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WWII bomber crash left 11 dead and 'non-recoverable.' Four are finally coming home

WWII bomber crash left 11 dead and 'non-recoverable.' Four are finally coming home

Washington Post26-05-2025

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. — As the World War II bomber Heaven Can Wait was hit by enemy fire off the Pacific island of New Guinea on March 11, 1944, the co-pilot managed a final salute to flyers in an adjacent plane before crashing into the water.
All 11 men aboard were killed. Their remains, deep below the vast sea, were designated as non-recoverable.

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UN assembly elects Germany's ex-foreign minister as next president after Russia demands secret vote
UN assembly elects Germany's ex-foreign minister as next president after Russia demands secret vote

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UN assembly elects Germany's ex-foreign minister as next president after Russia demands secret vote

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly elected Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock to be the next head of the 193-member world body in a secret-ballot vote demanded by Russia. Baerbock got 167 votes, almost double the 88 votes needed to win, while high-ranking German diplomat Helga Schmid received 7 votes as a write-in and 14 countries abstained. Germany had nominated Schmid for the assembly presidency but replaced her with Baerbock after she lost her job as the country's foreign affairs chief in the recent election. The decision drew some criticism in Germany. When Baerbock appeared before the assembly to discuss her candidacy on May 15, Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky lashed into her, saying: 'Ms. Baerbock has repeatedly proved her incompetence, extreme bias and lack of understanding of the basic principles of diplomacy.' Polyansky accused her of having pursued an 'anti-Russia policy," which he said gave Russia reason to doubt that as General Assembly president she would be "able to act in the interests of peace and dialogue.' Baerbock brushed off Russia's request for a secret ballot. 'I am grateful … the overwhelming majority of member states have voted in favor of my candidacy and I'm looking forward to work with all member states together in these challenging times,' she said. Baerbock will replace current assembly president Philemon Yang, a former prime minister of Cameroon, at the start of the 80th session in September. She will preside over the annual gathering of world leaders in late September and anniversary events marking the founding of the United Nations in 1945. The one-year presidency of the General Assembly rotates by region. The assembly, which is the U.N.'s most representative body, has taken the spotlight in reacting to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. That's because any action by the U.N. Security Council has been blocked by the veto power of Russia on Ukraine and the United States on Gaza. Baerbock said in her acceptance speech that the theme of her presidency will be 'Better Together,' stressing that the world is 'walking on a tightrope of uncertainty' in very challenging times. The birth of the United Nations on the ashes of World War II 'reminds us: We have lived through difficult times before," she said. "And it is up to us to take up these challenges.' Baerbock pointed to more than 120 armed conflicts around the world today as another reminder that the U.N.'s primary mission, 'to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war," remains unaccomplished. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Baerback will take the presidency as the world faces not only 'conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality' but divisions and mistrust. 'Aid and development funding are drying up, and our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow,' he said. 'This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges.'

‘I feel very honored': WWII veteran celebrates 105th birthday
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‘I feel very honored': WWII veteran celebrates 105th birthday

WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — It was a monumental day for longtime West Warwick resident Peter Ricci. The World War II veteran celebrated his 105th birthday with a visit from Rep. Earl Read, who presented him with a citation thanking him for his service. He received the honor surrounded by his family and friends Monday afternoon. Ricci enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 23 years old and spent most of his time aboard a minesweeper off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. STREET STORIES: WWII veteran surprised with Honor Flight trip for 100th birthday He now lives at Monsignor De Angelis Manor I with his 95-year-old wife Mary and spends most of his free time at the West Warwick Senior and Community Center. 'I feel very honored,' Ricci said. 'I have a beautiful wife and a beautiful life.' Though his birthday was officially on May 14, Ricci's neighbor Sheila Monahan took it upon herself to make sure he was properly recognized for the major milestone. 'Peter and his wife are a delight to know,' Monahan said. 'He's had such a wonderful and exciting life.' NEXT: WWII veteran graduates from Cranston High School East Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Wayfarers Chapel may have new home at unused military site
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Southern California's iconic glass chapel may have found a new home in Rancho Palos Verdes. The famed Wayfarers Chapel was closed indefinitely last year due to unprecedented shifting of the ground below it. The church's leadership team made the decision to disassemble the beloved California landmark and wedding venue and reassemble it in another location. This week, church officials announced that they may have found the chapel's new grounds. According to the church's website, a new proposed location has been identified at Battery Barnes, a former munitions storage facility for the U.S. Coast Guard, adjacent to Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall. The four-acre property overlooking the Pacific Ocean was utilized during World War II and remains under Coast Guard jurisdiction. But city officials say the property has been unused for several years and the only structure on the land is vacant. The glass chapel, which was designated a Historic National Landmark in 2023, could be rebuilt on the hilltop above Point Vicente Lighthouse, a still active navigational landmark that is also the property of the Coast Guard. While the site has been tabbed as the future home to Wayfarers Chapel, and renderings have been made to show what the new campus may look like, church officials still need to procure the space and raise enough funds to reassemble the church and rebuild the surrounding infrastructure. The popular wedding chapel, which was designed by famed architect Lloyd Wright (son of Frank Lloyd Wright) in the 1940s, previously stood among a crowd of trees that overlooked Abalone Cove, an area of the California coast that has experienced an ongoing, slow-moving 'geologic hazard.' Its campus in Rancho Palos Verdes had survived landslides and erosion for years, but those conditions have worsened since 2024, with homes swallowed by shifting hillsides and once-straight roads turned into winding, sloping slaloms. The chapel has hosted thousands of weddings, including celebrity nuptials, since it opened in 1951. It was closed to the public in February 2024, in hopes that the shifting of land would eventually slow down. But the ground continued to move as much as seven inches per week, officials said at the time. The chapel was fully disassembled in July 2024, and carefully placed into dedicated storage space. Dan Burchett, the chapel's executive director, said last year that rebuild efforts could cost as much as $20 million. It's unclear if those estimates have changed in 2025. If the church is able to secure the site and rebuild at the old military property, the new campus would feature a museum, a visitor's center and 'tranquil gardens,' the church website says. If leaders secure the money, the site will be rebuilt with a visitor's center, a museum, a cafe and gardens, according to the website, and guests will be treated to the same sweeping ocean views. For additional information about the proposed site, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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