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UPI
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
On This Day, July 15: BP caps Deepwater Horizon oil spill after 3 months
1 of 6 | BP workers use shovels to clean oil from a beach at Port Fourchon, La., May 24, 2010. On July 15, 2010, BP announced it had capped its crippled underwater well that sent millions of barrels of crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico for three months. File Photo by A.J. Sisco/UPI | License Photo July 15 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1799, a French soldier discovered the Rosetta Stone, an ancient stele that served as the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics. Now housed in the British Museum, Egypt has sought for decades the artifact's repatriation. In 1806, Zebulon Pike began an expedition to explore the American Southwest. In 1907, three organizations -- the Publishers Press Association, the Scripps-McRae Press Association and the Scripps News Associations -- joined to form United Press, which would eventually become United Press International. The wire service started business with 460 newspaper clients, of which 400 were evening newspapers and 60 were Sunday morning newspapers. In 1912, the U.S. Olympic team, led by all-round athlete Jim Thorpe, took more medals than any other country at the Summer Games in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1945, Italy declared war on Japan, its former Axis partner. In 1965, the unmanned spacecraft Mariner 4 passed over Mars at an altitude of 6,000 feet and sent the first close-up images of the planet to Earth. A view of the surface Mars taken by Mariner 4 on July 14, 1965. File Photo courtesy NASA In 1968, a Soviet Aeroflot jetliner landed at New York's JFK Airport, marking the beginning of direct commercial flights between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1968, daytime soap opera One Life to Live premiered on ABC. In its 45-year run, the television series racked up dozens of Daytime Emmy Awards, including six for actor Erika Slezak. In 1992, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton was nominated as the Democratic Party's candidate for president. In 1997, Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot to death in front of his Miami mansion. The prime suspect was Andrew Cunanan, already wanted in four other slayings. He was found dead a week later, an apparent suicide. Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace's house on South Beach, in Miami Beach, Fla. Versace was killed in front of his mansion. File Photo by Adam Werner/UPI In 2002, John Walker Lindh, a 21-year-old American captured by the U.S. military in Afghanistan while with Taliban forces, admitted he had fought as a soldier with them. After cooperating in the investigation of the terrorist network, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was released from prison in May 2019. In 2009, Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran bound for Armenia. Officials said 168 people were killed. In 2010, BP, the London energy company, announced it had capped its crippled underwater well that sent millions of barrels of crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico over the previous three months after an offshore drilling rig explosion and fire killed 11 workers and unleashed an unchecked torrent from the depths. In 2024, police in Kenya arrested a man who confessed to killing at least 42 women, including his own wife, over the span of two years. The suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, later pleaded not guilty to the slayings and in August 2024 escaped a Nairobi prison along with 12 others. File Photo courtesy of DCI Kenya
Arab News
a day ago
- Science
- Arab News
Open call for 12th Red Sea International Conference in Jeddah
JEDDAH: Experts in the fields of archaeology, history, anthropology, environmental studies and museum curation are being invited to apply to take part in the 2026 edition of the Red Sea International Conference. The event, which will run from April 9-12, will be held at the Bab Al-Bunt building, which sits within Jeddah's UNESCO-listed Historic District and is the future home of the Red Sea Museum. Launched in 2002, the conference is regarded as a key platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on the Red Sea's historical significance. Previous editions have been held in partnership with the British Museum, University of Southampton, University of Warsaw and University of Crete, among others. The open call for the 2026 event was issued by Saudi Arabia's Museums Commission and Heritage Commission. Participants will explore a broad range of themes, from ancient maritime trade and the archaeology of coastal cities and ports, to environmental history, underwater heritage and the Red Sea's legacy as a crossroads of cultures linking Africa, Arabia and the Indian Ocean. Anyone interested in taking part should submit an abstract, limited to 300 words and written in English, to by Oct. 15. Poster proposals are also welcomed and will be reviewed by a scientific committee. To support broad participation in the conference, the commissions will provide five grants to cover the cost of travel, accommodation and registration to researchers whose papers are accepted. Priority will be given to applicants from the Red Sea region and developing countries. By hosting the conference in Jeddah, the commissions aim to bolster Saudi Arabia's academic and cultural standing, while reaffirming the Red Sea's enduring significance as a living archive of human history, exchange and civilization.
