 historians, criminologists and data specialists led an investigation.&nbsp;

The probe revealed that a Jewish figure named Arnold van den Bergh might have revealed the Franks' hiding place in Amsterdam to the Nazis in a bid to save his own family. &nbsp;

However, some other experts emphasised that the evidence against him was not conclusive.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/researcher-finds-fresh-proof-that-nazis-held-fake-auctions-to-disguise-theft-441827">Researcher finds fresh proof that Nazis held fake auctions to disguise theft</a>

<h2>The clue</h2>

According to a new book about the investigation, the evidence comes from modern data-crunching techniques combined with a long-lost, anonymous note sent to Anne's father Otto naming Van den Bergh.&nbsp;

The Anne Frank House museum said it was "impressed" by the evidence in the book being published on Tuesday by Canadian author Rosemary Sullivan, but that further investigation was needed.

Anne's father told detectives in 1964 that he had received a note shortly after the war naming Van den Bergh as the betrayer of his family, and of several other people. A copy made by Frank of the note was found by the team in a police officer's archives.

(With inputs from agencies)

The conspiracies and mysteries around one of the most famous incidents of World War II , namely the betrayal of Anne Frank, might have been solved. A Jewish notary has been identified as the 'prime suspect' who betrayed the teen diarist and her family to the Nazis.

The conspiracies and mysteries around one of the most famous incidents of World War II , namely the betrayal of Anne Frank, might have been solved. A Jewish notary has been identified as the 'prime suspect' who betrayed the teen diarist and her family to the Nazis. Frank, who died aged 15, was a German-Dutch diarist of Jewish heritage and emerged as one of the most discussed victims of the Holocaust. Her name became popular posthumously with the 1947 publication of 'The Diary of a Young Girl' in which she documented her life while in hiding from 1942 to 1944. ALSO READ | Old letters of couple reveal underground network set up to help Jewish families escape Nazi rule The diary Frank started diary entries in an autograph book she received as a gift, which was bound with red-and-white checkered cloth with a small lock on the front. In the diary, she listed many of the restrictions placed upon the lives of the Dutch Jewish population. She also wrote about her wish to publish a book about her time in the 'Secret Annex'. After the war, her father Otto Frank fulfilled her wish. Since then, Anne Frank's diary has been translated into more than 70 languages, becoming one of the most haunting accounts of the Holocaust, selling some 30 million copies. The betrayal In 1944, Anne and seven other Jews were discovered by the Nazis on August 4, after they had hidden for nearly two years in a secret place above a canal-side warehouse in Amsterdam. The secret hiding place became known as the Achterhuis, which was translated into "Secret Annex" in English editions of the diary. After they were found, all were deported and reportedly Anne died in the Bergen Belsen camp at age 15. ALSO READ | Swiss museum orders experts to review Nazi-era art collection The investigation A team that included retired US FBI agent Vincent Pankoke and around 20 historians, criminologists and data specialists led an investigation. The probe revealed that a Jewish figure named Arnold van den Bergh might have revealed the Franks' hiding place in Amsterdam to the Nazis in a bid to save his own family. However, some other experts emphasised that the evidence against him was not conclusive. ALSO READ | Researcher finds fresh proof that Nazis held fake auctions to disguise theft The clue According to a new book about the investigation, the evidence comes from modern data-crunching techniques combined with a long-lost, anonymous note sent to Anne's father Otto naming Van den Bergh. The Anne Frank House museum said it was "impressed" by the evidence in the book being published on Tuesday by Canadian author Rosemary Sullivan, but that further investigation was needed. Anne's father told detectives in 1964 that he had received a note shortly after the war naming Van den Bergh as the betrayer of his family, and of several other people. A copy made by Frank of the note was found by the team in a police officer's archives. (With inputs from agencies)

Who betrayed Anne Frank to the Nazis? Surprise suspect 'identified' after 77 years

October 21 in history: French women vote for the first time in National Assembly elections and more

September 10 in history: Signing of Treaty of Saint-Germain, last execution by guillotine in France and more

Over 100 unexploded bombs from World War II were recently discovered in the backyard of a home in Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands situated in the South Pacific. The 101 bombs are unexploded ordnances (UXO) which are explosives that did not detonate during the intended period and still&nbsp;pose risks wherever found.

This massive batch was discovered by a man who was digging a hole for a new septic system at his property situated in a residential enclave.

Soon after the discovery, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) dispatched the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad. The 101 US 105 millimetre High Explosive Projectiles were safely recovered from the site.&nbsp;

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The number of unexploded WWII bombs found around Honiara, Solomon Islands is alarming. Imagine discovering 32 live bombs while excavating land for a new home. 
Its time the US/Japan and their allies take serious note of this. Innocent lives are being lost here. <a href="https://t.co/biPIMFWEEM">pic.twitter.com/biPIMFWEEM</a>
— Dr. Paul Mae (@Kloppy15) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kloppy15/status/1393836376110501891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to the police, the bombs are being secured and will then be defused. The Guardian reported that EOD Inspector Clifford Tunuki warned Solomon Islanders against building on land which may possess a high level of UXO deposits. They have urged residents to get clearance from relevant companies before commencing work.

During World War II, thousands of bombs were dropped on the Pacific Islands including territories like Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Palau. Most of these bombs did not explode.

When the war ended, allied countries were urged to dispose of the UXO. Many countries undertook the activity, but not all UXO could be cleared. Earlier in May, two people died when a World War II exploded in a residential area in Honiara.

In 2020, an Australian man and his colleague from Britain who were working on a project to track munitions died in Solomon Islands when an explosive detonated in Honiara, a residential area.

Over 100 unexploded bombs from World War II were recently discovered in the backyard of a home in Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands situated in the South Pacific.

Over 100 unexploded bombs from World War II were recently discovered in the backyard of a home in Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands situated in the South Pacific. The 101 bombs are unexploded ordnances (UXO) which are explosives that did not detonate during the intended period and still pose risks wherever found. This massive batch was discovered by a man who was digging a hole for a new septic system at his property situated in a residential enclave. Soon after the discovery, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) dispatched the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad. The 101 US 105 millimetre High Explosive Projectiles were safely recovered from the site. The number of unexploded WWII bombs found around Honiara, Solomon Islands is alarming. Imagine discovering 32 live bombs while excavating land for a new home. Its time the US/Japan and their allies take serious note of this. Innocent lives are being lost here. pic.twitter.com/biPIMFWEEM — Dr. Paul Mae (@Kloppy15) May 16, 2021 × According to the police, the bombs are being secured and will then be defused. The Guardian reported that EOD Inspector Clifford Tunuki warned Solomon Islanders against building on land which may possess a high level of UXO deposits. They have urged residents to get clearance from relevant companies before commencing work. During World War II, thousands of bombs were dropped on the Pacific Islands including territories like Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Palau. Most of these bombs did not explode. When the war ended, allied countries were urged to dispose of the UXO. Many countries undertook the activity, but not all UXO could be cleared. Earlier in May, two people died when a World War II exploded in a residential area in Honiara. In 2020, an Australian man and his colleague from Britain who were working on a project to track munitions died in Solomon Islands when an explosive detonated in Honiara, a residential area.

