Latest news with #WorldWarTwo
NHK
an hour ago
- General
- NHK
Japan's Emperor, Empress wrap up trip to Hiroshima
Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have wrapped up a visit to Hiroshima. They met with survivors of the atomic bomb and paid their respects to people who died in World War Two. The Imperial couple's visit took place on Thursday and Friday. It was their first time in Hiroshima since the Emperor ascended the throne in 2019. On Friday they visited a nursing home for atomic bomb survivors, also known as hibakusha. The facility houses 94 people aged between 81 and 103. The Emperor and Empress asked some of them about where they lived at the time of the blast and their time at the nursing home. They also wished the hibakusha good health. This year marks 80 years since the end of World War Two. The Emperor and Empress believe it is important to pass on people's memories of the war to younger generations. On Thursday the Imperial couple paid their respects to the war dead at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. They also talked with people who have been trained to convey the stories of the hibakusha, who are advancing in age.
Daily Record
8 hours ago
- General
- Daily Record
Scottish castle that once held infamous Nazi now reclaimed by nature
The historic Stirlingshire castle has fallen into ruin. New photographs show a Scottish castle that once housed an infamous, high-ranking Nazi. As seen in the images, the castle has been reclaimed by the surrounding nature. Situated near Drymen in Stirlingshire, Buchanan Castle was constructed in the 1850s. It acted as the home of the Montrose family until 1925. The castle was then sold, before opening as a hotel in 1930—with plans to implement a golf course. However, once World War Two broke out, these plans were abandoned and Buchanan Castle was repurposed as a hospital. On May 10, 1941, Rudolf Hess flew to the UK in a self-described mission to negotiate peace. However, the plane carrying the Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler ran out of fuel and he parachuted to the ground. Hess was taken to Buchanan Castle and treated. He was then transported to the Tower of London, before being relocated to Mytchett Place in Surrey. Following a suicide attempt, Hess was moved to Maindiff Court Hospital. He then surrendered, and was moved to Nuremberg to face trial for war crimes in May 1945. After the war, Buchanan Castle briefly acted as the Army School of Education. However, after the roof was removed and parts of the castle were demolished in 1954, it began to fall into ruin. Proposals were put forth in 2002 and 2004 to convert the castle into apartment accommodation, but these were both denied. Today, while Buchanan Castle remains a B-listed building, signs around the site warn visitors not to enter for their own safety. The abandoned building has now been reclaimed by nature. The ruins have become overgrown by trees and vines in the years since its heyday. Read on for a collection of photos of Buchanan Castle as it appears today. More On World War 2 History Heritage Photography Stirling Albion FC
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
VJ Day veterans to be honoured on 80th anniversary
Veterans who served in the Far East during World War Two are being invited as guests of honour to a service to mark the 80th anniversary of the allied victory there. The Royal British Legion (RBL) is asking both veterans and their families to register for the event, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, on 15 August. VJ Day (Victory in Japan) marks Japan's surrender to the Allies in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which effectively ended the war. The service will pay tribute to all those who served in the region, including Burma Star recipients, British Indian Army veterans and former prisoners of war. It will also commemorate those who fought in pivotal battles, including Kohima and Imphal in India. Veteran Owen Filer, 105, who was serving in India on VJ Day in 1945, plans to travel to the event from his home in Cwmbran, Wales, and said it would be a "poignant day". He said: "This is a significant moment for my generation and for all those who served out there and back home before Japan surrendered. "It will be an honour to be with the Royal British Legion and fellow veterans 80 years after the world went through so much, and to remember those who never made it back." Amrit Dhatt, whose grandfather Rajindar Singh Dhatt was drafted to East Asia with the Indian army, said he and comrades had "fought for our peace for today". "We need to come now together to remember that and to remain in unity," she told BBC Breakfast. The former Sgt Maj died on 21 May, at the age of 103 and Ms Dhatt said he had lived an "incredible life". "He was always so fond of speaking about his memories and for that I'm grateful because I had that first-hand experience of learning about what he went through," she added. The event comes weeks after the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. RBL research suggests there are about 8,000 surviving World War Two veterans in England and Wales, based on census and ONS data. The charity warned the number was likely to fall to below 300 over the next decade. Director General Mark Atkinson described the 80th anniversary as "one of the last opportunities" for the nation to thank veterans for their service. "We owe it to all those with a connection to VJ Day to pause and reflect on their contribution and legacy," he added. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: Veteran, 100, recalls 'getting squiffy' on VE day VE Day 80: Poignant thank you to a heroic generation VE Day, VJ Day, D-Day: What's the difference? Royal British Legion
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Putin and Xi discussed 'rough edges' between G7 leaders at summit, Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a reception, held on Victory Day marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Putin and Xi discussed 'rough edges' between G7 leaders at summit, Kremlin says ST PETERSBURG - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed in a telephone call on Thursday what they saw as frictions between G7 leaders at this week's Group of Seven summit, the Kremlin said. At the meeting in Canada, the bloc of wealthy nations struggled to find unity over the war in Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for Putin and left a day early to tackle the Israel-Iran conflict from Washington. His departure deprived Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of a chance to meet him and press for more U.S. weapons. Putin and Xi "discussed the results of the recent G7 meeting in Canada. In particular, they noted the well-known rough edges that emerged in the relations between participants," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. "And, by the way, it was mentioned that for Zelenskiy this was by no means the most successful trip abroad." In a call lasting about an hour, the Kremlin said Xi and Putin discussed the Israel-Iran crisis, bilateral ties and cooperation within the BRICS group, set to hold a summit in Brazil next month, including an initiative for a new BRICS investment platform for the Global South. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Russia's Dmitriev says Russia, US and Saudi Arabia could act jointly to stabilise oil markets
FILE PHOTO: Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev attends a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo Crude oil tanker SCF Surgut, owned by Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot, transits the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik Russia's Dmitriev says Russia, US and Saudi Arabia could act jointly to stabilise oil markets ST PETERSBURG - Russia, the United States and Saudi Arabia could act jointly to stabilise oil markets if needed, Russia's investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev told Reuters. Oil prices surged on Thursday after Israel said it attacked Iranian nuclear sites in Natanz and Arak overnight and as investors grappled with fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East that could disrupt crude supplies. Dmitriev, chief of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, said there was a precedent for similar joint action in 2020. "There was an example when (Russian) President Putin, (U.S.) President Trump and (Saudi) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played a key role in stabilising markets," Dmitriev said on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. "It is early to talk about concrete joint action yet but based on an earlier precedent, such action is possible." In the spring of 2020, as oil prices plummeted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump brokered a deal with top crude producers Russia and Saudi Arabia to cut output and calm the markets. "Events in the Middle East create conditions for oil price rises. The dynamics of these events will define how dramatic this rise will be," Dmitriev said. "The dynamics of such rises sharply reduce the possibility of further restrictions on Russia's energy sector," he said, referring to European Union deliberations on tightening sanctions against Moscow. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
