The remains of suspected American airmen killed in Myanmar during World War II will be repatriated to the United States on Tuesday in the first-ever ceremony of its kind in the Southeast Asian nation, US officials said.&nbsp;

The remains of hundreds of American military personnel are still unaccounted for in Myanmar, a key conflict arena in Asia between the Allies and Japan during World War II. &nbsp;

The remains to be repatriated on Tuesday are believed to be linked to a crashed B-25G aircraft in February 1944 in the Salingyi area of the northwest Sagaing region.

The wreckage was found in an investigation two years later but the graves could not be located.

A ceremony was to be held at Mandalay International Airport on Tuesday to honour the servicemen.&nbsp;

"Today, we repatriate the possible remains of what may be US citizens who died in service to our nation more than 75 years ago," US Ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel said in a statement.

"We owe it to them to always honour their memory, never forget their sacrifices, and to strive as a nation to build peace, justice and freedom everywhere."

The remains were found during a recent recovery mission conducted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and will be sent to a forensics lab in Hawaii for further analysis, the embassy said. &nbsp;

DPAA works under the US Department of Defense and aims to account for the more than 82,000 missing service men and women from conflicts dating back to World War II.&nbsp;

There are currently 632 US service members still unaccounted for in Myanmar from World War II and DPAA has so far identified 14 missing service members.

The remains of suspected American airmen killed in Myanmar during World War II will be repatriated to the United States on Tuesday in the first-ever ceremony of its kind in the Southeast Asian nation, US officials said.

The remains of suspected American airmen killed in Myanmar during World War II will be repatriated to the United States on Tuesday in the first-ever ceremony of its kind in the Southeast Asian nation, US officials said. The remains of hundreds of American military personnel are still unaccounted for in Myanmar, a key conflict arena in Asia between the Allies and Japan during World War II. The remains to be repatriated on Tuesday are believed to be linked to a crashed B-25G aircraft in February 1944 in the Salingyi area of the northwest Sagaing region. The wreckage was found in an investigation two years later but the graves could not be located. A ceremony was to be held at Mandalay International Airport on Tuesday to honour the servicemen. "Today, we repatriate the possible remains of what may be US citizens who died in service to our nation more than 75 years ago," US Ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel said in a statement. "We owe it to them to always honour their memory, never forget their sacrifices, and to strive as a nation to build peace, justice and freedom everywhere." The remains were found during a recent recovery mission conducted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and will be sent to a forensics lab in Hawaii for further analysis, the embassy said. DPAA works under the US Department of Defense and aims to account for the more than 82,000 missing service men and women from conflicts dating back to World War II. There are currently 632 US service members still unaccounted for in Myanmar from World War II and DPAA has so far identified 14 missing service members.

Myanmar to repatriate remains of suspected WWII US airmen

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached &nbsp;its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes.

The scourge has grown in recent years "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-denounces-unacceptable-increase-in-anti-semitic-acts-197216">and the situation has got worse in recent weeks</a>," Macron told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF).

"Our country, and for that matter all of Europe and most Western democracies, seems to be facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism unseen since World War II," he added.

Europe's biggest Jewish community is reeling after a string of attacks that have made global headlines.

Macron announced measures including legislation to fight hate speech on the internet, to be introduced by May.

He said he had asked his interior minister to take steps to ban racist or anti-Semitic groups, singling out "for a start" three far-right groups -- Bastion Social, Blood and Honour Hexagone and Combat 18 -- which he said "fuel hatred, promote discrimination or call for violence".

He also vowed that France would recognise anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism.

Macron earlier balked at a call by a lawmaker in his Republic on the Move party to criminalise anti-Zionist statements, which criticise the movement that established Israel as a home for Jews.

On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were daubed with swastikas, Macron promised: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish."

Also Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", held a rally in Paris to denounce anti-Semitism -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide.

Macron and his government have linked the appearance of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti on artworks, shopfronts and headstones to far-right and far-left elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement.

'France is ours' 
A protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Mulhouse, authorities said.

Police confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street.

Police sources described the 36-year-old suspect as a small-time delinquent with ties to ultra-conservative Muslim groups.

He was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to his past warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society.

The incident caused outrage both in France and abroad, with Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant urging French Jews to "come home" to Israel for their safety.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced support for Macron and Finkielkraut, calling the anti-Semitic incidents an "affront" to France.

Earlier Wednesday, Rivlin spoke with Finkielkraut to express his solidarity over the "wicked and hurtful attack."

"I heard that the demonstrators told you to go back to Tel Aviv. I am sure you know that Tel Aviv is a wonderful place but be in no doubt that every Jew, and every person, has the right to choose wherever they live", said Rivlin, who also wrote to Macron to thank him for visiting the Jewish cemetery.