Over 100 unexploded bombs from World War II found in Solomon Islands

A French Holocaust survivor battling with an American university over a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis went to court in Paris on Tuesday to try block the university from suing her for millions of dollars.

Leone-Noelle Meyer, 81, has for years been trying to recover Pissarro's impressionist "La Bergère rentrant des moutons", or Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep, which was seized from her adoptive parents during World War II.

The oil-on-canvas work dating to 1886 was acquired in the 1930s by Raoul Meyer, who ran the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette.

The painting was confiscated by Nazi forces in February 1941 and wound up in Switzerland at the end of the war before being bought by Aaron and Clara Weitzenhoffer, who bequeathed it to the University of Oklahoma in 2000.

On learning of its existence, Meyer -- who was orphaned during the war -- launched proceedings to recover the painting, which culminated in a 2016 deal recognising her as the painting's rightful owner.

But she is now seeking to have the deal overturned, angering the university which is threatening to sue her for millions of dollars.

Under the terms of the accord, the artwork was to be displayed in France for five years and then rotated between museums in Paris and Oklahoma every three years.&nbsp;

But Meyer wants to leave the painting to the Musee d'Orsay -- famous for its huge collection of Impressionist art -- and the museum has declined the gift, saying it fears that shipping it across the Atlantic every three years will be very costly and could damage the work.

The painting, which currently hangs in the Musee d'Orsay, is scheduled to return to the US in July.

'Contracts are sacred'

On Tuesday, Meyer went to court in Paris to demand that the university halt all legal action against her, echoing a move by the university against her in the US.

"Contracts are sacred," Olivier de Baecque, counsel for the university, argued in court.

"A transaction is sacred but what is more sacred still is returning an asset looted by the Gestapo," Meyer's lawyer Ron Soffer countered.

The court reserved judgement until April 13.

Several artworks stolen by the Nazis from Jewish families have been at the centre of court cases in Europe in recent years.&nbsp;

This is the second involving a painting by Pissarro.

In October 2018, an American couple on Tuesday lost their bid to keep ownership of the painting "La Cueillette" ("Picking Peas") which was looted from a French Jewish collector&nbsp;during World War II.

The American couple had argued they had no idea it was looted when they bought it at auction.

A French Holocaust survivor battling with an American university over a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis went to court in Paris on Tuesday to try block the university from suing her for millions of dollars.

A French Holocaust survivor battling with an American university over a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis went to court in Paris on Tuesday to try block the university from suing her for millions of dollars. Leone-Noelle Meyer, 81, has for years been trying to recover Pissarro's impressionist "La Bergère rentrant des moutons", or Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep, which was seized from her adoptive parents during World War II. The oil-on-canvas work dating to 1886 was acquired in the 1930s by Raoul Meyer, who ran the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette. The painting was confiscated by Nazi forces in February 1941 and wound up in Switzerland at the end of the war before being bought by Aaron and Clara Weitzenhoffer, who bequeathed it to the University of Oklahoma in 2000. On learning of its existence, Meyer -- who was orphaned during the war -- launched proceedings to recover the painting, which culminated in a 2016 deal recognising her as the painting's rightful owner. But she is now seeking to have the deal overturned, angering the university which is threatening to sue her for millions of dollars. Under the terms of the accord, the artwork was to be displayed in France for five years and then rotated between museums in Paris and Oklahoma every three years. But Meyer wants to leave the painting to the Musee d'Orsay -- famous for its huge collection of Impressionist art -- and the museum has declined the gift, saying it fears that shipping it across the Atlantic every three years will be very costly and could damage the work. The painting, which currently hangs in the Musee d'Orsay, is scheduled to return to the US in July. 'Contracts are sacred' On Tuesday, Meyer went to court in Paris to demand that the university halt all legal action against her, echoing a move by the university against her in the US. "Contracts are sacred," Olivier de Baecque, counsel for the university, argued in court. "A transaction is sacred but what is more sacred still is returning an asset looted by the Gestapo," Meyer's lawyer Ron Soffer countered. The court reserved judgement until April 13. Several artworks stolen by the Nazis from Jewish families have been at the centre of court cases in Europe in recent years. This is the second involving a painting by Pissarro. In October 2018, an American couple on Tuesday lost their bid to keep ownership of the painting "La Cueillette" ("Picking Peas") which was looted from a French Jewish collector during World War II. The American couple had argued they had no idea it was looted when they bought it at auction.

French Holocaust survivor battling with US university over Nazi-looted painting

A 38-year-old beach lover&nbsp;Jodie Crews and her eight-year-old&nbsp;daughter Isabella decided to bring back a unique find from their trip to the beach, only to later realise it was not what they thought it to be.

The Crews found a peculiar-looking thing on the beach and brought it back home assuming it to be some kind of fossil or a bone. Jodie took to social media to ask her friends if they could identify what their rare find was and from which period.&nbsp;

A friend suggested it to be 'whale vomit' and asked the duo to poke it with a hot pin to see if it let out a "puff of white smoke" which could confirm it being 'whale vomit'.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/banksys-achoo-causes-distress-for-property-owners-349960" hreflang="en">Banksy's 'Achoo' causes distress for property owners</a>

However, when the mother-daughter duo followed their friend's advice, the outer portion of the object started melting and soon turned hot, making sizzling sounds. As soon as Jodie saw the object turning into a fireball, she grabbed the grenade and ran towards the kitchen where she placed it in the sink.&nbsp;

The grenade soon exploded causing destruction in and around the kitchen sink. Recalling the event, Jodie Crews said, "It just turned into a fireball. My daughter screamed and ran out the back door. I grabbed the grenade and ran with it at arm’s length into the kitchen where I hurled it into the sink. We just went into survival mode."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/beer-can-camera-captures-longest-exposure-photograph-ever-by-coincidence-349897" hreflang="en">Beer can camera captures longest-exposure photograph ever - by coincidence!</a>

"I then rushed upstairs to soak a towel to throw over it to put it out. The adrenalin must have kicked in and taken over," she explained.&nbsp;"My first thought was to save my daughter, house, cats and dogs. With my daughter safely in the garden I ran back upstairs to get the cats – we have four three-week-old kittens – and rounded up our two dogs."

The neighbours, upon hearing the explosion, rushed to help the duo and called the emergency services. The authorities identified it to be an explosive probably from World War II which would normally have a&nbsp;protective coating of wax.

Crews have been advised not to drink water from their tap for a few days now, fearing the water may be contaminated due to the explosion.

"We often collect pieces of glass and driftwood as we like making things. We are very arty and crafty," Jodie joked. "It had strange ridges and looked more like a piece of bone. It wasn’t very heavy and weighed the same as a bag of sugar. I thought it might be an old knee joint. It didn’t feel metallic at all."

A 38-year-old beach lover Jodie Crews and her eight-year-old daughter Isabella decided to bring back a unique find from their trip to the beach, only to later realise it was not what they thought it to be.

