Page 6 - aruba-today-20201109

A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 9 noveMber 2020

UK honors war dead in scaled-back Remembrance Sunday service

By PAN PYLAS military personnel. In Sun-
Associated Press day's service, there were
LONDON (AP) — In a less than 30 veterans in at-
scaled-back service, tendance and everyone
Queen Elizabeth II led trib- present observed social dis-
utes Sunday to those from tancing rules though mask
the U.K. and the Common- wearing wasn't mandatory
wealth who perished in in the outdoor setting.
wartime, as most veterans Though the service was
paid their respects at home very different, people up
as a result of the coronavi- and down the land took
rus pandemic. time out to honor the war
The 94-year-old monarch dead. Small services were
looked on from a balcony permitted.
at a government building World War II veteran Sey-
above the Cenotaph on mour "Bill" Taylor, who
Whitehall in central London turns 96 next month, usu-
on the 100th year anniver- ally attends the service but
sary of the memorial's in- paid his respects outside
stallation following the con- his home in Colchester,
clusion of World War I. The around 65 miles (105 kilo-
Cenotaph was officially meters) northeast of Lon-
unveiled on Nov. 11, 1920, don, with the support of his
two years to the day after Britain's Queen Elizabeth II attends a ceremony to mark the centenary of the burial of the Unknown neighbors.
Warrior, in Westminster Abbey, London, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.
the armistice was signed Associated Press "It's something that's really
that brought an end to hos- special and it means an
tilities. including Charles' oldest spectrum, including former down in England, and were awful lot," he said. "I shall re-
Following a two-minute si- son, Prince William and prime ministers, were also instead encouraged to member it as a good day."
lence at 11 a.m., Prince Prime Minister Boris John- present. take part in the two-minute Charles' other son, Prince
Charles laid a wreath on son, also laid wreaths in The public were unable to silence at home. Harry, wasn't present but
the queen's behalf during honor of those who have attend this year, with the In other years, the com- spoke about what serving
the Remembrance Sunday perished in wartime. Lead- event taking place during memoration is packed with for his country in Afghani-
commemoration. Others, ers from across the political a second national lock- thousands of veterans and stan meant to him.q

Japan emperor's brother proclaimed 1st in line to throne

monarchy. sword symbolizing his status the following year. Surveys
"I hereby declare in and as crown prince. have shown that most
outside of the country that Palace banquets and oth- Japanese support having
prince Fumihito is now the er events including public female emperors, as Aiko
crown prince," said Na- signing of congratulatory has become increasingly
ruhito, in his reddish brown messages have been can- popular.Suga recently said
robe and a headdress. Fu- celed as part of anti-virus his government will begin
mihito, in an orange robe measures. studying ways to secure a
and accompanied by his Sunday's proclamation for stable imperial succession
wife, Crown Princess Kiko, the crown prince paves the after the crown prince's
pledged in response: "I way for the government to proclamation.
deeply acknowledge my start discussing what to do Official duties increased
responsibilities as crown with the dire shortage of during the reign of hugely
prince and carry out my heirs. popular former emperor
duties." Naruhito's succession left Akihito, who actively inter-
Japanese Crown Prince Fumihito, better known as Prince Ak- The approximately 15-min- only two younger men in acted with the public, in-
ishino, leaves the Imperial Palace after being formally declared ute ceremony, initially line for the throne — Fumihi- cluding visiting disaster-hit
first in line to succeed the Chrysanthemum Throne during a cer- scheduled for April 19, was to and his 14-year-old son, areas to console residents.
emony Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. postponed after Japan's Hisahito. Naruhito's 18-year- Fumihito, one of the out-
Associated Press
government issued a state old daughter, Aiko, and the spoken members of the im-
By MARI YAMAGUCHI better known as Prince Ak- of emergency earlier that crown prince's two daugh- perial family, has expressed
Associated Press ishino, concludes a series of month due to the pandem- ters Mako and Kako are not his views on how the fam-
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese imperial succession rituals ic. in line because they are ily should adapt to mod-
Emperor Naruhito's young- that began in May last year Sunday's ritual was scaled women. ern times. He has said he
er brother, Crown Prince when Naruhito ascended down from the original 350 Japan's Imperial House believed royal duties can
Fumihito, was formally to the throne after their to about 50 attendants Law, largely based on pre- be shared equally regard-
sworn in as first in line to the 86-year-old father Akihito that included Prime Min- war constitution, does not less of gender, though he
Chrysanthemum Throne in abdicated. ister Yoshihide Suga and allow a female emperor declined to comment on
a traditional palace ritual Inside the palace's most other top government offi- and bars women when whether female emperors
Sunday that has been post- prestigious Pine Room, Na- cials, as well as prefectural they marry commoners. should be allowed.
poned for seven month ruhito, 60, declared that his representatives and select The government in 2005 The imperial family currently
and scaled down due to younger brother is now offi- foreign dignitaries. considered the possibility has 13 women, including six
the coronavirus pandemic. cially the crown prince who In a separate, closed cer- of female emperors, but who could marry and lose
The ceremony for the is first in line to succeed the emony later Sunday, Fumi- the discussion halted as their royal status in coming
54-year-old crown prince, throne of the world's oldest hito inherited an imperial soon as Hisahito was born years.q