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The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Who owns the past? Bayeux Tapestry loan reignites Elgin Marbles debate
As cultural treasures criss-cross borders in the name of diplomacy, a deeper debate looms: who really has the right to own the great relics of history? And are temporary loans a diplomatic fix, or a way of dodging the bigger question? President Macron's decision to loan the Bayeux Tapestry – likely stitched in Kent but kept in Normandy for centuries – has also reignited a more contentious debate: whether Britain should return other historic artefacts, most notably the Elgin marbles. Some see striking parallels between the two: cultural icons, created in one place, preserved in another. But others argue it's not so simple. 'That comparison is a huge stretch,' one reader wrote in response to an article by Harry Mount last week. 'It may have been made in England, but it was commissioned by the Normans… Normandy feels like the rightful home of this artefact.' On the other side of the debate, however, another suggested: 'As a born and bred Hastings chap, I'd say it's not returned home until it's been displayed at a Hastings museum.' When it comes to the Parthenon sculptures, the stakes – and emotions – are even higher. Created in ancient Athens and removed in the 19th century, they remain on show at the British Museum in London. Lord Elgin claimed he removed the sculptures with the permission of Ottoman officials, who controlled Athens at the time. However, the legality of his actions – deeply intertwined with the history of the British Empire – has been widely disputed, and Greece has never stopped calling for their return. So what's the answer? Are cultural loans a useful compromise, or just a stalling tactic? Should Britain begin returning historic artefacts to their countries of origin – and if so, where should the line be drawn? We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the and vote in the poll below – we'll feature the most compelling responses and discuss the results in the coming days. All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can take part in the debate. You can also sign up by clicking 'log in' on the top right-hand corner of the screen.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Call for British Museum to take Bayeux tapestry to ‘1066 country'
The MP for Hastings and Rye has called on the British Museum to let the Bayeux tapestry spend time in '1066 country' when it comes to the UK, and to ensure the region reaps the benefits of the 'once-in-a-generation exhibition'. The tapestry will return to the UK for the first time in more than 900 years as part of a landmark loan agreement announced by the prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron. The 70-metre embroidered cloth, which depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings, will go on display at the British Museum from September next year. The Labour MP Helena Dollimore said it would be a 'great shame' if 1066 country – the area named after the battle – was locked out of 'this national moment'. 'Obviously, the practicalities and logistics would need to be looked at by experts, but our area is such an integral part of this tapestry that we must be included,' she said. In a letter to the British Museum chair, George Osborne, co-signed by the TV historian Dan Snow, Dollimore urged the museum to consult with French experts and curators to explore the viability of local English Heritage plans to take the tapestry to the south coast. She also called on the museum to ensure every local child had the opportunity to visit the exhibition by reserving free tickets and helping with the cost of transport to London; reserve at least 1,066 tickets to the exhibition for people from Hastings and the surrounding area, and support efforts to promote the region to exhibition visitors. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'Few works of art are as central to our island's story as the Bayeux tapestry, which quite literally wove Hastings into the fabric of our national history,' the letter says. 'Although Hastings and the rest of 1066 Country has often been at the centre of historical events, it has not always felt the benefits of it. The Sutton Trust recently found that Hastings and Rye ranks among the bottom 10 areas in the country for social mobility. 63% of young people leave school without the basic qualifications in maths and English GCSE. Like many coastal communities, it has been left behind for too long. 'Why not return this iconic piece of our heritage to the very ground where it all began in 1066? Whilst we acknowledge that it is for experts to decide what is feasible, the Hastings area must play its rightful part in this national moment.' Dollimore said there was a huge opportunity to bring tourists to the region. 'We've got Hastings Castle, We've got Battle Abbey, we've got Pevensey Castle over in Eastbourne, the 1066 walk. Other parts of the country make a big thing of their history. There's loads of signage, there's exhibitions. So there really is more we can do now that the nation's attention is going to be turned to the tapestry.' Sarah Broadbent, the chair of the 1066 Country tourism organisation, said she was confident the loan would spark people's curiosity about the events depicted and the places where they happened. 'There are few dates as memorable, the Norman conquest was such a significant turning point in English history and we're very proud to call ourselves 1066 Country,' she said. 'We're not only rich in history but also in landscape, in heritage and in culture. We might be tucked away in the corner of the south-east but we pack a punch well above our weight in terms of the visitor experience … this is our chance to showcase everything we have to offer.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Britain must keep the Elgin Marbles, Nigel Farage says
NIGEL Farage has waded into the Elgin Marbles row saying they 'absolutely' should remain in Britain. The priceless artefacts must not be handed over to Greece, the Reform UK boss said. 7 7 7 Chairman of the British Museum George Osborne is reportedly negotiating a 'reciprocal loan deal' with the Greeks. In return Athens would provide the museum with revolving displays of other ancient artefacts. Mr Farage told the Sun on Sunday: 'No. If the Elgin Marbles had stayed in Greece, they wouldn't even exist today. 'The British Museum has been the most fantastic protector for some of the world's treasures and should continue to be so.' 7 This week former Tory prime minister Liz Truss and historian Dr David Starkey signed a letter to Sir Keir Starmer claiming the museum is part of a "covert" and "accelerating campaign" to hand the marbles to Greece. She said: 'Those trying to undermine our national culture should be taken on, not appeased.' 7 7 The marbles, also called the Parthenon Sculptures, were shipped to London in the early 19th Century when Lord Elgin was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Greece has been demanding their return for decades. A law prevents treasures like the Marbles from being given away by the museum. And the British Government says there are no plans to change the law. It comes after a deal was struck with France to loan the UK the Bayeux Tapestry.