A 38-year-old beach lover Jodie Crews and her eight-year-old daughter Isabella decided to bring back a unique find from their trip to the beach, only to later realise it was not what they thought it to be. The Crews found a peculiar-looking thing on the beach and brought it back home assuming it to be some kind of fossil or a bone. Jodie took to social media to ask her friends if they could identify what their rare find was and from which period. A friend suggested it to be 'whale vomit' and asked the duo to poke it with a hot pin to see if it let out a "puff of white smoke" which could confirm it being 'whale vomit'. Also read| Banksy's 'Achoo' causes distress for property owners However, when the mother-daughter duo followed their friend's advice, the outer portion of the object started melting and soon turned hot, making sizzling sounds. As soon as Jodie saw the object turning into a fireball, she grabbed the grenade and ran towards the kitchen where she placed it in the sink. The grenade soon exploded causing destruction in and around the kitchen sink. Recalling the event, Jodie Crews said, "It just turned into a fireball. My daughter screamed and ran out the back door. I grabbed the grenade and ran with it at arm’s length into the kitchen where I hurled it into the sink. We just went into survival mode." Also read| Beer can camera captures longest-exposure photograph ever - by coincidence! "I then rushed upstairs to soak a towel to throw over it to put it out. The adrenalin must have kicked in and taken over," she explained. "My first thought was to save my daughter, house, cats and dogs. With my daughter safely in the garden I ran back upstairs to get the cats – we have four three-week-old kittens – and rounded up our two dogs." The neighbours, upon hearing the explosion, rushed to help the duo and called the emergency services. The authorities identified it to be an explosive probably from World War II which would normally have a protective coating of wax. Crews have been advised not to drink water from their tap for a few days now, fearing the water may be contaminated due to the explosion. "We often collect pieces of glass and driftwood as we like making things. We are very arty and crafty," Jodie joked. "It had strange ridges and looked more like a piece of bone. It wasn’t very heavy and weighed the same as a bag of sugar. I thought it might be an old knee joint. It didn’t feel metallic at all."

Mother-daughter's rare beach find turns out to be grenade from WWII

For more than a decade, Setsuko Hikita spent her working days selling snacks and newspapers in the bowels of Tokyo’s bustling metro system.

Amid the chaos of morning commutes and the scramble to catch the last train home, she kept her employers’ tiny kiosks a haven of well-ordered commerce. Her company once awarded her a citation for her dedication and hard work.

What it did not give her was equal pay.

Over a 10-year period, Hikita earned about $90,000 less than many of her co-workers, and she was denied benefits like a retirement allowance. It wasn’t because they had more experience or were more competent. It was just that they had lifetime employment status and she did not.

So Hikita sued. Last month, after more than six years, the country’s Supreme Court rendered a verdict: Her employer was under no obligation to provide her with the same retirement allowance — a lump-sum payment on leaving the company — it gave colleagues who did identical work.

The ruling is one of two recent court decisions that threaten to further entrench the long-standing divide in Japan between so-called regular workers, who have lifetime employment and attendant benefits, and the growing ranks of nonregular workers, many of whom are women.

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The effects of these divisions have been especially pronounced during the coronavirus pandemic. When Japan’s economy faced its worst months in late spring and early summer, companies cut loose tens of thousands of nonregular workers, with women bearing the brunt of the job losses. Many regular employees were put on furlough, retaining their positions.

Concerns about the precarious state of nonregular workers long predate the pandemic.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japans-bird-flu-outbreak-spreads-pathogenic-avian-influenza-confirmed-345309">Japan's bird flu outbreak spreads, pathogenic avian influenza confirmed</a>

Employers have for years chipped away at the system of lifetime employment that evolved in Japan after World War II, arguing that increased flexibility to hire and fire employees will increase economic efficiency. Now, nearly 37% of the country’s labor force, or more than 20.6 million workers, are nonregular employees, according to the latest government statistics, up from around 16% in the early 1980s.

Among Japanese women in the workforce, more than half are nonregular employees — an example of the limits of Japan’s push in recent years to elevate women in the workplace, a program known as womenomics.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, addressing parliament this month, emphasized the need to fight rising unemployment among nonregular workers, and women in particular, pledging to “firmly take necessary measures.”

Promises like these sound all too familiar to labor activists. They fear that the Supreme Court’s decisions have “thrown cold water” on such vows to reform the system, said Shigeru Wakita, professor emeritus of labor law at Ryukoku University.

Japanese law mandates that companies avoid “unreasonable” differences in how they treat employees, but the meaning of the term is ill-defined. In the case of Hikita’s lawsuit and a separate suit brought by a female employee at a medical school in Osaka, judges ruled that the organizations had not violated that standard despite vast gaps in compensation and other benefits.

“If the courts don’t recognize this case as unreasonable, then what on earth is unreasonable?” asked Mitsuteru Suda, chairman of a labor union in Tokyo.

A tentative answer to that question came when the court issued a third ruling last month on conditions for nonregular workers. The judges ruled in favor of plaintiffs who had sued their employer, Japan Post, after it refused to pay them overtime to help with the spike in deliveries around New Year’s, Japan’s most important holiday.

But even that ruling is likely to further legitimize the prevailing employment system, Suda said. While the ruling will force the company to reassess its employment practices, it found fault only with the degree of discrimination, not the practice itself.

“The ruling stands on the side of the employers, giving a stamp of approval of discrimination,” he said. “That is unacceptable.”

In the Japanese employment system, the line between regular and nonregular workers is drawn early, and the result is a sharp class divide.

Each fall, companies across the country hold recruitment drives for high school and college students who will graduate in the spring. For many, the monthslong process is the most important period of their lives.

Those who find jobs will win employment for life. Those who do not are cast into the wilderness of irregular employment.

Regular workers, known as seishain, receive two annual bonuses, each typically worth at least one month’s salary and sometimes much more. They have benefits, which can include housing. They are nearly impossible to fire. And they get a generous pension plan.

By contrast, nonregular workers can be fired much more easily. They are paid less, and employers are not required to provide them with the same level of benefits that their regularly employed colleagues receive.

Midcareer hiring that brings nonregular workers into the regular workforce has increased in recent years, said Andrew Gordon, a professor at Harvard who specializes in the history of labor in Japan. But it remains rare.

Businesses employing regular workers right out of school like to argue, he said, that “we’re not hiring people with specialized knowledge and experience, but we’re hiring human capital that can be formed.”

“They fear that somebody from the outside won’t be able to adjust to their particular company’s way of doing things even though, functionally speaking, it might not be that different,” he added.

For more than a decade, Setsuko Hikita spent her working days selling snacks and newspapers in the bowels of Tokyo’s bustling metro system. Amid the chaos of morning commutes and the scramble to catch the last train home, she kept her employers’ tiny kiosks a haven of well-ordered commerce.

