Amy Johnson's historic Australia flight to be celebrated on 95th anniversary
She began her journey to become the first woman to fly solo from the UK to Australia at Croydon airport, south London on May 5 1930.
A flypast of a biplane similar to the one used by Miss Johnson is planned for Sunday.
Throughout this weekend, the airport will host guided tours of the control tower and an Amy Johnson exhibition, while discussions and workshops will take place at the adjacent Croydon Aerodrome Hotel.
Miss Johnson had only 100 hours of flying experience when she took off from Croydon in her second-hand Gipsy Moth plane, named Jason.
The 27-year-old had no radio link to the ground, no reliable weather information and only basic maps to guide her over uncharted land and some of the world's most inhospitable terrain.
She braved sandstorms, forced landings and the amorous attentions of Arab sheikhs to reach Darwin in northern Australia 19 days later.
On her return to Croydon, she was greeted by an estimated 200,000 people who lined the route to the airport.
Micha Nestor, visitor centre manager at Croydon airport – which is now a museum – told the PA news agency: 'What we want to do is inspire future aviation enthusiasts, and also highlight women in aviation
'Amy was one of the major celebrities of the 1930s.
'We really want to amplify her story, because Amy was a big deal.'
She added: 'There's one term that she used to use, and that's air mindedness.
'At almost each stop (to Australia) she had to deal with a different problem, and use all those different skills she'd gathered, whether it's engineering, maths, all different bits and pieces, to figure it out.
'That's what we want to promote: thinking on the ball.'
Papers released by The National Archives in 2005 revealed that a senior UK diplomat wrote before the flight that there should be restrictions on Miss Johnson's plans given her 'sex, youth and comparative inexperience'.
She was an 'adventuress' who needed protecting from herself, the official communique suggested.
Miss Johnson died aged 37 when a plane she was flying crashed into the sea off Herne Bay, Kent in January 1941.
At the time, she was serving as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, which delivered aircraft for the RAF.
Her body was never found.
Croydon airport opened in 1920, featuring the world's first air traffic control tower.
Mike Thorn, a trustee of Historic Croydon Airport Trust, described it as the UK's 'first major international airport' and 'the equivalent of Heathrow before the Second World War'.
He said: 'We get people travelling long distances to visit. He recently had some people from Hong Kong.'
The airport was closed in 1959 and converted into a museum in 2000.
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National Geographic
6 days ago
- National Geographic
How passionate Colombians are shaking up Cartagena's cultural scene
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The roar of scooters battles with the beat of salsa and the bellows of market stallholders. Plantains blanket the ground, and corn-loaded carts criss-cross between people and rogue chickens. An artist paints posters for the city's upcoming festivals while a man sits in a plastic chair on the pavement and gets a haircut. This is Cartagena's open-air Bazurto Market, and it's a labyrinth of unfiltered chaos. The market, a few miles outside the city centre, is full of Cartageneros like local chef María Cecilia Restrepo, simply known as Chechi, who come here to buy their fish, meat, fruit and vegetables. 'The smells, the colours, knowing where our food comes from: it all provides context to the cuisine of Cartagena,' she says as we wind between stalls. She fans herself from the stifling Caribbean heat as we walk around, her arms veiled in tattoos of intertwining flowers and snakes. 'I like snakes. They shed their skin and start fresh — it's a symbol of renewal,' she tells me. And that's exactly what the chef is doing: using her Arab-Caribbean roots to reshape and renew northern Colombian food. Chechi makes kibbeh in her bright pink kitchen. She pays homage not only to her Arab roots, but to all the other cultures that have left their mark on Cartagena: European, African and Indigenous. 'Because when it comes to food, it all works in synergy,' she says. Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch During the late 19th century, Arabs from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Jordan fled the Ottoman Empire and headed to the Americas in search of a better life. Many settled in northern Colombian port cities such as Barranquilla and Cartagena, Chechi tells me. In 1923, her great-great-grandmother, Sofi, arrived in Cartagena from her native Syria, a journey that took four months by boat. 