Latest news with #JohnFKennedy
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Story Behind Jackie Kennedy's Cartier Watch: A Royal Gift With ‘Traces and Clues of Her Life' Revealed
The V&A's latest fashion exhibit showcases the iconic, world-renowned jewelry brand Cartier, and among its dazzling display of diamonds is a timepiece steeped in history: the Cartier watch once owned by Jackie Kennedy. According to Sunita Kumar Nair, author of 'CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion,' this display is particularly meaningful: 'This is an incredible moment, for the general public to see a historical timepiece from the Kennedy legacy, particularly Jackie's,' Kumar Nair said. 'It wasn't included for public eyes until now, which is an excellent example of how she still remains an important part of our cultural legacy and how there are still parts of her life yet to be unravelled.' More from WWD Sarah Jessica Parker Embraces Dark Glamour in Custom Jenny Packham for 'And Just Like That' Season Three Paris Photo Call EXCLUSIVE: Birkenstock Reimagines Self Care 'From the Feet Up' With Pop-up Spa Experience in Los Angeles at The Grove Sarah Jessica Parker Goes Boho Chic in Paris, Kristin Davis Favors Florals in Rixo Dress and More Looks at the 'And Just Like That...' Season Three Premiere This storied accessory has journeyed through the ages. Its significance dates back to 1963, when President John F. Kennedy launched a fitness initiative, challenging the population to walk 50 miles, hoping to inspire Americans to become more active. Jackie's brother-in-law, Prince Stanislaw 'Stas' Radziwill, who was married to her sister, took part in the trek. Jackie intermittently joined the walk, offering support and encouragement along the way. In commemoration of the experience, Stas gave her the Cartier watch. The memory of that day was preserved with a heartfelt inscription engraved on the back: 'Stas to Jackie / 23 Feb. 63 / 2:05 AM to 9:35 PM,' in script. In a tragic turn of events, six months after this, President Kennedy was assassinated, leaving Jackie a widow. As reported by Nair, the next time the widow was seen in public, she was with her daughter Caroline skiing in Sun Valley, a glimpse of the watch face captured. 'She served the American people as first lady, and she respected the boundaries and messages that certain pieces of fashion and jewelry meant to the general public and her husband's presidency,' Kumar Nair explained, 'it felt like the watch was a signifier of her new life, a private citizen free to wear what she wanted, and a flag of her social status and life as a widow.' After that, the ex-first lady was rarely seen without it and it became a staple for her, making it a well-loved accessory. After her death in 1994, Sotheby's held a sale of her belongings, which did not include her watch. It wasn't until 2017 that Christie's announced a sale of the watch. An unidentified bidder won the accessory for $379,500, which was later revealed to be Kim Kardashian. The story now continues as the watch takes its new home at the V&A. 'Jackie was so private, and we are still left with traces and clues of her life. There is something to be said about keeping parts of your life private, particularly when you are serving a public life,' Kumar Nair noted. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 1960s Style File From the Archives [PHOTOS] Best of WWD Model and Hip Hop Fashion Pioneer Kimora Lee Simmons' Runway Career Through the Years [PHOTOS] Salma Hayek's Fashion Evolution Through the Years: A Red Carpet Journey [PHOTOS] How Christian Dior Revolutionized Fashion With His New Look: A History and Timeline
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- General
- Scroll.in
This self-help book looks for ways to escape the ‘Daily Rut Rat-Race Bubble' of life
