
A new Titanic expedition is being planned – and the US government wants to stop it
You would think people would read the room, and learn from the tragic and fatal implosion of the Oceangate submersible in July, yet there’s already plans for another trip down to the Titanic wreckage next year – and the US government doesn’t want it to go ahead. Two months after the Titan sub crushed underwater, killing five people, officials are trying to stop Georgia-based firm RMS Titanic Inc. (RMST) from trying to recover further historical items from the wreckage to add to its collection of artifacts it exhibits. While RMST owns the salvage rights to the doomed liner which infamously struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, the US government is drawing attention to both federal law and an international agreement which classes the shipwreck as a hallowed gravesite. According to the Associated Press, the government states in court documents filed on Friday that RMST is “not free to disregard” the “validly enacted federal law” mentioned above, but it nonetheless is “its stated intent”. “[The shipwreck] will be deprived of the protections Congress granted it,” its lawyers argue. RMST, meanwhile, says it looks to take images of the entire site, including areas where “deterioration has opened chasms sufficient to permit a remotely operated vehicle to penetrate the hull without interfering with the current structure”. Provided the objects are not “affixed to the wreck itself”, artefacts recovered could include items from “inside the Marconi room” – that’s the room where the ship’s wireless radio was used to communicate with other vessels and those on the shore. RMST also insists they do not plan to cut into or detach any part of the wreck “at this time”, but that they don’t plan to seek a permit from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – something the US government says it needs in order for the firm to move forward with its plans. The NOAA oversees the public interest in the Titanic, and on its website accepts it “may be in the public’s interest to salvage some artifacts” from the wreckage. “NOAA therefore balances this value with the Congressional intent to manage the wreck site as a maritime memorial consistent with the International Agreement, which proclaims that the Titanic shall be recognized as a memorial to those who perished. “NOAA has concluded that the recovery of many of the artifacts from the debris field (with certain exceptions) is consistent with the NOAA Guidelines and the International Agreement, including the in situ preservation policy. “However, NOAA has also determined that recovery of artifacts from within either of the two hull sections is not consistent with the purposes of a maritime memorial.” It’s not the first time the US government and RMST have had a legal battle over the ship, as back in 2020 a similar case concerning a planned expedition made its way to the courts, before the coronavirus pandemic scuppered proposals and the issue didn’t go any further. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-02 00:18

Sharply higher gas prices pushed up inflation in August, yet underlying price measures cooled
A spike in gas prices pushed up inflation in August, yet most other costs rose at a more modest pace, evidence that consumer price increases overall are still cooling
2023-09-13 20:47

KSI vs Tommy Fury and Logan Paul vs Dillon Danis press conference: How do you watch it and what time does it start?
The moment many fans have been waiting for, the KSI, Tommy Fury, Logan Paul and Dillon Danis fiery press conference. The four main-event fighters will host a joint press conference at Wembley Arena ahead of their respective boxing matches on 14 October in Manchester. FOLLOW LIVE: KSI vs Fury press conference – latest updates YouTuber KSI will fight Fury – half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson – after Paul has taken on Conor McGregor’s teammate Danis in Manchester. It’s all part of the MF & Dazn:X Series event, which is a new crossover series promoted by Misfits Boxing and will see some of the biggest names in entertainment, sport and lifestyle headline fight nights. These events “will bring boxing fans around the world the premium and professional live sports action guaranteed with Dazn alongside a supercharged production fit for the stars and icons of the entertainment world and beyond,” the official Dazn website has said. The press conference is set to take place on Tuesday 22 August. Fans will be present during the show, but tickets are no longer available to purchase. According to TalkSport, tickets were sold out in an instant last week after they were available for fans to grab. What time will the press conference start? The much-anticipated conference is set to kick off at 4pm BST and will be streamed across various social-media channels and platforms. This includes KSI’s YouTube channel and the Misfits Boxing YouTube channel. How to watch Aside from live streaming on YouTube, the event will also be available on Dazn, which is a subscription channel available across various TV platforms including Sky. A Dazn subscription is available to purchase here. The Dazn website has said if you are in Argentina, Chile and Colombia you can download the Dazn app from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play store and then sign up from there to watch the show. What devices are supported on Dazn? Mobile devices such as iPhones, iPad, Android phones and tablets as well as Amazon Fire Tablet are accepted. TV and streaming devices are also accepted, the list includes Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, LG Smart TV, Smartcast, Panasonic Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV and Sony Smart TV. For game consoles, you can access the event on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One and XBox Series X | S. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Read More Logan Paul claims he walked out of Oppenheimer because ‘nothing happened’ Tommy Fury announces plans to conquer Hollywood after boxing retirement: ‘I’ve made my mind up’ Tommy Fury promises knockout as KSI fight confirmed for October
2023-08-22 22:25

