Latest news with #CubanMissileCrisis
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
JFK's secret explosive love affair with flight attendant revealed in book excerpt: The untold story of Joan Lundberg
Image credits: Getty Images John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States. However, along with it, he was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected to the esteemed position at 43 years old. His term as the President of the United States of America has been hailed over the years for the boundless American ambition it consisted of. From tackling the Cuban Missile Crisis to the pledge to go to the moon and his championship of civil rights, Kennedy made himself unforgettable in the hearts of the American people. What remains even more memorable with a bit of pain is his assassination where he was shot while riding a motorcade with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy. While much is known about the late President's life the excerpt of an upcoming book 'JFK: Private, Public, Secret' has revealed shocking details of JFK's affair with a flight attendant that also led to a pregnancy. According to the biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli, Kennedy had an affair with Joan Lundberg, a young flight attendant he met in 1956 when he was a senator from Massachusetts and married. The secret was revealed after Lundberg's family shared her unpublished memoir and personal diaries with the author. The book is a follow-up on his 2023 biography, 'Jackie: Public, Private, Secret' "Joan was a big revelation for me," the author told PEOPLE. "She acted as his therapist in many ways. Because she was outside of his Washington circle, he opened up to her — and began to reckon with his flaws." After adding portions of Lundberg's story and portions of her manuscript to the book, the author said, "You're left with a portrait of a very interesting woman." John and Joan: A love story? Image credits: X/@Ang55948340 It was on August 19, 1956, that JFK met Joan, 23, standing in front of a jukebox at The Sip and Surf, a dive bar in Santa Monica, California. In the excerpt the author shared with the publication, Kennedy asked her what she was going to play, to which Joan replied, "I was thinking of Elvis Presley, but what would you like to hear?" Kennedy's reply to this was that he wanted to hear something "so I can concentrate on you." Back then, Joan, a single mom of two was working as a flight attendant and cocktail waitress. When Jack asked where she lived, she told him it was in a 'trailer court close by,' not hesitating. 'What the hell's a trailer court?' he asked. She laughed and answered, 'You don't want to know.' After the pair said goodbye, Joan received a call from the bar owner Pat Dorian and on the phone was Kennedy, asking her "How ah ya?" and revealing that he was leaving the next day for Italy but would return in two weeks. During this time, Kennedy's marital life was facing turmoil with Jackie giving birth to their stillborn daughter Arabella and having difficulty dealing with it alone. In early September Kennedy returned to L.A. and invited Joan to a dinner party at his sister Pat and her husband's house. "He lit up the room. People came over just to be near him, his energy magnetic. I thought, well of course, that's the politician in him. But I soon realized that, no, that's just who he is,' wrote Joan about the night. At about midnight, the duo drove to a motel and checked in as 'Mr. and Mrs Robert Thompson' and had 'wild' sex, as per Joan. The next morning, Kennedy revealed all about himself to Joan along with the fact that he and Jackie were the product of "an arranged marriage" and it was "fine. Not great, but okay." He also added that his family had turned against him for not being there for Jackie during their daughter's stillbirth. When asked if he loved Jackie, he said 'I don't know that I love anything. I love politics. I don't know how to love anything else.' Did Jackie Kennedy know about John and Joan? Image credits: Getty Images When Kennedy returned to their abode, Jackie asked him the question: "Who's Trailer Park Joan?" She added how she knew all about 'the divorcee' from his sister. He explained to her that Joan was someone he'd met in LA and while Joan was unclear about how much he told his wife, she wrote that he told her pretty much everything. What next? Well, his father, Joe Kennedy received a call from a top New York attorney who was representing Jackie in a divorce. Upon a dinner meeting, Joe offered Jackie $100,000 upon the birth of their first child, which she accepted. Thus, Kennedy and Joan's affair continued with a pained Jackie playing the role of a dutiful wife. By 1957, when Kennedy was being considered for president, he continued his affair with Joan, flying her to meet him on different airlines and covering her expenses. But after the birth of his first child with Jackie things changed along with Joan finding out she was pregnant. Kennedy later asked her to abort the baby, which she did. The incident soured their relationship and brought Joan to the conclusion that things couldn't go the same way. 'One thing I want to say to you, Kennedy,' she told him. 'You love Caroline, and I know that, but I'm somebody's daughter, too. Remember that the next time you treat a woman the way you've treated me,' she said to Kennedy on the phone. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Newsroom
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsroom
Iran's nuclear weapons dash hits a hurdle, but race far from over