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. — John F Kennedy One per cent of the world's population owns 45 per cent of global wealth, while the next 12 per cent owns 40 per cent. At the other end of the spectrum, 52 per cent of the world's population owns as little as one per cent of global wealth. The question any right-thinking person would ask is: 'Why is there such a mammoth difference between clusters of the same population of human beings?' This disparity is even starker when you consider that every human being is infinitely rich. The answer sounds simple: the absence of awareness. Recognising this absence and then effecting personal change takes a significant shift as an individual. Understanding how we are conditioned to think and to live was a major part of my research. We live in a world that celebrates conformity, and yet that conformity restricts the authenticity of so many people. As we move from childhood through school to adulthood and eventually to the workplace, our outlook on life is strongly influenced and conditioned by the outlook of those around us. Unfortunately, most of those around us – the wider society or ecosystem – are stuck; stuck in the Daily Rut Rat-Race Bubble – or the DR3 Bubble, from hereon. Spending more time with others over the course of our life causes their views to become our views, their lack to become our lack, and their thinking to become our thinking. As time goes by, we become more engulfed within this bubble and, without realising, this causes more people to do the same. Without meaning to, most of humanity contributes to growing this bubble exponentially, like the COVID-19 R rate during the pandemic. Yet, there is a minority of the population spread around the world who, either consciously or otherwise, have claimed their infinite riches and live infinitely rich lives. This is not because they are superior or special in any way; it is just that they have the awareness of being infinitely rich and this reflects in their manifestation experiences. Often the sole reason for them having this awareness is because a family member, a parent, or a teacher consciously worked to feed this awareness into them during their formative years. A worthwhile example that comes to mind here is the popular book Rich Dad Poor Dad, where, amongst other things, the author explains how his awareness of wealth began through a rich dad (the father of his best friend), when he was nine years old. On the contrary, the author's own father – poor dad – could not answer his questions about what one needs to do to be wealthy. You see, his father was representative of most parents and people in the world, who lack the knowledge and clarity to answer what one needs to do to become wealthy while leading a fulfilling life. It is because there is such a dearth of this perspective of how to live an abundant life that most people, generation after generation, accept the fact that 'lack' is a fundamental part of life. Another route to infinite riches is when we remain open-minded and receptive – we hear a whisper, its voice gets louder and stronger, eventually leading us to act on it. In turn, this action leads us to a source, which can help us rekindle the spark at will. An apt example in this case would be you finding your way to this book. It is possible you believe you did not consciously look for this book but that, coincidentally, it found its way to you. Even if you were not conscious of a desire within you, it does not mean the desire was not there. If this sounds like a new concept to you, rest assured, you will learn more about it as you read through these pages. Remember, there are no coincidences. As the great Persian poet, Rumi, said almost 1,000 years ago, What you seek also seeks you. If you think what I am saying is beside the point and the family and circumstances you were born into are the primary factors that determine your life's path, you'd be wrong – believe me, profoundly wrong. I understand your reasoning because that is how I thought for a good many years! However, this thinking is entirely down to your conditioning and what you have been exposed to over the years; how you have been swayed by friends, family, wider society, and the media, and eventually habituated to this view. Now ask yourself – isn't it natural to say that if your life's trajectory were based primarily on where you were born, then everyone born into the same family or neighbourhood would have very similar, if not the same, results in life? More so, if this were true, then logically, there would be no new billionaires, centi-millionaires, or millionaires! If you are wondering whether it is only the rarest of cases that defy the norm, or whether they are all merely lucky coincidences, then pay careful attention to what follows because it will help your breakthrough to infinite riches.
Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Story of US First Lady Jackie Kennedy set for no-holds-barred musical treatment at Edinburgh Fringe
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis, socialite and First Lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963 as the wife of President John F Kennedy, was long considered the fashion icon of her time. Better known simply as Jackie, her story is the focus of a new musical coming to the Edinburgh Fringe this August – Jackie!!! revisits the glamorous and scandalous life of the legendary First Lady. Continue reading here Like this: Like Related
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
IMAX-Like Churches, TikTok Gurus, Putin: Inside America's Murky 'Faith' Bazaars
November 2, 2021. Dallas. It was a cold and rainy day. They came with flags, folding chairs and unwavering faith. Mothers, mechanics, grandparents, teachers and farmers - thousands from across America - gathered under the water-laden sky, eyes fixed on Dealey Plaza, the spot where John F Kennedy was gunned down in 1963. But this was not a memorial. They had come with huge expectations. They were promised JFK was coming back - not as a ghost, but in the flesh, alongside his long-dead son. And somehow, Donald Trump was part of the plan, either guiding them or, as some claimed, secretly being JFK Jr himself, in disguise. At the centre of it all stood Michael Protzman, a demolition contractor from Washington State turned doomsday prophet, live-streaming numerological riddles and divine revelations from his phone. To his thousands of online followers, he wasn't just a man. He was a messenger. They called him 'Negative 48', the online alias of Michael Protzman, who was a well-known QAnon influencer at the time. When the prophecy failed, that is, when no Kennedy rose from the dead, the faithful didn't scatter. They recalibrated. Truth, after all, is flexible in the American spiritual marketplace. Protzman died in 2023 after a bike crash. But his legacy lives on: a reminder that in the United States, belief isn't just a private act. It is a public theatre, political force and, increasingly, a viral spectacle. The Land of Miracle Men For decades, Western writers and journalists have romanticised India as the land of sadhus, yogis and miracle men, casting spiritual showmanship as divine mysticism. All the while, they overlooked their own backyard, where prophets, faith healers and self-styled messiahs quietly multiplied. The trend has become much more pronounced now. So, perhaps it is time to turn the lens. To much of the world, America is the land of innovation and freedom. It's where the internet was born, where Hollywood scripts the planet's dreams, and where democracy - with all its flaws - still claims to lead the world. From AI labs to aircraft carriers, from Netflix dramas to billion-dollar tech empires, the United States oozes power and self-confidence. 'Encountering Jesus' But behind that dazzling surface lies another America - one that fasts and prays for national repentance, that warns of apocalypse, that casts out demons on TikTok and tries to raise the dead in church basements. This is the America of Bethel Church in California, where worshippers post healings on social media and believe miracles are just one prayer away. Their vibrant website claims that worshippers "encounter Jesus" here and urges them to "experience God's presence at church this Sunday". It is the America of livestreamed prophecies, where faith doesn't just coexist with modern life - it often collides with it, in dramatic and deeply political ways. And this other America isn't fringe, despite what established churches and denominations might like us to believe. It is growing, multiplying even faster in the Trumpian world. It helps to start with the numbers. Over 60% of Americans still say religion is 'very important' in their daily lives, compared to just 17% in Britain and 14% in France. The US has over 3 lakh churches, and its religious exports - like Pentecostalism, televangelism and the prosperity gospel - have found eager audiences as far afield as Brazil, Nigeria and El Salvador. In a country as saturated with spiritual options as the United States, one recent development has raised more than a few eyebrows - and prompted quiet soul-searching in church pews and academic circles alike. Putin The Hero A growing number of young Americans, especially white men disillusioned with what they see as the excesses of liberal culture, are turning to Russian Orthodoxy - specifically the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). Drawn by its traditional liturgy, mystical beauty and clear moral order, they are finding something deeply grounding in the incense-filled churches and centuries-old chants. To them, it is not just about ritual. It is about anchoring oneself in a faith that appears untouched by modern relativism. This trend is spiritual but also carries cultural and, for some, political undertones. In their quest for roots, stability and something that feels timeless, these converts often speak of Orthodoxy as a refuge from what they perceive to be the confusion and moral ambiguity of contemporary America. Some admire Russian President Vladimir Putin for his perceived defence of Christian values - a view encouraged by certain Orthodox clergy who cast the Ukraine war not merely as a political conflict, but as a spiritual battle aimed at defending traditional civilisation from Western secularism. Orthodoxy Is Not Just About