For more than a decade, Setsuko Hikita spent her working days selling snacks and newspapers in the bowels of Tokyo’s bustling metro system. Amid the chaos of morning commutes and the scramble to catch the last train home, she kept her employers’ tiny kiosks a haven of well-ordered commerce. Her company once awarded her a citation for her dedication and hard work. What it did not give her was equal pay. Over a 10-year period, Hikita earned about $90,000 less than many of her co-workers, and she was denied benefits like a retirement allowance. It wasn’t because they had more experience or were more competent. It was just that they had lifetime employment status and she did not. So Hikita sued. Last month, after more than six years, the country’s Supreme Court rendered a verdict: Her employer was under no obligation to provide her with the same retirement allowance — a lump-sum payment on leaving the company — it gave colleagues who did identical work. The ruling is one of two recent court decisions that threaten to further entrench the long-standing divide in Japan between so-called regular workers, who have lifetime employment and attendant benefits, and the growing ranks of nonregular workers, many of whom are women. × The effects of these divisions have been especially pronounced during the coronavirus pandemic. When Japan’s economy faced its worst months in late spring and early summer, companies cut loose tens of thousands of nonregular workers, with women bearing the brunt of the job losses. Many regular employees were put on furlough, retaining their positions. Concerns about the precarious state of nonregular workers long predate the pandemic. Also read| Japan's bird flu outbreak spreads, pathogenic avian influenza confirmed Employers have for years chipped away at the system of lifetime employment that evolved in Japan after World War II, arguing that increased flexibility to hire and fire employees will increase economic efficiency. Now, nearly 37% of the country’s labor force, or more than 20.6 million workers, are nonregular employees, according to the latest government statistics, up from around 16% in the early 1980s. Among Japanese women in the workforce, more than half are nonregular employees — an example of the limits of Japan’s push in recent years to elevate women in the workplace, a program known as womenomics. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, addressing parliament this month, emphasized the need to fight rising unemployment among nonregular workers, and women in particular, pledging to “firmly take necessary measures.” Promises like these sound all too familiar to labor activists. They fear that the Supreme Court’s decisions have “thrown cold water” on such vows to reform the system, said Shigeru Wakita, professor emeritus of labor law at Ryukoku University. Japanese law mandates that companies avoid “unreasonable” differences in how they treat employees, but the meaning of the term is ill-defined. In the case of Hikita’s lawsuit and a separate suit brought by a female employee at a medical school in Osaka, judges ruled that the organizations had not violated that standard despite vast gaps in compensation and other benefits. “If the courts don’t recognize this case as unreasonable, then what on earth is unreasonable?” asked Mitsuteru Suda, chairman of a labor union in Tokyo. A tentative answer to that question came when the court issued a third ruling last month on conditions for nonregular workers. The judges ruled in favor of plaintiffs who had sued their employer, Japan Post, after it refused to pay them overtime to help with the spike in deliveries around New Year’s, Japan’s most important holiday. But even that ruling is likely to further legitimize the prevailing employment system, Suda said. While the ruling will force the company to reassess its employment practices, it found fault only with the degree of discrimination, not the practice itself. “The ruling stands on the side of the employers, giving a stamp of approval of discrimination,” he said. “That is unacceptable.” In the Japanese employment system, the line between regular and nonregular workers is drawn early, and the result is a sharp class divide. Each fall, companies across the country hold recruitment drives for high school and college students who will graduate in the spring. For many, the monthslong process is the most important period of their lives. Those who find jobs will win employment for life. Those who do not are cast into the wilderness of irregular employment. Regular workers, known as seishain, receive two annual bonuses, each typically worth at least one month’s salary and sometimes much more. They have benefits, which can include housing. They are nearly impossible to fire. And they get a generous pension plan. By contrast, nonregular workers can be fired much more easily. They are paid less, and employers are not required to provide them with the same level of benefits that their regularly employed colleagues receive. Midcareer hiring that brings nonregular workers into the regular workforce has increased in recent years, said Andrew Gordon, a professor at Harvard who specializes in the history of labor in Japan. But it remains rare. Businesses employing regular workers right out of school like to argue, he said, that “we’re not hiring people with specialized knowledge and experience, but we’re hiring human capital that can be formed.” “They fear that somebody from the outside won’t be able to adjust to their particular company’s way of doing things even though, functionally speaking, it might not be that different,” he added.

A job for life, or not? A class divide deepens in Japan

Explainer: Key things to know about Berlin Wall and its fall

The biggest&nbsp;World&nbsp;War&nbsp;Two bomb ever found in Poland exploded underwater on Tuesday (October 13) while being defused by Polish sappers.

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Navy divers on Monday began a five-day operation to defuse the largest unexploded&nbsp;World&nbsp;War&nbsp;Two bomb ever found in Poland, forcing more than 750 people to evacuate their homes.

The bomb was found in the Piast Canal which connects the Baltic Sea with the Oder River, and was dropped by the RAF in 1945 in an attack on the German cruiser Lutzow.

The site is near the town of Swinoujscie in northwest Poland where a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal was opened in 2016.

Dubbed the "earthquake" bomb, the Tallboy bomb was used by Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) and weighs nearly 5,400 kg, including 2,400 kg of explosive, the Navy said on its Facebook account.

The spokesman of the 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla, Second-Lieutenant Grzegorz Lewandowski told the state-run news agency PAP that the object can be considered as neutralized, it will not pose any more threat and all mine divers were outside the danger zone.

Swinoujscie contains a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal but a spokesman for the town's mayor told PAP no-one was injured and no infrastructure had been damaged.

The Piast Canal connects the Baltic Sea with the Oder River on Poland's border with Germany. The bomb was dropped by the RAF in 1945 in an attack on the German cruiser Lutzow.

The biggest World War Two bomb ever found in Poland exploded underwater on Tuesday (October 13) while being defused by Polish sappers. Biggest World War Two bomb found in Poland explodes under water while being defused https://t.

The biggest World War Two bomb ever found in Poland exploded underwater on Tuesday (October 13) while being defused by Polish sappers. Biggest World War Two bomb found in Poland explodes under water while being defused https://t.co/oucLfGyTDA pic.twitter.com/T2Zdbzqumk — Reuters (@Reuters) October 14, 2020 × Navy divers on Monday began a five-day operation to defuse the largest unexploded World War Two bomb ever found in Poland, forcing more than 750 people to evacuate their homes. The bomb was found in the Piast Canal which connects the Baltic Sea with the Oder River, and was dropped by the RAF in 1945 in an attack on the German cruiser Lutzow. The site is near the town of Swinoujscie in northwest Poland where a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal was opened in 2016. Dubbed the "earthquake" bomb, the Tallboy bomb was used by Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) and weighs nearly 5,400 kg, including 2,400 kg of explosive, the Navy said on its Facebook account. The spokesman of the 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla, Second-Lieutenant Grzegorz Lewandowski told the state-run news agency PAP that the object can be considered as neutralized, it will not pose any more threat and all mine divers were outside the danger zone. Swinoujscie contains a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal but a spokesman for the town's mayor told PAP no-one was injured and no infrastructure had been damaged. The Piast Canal connects the Baltic Sea with the Oder River on Poland's border with Germany. The bomb was dropped by the RAF in 1945 in an attack on the German cruiser Lutzow.