The fight over a 'dangerous' ideology shaping AI debate
Silicon Valley's favourite philosophy, longtermism, has helped to frame the debate on artificial intelligence around the...
2023-08-27 09:48

Ollie Watkins scores a hat-trick as Aston Villa thrash Brighton
Ollie Watkins scored a hat trick as Aston Villa routed Brighton 6-1 in the Premier League on Saturday. It was Watkins’ second hat trick of the season, having also netted three against Hibernian in the Europa Conference League in August. An own goal by Pervis Estupinan and strikes from Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz completed Villa’s win, while on-loan Barcelona forward Ansu Fati scored a consolation goal for Brighton. Both teams had enjoyed impressive starts to the season, with Brighton going into the game at Villa Park third in the standings. But Villa, which started the game in sixth, came out on top to inflict a third loss in four games in all competitions for Brighton. Watkins scored his first in the 14th minute and added a second in the 21st. Estupinan’s own goal in the 26th gave Villa 3-0 lead going in at halftime. Fati pulled one back for Brighton five minutes after the break, but it didn’t spark a comeback. Watkins completed his hat trick in the 65th, with Ramsey making it 5-1 in the 85th. Luiz piled on the misery for Brighton with a goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Read More Aston Villa players to keep wearing ‘wet’ kit despite complaints Aston Villa women ‘dreading’ WSL opener due to ‘wet kit’ design error
2023-09-30 22:59

Three "protestors" included on Spain's women's World Cup squad list
Spain coach Jorge Vilda named three of the 15 protesting players who previously asked not to be selected in his long-list for the...
2023-06-12 22:19

Classified document Trump admitted he had on tape is now missing, report says
Donald Trump’s attorneys have been unable to find the classified document described in a recording of a 2021 conversation that is now in the possession of prosecutors, CNN reports. Earlier this week, the network broke the news that a recording existed of the former president acknowledging that he had held onto a classified Pentagon document outlining a potential attack on Iran. Citing two sources, CNN now reports that attorneys for Mr Trump could not find the document he referred to when they turned over material in mid-March in response to a federal subpoena relating to the investigation. Prosecutors sought “any and all” documents and materials related to Mark Milley, Mr Trump’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Iran, including maps or invasion plans, the sources say. Another subpoena was sent to at least one other attendee of the recorded meeting at Bedminster, New Jersey, in July 2021, another source told the network. Prosecutors reportedly made it clear that they wanted the specific document referred to in the recording after they had issued the subpoena, as well as any other material referencing classified documents still in the possession of the former president. The report adds credence to prosecutors’ scepticism that all classified materials retained by Mr Trump after he left office have been returned. Dozens of documents of varying classification levels were retrieved from the former president’s home at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida when the FBI searched the premises in August 2022. The recording of Mr Trump was created during the summer of 2021, approximately six months after the ex-president had left office. It reportedly captures a discussion during which Mr Trump was reacting to the publication of a story in The New Yorker regarding how Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley took actions to ensure the outgoing president issued no illegal orders. In the article, journalist Susan Glasser reported that Mr Milley was concerned that Mr Trump “might set in motion a full-scale conflict that was not justified” by ordering military action against Iran. The former president was reportedly recorded as he waved a document and said it would undermine what Mr Milley had said if he could legally show it to anyone. CNN reported that the audio recording contains the sound of paper rustling as if Mr Trump was waving a document around. The recording also reportedly captured laughter after the ex-president noted that he was not permitted to show the document to anyone. The July 2021 meeting took place long before Mr Trump’s aides sent 15 boxes of records from his Florida home to the National Archives. That January 2022 transfer of documents led Archives officials to discover multiple classified documents among the records sent back from Mr Trump’s residence, leading the agency to notify the Department of Justice about the discovery. The Justice Department’s probe into Mr Trump’s alleged unlawful retention of national defence information is being overseen by a special prosecutor, Jack Smith. Mr Smith has reportedly obtained other evidence which shows Mr Trump made efforts to obstruct the investigation by concealing documents from the government, even after he was served a grand jury subpoena compelling him to return all classified documents in his possession. The investigation is reportedly in its final stages and could result in charges against Mr Trump as soon as this summer. Read More Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement Justice Department says it won't charge Pence over handling of classified documents Trump rages that Pence won’t face charges for classified documents Georgia Trump investigation could include other states in racketeering case: report
2023-06-03 00:51