Politics A few even frame the war in theological terms, echoing the language used by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who has described the conflict as a metaphysical stand against what he called 'sinful Western values'. While many lifelong Orthodox believers in America are uneasy with this framing, it resonates with converts seeking moral clarity in an era that often feels adrift. For most of these new adherents, this turn to Orthodoxy is not about politics per se. It is about finding a place where beauty, discipline and tradition still matter. They speak of the ancient rituals not as nostalgia, but as nourishment - something rich and rooted, in a world that often feels hurried and hollow. And so, in the great American spiritual bazaar, Russian Orthodoxy has claimed a quiet but growing corner. Also, take, for instance, the rise of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement. Led by a loose network of 'charismatic' leaders and 'prophets', NAR aims to reclaim America for God through political and cultural dominion. Leaders like Dutch Sheets and Lance Wallnau gained massive followings, especially during Trump's first term, claiming they had 'divine' visions about the president's destiny. Wallnau famously called Trump "God's chaos candidate", comparing him to Cyrus, the Persian king who helped the Israelites in the Old Testament. The Catholic Times did a long piece after another NAR leader, Paula White-Cain, was appointed as a senior adviser to the newly created White House Faith Office. The World Of Pastor Greg Locke Then there is Pastor Greg Locke of Tennessee, who has amassed a fervent social media following by mixing firebrand sermons with alleged political conspiracy theories. Locke claims that COVID-19 was a hoax, calls Democrats 'demonic', and sees his ministry as a frontline in a cosmic battle. At his Global Vision Bible Church, people have burned Harry Potter books, cast out demons and declared that America is under spiritual siege. Or consider Julie Green Ministries. Her YouTube prophecies regularly include messages she claims are from God, forecasting political events or divine punishment. Her channel has hundreds of thousands of views. Anyone watching her videos cannot miss her claims that she can 'command' a sick person's illnesses to be destroyed and cure the person. These leaders aren't on the fringes of faith - they are livestreamed on YouTube, hosted on Christian TV, followed by hundreds of thousands of people, and courted by politicians. In 2020 and beyond, many claimed God had ordained Trump's presidency and prophesied his return to power even after his electoral defeat. Some went so far as to encourage their followers to take action, playing a role - through fiery sermons and social media posts - in fuelling the anger that led to the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Faith vs Faith Much to the agony of the established churches and ecstasy of new, fast multiplying faiths, social media has become both a pulpit and a stage in America. On TikTok, self-declared prophets warn of imminent collapse, offer prayers to cleanse timelines, or speak in tongues (it is a form of ecstatic prayer or speech in unintelligible sounds, believed by many Christians to be a spiritual language inspired by the Holy Spirit) to bring healing to followers. Clips of deliverance, where pastors shout at demons and followers convulse in spiritual ecstasy, routinely go viral. Even doomsday has influencers now. Nostradamus-style YouTube channels push visions of global famine, nuclear war or rapture. Some are monetised. Many are consumed religiously by millions seeking not just entertainment but existential comfort in chaotic times. This isn't just a revival. It's a remix of religion with, some might say, entertainment, politics and tech - an explosive cocktail that affects millions of minds and voting behaviours. Some even argue that the established, traditional faiths had become boring, and thus the new ones are getting popular because they are deeply connected to the average man. Faith As Performance There are megachurches with IMAX-style screens and fog machines. There are places like Lakewood Church in Houston, where Joel Osteen preaches positivity and wealth with a glowing smile to a stadium-sized congregation. Or Hillsong, whose celebrity-studded music and troubled leadership made headlines worldwide. Both offer worship as performance, where faith is branded, packaged and sold like a lifestyle. America's faith bazaar isn't just about Christianity. There are psychedelic churches like the Church of the Sacred Mushroom. There are UFO cults reviving in new online forums. There are wellness gurus blending Eastern mysticism with Western productivity hacks. And increasingly, these belief systems cross-pollinate. A follower may watch a Trump prophecy video, attend a yoga-mindfulness seminar and join a Facebook group on biblical homesteading - all in the same week. It's like going to a big mall with a plethora of options to choose from. This pluralism is what makes the American spiritual landscape so unique, and so bewildering. It is open-ended, endlessly adaptable and market-driven. The Search For The Divine In a country where religious affiliation and traditional church gatherings are declining, the hunger for meaning has only intensified. Many may be leaving churches, but they aren't leaving belief. They are remixing it. Rebranding it. Whether through revivals or revelations, livestreams or TikToks, prophets or presidents, the