It's a long time since we've been on the edge of our seats wondering if a full-blown nuclear war is about to happen. But many had that sensation when the US President said last weekend that Iran's nuclear facilities had been 'completely and totally obliterated'. Trump's bullseye claim is now in question but the bombing had many experts talking about the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 at the height of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. 'They were very real fears and there were some very close calls, in particular during the Cuban Missile Crisis we now know the world came incredibly close to nuclear conflict,' international law and nuclear weapons expert Anna Hood of Auckland University says. People feared then that the 'Cold War would turn hot'. Since then we have had volatile moments and right now the risk is heightened, she says. 'There were higher numbers of weapons during the Cold War. We have seen some level of disarmament since then but we haven't seen enough movement in the last few years. The numbers are still very high.' Not only have the numbers stayed high, but countries are trying to upgrade and enhance the weapons they do have, she says. 'I would like to hope that most states, all states, wouldn't go there [nuclear war] or even if they've got nuclear weapons that that's not what they'll use but I think there are very serious risks in terms of what happens in the heat of a conflict, in terms of accidents.' Hood focuses much of her time on the numerous nuclear issues afflicting the world today and how to work towards a nuclear-free world. 'We are a long way unfortunately from that,' she admits, pointing to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists' annual Doomsday Clock showing we are closer than ever – 89 seconds to midnight, and catastrophe. Hood tells The Detail why the US strike on Iran is a violation of international law and the possible consequences. While the impact of the B2 stealth bomber attacks is still not clear, senior physics lecturer at Auckland University David Krofcheck says it does not end Iran's nuclear ambitions. 'Israel has had a go at assassinating their nuclear weapons scientists there but you can't destroy knowledge, and that's the critical thing. It can be rebuilt, you just start from scratch,' he says. Iran insists it is not developing weapons, but Krofcheck says he can't think of another reason it would need to enrich uranium to 60 percent, as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. But even with 60 percent enriched uranium, there's more to the process and it would have been months before it had a weapon ready. 'That nuclear device that's built might be gigantic, the size of a house. It's not something you can pick up and put on a missile and shoot at another country.' Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
New Zealand wants justification for US bombings in Iran
Anxious leaders in New Zealand are not supporting, yet not criticising, the United States' strikes on Iran as it seeks a justification of the raids. Donald Trump's administration entered the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday (AEST) with bombing raids on three facilities. Ahead of the operation, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon said the right response "cannot be more military action", and after the attacks, he said his position remained the same. "We want to see a peaceful secure and stable Middle East. The way to get there is a political solution rather than military action ... it's through dialogue and diplomacy," he told Radio NZ. New Zealand, like Australia and the US, is steadfast that Iran cannot be allowed to establish a nuclear arsenal. However, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that did not extend automatically to support for the US strikes as that would only be "justified by the level of nuclear preparedness by Iran". "We'd be very wise to keep our counsel and find out the facts, get a proper analysis and ensure that what we're talking about is true," he told Newstalk ZB. Mr Peters, in his third stint as foreign minister in a political career lasting half a century, said the "level of inflection we're talking about, potentially" was akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. "The worst thing about a crisis is what you see is not always what you get," he told Radio NZ. "It could be far, far, far, far worse and that's the tragedy we might face, we just don't know." Defence Minister Judith Collins has sent a Hercules aircraft under NZDF command to the region to help airlift citizens in the war zone. New Zealand already has dozens of military personnel engaged in the region, and deployed a small group to assist as part of a US-led coalition to stop Houthi strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. Both Mr Peters and Mr Luxon, in Europe this week for a NATO summit, have previously spoken of New Zealand's concern of a world where the rules-based system is "giving way to power". "A return to a world where raw power is the primary determinant in advancing states' interests would be a harsh world indeed," Mr Luxon told the Lowy Institute in Sydney in 2024. In Belgium on Monday (AEST), Mr Luxon said he wanted conflicts resolved through negotiation. "New Zealand doesn't want to see a nuclear-armed Iran destabilising its neighbours," Mr Luxon said. "We don't want to see Gaza under Israeli occupation. "We don't want to see Hamas holding onto hostages. "The answer in all of those cases, in all of the conflicts in the Middle East, is dialogue and diplomacy not military action." New Zealand also announced a fresh contribution to Ukraine's defence on Monday, offering $NZ16 million ($A15 million) in its war against Russia. Anxious leaders in New Zealand are not supporting, yet not criticising, the