World War II biggest bomb explodes underwater during attempt to defuse it

Polish military divers on Monday will begin an operation to defuse a massive World War II bomb at the bottom of a channel near the Baltic Sea.

The five-tonne device has been nicknamed "Tallboy" and is also known as an "earthquake bomb". Tallboys were designed to explode underground next to a target, triggering shock waves that would cause destruction.

The bomb is six metres (19 feet) long and has 2.4 tonnes of explosives -- equivalent to around 3.6 tons of TNT.

Dropped by the Royal Air Force in an attack on a Nazi warship in 1945, it was discovered last year during dredging close to the port city of Swinoujscie -- formerly Swinemunde, a part of Germany -- in the far northwest of Poland.

Maritime traffic on the navigation channel and surrounding waterways will be suspended in an area of 16 kilometres around the bomb disposal operation.

Around 750 local residents are being evacuated from an area of 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) around the bomb and the operation is expected to last up to five days.

The navy divers will instead use a technique known as deflagration to burn the explosive charge without causing a detonation, using a remotely controlled device to pierce through the shell to begin combustion.

HOW IT ENDED UP IN THE BALTIC

During World War II, the area was home to one of the German navy's most important Baltic bases and the area was subjected to massive bombardments. The ship's cannons were being used to hold back the advance of the Red Army in the dying days of the war.

On April 16, 1945, the RAF sent 18 Lancaster bombers from the 617th Squadron -- known as the "Dambusters". The bombers released 12 Tallboys on the Lutzow but one failed to explode and one of the planes crashed on the island of Karsibor, killing all seven crew on board.

The ship survived the raid but was eventually seized by the Soviet army and used for target practice after the war. It eventually sank in the Baltic in September 1947.

Polish military divers on Monday will begin an operation to defuse a massive World War II bomb at the bottom of a channel near the Baltic Sea. The five-tonne device has been nicknamed "Tallboy" and is also known as an "earthquake bomb".

Polish military divers on Monday will begin an operation to defuse a massive World War II bomb at the bottom of a channel near the Baltic Sea. The five-tonne device has been nicknamed "Tallboy" and is also known as an "earthquake bomb". Tallboys were designed to explode underground next to a target, triggering shock waves that would cause destruction. The bomb is six metres (19 feet) long and has 2.4 tonnes of explosives -- equivalent to around 3.6 tons of TNT. Dropped by the Royal Air Force in an attack on a Nazi warship in 1945, it was discovered last year during dredging close to the port city of Swinoujscie -- formerly Swinemunde, a part of Germany -- in the far northwest of Poland. Maritime traffic on the navigation channel and surrounding waterways will be suspended in an area of 16 kilometres around the bomb disposal operation. Around 750 local residents are being evacuated from an area of 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) around the bomb and the operation is expected to last up to five days. The navy divers will instead use a technique known as deflagration to burn the explosive charge without causing a detonation, using a remotely controlled device to pierce through the shell to begin combustion. HOW IT ENDED UP IN THE BALTIC During World War II, the area was home to one of the German navy's most important Baltic bases and the area was subjected to massive bombardments. The ship's cannons were being used to hold back the advance of the Red Army in the dying days of the war. On April 16, 1945, the RAF sent 18 Lancaster bombers from the 617th Squadron -- known as the "Dambusters". The bombers released 12 Tallboys on the Lutzow but one failed to explode and one of the planes crashed on the island of Karsibor, killing all seven crew on board. The ship survived the raid but was eventually seized by the Soviet army and used for target practice after the war. It eventually sank in the Baltic in September 1947.

Polish divers to begin operation to defuse WWII 'earthquake bomb'

Two bomb disposal experts from Britain and Australia died in the Solomon Islands when World War II ordnance they were helping to clear exploded, officials said Monday.

Police said the blast took place on Sunday afternoon in the Pacific island nation's capital Honiara and the two foreign nationals died after being taken to hospital.

The charity Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), which is collating a database of unexploded ordnance in the Solomons, confirmed two of its workers were killed.

It named then as British citizen Stephen "Luke" Atkinson and Australian citizen Trent Lee.

"This is a tragic accident. So far, we know that there has been an explosion with fatal consequences," NPA said in a statement.

"Our main priority now is to offer assistance to relatives and colleagues, and to clarify what has happened."

NPA said its activities in the Solomons had been temporarily suspended while the "devastating" blast was investigated.

"The investigation needs to be completed before there can be a conclusion on the cause of events," it said.

The Solomons were the site of fierce fighting between Allied and Japanese forces in World War II and when the conflict ended they abandoned vast quantities of shells, landmines and other munitions.

NPA was working with Solomon Islands police to survey the scale of the problem and develop a nation-wide collection programme.

The charity said on its website that the Solomons remained heavily contaminated by unexploded munitions, which not only posed an explosion risk but had also often degraded after 75 years, leaching harmful chemicals into the environment.

"Munitions from the conflict continue to kill or seriously injure local people and are used for destructive fishing practices," it said.

"Explosive weapons are often found within city construction sites, coral reefs, farms, forests and suburban gardens where children sometimes find and play with them."

Two bomb disposal experts from Britain and Australia died in the Solomon Islands when World War II ordnance they were helping to clear exploded, officials said Monday.

Two bomb disposal experts from Britain and Australia died in the Solomon Islands when World War II ordnance they were helping to clear exploded, officials said Monday. Police said the blast took place on Sunday afternoon in the Pacific island nation's capital Honiara and the two foreign nationals died after being taken to hospital. The charity Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), which is collating a database of unexploded ordnance in the Solomons, confirmed two of its workers were killed. It named then as British citizen Stephen "Luke" Atkinson and Australian citizen Trent Lee. "This is a tragic accident. So far, we know that there has been an explosion with fatal consequences," NPA said in a statement. "Our main priority now is to offer assistance to relatives and colleagues, and to clarify what has happened." NPA said its activities in the Solomons had been temporarily suspended while the "devastating" blast was investigated. "The investigation needs to be completed before there can be a conclusion on the cause of events," it said. The Solomons were the site of fierce fighting between Allied and Japanese forces in World War II and when the conflict ended they abandoned vast quantities of shells, landmines and other munitions. NPA was working with Solomon Islands police to survey the scale of the problem and develop a nation-wide collection programme. The charity said on its website that the Solomons remained heavily contaminated by unexploded munitions, which not only posed an explosion risk but had also often degraded after 75 years, leaching harmful chemicals into the environment. "Munitions from the conflict continue to kill or seriously injure local people and are used for destructive fishing practices," it said. "Explosive weapons are often found within city construction sites, coral reefs, farms, forests and suburban gardens where children sometimes find and play with them."

Briton, Australian killed clearing WWII bomb in Solomons

Representatives from seven former combatant nations, including India, observed the 75th anniversary of the end of the World War II at a war memorial in Singapore on Saturday.

Seventy-five years ago on September 12, 1945, the last major surrender ceremony of Japanese forces was signed at Singapore's City Hall, ending the World War II.