American search for the divine continues. In the country's bubbling spiritual marketplace, belief isn't passive, but performative. It sings, it shouts, it heals, it livestreams. It predicts election outcomes, dances with divine wrath and courts eternal salvation in the comment section. This is faith with stage lighting and subscriber counts. And yet, beneath the drama, there is something achingly human. A quiet fear. A cosmic question. A longing for permanence in a culture obsessed with the next update. Perhaps that's why young men are turning to incense and iconography, why TikTok prophets rise with each news cycle, and why preachers warn of an ever-nearing end. Because at some level, despite sermons and gospels, the American soul is still haunted by what English poet Andrew Marvell called 'deserts of vast eternity'. Some, much like TS Eliot did ages ago, have started to wonder if they have 'measured out their lives with coffee spoons.' (Syed Zubair Ahmed is a London-based senior Indian journalist with three decades of experience with the Western media) Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author and do not represent the views of NDTV Share
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Why Shannon Airport remains a key gateway for the US military
Questions over Ireland's role in the United States' military supply chain have long been asked. Millions of US soldiers have passed through Shannon Airport over the past two decades as it transformed into a significant transit point for the US military, particularly for its operations in the Middle East. But while US on the ground military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq has come to an end, figures show that Shannon Airport continues to be constantly and consistently used by the United States. Data obtained and analysed by RTÉ News shows that between 2022 and 2024, nearly 2,000 US military aircrafts and US civil air operators with declared munitions of war on-board applied for exemptions to stop in Ireland. The flights were frequently to and from Germany, Poland, Bulgaria and Kuwait. These planes are not routinely searched or inspected by Irish authorities. Only 0.1% of applications from US civil aircraft were refused to land or fly over Ireland due to the "nature of the total munitions of war proposed to be carried", the Department of Transport told RTÉ News. No US military aircraft was prevented from landing in Ireland over that three year period, according to figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Government maintains that while Ireland is not politically neutral, it is militarily neutral - meaning it is making a distinction between armed engagement and foreign policy positions. However, Shannon is used frequently by the United States, with dozens of military and civilian aircraft with weapons onboard landing and taking off every month, with little intervention or checks. To what extent is this military traffic within the parameters of Ireland's long-standing practice of neutrality? Shannon Airport On the edge of Europe, Shannon Airport is at a strategic location. It is the most westerly airport in Europe - a key and quiet facility that does not have the hustle and bustle of transport hubs of London and Amsterdam. Shortly after it opened in 1945, Shannon Airport became a convenient transatlantic refuelling stop for US military and diplomatic flights. Soviet carrier Aeroflot had established a base there, allowing flights from the Soviet Union to refuel in Ireland before travelling onwards to countries such as Cuba and Angola. Shannon became the biggest Soviet transit airport outside Moscow until the 1990s. Pictures of world leaders stopping at the airport can be seen in its departure halls. US President John F Kennedy flew into Shannon Airport in 1963 for his historic tour of Ireland and more than 40 years later another US President, George W Bush, posed for photos with US marines headed to Iraq. Already this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have held press conferences and meetings at the Co Clare airport. Links with the United States go back decades. The early 90s marked an uptick in the airport being used by aircraft connected to the US military during Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf. It was ramped up further at the turn of the century when, following 9/11, Shannon Airport became a key transit hub for US troops travelling to Afghanistan and Iraq. The Irish government had offered the use of Shannon to the US government for landing and refuelling facilities after the terror attacks after a UN Security Council Resolution which requested states work together to bring to justice those responsible for 9/11. In 2003, the Dáil voted to support the government's policy of continuing to grant overflight and landing rights in Ireland to US military and civilian aircraft. Defence and Security consultant Dakota Wood told RTÉ News that Shannon is attractive because it is less trafficked than a very large airfield like Frankfurt and has good ramp space. Mr Wood, who served for two decades in the US Marine Corps, said there are many considerations that go into choosing an airport and Shannon "has proved to be a very useful through put point". Over ten years from 2001 to 2011, over two million US military personnel flew through Shannon Airport. 