United States' strikes on Iran as it seeks a justification of the raids. Donald Trump's administration entered the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday (AEST) with bombing raids on three facilities. Ahead of the operation, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon said the right response "cannot be more military action", and after the attacks, he said his position remained the same. "We want to see a peaceful secure and stable Middle East. The way to get there is a political solution rather than military action ... it's through dialogue and diplomacy," he told Radio NZ. New Zealand, like Australia and the US, is steadfast that Iran cannot be allowed to establish a nuclear arsenal. However, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that did not extend automatically to support for the US strikes as that would only be "justified by the level of nuclear preparedness by Iran". "We'd be very wise to keep our counsel and find out the facts, get a proper analysis and ensure that what we're talking about is true," he told Newstalk ZB. Mr Peters, in his third stint as foreign minister in a political career lasting half a century, said the "level of inflection we're talking about, potentially" was akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. "The worst thing about a crisis is what you see is not always what you get," he told Radio NZ. "It could be far, far, far, far worse and that's the tragedy we might face, we just don't know." Defence Minister Judith Collins has sent a Hercules aircraft under NZDF command to the region to help airlift citizens in the war zone. New Zealand already has dozens of military personnel engaged in the region, and deployed a small group to assist as part of a US-led coalition to stop Houthi strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. Both Mr Peters and Mr Luxon, in Europe this week for a NATO summit, have previously spoken of New Zealand's concern of a world where the rules-based system is "giving way to power". "A return to a world where raw power is the primary determinant in advancing states' interests would be a harsh world indeed," Mr Luxon told the Lowy Institute in Sydney in 2024. In Belgium on Monday (AEST), Mr Luxon said he wanted conflicts resolved through negotiation. "New Zealand doesn't want to see a nuclear-armed Iran destabilising its neighbours," Mr Luxon said. "We don't want to see Gaza under Israeli occupation. "We don't want to see Hamas holding onto hostages. "The answer in all of those cases, in all of the conflicts in the Middle East, is dialogue and diplomacy not military action." New Zealand also announced a fresh contribution to Ukraine's defence on Monday, offering $NZ16 million ($A15 million) in its war against Russia. Anxious leaders in New Zealand are not supporting, yet not criticising, the United States' strikes on Iran as it seeks a justification of the raids. Donald Trump's administration entered the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday (AEST) with bombing raids on three facilities. Ahead of the operation, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon said the right response "cannot be more military action", and after the attacks, he said his position remained the same. "We want to see a peaceful secure and stable Middle East. The way to get there is a political solution rather than military action ... it's through dialogue and diplomacy," he told Radio NZ. New Zealand, like Australia and the US, is steadfast that Iran cannot be allowed to establish a nuclear arsenal. However, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that did not extend automatically to support for the US strikes as that would only be "justified by the level of nuclear preparedness by Iran". "We'd be very wise to keep our counsel and find out the facts, get a proper analysis and ensure that what we're talking about is true," he told Newstalk ZB. Mr Peters, in his third stint as foreign minister in a political career lasting half a century, said the "level of inflection we're talking about, potentially" was akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. "The worst thing about a crisis is what you see is not always what you get," he told Radio NZ. "It could be far, far, far, far worse and that's the tragedy we might face, we just don't know." Defence Minister Judith Collins has sent a Hercules aircraft under NZDF command to the region to help airlift citizens in the war zone. New Zealand already has dozens of military personnel engaged in the region, and deployed a small group to assist as part of a US-led coalition to stop Houthi strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. Both Mr Peters and Mr Luxon, in Europe this week for a NATO summit, have previously spoken of New Zealand's concern of a world where the rules-based system is "giving way to power". "A return to a world where raw power is the primary determinant in advancing states' interests would be a harsh world indeed," Mr Luxon told the Lowy Institute in Sydney in 2024. In Belgium on Monday (AEST), Mr Luxon said he wanted conflicts resolved through negotiation. "New Zealand doesn't want to see a nuclear-armed Iran destabilising its neighbours," Mr Luxon said. "We don't want to see Gaza under Israeli occupation. "We don't want to see Hamas holding onto hostages. "The answer in all of those cases, in all of the conflicts in the Middle East, is dialogue and diplomacy not military action." New Zealand also announced a fresh contribution to Ukraine's defence on Monday, offering $NZ16 million ($A15 million) in its war against Russia. Anxious leaders in New Zealand are not supporting, yet not criticising, the United