However, the representatives from seven nations separately turned up at the Singapore Cenotaph to pay respects to the fallen due to COVID-19.

Indian High Commissioner P Kumaran paid respects at the memorial to mark the anniversary.

A multi-national remembrance ceremony originally planned for the anniversary at Kranji War Cemetery had to be called off due to restrictions imposed to control the spread of coronavirus.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions scuppering the remembrance ceremony, the representatives of the committee ensured that the memories of the fallen were kept alive.

The original ceremony was to comprises the High Commissions or Embassies of Australia, Canada, India, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and Singaporean representatives from the Battlebox, an award-winning war museum in Singapore managed by private heritage consultancy Singapore History Consultants (SHC).

High Commissioners, Ambassadors, and representatives from these seven nations -- former enemy combatants in the Pacific theatre of WWII but now close partners -- honoured the significance of the date on their own, laid wreaths at the Cenotaph at varying times.

While these nations could not come together in an official ceremony this year, the spirit of post-war reconciliation and peace was maintained, said SHC in a release.

Today's multi-national observances continue years of efforts to bring together former combatants to pay respect to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWII.

The date, September 12, is significant because the surrender of the Japanese Southern Army to South East Asia Command in Singapore on that day in 1945 was the last major surrender ceremony of WWII.

It terminated not only Japan's military occupation of Southeast Asia, but also the Pacific War and, as a result, the Second World War.

In 2015, Japan joined the remembrance ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the End of WWII at Kranji War Cemetery.

Two years later in 2017, Japan became a member of the organising committee for the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, a move that was unanimously supported by other Commonwealth countries in the committee.

On Saturday, students of The Japanese School Singapore also made 2,000 tsuru or paper cranes symbolising peace and reconciliation. Staff members laid them alongside the wreaths at the war memorial.&nbsp;

Representatives from seven former combatant nations, including India, observed the 75th anniversary of the end of the World War II at a war memorial in Singapore on Saturday.

Representatives from seven former combatant nations, including India, observed the 75th anniversary of the end of the World War II at a war memorial in Singapore on Saturday. Seventy-five years ago on September 12, 1945, the last major surrender ceremony of Japanese forces was signed at Singapore's City Hall, ending the World War II. However, the representatives from seven nations separately turned up at the Singapore Cenotaph to pay respects to the fallen due to COVID-19. Indian High Commissioner P Kumaran paid respects at the memorial to mark the anniversary. A multi-national remembrance ceremony originally planned for the anniversary at Kranji War Cemetery had to be called off due to restrictions imposed to control the spread of coronavirus. Despite COVID-19 restrictions scuppering the remembrance ceremony, the representatives of the committee ensured that the memories of the fallen were kept alive. The original ceremony was to comprises the High Commissions or Embassies of Australia, Canada, India, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and Singaporean representatives from the Battlebox, an award-winning war museum in Singapore managed by private heritage consultancy Singapore History Consultants (SHC). High Commissioners, Ambassadors, and representatives from these seven nations -- former enemy combatants in the Pacific theatre of WWII but now close partners -- honoured the significance of the date on their own, laid wreaths at the Cenotaph at varying times. While these nations could not come together in an official ceremony this year, the spirit of post-war reconciliation and peace was maintained, said SHC in a release. Today's multi-national observances continue years of efforts to bring together former combatants to pay respect to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWII. The date, September 12, is significant because the surrender of the Japanese Southern Army to South East Asia Command in Singapore on that day in 1945 was the last major surrender ceremony of WWII. It terminated not only Japan's military occupation of Southeast Asia, but also the Pacific War and, as a result, the Second World War. In 2015, Japan joined the remembrance ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the End of WWII at Kranji War Cemetery. Two years later in 2017, Japan became a member of the organising committee for the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore, a move that was unanimously supported by other Commonwealth countries in the committee. On Saturday, students of The Japanese School Singapore also made 2,000 tsuru or paper cranes symbolising peace and reconciliation. Staff members laid them alongside the wreaths at the war memorial.

Seven nations observe 75th anniversary of end of World War II in Singapore

Japan's surrender in World War II: 5 things you must know!

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday vowed that everything would be done to find out who defaced a memorial for one of the worst single massacres in France by the Nazis during World War II.

The graffiti denying the Holocaust found at a memorial centre in the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane this week has also led Prime Minister Jean Castex to call for justice.

Politicians from across the spectrum denounced the desecration of the main entrance sign for the memorial at Oradour-sur-Glane in central France, where 642 people were slaughtered on June 10, 1944 by a German SS division.

"Liar" had been painted over the words "martyr" and "when the truth" on a wall at the Centere de la Mémoire, a memory centre honouring those slain in the World War II massacre that took place in the village where the centre is located.

A blue cover was placed over the sign on Saturday, but images on social media accounts indicated the word in French for "liar" had been added next to it along with other slogans claiming to deny the massacre had taken place.

The inscriptions were discovered on Friday morning when the memorial centre opened, its president Fabrice Escure told AFP.

Police are searching for those responsible.

The village of Oradour-sur-Glane was the site of a massacre in World War II, when German troops destroyed the entire village on June 10, 1944, killing 642 people.

The Elysee released a statement about the incident, saying that French President Emmanuel Macron "condemns this unspeakable act in the strongest possible terms. He gives his full support to the mayor and the municipality. He assures them that everything will be done so that the perpetrators of this act are brought to justice."

Macron also commented Saturday on Twitter, saying, "Nothing can make us forget the memory of our 642 martyrs of Oradour-sur-Glane."

On the other hand, PM Castex posted on Twitter: "I learned with anger and consternation of the degradation of the memory center of Oradour-sur-Glane. To sully this place of refuge is also to sully the memory of our martyrs. Everything is being done to ensure that the perpetrators of these infamous acts are brought to justice."

The anti-Semitic incident is the latest addition to the growing list. In 2018, it was announced that anti-Semitic acts in France had risen by 69 per cent.

The incident comes amid growing concern in France over remembering World War II, after repeated vandalisation attacks on Jewish cemeteries.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday vowed that everything would be done to find out who defaced a memorial for one of the worst single massacres in France by the Nazis during World War II.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday vowed that everything would be done to find out who defaced a memorial for one of the worst single massacres in France by the Nazis during World War II. The graffiti denying the Holocaust found at a memorial centre in the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane this week has also led Prime Minister Jean Castex to call for justice. Politicians from across the spectrum denounced the desecration of the main entrance sign for the memorial at Oradour-sur-Glane in central France, where 642 people were slaughtered on June 10, 1944 by a German SS division. "Liar" had been painted over the words "martyr" and "when the truth" on a wall at the Centere de la Mémoire, a memory centre honouring those slain in the World War II massacre that took place in the village where the centre is located. A blue cover was placed over the sign on Saturday, but images on social media accounts indicated the word in French for "liar" had been added next to it along with other slogans claiming to deny the massacre had taken place. The inscriptions were discovered on Friday morning when the memorial centre opened, its president Fabrice Escure told AFP. Police are searching for those responsible. The village of Oradour-sur-Glane was the site of a massacre in World War II, when German troops destroyed the entire village on June 10, 1944, killing 642 people. The Elysee released a statement about the incident, saying that French President Emmanuel Macron "condemns this unspeakable act in the strongest possible terms. He gives his full support to the mayor and the municipality. He assures them that everything will be done so that the perpetrators of this act are brought to justice." Macron also commented Saturday on Twitter, saying, "Nothing can make us forget the memory of our 642 martyrs of Oradour-sur-Glane." On the other hand, PM Castex posted on Twitter: "I learned with anger and consternation of the degradation of the memory center of Oradour-sur-Glane. To sully this place of refuge is also to sully the memory of our martyrs. Everything is being done to ensure that the perpetrators of these infamous acts are brought to justice." The anti-Semitic incident is the latest addition to the growing list. In 2018, it was announced that anti-Semitic acts in France had risen by 69 per cent. The incident comes amid growing concern in France over remembering World War II, after repeated vandalisation attacks on Jewish cemeteries.