2005 was the busiest year when nearly 2,000 aircraft carrying 336,000 personnel flew through the airport. What are the rules? Under the Air Navigation Order 1952, no foreign military aircraft is permitted to fly over, or land in the State without the 'express invitation or permission of the Minister'. However, under the terms of a specific arrangement dating from 1959, US military aircraft can overfly without prior notification on condition they are unarmed, carry only cargo and passengers, and comply with navigational requirements. Permission must also be sought to land and take off in Ireland as long as there are no arms or munitions on board, no involvement in military exercises or operations originating in Ireland, and no intelligence gathering. Civil and military aircrafts intending to carry munitions of war, or weapons through or into Irish territory must apply for a special exemption from the Irish Government to land or fly over Irish airspace. Permission must be sought even if the weapons on the aircraft are not loaded with ammunition or immediately usable, which is part of the policy to support Ireland's neutral stance. US civil aircraft apply for permission from the Department of Transport to carry troops and equipment across Irish airspace or land at airports, such as Shannon. Charter and cargo carriers, including Omni Air International and Atlas Air, which often operate under government and military contracts are the most commonly used. Ireland could deny or ground flights if it were to become clear that weapons or undeclared military cargo were on board. How many flights? In recent years, from 2022 to 2024, almost 2,000 US military and US civil flights with munitions of war on board stopped in Ireland. Over those three years, a total of 978 US military flights landed at Irish airports, mostly in Shannon. New data from the Department of Transport, obtained and analysed by RTÉ News, shows that during the same period, more than 1,000 applications were made by US civil operators with munitions of war on board to land at Shannon Airport. These applications were for what the department calls "tech stops" - brief landings to refuel and perform maintenance checks. Only 0.1% of them were refused due to the "nature of the total munitions of war proposed to be carried", according to the department. More than 1,700 applications were made from US civil aircraft with munitions of war on board to fly over Irish airspace. A majority of the munitions of war were unloaded "personal issued weapons of troops, with no ammunition". One flight in 2022 had "ammunition only" listed in the description of munitions of war. More than 820 applications were made for US civil aircraft with munitions onboard to stop or fly over Irish airspace in 2024 - 279 of them stopped at Shannon Airport. Two of the 543 applications made to fly over Ireland with munitions of war were refused. On 8 July, an Omni Air International flight travelling from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Hungary to Pittsburgh International Airport in the US was refused permission to overfly. Three weeks later, on 30 July, another aircraft from the same airline was refused permission to fly in Irish airspace from Pittsburgh International Airport in Pennsylvania to Hungary's Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. The Department of Transport told RTÉ News that they were refused "based on the nature of the total munitions of war proposed to be carried". In relation to US military aircraft, 357 landing requests were granted in 2024. In 2023, 860 applications were made by US civil aircraft with munitions of war on board to land or fly over Ireland. 258 stopped at Shannon Airport, one at Dublin airport. Nearly 600 flew over Irish air space that year. Former US president Joe Biden visited Ireland in April of that year when there was a clear increase in traffic. The same year, there were 530 landings by US military aircraft granted at Irish airports, mostly in Shannon. However, it is worth noting that the US Embassy submits the statistics on military aircraft overflights to the Department of Foreign Affairs on a monthly basis - it is not data collected by the department. 2022 saw just more than 1,000 applications made by US civil air operators to overfly or land with munitions of war. Permission was denied to one of the 467 made to stop at Shannon Airport for the same reason as the Hungary flights in 2024, said the Department of Transport. The flight refused was an Omni aircraft on 21 May 2022 from Washington Dulles International Airport to Poland which was due to land at Shannon Airport. The same year, 91 US military aircrafts landed in the country. Hundreds of the flights were to and from common destinations such as Germany, Poland and Bulgaria - all key hubs for NATO operations. Germany is home to the Ramstein Air Base and several major US military installations. There was a noticeable increase in traffic when the US was boosting troops in Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kuwait, a long-standing US military hub in the Middle East, is also regularly travelled to which is home to approximately 13,500 US forces based in Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base. It is used as a staging area for troops rotating in and out of many Middle East countries and onward links to Israel or Gulf allies. Are they checked? There is little intervention or checks when it comes to these aircrafts. Calls have been made for inspections to ensure they are not carrying weapons or detainees. Retired US army officer and analyst of US foreign policy, Daniel L Davis, stopped at Shannon Airport via a civil aircraft following his deployment to Iraq