States' strikes on Iran as it seeks a justification of the raids. Donald Trump's administration entered the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday (AEST) with bombing raids on three facilities. Ahead of the operation, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon said the right response "cannot be more military action", and after the attacks, he said his position remained the same. "We want to see a peaceful secure and stable Middle East. The way to get there is a political solution rather than military action ... it's through dialogue and diplomacy," he told Radio NZ. New Zealand, like Australia and the US, is steadfast that Iran cannot be allowed to establish a nuclear arsenal. However, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that did not extend automatically to support for the US strikes as that would only be "justified by the level of nuclear preparedness by Iran". "We'd be very wise to keep our counsel and find out the facts, get a proper analysis and ensure that what we're talking about is true," he told Newstalk ZB. Mr Peters, in his third stint as foreign minister in a political career lasting half a century, said the "level of inflection we're talking about, potentially" was akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. "The worst thing about a crisis is what you see is not always what you get," he told Radio NZ. "It could be far, far, far, far worse and that's the tragedy we might face, we just don't know." Defence Minister Judith Collins has sent a Hercules aircraft under NZDF command to the region to help airlift citizens in the war zone. New Zealand already has dozens of military personnel engaged in the region, and deployed a small group to assist as part of a US-led coalition to stop Houthi strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. Both Mr Peters and Mr Luxon, in Europe this week for a NATO summit, have previously spoken of New Zealand's concern of a world where the rules-based system is "giving way to power". "A return to a world where raw power is the primary determinant in advancing states' interests would be a harsh world indeed," Mr Luxon told the Lowy Institute in Sydney in 2024. In Belgium on Monday (AEST), Mr Luxon said he wanted conflicts resolved through negotiation. "New Zealand doesn't want to see a nuclear-armed Iran destabilising its neighbours," Mr Luxon said. "We don't want to see Gaza under Israeli occupation. "We don't want to see Hamas holding onto hostages. "The answer in all of those cases, in all of the conflicts in the Middle East, is dialogue and diplomacy not military action." New Zealand also announced a fresh contribution to Ukraine's defence on Monday, offering $NZ16 million ($A15 million) in its war against Russia.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
New Zealand wants justification for US bombings in Iran
Anxious leaders in New Zealand are not supporting, yet not criticising, the United States' strikes on Iran as it seeks a justification of the raids. Donald Trump's administration entered the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday (AEST) with bombing raids on three facilities. Ahead of the operation, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon said the right response "cannot be more military action", and after the attacks, he said his position remained the same. "We want to see a peaceful secure and stable Middle East. The way to get there is a political solution rather than military action ... it's through dialogue and diplomacy," he told Radio NZ. New Zealand, like Australia and the US, is steadfast that Iran cannot be allowed to establish a nuclear arsenal. However, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that did not extend automatically to support for the US strikes as that would only be "justified by the level of nuclear preparedness by Iran". "We'd be very wise to keep our counsel and find out the facts, get a proper analysis and ensure that what we're talking about is true," he told Newstalk ZB. Mr Peters, in his third stint as foreign minister in a political career lasting half a century, said the "level of inflection we're talking about, potentially" was akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. "The worst thing about a crisis is what you see is not always what you get," he told Radio NZ. "It could be far, far, far, far worse and that's the tragedy we might face, we just don't know." Defence Minister Judith Collins has sent a Hercules aircraft under NZDF command to the region to help airlift citizens in the war zone. New Zealand already has dozens of military personnel engaged in the region, and deployed a small group to assist as part of a US-led coalition to stop Houthi strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. Both Mr Peters and Mr Luxon, in Europe this week for a NATO summit, have previously spoken of New Zealand's concern of a world where the rules-based system is "giving way to power". "A return to a world where raw power is the primary determinant in advancing states' interests would be a harsh world indeed," Mr Luxon told the Lowy Institute in Sydney in 2024. In Belgium on Monday (AEST), Mr Luxon said he wanted conflicts resolved through negotiation. "New Zealand doesn't want to see a nuclear-armed Iran destabilising its neighbours," Mr Luxon said. "We don't want to see Gaza under Israeli occupation. "We don't want to see Hamas holding onto hostages. "The answer in all of those cases, in all of the conflicts in the Middle East, is dialogue and diplomacy not military action." New Zealand also announced a fresh contribution to Ukraine's defence on Monday, offering $NZ16 million ($A15 million) in its war against Russia.
