A 101-year-old who landed on the beaches of Normandy in 1944 celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day at a beacon lighting ceremony. Veteran Douglas John Hayward, who was one of the last surviving members of the Essex Yeomanry - a British cavalry regiment - marked the 80th anniversary at an event in Castle Mound, Cambridge, on Thursday.

LONDON - Even if the end of World War II in Europe spawned one of the most joyous days the continent ever lived, Thursday's 80th anniversary of V-E Day is haunted as much by the specter of current-day conflict as it celebrates the defeat of ultimate evil.

Cities from London to Moscow will be awash with parades, flyovers and memorials this week as the world marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day — the day Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied forces.