in 2009 and told RTÉ that he was required to have his weapons on him. "I was required to have my side arm and rifle with me at all times but it was definitely not loaded, had no ammunition with it. But I was very much required to maintain positive control over it at all times," he said. In 2009, Amnesty International alleged that rendition flights operated by the United States passed through Shannon. It claimed that the State was facilitating uninspected CIA flights through Irish airspace which were bringing detainees to centres such as Guantanamo Bay. Most recently, the Irish Government is examining a report that a flight carrying deportees from the United States to Africa, against a judge's order, stopped Shannon. Professor of International Law at the University of Notre Dame Mary Ellen O'Connell said Irish authorities should be "very clear" that it will not permit the United States to transport weapons bound for unlawful armed conflict through Ireland. "This is my area of expertise for almost 40 years… the United States is using military force all around the world unlawfully especially in the Middle East and Africa," said Prof O'Connell, who has worked in areas of international law on the use of force, international dispute resolution and international legal theory. She said there could be problems for Ireland if there are any munitions landing at Shannon that is ending up in unlawful conflicts. "Ireland should have complete control over planes that land at Shannon that are carrying munitions… anything destined for a war zone. It's important for Ireland which stands tall on so many of these issues of international law to take seriously this principle not to assist a country in any way that's using military force unlawfully" she added. Former Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), Daniel L Davis said that much of the travel is to Bulgaria and Germany which has nothing to do with combat. "For me it seems like it wouldn't violate any neutrality unless they were… are helping the US in a combat operation," he said. "The United States had an issue for helping Saudi Arabia around 2015… to help it to combat missions against Yemen and the Houthis. Even then we tried to claim that we were not party to the conflict, even though we were directly helping refuelling etc. But something like this where you literally just land at the airport and refuel, and use the facilities I think that would be two or three levels distant from it," he said. Use of Shannon by the US does not affect Ireland's policy of military neutrality, according to the Irish Government. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said Ireland's policy of military neutrality is characterised by non-membership of military alliances and non-participation "in common or mutual defence arrangements". "This policy is fully consistent with foreign military and state aircrafts being allowed to enter Irish sovereign airspace or land in the State under certain circumstances," they said. A peace activist and contributor to Shannonwatch, a group which has monitored US activity at the airport for twenty years, said he believes Shannon Airport is a 'de-facto' military base for the United States. Edward Horgan, who has spent two decades protesting the use of Shannon Airport by the US military, said now is the time for the US to be forbidden from using the airport. Last year, the Department of Transport confirmed that nine civilian aircraft, reported by The Ditch website, carried munitions of war which were destined for Israel over Irish sovereign airspace. "I spent 22 years in the Irish Defence Forces, was heavily involved in logistics and logistics play a huge role in modern warfare. Shannon Airport is being used as a logistic hub for the US military. "This is particularly important at the moment and particularly inappropriate with the genocide that is happening in Gaza," he said. Military bases deployed in a foreign territory usually have a formal legal agreement or treaty with the hosting nation. A base usually has a permanent military presence and control over part of a secure site for the use of military-specific operations or missions. The Department of Foreign Affairs said this week that they have not been notified of any US Military Officers permanently based at Shannon Airport. Figures show that US military aircraft and civilian aircraft regularly and routinely land and refuel there with minimal oversight by the authorities here. However, the Irish Government insists that the US military's use of the airport is subject to strict conditions include no arms or ammunition without specific permission and that no operation missions are launched from Shannon. Other civilian airports in neutral countries with significant US military logistical use, but not military-controlled or designated bases, include Switzerland and Austria. Similar to Ireland, all US military flights must declare their purpose and contents but physical inspections are limited. Retired US army officer Davis said that he believes it is not a de-facto military base. "What would distinguish it from a military base if you had fighter jets on there. If you had routine military transport aircraft, if you had US air force facilities… like what we do in the Middle East, in Qatar for example or Kuwait. "We have parts of the whole airfield that are fenced off and it's just US territory there, that's what I consider a base but this sounds more like a leasing agreement and an arrangement to use existing facilities," he said.
