commemoration

Ahead of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, the King paid tribute to the "sacrifice and selflessness" of Commonwealth forces.

The day of reflection was one of the recommendations made by the UK commission on Covid commemoration, which was tasked by the government to find the best ways of marking this period.

Veterans will be joining the events, with only a shrinking number of that generation able to attend in what will be among the last major wartime commemorations involving those who served.

It was the most consequential election in the city’s history, yet there has been no commemoration of the anniversary.

Sunday morning saw Beirut’s streets flooded with Lebanese troops and policemen trying to manage traffic snarled by masses of mourners making their way to the capital’s stadium for the start of an hours-long commemoration ceremony.