Outrage in France after graffiti denying the Holocaust found at massacre site

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is paying tribute to veterans of the multinational World War II campaign against Japan, which formally ended 75 years ago some three months after Nazi Germany had been vanquished in Europe.

In an open V-J Day anniversary letter released Saturday and addressed to Veterans of the Far East Campaign,&nbsp;Johnson hailed the courage of those who fought in Asia and the Pacific.

The six-year campaign cost the lives of some 50,000 British and Commonwealth troops, nearly half of whom perished in brutal prison camps.

You were the last to come home but your achievements are written in the lights of the glittering capitals of the dynamic region we see today," he said.

Following the surrender of the Nazis on May 8, 1945, V-E Day, Allied troops carried on fighting the Japanese until an armistice was declared on August 15, 1945.

Japan formally surrendered on September 2, 1945, but many Pacific War veterans felt their efforts were not fully recognised and dubbed themselves the forgotten army.

Johnson acknowledged their war-time experiences had been overshadowed in popular imagination by the conflict in Europe," but he stressed that their service had brought World War II to an end and inaugurated a period of peace and prosperity across southeast Asia that remains intact to this day.

Britain, which had been a colonial power across much of the region, suffered arguably its biggest military defeat to Japanese forces in the early years of World War II.

Overwhelmed troops had to retreat from Malaysia, Singapore and Burma in some of the most inhospitable conditions imaginable.

''These blows were so heavy that many feared they would break your will to fight on. But you survived the longest retreat in British history, marching almost 1,000 miles from Burma to India, and then you regrouped and reformed," Johnson said in his tribute letter.

&nbsp;The prime minister also highlighted the creation of the formidable&nbsp;14th Army, a fighting force that was made up of nearly a million soldiers, including from India and Africa, and which helped turn defeat into victory.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is paying tribute to veterans of the multinational World War II campaign against Japan, which formally ended 75 years ago some three months after Nazi Germany had been vanquished in Europe.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is paying tribute to veterans of the multinational World War II campaign against Japan, which formally ended 75 years ago some three months after Nazi Germany had been vanquished in Europe. In an open V-J Day anniversary letter released Saturday and addressed to Veterans of the Far East Campaign, Johnson hailed the courage of those who fought in Asia and the Pacific. The six-year campaign cost the lives of some 50,000 British and Commonwealth troops, nearly half of whom perished in brutal prison camps. You were the last to come home but your achievements are written in the lights of the glittering capitals of the dynamic region we see today," he said. Following the surrender of the Nazis on May 8, 1945, V-E Day, Allied troops carried on fighting the Japanese until an armistice was declared on August 15, 1945. Japan formally surrendered on September 2, 1945, but many Pacific War veterans felt their efforts were not fully recognised and dubbed themselves the forgotten army. Johnson acknowledged their war-time experiences had been overshadowed in popular imagination by the conflict in Europe," but he stressed that their service had brought World War II to an end and inaugurated a period of peace and prosperity across southeast Asia that remains intact to this day. Britain, which had been a colonial power across much of the region, suffered arguably its biggest military defeat to Japanese forces in the early years of World War II. Overwhelmed troops had to retreat from Malaysia, Singapore and Burma in some of the most inhospitable conditions imaginable. ''These blows were so heavy that many feared they would break your will to fight on. But you survived the longest retreat in British history, marching almost 1,000 miles from Burma to India, and then you regrouped and reformed," Johnson said in his tribute letter. The prime minister also highlighted the creation of the formidable 14th Army, a fighting force that was made up of nearly a million soldiers, including from India and Africa, and which helped turn defeat into victory.

Victory over Japan Day: Boris Johnson pays tribute to World War II veterans

When he was sent to Darwin to "man the radar" in 1942, Lindsay Dufty was just an 18-year-old soldier. Shortly after he arrived, 240 Japanese aircraft bombed the port city in two raids on February 19, killing 240 civilians as well as Australian and U.S. service personnel. The Japanese sank eight ships in the harbour, according to Australian government records. Dufty, now 97, remembers seeing the Japanese pilots' faces as they bombed the city, the first ever enemy attack over Australian soil.

"We could see the pilots... grinning": WW2 veteran recalls Japanese bombing of Darwin 

World War II&nbsp;&nbsp;ended with US forces occupying Japan and the country's constitution adopted pacifism.

"The japanese people forever renounce war and the threat or use of force." Today's Japan led by Shinzo Abe wants to change this.

North korea launched two ballistic missiles that fell in Japanese waters last year. Over the last 100 days, Japan had to peacefully watch China send its longest dispatch of vessels to Senkaku Islands in east China sea. Senkaku belong to Japan. Instead of engaging China with military might, Japan went to international media to raise its concerns. Abe believes japan can no longer hide behind the weak shield of pacifism.

North korea's nuclear program and China's military incursions add weight to his arguments. Since his election in 2012, Abe has introduced a series of 'war bills'. The most sweeping changes made to defence laws since the end of world war II. China hasn't been pleased. In 2013, Abe announced a five-year military expansion plan, calling it "Proactive pacifism''. In 2015 -- despite public opposition -- Japanese military legislation was passed. This allowed Japan to participate in foreign conflicts, to help out allies.

Earlier it could go to war only in self-defence. In 2018, Abe activated Japan's marine unit, which had been disbanded after world war. In the same year, they conducted Japan's biggest ever military exercise simulations of air combat, ballistic missile defense and, amphibious landings. All aimed at countering North Korea and China. In 2019, Japan began developing supersonic guide bombs and hypersonic missiles.

Japan is a nuclear state but in 1976, Japan promised not to use a nuclear weapon But, even before his election. Abe said Japan's constitution does not ban possession of nuclear weapons. He wants to keep a minimum set of tactical, nuclear war-heads.

This is the modern Japan. Equipped to the hilt and ready to strike but hesitant due to a gruesome past.

World War II ended with US forces occupying Japan and the country's constitution adopted pacifism. "The japanese people forever renounce war and the threat or use of force.