'My grandmother taught me how to cook. I grew up on Arabic food, so it's important for me to honour and celebrate my heritage,' she says. We jump in a taxi and head to the Centro Histórico. Within the old city walls, it's home to a myriad of colourful 17th-century architecture. Visitors gather at the Spanish Colonial church of San Pedro Claver and the canary-yellow Cartagena Cathedral to take photos, and locals and tourists alike meet in the shade of the imposing Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower). The cacophony of street vendors and bar music sounds out into the early hours. On a street where the balconies are dressed in pink bougainvillea, Chechi pushes open a pink wooden door to her kitchen. Here, she pays homage not only to her Arab roots but to all the other cultures that have left their mark on Cartagena: European, African and Indigenous. 'Because when it comes to food, it all works in synergy,' she says. This is a 'secret kitchen', only open for special dinners and on Saturdays for cooking workshops, drop-ins and takeaways. It's small, with a handful of wooden tables for diners, separated from the cooking station by baby-pink curtains. The beams, cabinets and menus are all also pink — the colour is empowering and energising, Chechi tells me, tightening her apron. The walls are covered in art depicting typical Cartagenero life, from the city's beaches to its palenqueras — women known for balancing baskets of fruit on their heads. Find fresh fruit vendors within Cartagena's Centro Histórico or at the open-air Bazurto Market, just outside of the city centre and full of Cartageneros who come to buy their fish, meat, fruit and vegetables. Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch In the late 19th century, Arabs from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Jordan fled the Ottoman Empire and headed to the Americas in search of a better life. Many settled in northern Colombian port cities such as Barranquilla and Cartagena. Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch Chechi has represented Colombian cuisine at official events in embassies in Poland, Cuba and Panama — but it's in her kitchen, once the home of her great-grandparents, where she feels most comfortable. Helping the chef today is Georgina Álvarez, a former inmate at San Diego Women's Prison in Cartagena, with whom Chechi struck up a friendship while volunteering there. The next hour is all hands on deck as the women prepare kibbeh (a Syrian/Lebanese dish of pounded ground beef and bulghur wheat) and arepas de huevos (fried flatbreads filled with egg and sold on the streets along Colombia's Caribbean coast). 'Arepa de huevo is the queen of the fried table,' Chechi says as she grinds black corn. 'Fried food like arepas and patacon (fried plantain) were introduced to Colombia by settlers from West Africa.' The sounds of smashing, chopping and frying compete with the tooting horns and animated calls of mango vendors on the streets outside. Arepas and kibbeh ready, we sit at a table in the dining area and tuck in. I tear a kibbeh in half and dip it into a pot of suero costeño, a kind of sour cream typical of Colombia's Caribbean coast, perhaps akin to the Arabic labneh. Its tang offsets the bulghur wheat and beef beautifully. Georgina brings over two types of hummus: one standard and one a bright-pink version infused with beetroot and Kola Román, a soft drink created in Cartagena in 1865. I bite into an arepa. It's earthy, slightly nutty on the outside, with velvety, runny egg in the middle, and so good, I ask Chechi for the recipe. 'Of course! I want to share as much as I can…', she enthuses, pausing to watch me take a second bite, '…to transcend and leave a mark.' Visitors gather at the Spanish Colonial church of San Pedro Claver and the canary-yellow Cartagena Cathedral, finished in 1612, to take photos, and locals and tourists alike meet in the shade of the imposing Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower). Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch Setting the bar high Chechi isn't the only Cartagenera shaking things up here. One man doing literally that is Miguel Ángel Mora, bartender and project manager at Alquímico, a multi-storey cocktail bar that opened in the heart of Cartagena's colonial centre in 2016. It's on Calle del Colegio, sandwiched between a tattoo parlour, a hipster sushi joint and a hole-in-the-wall currency exchange shop. I peek through the window display — stacked with apothecary-style jars containing starfruit and various herbs — and that's when Miguel appears, gesturing for me to enter and take a seat on a velvet sofa on the ground floor. It's just shy of opening time and staff around us are busy sweeping floors and restocking shelves. 'The award put Colombia on the cocktail scene,' Miguel says, referring to Alquímico's first appearance on the World's 50 Best Bar rankings in 2020. 'But you have to stay humble, keep your feet on the ground.' In 2024, it ranked number eight, one of only two bars in Colombia to make the prestigious list. Decorated with typewriters, gramophones and regal red curtains, the bar feels art deco in style. At the back of the room, twin staircases lead to two more bars: the second floor offers classic cocktails with a local twist, while the rooftop is a mural-laden tiki-style space decorated in the colours of the Colombian flag. The menu on the ground floor is called 'Comunidad' (Community), and features eight cocktails with creative ingredients like lulo, a tropical fruit native to South America, and viche, a spirit distilled from sugar cane. The approach at Alquímico is a little different from your average Caribbean cocktail bar. A percentage from the sale of each drink is donated to Asocoman — a farmers' association in the Montes de María region — which uses it to install water purifiers and gutters for rainwater collection. Walk southeast along the waterfront of the Centro Historico to get to Cartagena's hip Getsemani district. Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch 'We try to use local products and work with local farmers and agricultural communities as much as possible,' says Miguel. He's dressed in black, except for an elaborate necklace depicting a tiger's head, made by the Embera Chami, an Indigenous people from Colombia and Panama. 'Come, I'll make you a drink,' he says, heading towards the bar. He fixes me an Albahaca, a heady concoction of Patrón Silver tequila, basil, lemongrass infusion and guarapo, an alcohol made from fermented sugarcane juice. He pours the mixture into a wooden cup, balances a leaf-shaped cracker on top and slides it towards me. It's brilliantly refreshing, delivering sour, herbaceous and sweet notes in equal measure. Soon, the doors open and a few dozen people — some in T-shirts and trainers, others dressed up to the nines — come in and congregate around the bar. By midnight, all of Alquímico's customers are on their feet, dancing to DJ-spun salsa and reggaeton, joined by bar staff who keep the rhythm with the relentless rattle of their cocktail shakers. New beginnings On the other side of town is Bocagrande, a relatively wealthy neighbourhood home to beach-facing luxury hotels and highbrow restaurants. It's here, in a corner of the concierge lounge of the Intercontinental Hotel, that Indira Morales de la Rosa sells bags, shoes and hats. Stacked on wooden shelves are a variety of her most popular items: ornamental wooden boats, beach bags in Colombian colours and tasselled sandals in muted blues, pinks and oranges. In the corner of the room sits a rag doll made entirely of leftover materials. This is no ordinary hotel gift shop — and Indira is no ordinary woman. Locals chat outside a bar on Calle de las Carretas. Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch In 2023, Indira Morales de la Rosa's work with natural fibres earned her a 'green business' label from the Colombian Ministry of Environment, and she's seen her designs on catwalks in Dubai, New York and Bogotá. Photograph by Karolina Wiercigroch She's originally from the Sur de Bolívar region, roughly two and half hours by car from Cartegena, but her family was displaced several times in the '90s because of armed conflict. Aged 16, she started making bracelets with fique, a plant native to the Andes and used for centuries to make textile products such as clothes and hammocks. When I approach her at her small workstation, she's using the fibre to make a bracelet. 'I got this from all the weaving,' she tells me, pointing to a small bump on her thumb. 'Everyone in my family has one — my mother's side were all weavers.' She gestures for me to take over the half-finished bracelet, watching closely as I loop a blue recycled thread over a black one. She's only too glad to teach people who swing by her store, especially children. 'It's essential to empower the next generation,' she says, 'and show everyone who visits the beautiful city the wonders of weaving.' Indira has lived in Cartagena for 15 years and works with a community of around 60 people from her home region to make her products. They include farmers, weavers and people with disabilities who often get overlooked for job opportunities. In 2023, her work with natural fibres earned her a 'green business' label from the Colombian Ministry of Environment, and she's seen her designs on catwalks in Dubai, New York and Bogotá. It's right here in Cartagena, however, where she sees her future. 'It's my dream to one day grow fique here,' she says, fastening the finished bracelet around my wrist. 'I love being here — it makes me feel empowered and alive.' I've only been in Cartagena for a few days, but I already know exactly what she means. This story was created with the support of Journey Latin America and Colombia Travel. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Miami Herald
23-06-2025
- Miami Herald
US Citizens in Qatar Given ‘Shelter in Place' Warning
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar warned American citizens to "shelter in place until further notice." The embassy said in its June 23 alert that it was acting "out of an abundance of caution" but gave no other details. Qatar is home to the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East. It follows a worldwide security alert issued by the State Department on June 22 as the conflict with Iran escalates after U.S. strikes on the country's nuclear facilities. "The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East," the alert said. "There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution." An earlier alert from the embassy in Qatar warned Al Udeid personnel to "exercise increased vigilance" and said access to the base had been temporarily restricted. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow. Related Articles Arab World Reacts to U.S. Strikes on IranSatellite Imagery Shows Evacuation at Largest U.S. Air Base in Middle EastU.S. Issues Security Warning for Biggest Middle East BaseMap Shows U.S. Middle East Travel Warnings as Possible Iran War Looms 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Yahoo