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside the secret tunnels under London where 'Ian Fleming dreamed up James Bond in WWII'
In central London, just off the bustle of High Holborn, there is a nondescript blue door. Commuters who walk past it on their way to Chancery Lane station will note the bright red and yellow signs adorned to it. The warning that 'trespassers will be prosecuted' is perhaps the giveaway that this is not your typical storeroom or building entrance. Instead, as MailOnline's exclusive pictures and video reveal, it is the gateway to a network of tunnels with a fascinating history. James Bond author Ian Fleming is believed to have worked in the sprawling complex in his role in naval intelligence during the Second World War. This labyrinth is thought to have inspired Fleming in his creation of the lair of gadget chief Q for his novels. After the war, the network - which lies around 100feet below the ground - was expanded to house a telephone exchange that routed calls between the Kremlin and the White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The complex was later sold to British Telecom (BT) and had a licensed bar installed for workers to relax in. Around 30 years after the site was mothballed, MailOnline was given a tour by current owners The London Tunnels Company, who are in the process of raising around £150million to re-develop the site as a tourist attraction. The development will include the re-opening of the bar, as well as a memorial to the victims of the Blitz and various displays paying homage to Fleming and the world's most famous fictional spy. James Loxton, director of investor relations at the London Tunnels, told MailOnline: 'We are going to create an attraction that is three things in one. 'Firstly, it is a huge immersive experience. Secondly, it will be a selection of permanent and temporary exhibition spaces. 'And thirdly, it will have the world's deepest bar under a capital city.' Planning permission for the project has been granted by Camden Council. The complex - officially known as the Kingsway Exchange Tunnels - was built between 1940 and 1942 and initially intended to be a deep level shelter for Londoners seeking refuge from Nazi bombs. But by the time the network was completed, the threat from bombing raids had largely subsided as Hitler gave up his ambition of forcing Britain to surrender. The initial footprint was two 1,250ft-long tunnels that were just over 18feet in diameter. Had they been used as a shelter, the Kingsway tunnels could have housed around 8,000 people. Instead, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) - created on the orders of Winston Churchill to 'set Europe ablaze' - moved personnel in. Fleming - who closely collaborated with the SOE and other clandestine units - was among the staff who worked down there, according to Mr Loxton. He said: 'He was working in these tunnels from 1944 to 1945 and this is where he came up with the idea of James Bond. 'So you know you see Q in all the Bond movies? He's always working in an underground lair? Well, this is where he got the inspiration.' Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953. The author is known to drawn significantly on his wartime experiences when writing his books, which were first adapted for the big screen in 1962 film Dr No. After the war, the Kingsway tunnels were used until 1949 by the Public Records Office to store documents on around 15 miles worth of shelving. The complex was then handed over to what was then the state-owned General Post Office, which turned it into a telecommunications hub. The expansion was carried out from 1952 and completed in 1954. Four additional tunnels were built in a north-south direction. Much bigger than the originals, they are around 280 feet long and 24 feet wide. The update means there is space makes to accommodate what is hoped will be nearly 50,000 visitors a week in the complex's new guise as a tourist attraction. As well as the bar area, which is still fitted with tables and chairs from when it was last operational, there is an infirmary and a well that could have provided fresh water had it been needed in the event of a nuclear attack. And occupants were protected by thick metal blast doors, including one that was - according to the stamp on it - repurposed from the Royal Mint. The first transatlantic telephone cable, known as TAT-1, ran between Oban in Argyll and Bute and Clarenville in Newfoundland. The sale to BT went through in 1981. As well as the bar, a canteen, kitchen and games room were installed for workers. The site had largely been mothballed by the early 1990s but was used as part of the Government's top secret Pindar bunker facility until the middle of the decade. In the years since they have been out of use, the tunnels have been broken into by urban explorers, a fact evidenced by graffiti that has been sprayed on walls. BT put the tunnels up for sale in 2007 and they were finally bought by the hedge fund-backed London Tunnels Company for around £10million in 2023. The re-development plans were approved by Camden Council last year.