World War II ended with US forces occupying Japan and the country's constitution adopted pacifism. "The japanese people forever renounce war and the threat or use of force." Today's Japan led by Shinzo Abe wants to change this. North korea launched two ballistic missiles that fell in Japanese waters last year. Over the last 100 days, Japan had to peacefully watch China send its longest dispatch of vessels to Senkaku Islands in east China sea. Senkaku belong to Japan. Instead of engaging China with military might, Japan went to international media to raise its concerns. Abe believes japan can no longer hide behind the weak shield of pacifism. North korea's nuclear program and China's military incursions add weight to his arguments. Since his election in 2012, Abe has introduced a series of 'war bills'. The most sweeping changes made to defence laws since the end of world war II. China hasn't been pleased. In 2013, Abe announced a five-year military expansion plan, calling it "Proactive pacifism''. In 2015 -- despite public opposition -- Japanese military legislation was passed. This allowed Japan to participate in foreign conflicts, to help out allies. Earlier it could go to war only in self-defence. In 2018, Abe activated Japan's marine unit, which had been disbanded after world war. In the same year, they conducted Japan's biggest ever military exercise simulations of air combat, ballistic missile defense and, amphibious landings. All aimed at countering North Korea and China. In 2019, Japan began developing supersonic guide bombs and hypersonic missiles. Japan is a nuclear state but in 1976, Japan promised not to use a nuclear weapon But, even before his election. Abe said Japan's constitution does not ban possession of nuclear weapons. He wants to keep a minimum set of tactical, nuclear war-heads. This is the modern Japan. Equipped to the hilt and ready to strike but hesitant due to a gruesome past.

Japan shifts gear to counter Chinese, North Korea aggression

July 25 in history: Tunisia gains independence, birth of world's first test-tube baby and more

Yuki Okinaga Hayakawa Llewellyn, who came to symbolize one of America's darkest chapters, has died nearly eight decades after being shipped to a US internment camp during World War II.

A 1942 photo of her sitting alone on a suitcase at a Los Angeles train station embodied the cruelty of the US policy of confining Japanese-Americans, who officials claimed were a war-time threat.

More than 120,000 people like her were forced into camps throughout western states and Arkansas during the war, an act for which the US government later apologized and paid reparations.

She died at the age of 80 in March, but her death was largely overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic until a family friend contacted the Los Angeles Times.

Yuki, looking lost and uncertain, was pictured as she and her mother, both US citizens, were en route to one of the barbed-wire ringed camps in California.

There was no due process for deciding who would be confined, just a presidential order after Japanese forces attacked the US military installation at Pearl Harbor in December 1942.

Yuki ended up in the notorious camp at Manzanar, a desolate site at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. She and her mother were among the first confined and last liberated from the site.

Her family settled far away in the Midwest American city of Cleveland. She later attended university, was married and had a son, according to her obituary in The News Gazette.

Yuki Okinaga Hayakawa Llewellyn, who came to symbolize one of America's darkest chapters, has died nearly eight decades after being shipped to a US internment camp during World War II.

Yuki Okinaga Hayakawa Llewellyn, who came to symbolize one of America's darkest chapters, has died nearly eight decades after being shipped to a US internment camp during World War II. A 1942 photo of her sitting alone on a suitcase at a Los Angeles train station embodied the cruelty of the US policy of confining Japanese-Americans, who officials claimed were a war-time threat. More than 120,000 people like her were forced into camps throughout western states and Arkansas during the war, an act for which the US government later apologized and paid reparations. She died at the age of 80 in March, but her death was largely overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic until a family friend contacted the Los Angeles Times. Yuki, looking lost and uncertain, was pictured as she and her mother, both US citizens, were en route to one of the barbed-wire ringed camps in California. There was no due process for deciding who would be confined, just a presidential order after Japanese forces attacked the US military installation at Pearl Harbor in December 1942. Yuki ended up in the notorious camp at Manzanar, a desolate site at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. She and her mother were among the first confined and last liberated from the site. Her family settled far away in the Midwest American city of Cleveland. She later attended university, was married and had a son, according to her obituary in The News Gazette.

Yuki Okinaga, Japanese-American woman who symbolised World War II tragedy, dies

July 17 in history: First post-World War II meeting, downing of Malaysian jet MH17 and more

As Russia celebrates its 75th anniversary of the World War II victory, the country holds an exhibition of parade cars used by the country's military leaders from the 1940s till present, which also helps to see inspection cars that left a deep impression on people.

Russia parade vehicle exhibition grabs limelight ahead of Victory Day parade

A 100-year-old World War II veteran&nbsp;died on Thursday&nbsp;due to the&nbsp;coronavirus, as per the US media reports.&nbsp;

According to the report,&nbsp;Philip Kahn fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima and helped with aerial surveys after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Newsday said Wednesday in its online edition.

Kahn died a century after his twin brother lost his life in 1919 months after he was born to&nbsp;1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic.

Kahn had been afraid of another pandemic coming along during his lifetime, his grandson said in a report by CNN

"I would have conversations with him, he would say to me, 'I told you history repeats itself, 100 years is not that long of a period of time,'" CNN quoted Warren Zysman as saying.

Kahn experienced coronavirus symptoms such as coughing before his death on April 17 and knew he might have it, Zysman told CNN.&nbsp;He was buried&nbsp;at New Montefiore Cemetery in West Babylon, Long Island.

Kahn enlisted in the US Army Air Corps pilot training program in 1940, and after the United States entered the war he served in the Pacific -- at the Battle of Iwo Jima and later in the firebombing raids over Japan, Newsday said. He was awarded two bronze stars.

The global coronavirus pandemic has infected million of people around the world while thousands other have succumbed to the deadly disease.

&nbsp;

A 100-year-old World War II veteran died on Thursday due to the coronavirus, as per the US media reports. According to the report, Philip Kahn fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima and helped with aerial surveys after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Newsday said Wednesday in its online edition.

A 100-year-old World War II veteran died on Thursday due to the coronavirus, as per the US media reports. According to the report, Philip Kahn fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima and helped with aerial surveys after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Newsday said Wednesday in its online edition. Kahn died a century after his twin brother lost his life in 1919 months after he was born to 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic. Kahn had been afraid of another pandemic coming along during his lifetime, his grandson said in a report by CNN "I would have conversations with him, he would say to me, 'I told you history repeats itself, 100 years is not that long of a period of time,'" CNN quoted Warren Zysman as saying. Kahn experienced coronavirus symptoms such as coughing before his death on April 17 and knew he might have it, Zysman told CNN. He was buried at New Montefiore Cemetery in West Babylon, Long Island. Kahn enlisted in the US Army Air Corps pilot training program in 1940, and after the United States entered the war he served in the Pacific -- at the Battle of Iwo Jima and later in the firebombing raids over Japan, Newsday said. He was awarded two bronze stars. The global coronavirus pandemic has infected million of people around the world while thousands other have succumbed to the deadly disease.

World War II veteran dies of coronavirus a century after twin lost his life to Spanish flu

April 22 in history: Hitler accepts defeat, first Earth Day celebrated and more

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