Iran: 11 facts about a country rarely visited by westerners
An air war between Israel and Iran broke out on June 12 after Israel struck nuclear and military targets in Iran. An attack like this is something Israel has long made clear it might eventually do as part of its efforts to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb. Israel and Iran were once allies. But in the wake of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Tehran's clerical leaders have repeatedly pledged to destroy Israel. They oppose it for its cooperation with the United States, to win favor with regional Arab nations and in solidarity with Israel's stance toward Palestinians. The United States says it is not involved with Israel's air strikes on Iran, which have caused many Iranians to flee Tehran; however, President Donald Trump has also indicated that U.S. "patience is wearing thin." Here are 11 facts about a country rarely visited by Westerners. The average person on the street is fascinated with foreigners, and this fascination extends to Americans. In particular, Iranians want to know what visitors think of Iranian food, culture, people, customs and Tehran's insane traffic. Iranians are extremely friendly, warm and hospitable and enjoy nothing more than inviting guests into their homes for a meal. It frustrates them that Iran tends to be viewed chiefly through the lens of its government and religious leaders. "We are not terrorists," is something that, as a visitor, you hear again and again in Iran. In the summer, Tehran is hot (and can be over 100 degrees most days), dry and completely clogged with traffic. Cars, trucks, buses, scooters and motorcycles (with few riders wearing helmets) vie for space in a city of 12 million people. These vehicles use a mixture of surprisingly modern highways and narrower roads. Tehran has must-see tourist attractions, such as the walled Golestan Palace, museums, restaurants and coffee shops. North Tehran is wealthy, cosmopolitan and has many tall buildings and modern hotels. Some men fit Western, city-dwelling stereotypes in skinny jeans and hipster beards. Women wear hijabs. South Tehran is poorer, more religiously conservative and home to Tehran's Grand Bazaar marketplace. Most of the world's time zones differ in increments of an hour, but some places use offset time zones. In those areas – including Iran – time zones change by half an hour. Iran is 8.5 hours ahead of New York. India also uses an offset time zone, as do parts of Australia, Canada and Venezuela. Another fact of life in Iran that might confound the average American worker: The workweek in Iran runs Saturday to Wednesday, in keeping with Muslim traditions. Iranians can download or stream U.S. and European movies, music and media by accessing virtual private networks, or VPNs. This includes using social media platforms and messaging sites such as Instagram, X and WhatsApp. However, Iran's government monitors these channels and uses its cyber capabilities to try to thwart connections to some sites. The government also limits internet access and blocks overseas satellite channels when it wants to, as it did during large-scale street protests in 2022 sparked by the killing of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in custody after being arrested by Iran's "morality police." In short, it's delicious. It is aromatic and rich, and blends traditional and modern influences from an incredibly large area from the Mediterranean Sea to subcontinental Asia. A typical lunch or dinner dish combines fluffy rice with grilled lamb, chicken or fish. For breakfast, it's not uncommon to get eggs, flatbreads, yogurt, fresh Persian cucumbers (small, sweet and seedless) and a creamy sesame-like paste. Some of the most-used ingredients in Iranian cuisine include cardamom, almonds, grapes, mint, oranges, pistachios, pomegranates, raisins, saffron, turmeric and walnuts. Because Iran is a strict Islamic country, alcohol is not officially for sale. That they are Arabs and speak Arabic. Most Iranians are from the Persian ethnic group and speak Farsi or Persian, an Indo-Iranian language common in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and several other countries. Other groups in Iran, while representing the minority, include Arabs, Armenians, Baloch people (from near Pakistan, in Iran's southeast), Christians, Kurds and Jews. In fact, Iran has one of the largest Jewish populations in the Middle East after Israel. In the United States, one of the most famous Iranians may be Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, a former professional World Wrestling Federation Championship star and actor better known by his ring name, "The Iron Sheik." Officially, no. At