World

Why US investor turned down seats on doomed Titanic submersible

Published

3 years ago

June 24, 2023

For a year, Stockton Rush had tried to convince Las Vegas-based investor Jay Bloom to buy a couple of spots on his company’s submersible so Bloom and his son could experience the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of visiting the deep-sea wreck of the Titanic.

Bloom was intrigued, he said in an interview on Friday. His son Sean, now 20, had been fascinated by the story of the doomed British passenger liner as a child.

But the more Bloom read about the Titan submersible, the more concerned he grew about how safe it was. So he said he politely declined a last-minute chance to join the season’s final expedition, claiming scheduling conflicts, Reuters reported.

Instead, Bloom said, the two available seats on board went to Pakistani-born magnate Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman – who perished, along with Rush and two others, this week when the Titan imploded deep below the surface of the Atlantic.

For Bloom, who lost a good friend, actor Treat Williams, in a motorcycle accident less than two weeks ago, the tragedy was a reminder of what really matters in life.

“Every time I see a picture of that Pakistani businessman and his 19-year-old son, I think how easily that could have been me and my 20-year-old son – but for the grace of God,” Bloom said.

On Thursday, after the US Coast Guard announced it had located pieces of the Titan on the ocean floor, Bloom posted a series of text messages on Facebook between himself and Rush from earlier this year, in which Rush dismissed the notion that the trip was dangerous.

“While there’s obviously risk, it’s way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving,” Rush wrote in one message, asserting that no one had even been hurt aboard a non-military sub in 35 years.

Bloom, who has a private helicopter license, was unconvinced. He was particularly worried about Stockton’s use of consumer-grade parts in the Titan – including a video game joystick used to control the vessel – and the novel carbon-fiber hull, and he was “spooked” by the fact that passengers were unable to open the Titan from the inside, even in an emergency.

“The more I learned about what was going on with Stockton’s operation, the more concerned I got,” he said.

Guillermo Söhnlein, who co-founded OceanGate with Rush in 2009, said Rush was “keenly aware” of the dangers of exploring the ocean depths and was “very risk-averse.”

But safety questions about the Titan’s design had been raised as far back as 2018, both by industry experts and by a former employee of Rush’s firm.

Bloom said Rush’s confidence was unshakable.

“It was his dream,” Bloom said. “He’s a good guy, I really liked him, and I think he had good intentions. But he drank his own Kool-Aid.”

World

Trump releases government UFO files, more expected

Published

13 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Ariana News

At the order of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Defense Department on Friday released dozens of previously classified files on alleged UFO sightings to provide what ‌it called “unprecedented transparency” to the American people, though analysts said many of the documents had already been made public.

The disclosure of documents, photos and videos of “unidentified anomalous phenomena” will be followed by future releases as more materials are declassified, the Defense Department said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Trump was the latest president to release U.S. government reports on UFOs, a disclosure process that began in the late 1970s. Experts said the batch of around 160 files released on Friday contained new videos of known sightings but gave no conclusive evidence of alien technology or extraterrestrial life.

The files include a 1947 report of “flying discs” as well as grainy photos of “unidentified phenomena” taken from the moon’s surface by the 1969 Apollo 12 lunar mission and a transcript of the Apollo 17 crew describing unidentified objects seen from the moon in 1972.

‘BRIGHT PARTICLES’ DURING APOLLO 17

Apollo 17 mission pilot Ronald Evans reported “a few very bright particles or fragments or something that go drifting by as we maneuver,” based on the transcript.

“Roger. Understand,” mission control replied.

“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation – and it’s time the American people see it for themselves,” Hegseth said in a statement.

The records release is likely to fuel fresh debate over government secrecy and the possible existence of life in the cosmos.

“Whereas previous Administrations have failed to be transparent on this subject, with these new Documents and Videos, the people can decide for themselves, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?” Trump said in a statement. “Have fun and enjoy!”

The move was welcomed by U.S. Representatives Tim Burchett and ‌Anna Paulina ⁠Luna, both proponents of declassifying UFO files. Luna said an additional tranche of material was expected in about 30 days.

“The files show that UAP are not simply a matter of speculation or public curiosity,” Harvard University astrophysicist Avi Loeb said in an email to Reuters. “The government has collected records.”

The images from Apollo 12 and 17 were fascinating but could be the result of asteroid impacts on the lunar surface, Loeb said.

DISTRACTION FROM POLITICAL PROBLEMS?

Some critics cast the UFO disclosures as a distraction from Trump’s political woes, including ⁠the unpopular U.S. military campaign against Iran and public pressure to release further files tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I really don’t care about the UFO files. I just don’t. I’m so sick of the ‘look at the shiny object’ propaganda,” former Republican U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X.

UAP investigator Mick West said the administration of former President ⁠Joe Biden disclosed much of the same information as Friday’s release.

“They’re evidence of us not being able to identify a small white dot that’s a long distance away,” the Sacramento, California-based analyst said of the new UAP videos and images.

Independent journalist Leslie Kean said the release showed there was still a lot ⁠of government information on UAP that should be disclosed. Kean co-authored a 2017 New York Times story on a secret Pentagon UAP program, which prompted Congress to push for declassification of UFO documents.

“I think we’ve already proven the existence of UAP, but that doesn’t mean we’ve proven they’re alien or extraterrestrial or that we know what they are,” said Kean.

World

Trump says United States will get uranium from Iran

One of Trump’s central objectives in launching ‌military ⁠strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon.

Published

3 days ago

May 7, 2026

Ariana News

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States ‌would get enriched uranium from Iran, as the two countries struggle to reach an agreement on ⁠ending the Gulf war, Reuters reported.

“We’re going to get it,” Trump told a reporter as he left a White House event.

One of Trump’s central objectives in launching ‌military ⁠strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Iran ⁠has yet to hand over more than 900 pounds (408 kg) ⁠of highly enriched uranium.

World

Trump says Iran “should wave the white flag of surrender”

When asked ⁠what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll ⁠let you know … They know what not to do.”

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Ariana News

President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed Iran’s military capability and said Tehran “should wave ‌the white flag of surrender” but is too proud to do so, Reuters reported.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran’s military has been reduced to firing “peashooters” and ⁠that Tehran privately wants to make a deal despite its public sabre-rattling.

“They play games, but let me just tell you, they want to make a deal. And who wouldn’t, when your military is totally gone?” he said.

Trump heaped praise on the U.S. blockade of Iranian ‌ports ⁠in the region. “It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade. And I think it’s working out very well,” he said, read the report.

When asked ⁠what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll ⁠let you know … They know what not to do.”

Trump said Iran “should save the white ⁠flag of surrender.”

“If this were a fight, they’d stop it,” said Trump.