Also on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Macron, the Israeli leader's office said.

Focus on anti-Zionism 
Several officials have accused radical "yellow vest" of fomenting a climate of hatred.

The anti-government protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker.

The number of anti-Jewish crimes rose 74 percent last year.

Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair over a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason.

During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps.

Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has become ingrained in the high-rise French housing estates that house many members of France's Muslim community, Europe's largest.

Jews have been targeted in several attacks by French jihadists in recent years.

But the proliferation of anti-Semitic graffiti is seen as a new trend.

In recent days, the word "Juden" was spray-painted on the window of a Paris bagel bakery and swastikas were daubed on postbox portraits of late French Holocaust survivor and women's rights icon Simone Veil.

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes.

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes. The scourge has grown in recent years "and the situation has got worse in recent weeks," Macron told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF). "Our country, and for that matter all of Europe and most Western democracies, seems to be facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism unseen since World War II," he added. Europe's biggest Jewish community is reeling after a string of attacks that have made global headlines. Macron announced measures including legislation to fight hate speech on the internet, to be introduced by May. He said he had asked his interior minister to take steps to ban racist or anti-Semitic groups, singling out "for a start" three far-right groups -- Bastion Social, Blood and Honour Hexagone and Combat 18 -- which he said "fuel hatred, promote discrimination or call for violence". He also vowed that France would recognise anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism. Macron earlier balked at a call by a lawmaker in his Republic on the Move party to criminalise anti-Zionist statements, which criticise the movement that established Israel as a home for Jews. On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were daubed with swastikas, Macron promised: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish." Also Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", held a rally in Paris to denounce anti-Semitism -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide. Macron and his government have linked the appearance of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti on artworks, shopfronts and headstones to far-right and far-left elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement. 'France is ours' A protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Mulhouse, authorities said. Police confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street. Police sources described the 36-year-old suspect as a small-time delinquent with ties to ultra-conservative Muslim groups. He was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to his past warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society. The incident caused outrage both in France and abroad, with Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant urging French Jews to "come home" to Israel for their safety. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced support for Macron and Finkielkraut, calling the anti-Semitic incidents an "affront" to France. Earlier Wednesday, Rivlin spoke with Finkielkraut to express his solidarity over the "wicked and hurtful attack." "I heard that the demonstrators told you to go back to Tel Aviv. I am sure you know that Tel Aviv is a wonderful place but be in no doubt that every Jew, and every person, has the right to choose wherever they live", said Rivlin, who also wrote to Macron to thank him for visiting the Jewish cemetery. Also on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Macron, the Israeli leader's office said. Focus on anti-Zionism Several officials have accused radical "yellow vest" of fomenting a climate of hatred. The anti-government protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker. The number of anti-Jewish crimes rose 74 percent last year. Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair over a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason. During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps. Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has become ingrained in the high-rise French housing estates that house many members of France's Muslim community, Europe's largest. Jews have been targeted in several attacks by French jihadists in recent years. But the proliferation of anti-Semitic graffiti is seen as a new trend. In recent days, the word "Juden" was spray-painted on the window of a Paris bagel bakery and swastikas were daubed on postbox portraits of late French Holocaust survivor and women's rights icon Simone Veil.

Anti-Semitism worst since WWII, Macron tells Jewish group

Russia and Japan have agreed to accelerate talks to formally end World War II hostilities, using a Soviet-era peace declaration as their starting point and throwing into doubt the fate of four disputed islands.

The two countries are still technically at war, with neither side historically prepared to budge on a row over the ownership of the islands seized by Russia in the closing days of the conflict.

President Vladimir Putin first suggested the two countries sign a peace treaty "without any preconditions" in September but this was coolly received in Japan.

Diplomatic efforts have accelerated in recent months however and, after talks in Singapore Wednesday between Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, progress was announced.

Putin said Russia had "resumed dialogue with our Japanese partners on the basis of the 1956 declaration, exactly what our Japanese partners asked us to do.

"We are ready to work with them."

Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Takeshi Osuga confirmed both sides had agreed to push ahead with talks.&nbsp;

"Both leaders agreed to accelerate the negotiation of a peace treaty on the basis of the Japan USSR joint declaration of 1956," he told reporters on Thursday.

The 1956 declaration restored diplomatic ties but Tokyo and Russia stopped short of signing a formal peace treaty due to the territorial row.&nbsp;

At the time Russia offered to give Japan the two smallest islands in the strategically-located Kuril chain, occupied by Soviet troops at the end of the war in 1945, in exchange for agreeing to a treaty and Moscow keeping the bigger islands.&nbsp;

But this idea was rejected by Japan, which still claims the entire chain.

Some Japanese media interpreted Thursday's announcement as a shift in Tokyo's historical position, meaning that Abe might ultimately be willing to give up some territory in exchange for reaching a deal.