least, not yet. Only the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel are members of the nuclear club, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Iran insists that it is only enriching uranium for a civilian energy program. Few Western diplomats believe that. Iran began enriching uranium in the 2010s and struck a deal with former President Barack Obama's administration in 2015 that saw it agree to limit uranium enrichment in exchange for monetary, oil, and other sanctions being lifted. The first Trump administration exited that accord. Since then, international watchdogs say Iran has continued to enrich uranium to near-weapons level. In a late May report, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimated Iran had enriched uranium up to 60% purity. That is very close to the 90% enrichment level required to build a nuclear weapon, according to the IAEA and other nuclear watchdogs. Washington and its international partners have long insisted that any economic sanctions targeting Iran as a result of its nuclear program are not aimed at civilians and that humanitarian supplies never make it onto the list. However, many Iranians find this line of reasoning hard to understand and accept because decades of international sanctions have often led to shortages of cancer drugs, certain foods and key consumer goods. They have also caused a lingering economic crisis that has severely affected salaries, prices and jobs. When, in his first term, President Donald Trump pulled out of a U.S. nuclear deal with Iran and several world powers, Iran's currency lost half its value. The sanctions have also meant that spare parts, for cars or other large machinery or hospital equipment, can be difficult to obtain. Over the last few decades, Iran has had an abysmal commercial airline safety record because of the impact of sanctions on its civilian aircraft fleet. For foreign visitors, the sanctions mean that Western bank and credit cards can't be used – only cash. The Iranian passport ranks 95th of 103 countries, with 42 visa-free destinations around the world, according to Henley & Partners, a London-based organization that compiles the Henley Passport Index, a gauge of global mobility based on nationality. None of these destinations is in North America or Europe. In the United States, Iranians fall under Trump's travel ban. Iran's ranking on the index compares to 182 visa-free destinations for American passport holders – No. 10 on the index. In reality, it is very difficult for Iranians to go anywhere outside their country unless they are wealthy or can prove they own a major asset, such as a house, which serves as proof they intend to return. If an Iranian man has not done military service, he usually cannot get a passport. And many Western countries are wary of granting Iranians visas for fear they will seek asylum. Under state law, married Iranian women need spousal permission to travel overseas independently. Not great. Before the founding of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, women in Iran enjoyed many of the basic freedoms common in Western countries, such as the ability to choose what to wear and how to wear it. That all went out the window with the ouster of Iran's last absolute monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Today, the hijab is mandatory for women and enforced by "morality police," who can dispense small fines or jail terms. Other restrictions include fealty to the concept that a husband is the head of the family, and his wife is legally bound to obey him. A woman's testimony as a witness is worth half that of a man's in a legal dispute. Iranian activists stage regular protests against these rules. Little data is available on child marriage in Iran, but UNICEF estimates that approximately 17% of Iranian girls are married before the age of 18. Iran has 14 female lawmakers (out of 285) in its Parliament. It is also not uncommon for women to play leading roles in Iran's corporate world. Women in Iran can play sports, drive and vote. More: Mini-skirts and hijabs: After a rights crackdown, a new look at Iran, through its movies For decades, Iran has had strong ties to a series of militant groups it supports and finances across the Middle East, all of whom have been weakened in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. These groups include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen and various militia organizations in Iraq. Until Syrian President Bashar Assad's ouster, Iran also coveted close relations with Syria – cooperation that was based, partly, on the fact that the Assad family belongs to a small Shia Islam minority group called the "Alawites." Most Iranians practice Shia Islam. Iran has sought closer ties to Russia in recent years, but the Russians are unpredictable and Moscow's interest in the association is chiefly based on its geopolitical interests in the Middle East, now heavily skewed to its war in Ukraine. Kim Hjelmgaard is a USA TODAY international correspondent. He reported from Iran in 2018. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What do Iranians think of Americans? 11 facts about Iran.