How Putin just spiked worldwide wheat prices
Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have declared open season on Ukraine's consequential grain exports, targeting the port city of Odesa with new ferocity and jeopardizing worldwide food prices.
2023-07-20 04:52

The US government is investigating China's breakthrough smartphone
The United States government is seeking more information about the Huawei Mate 60 Pro, a Chinese smartphone powered by an advanced chip.
2023-09-07 04:16

USA vs World format could be coming to the NBA All-Star Game
Adam Silver is considering changing the NBA All-Star Game once again with a unique USA vs the World format reportedly on the table.As the Nuggets have taken a 3-1 lead over the Heat in the NBA Finals, it is time to transition to the offseason. The NBA may change polices and formats for the All-S...
2023-06-11 08:18

Brice Turang, Sal Frelick hit 3-run homers in the Brewers' 14-1 victory over the Pirates
Rookies Brice Turang and Sal Frelick hit three-run homers in consecutive innings and the Milwaukee Brewers continued Mitch Keller’s second-half skid in a 14-1 blowout of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday
2023-08-04 10:15

Peter Crouch reveals 'weird' former Spurs teammate openly had no interest in football
Peter Crouch has opened up about the weird habits of one of his former Tottenham Hotspur teammates who had passion for crisps, croissants and cars – but didn’t even like football. Benoît Assou-Ekotto played 202 games for Spurs between 2006 and 2015, and became something of a cult hero at the club. But on many of those occasions the stylish left back didn’t even know which team he was playing until minutes before the match because of his total disinterest for the sport. Crouch said: “He would tell us straight out that he had no interest in football whatsoever. He genuinely didn’t like it. At 1.30pm on a Saturday he’d have no idea which team you were playing.” But perhaps the French-Cameroonian player’s strangest habit, Crouch said, was his pre-match meal – usually something professional sportspeople take extremely seriously. “Benoît would turn up with a Tesco’s bag containing the same four items every time: a croissant, a hot chocolate, a full-fat Coke and a packet of crisps. “The croissant I understood. He is French-Cameroonian. The hot chocolate: same cultural backstory. He used to dip the first into the second. “But the crisps, and the Coke — it was like two discrete lunches, one belonging to a middle-aged Parisian and the other a 12-year-old on the Seven Sisters Road. “And it worked. He was always in great shape and rarely injured.” Crouch, 42, was speaking in an interview with the Mail, ahead of the release of a documentary about his career. Both players were fan favourites at the club, Crouch for his towering height and Assou-Ekotto for his flair-filled runs down the wing. Assou-Ekotto made 22 appearances for Cameroon during his 14-year career, which also saw him play for Queen’s Park Rangers, Lens and Saint Étienne. Crouch added: “We accepted it, along with all the other weirdness: the random cars he would turn up to training in, sometimes a Smart car, then a Lamborghini; the way he would refuse to take ice baths for recovery, on the rather basic premise that they were 'too cold'. “Benoît was a really weird guy but we loved him a lot.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-14 18:45
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