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga hailed the news as "extremely significant".&nbsp;

"The government has always kept a policy direction of staying flexible... There is no change to this point."

Historically, Japan insists the islands, which were once inhabited by the Ainu indigenous people, have never belonged to anyone else.

Russia considers them spoils of war as agreed between then US president Franklin Roosevelt and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1945.&nbsp;

Strategically, control of the islands gives Russia year-round access to the Pacific Ocean for its Pacific fleet of warships and submarines based in Vladivostok, as the surrounding water does not freeze in winter.

Russia and Japan have agreed to accelerate talks to formally end World War II hostilities, using a Soviet-era peace declaration as their starting point and throwing into doubt the fate of four disputed islands.

Russia and Japan have agreed to accelerate talks to formally end World War II hostilities, using a Soviet-era peace declaration as their starting point and throwing into doubt the fate of four disputed islands. The two countries are still technically at war, with neither side historically prepared to budge on a row over the ownership of the islands seized by Russia in the closing days of the conflict. President Vladimir Putin first suggested the two countries sign a peace treaty "without any preconditions" in September but this was coolly received in Japan. Diplomatic efforts have accelerated in recent months however and, after talks in Singapore Wednesday between Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, progress was announced. Putin said Russia had "resumed dialogue with our Japanese partners on the basis of the 1956 declaration, exactly what our Japanese partners asked us to do. "We are ready to work with them." Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Takeshi Osuga confirmed both sides had agreed to push ahead with talks. "Both leaders agreed to accelerate the negotiation of a peace treaty on the basis of the Japan USSR joint declaration of 1956," he told reporters on Thursday. The 1956 declaration restored diplomatic ties but Tokyo and Russia stopped short of signing a formal peace treaty due to the territorial row. At the time Russia offered to give Japan the two smallest islands in the strategically-located Kuril chain, occupied by Soviet troops at the end of the war in 1945, in exchange for agreeing to a treaty and Moscow keeping the bigger islands. But this idea was rejected by Japan, which still claims the entire chain. Some Japanese media interpreted Thursday's announcement as a shift in Tokyo's historical position, meaning that Abe might ultimately be willing to give up some territory in exchange for reaching a deal. Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga hailed the news as "extremely significant". "The government has always kept a policy direction of staying flexible... There is no change to this point." Historically, Japan insists the islands, which were once inhabited by the Ainu indigenous people, have never belonged to anyone else. Russia considers them spoils of war as agreed between then US president Franklin Roosevelt and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1945. Strategically, control of the islands gives Russia year-round access to the Pacific Ocean for its Pacific fleet of warships and submarines based in Vladivostok, as the surrounding water does not freeze in winter.

Abe, Putin to accelerate WWII treaty talks stalled by island row

London&#39;s Westminster Bridge in the shadow of parliament&#39;s Big Ben clock tower was closed on Thursday after a suspected World War II bomb was found in the River Thames, police said.

Police closed the bridge leading to the Houses of Parliament at around 5:15 pm (1715 GMT), while Westminster underground station was evacuated at around 6:00 pm.

&quot;Please bear with us as we deal with dredged up suspected WWII ordnance... Road closures in area for safety,&quot; Westminster Police wrote on Twitter.

The tube station partially reopened at 6.45 pm, a Transport for London spokeswoman told AFP.

After the suspected bomb was found in the river by Victoria Embankment, police cleared the area of people and also closed Waterloo Bridge which later partially reopened.

The area sealed off included Horse Guards Avenue where the Old War Office Building is located, which was used by the British government during World War II and was bombed.

more than 12,000 metric tons of bombs were dropped on the British capital during the war, according to London&#39;s Imperial War Museum.

(AFP)

Police closed the Westminster Bridge at around 5:15 pm, while Westminster underground station was evacuated at around 6 pm

London's Westminster Bridge in the shadow of parliament's Big Ben clock tower was closed on Thursday after a suspected World War II bomb was found in the River Thames, police said. Police closed the bridge leading to the Houses of Parliament at around 5:15 pm (1715 GMT), while Westminster underground station was evacuated at around 6:00 pm. "Please bear with us as we deal with dredged up suspected WWII ordnance... Road closures in area for safety," Westminster Police wrote on Twitter. The tube station partially reopened at 6.45 pm, a Transport for London spokeswoman told AFP. After the suspected bomb was found in the river by Victoria Embankment, police cleared the area of people and also closed Waterloo Bridge which later partially reopened. The area sealed off included Horse Guards Avenue where the Old War Office Building is located, which was used by the British government during World War II and was bombed. more than 12,000 metric tons of bombs were dropped on the British capital during the war, according to London's Imperial War Museum. (AFP)

Suspected WWII bomb close to UK parliament prompts evacuation

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