US

A billionaire was offered cut-price tickets to embark on Titan’s ill-fated voyage – but backed out because of scheduling issues. Jay Bloom has shared some of his texts with Stockton Rush, who was on the doomed vessel and founded the company which ran the expedition. Messages from February reveal Mr Bloom’s son was scared to

Titanic director James Cameron has claimed he knew the Titan submersible had been destroyed less than 24 hours after the vessel lost contact.  In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, filmmaker Cameron said he learned of the acoustic findings within a day, and knew what it meant. “I sent emails to everybody I know and

Four people have been killed as a line of severe storms hit west Texas, producing a rare combination of multiple tornadoes, hurricane-force winds and hailstones bigger than tennis balls. The deaths happened in the town of Matador which was struck by an “unprecedented” tornado, authorities said. Ten other people were injured and later treated in

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has had a fresh appeal against his pre-trial detention on charges of espionage rejected by a Moscow court. The US reporter denies the spying allegations, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years if he is convicted. The 32-year-old appeared in court wearing blue jeans

He is a troubled soul and troubling son. Hunter Biden has never made a secret of the personal struggles that afflicted him following the death of his older brother, Beau, in 2015. Nor could he, realistically, when images of his drug addiction and self-made pornography were splashed across US media. It’s no secret, either, that

China says comments by Joe Biden describing its leader Xi Jinping as a dictator are “extremely absurd and irresponsible”. The latest clash comes right after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing that had sought to break the ice in what has become an increasingly strained international relationship. Issues such as

President Joe Biden’s son Hunter has been charged with federal tax and weapons offences. Hunter Biden has reached an agreement with the Justice Department in which he will plead guilty to misdemeanour tax offences and is expected to reach an agreement with prosecutors on the felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are to face trial in Romania over allegations of human trafficking and forming an organised crime group. The Tate brothers and two Romanian female suspects are under house arrest as part of an investigation into accusations made by seven women. They have denied the allegations. Romanian prosecutors

Pop star Bebe Rexha has shared pictures of her black eye after she was hit by a mobile phone while performing on stage. Footage shared online from the gig in New York showed the phone hitting the star on the forehead after being thrown by a person in the crowd. The singer, whose real name

China’s President Xi Jinping has met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing – as the world’s two biggest economies look to cool rising tensions. Speaking after the meeting on Monday, Mr Xi said he hoped that Mr Blinken would make “more positive contributions” to stabilising ties between the two countries, state media reported.

A truck driver has been convicted of fatally shooting 11 worshippers at a synagogue in the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the US. Seven other victims were wounded, including five police officers, after 50-year-old Robert Bowers opened fire with an assault rifle and other weapons in Pittsburgh. Bowers was charged with 63 counts, including

Former Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson has been charged with reckless driving after crashing a car into a home in Los Angeles. The 29-year-old comedian was contacted by police after the incident on 4 March in a residential area of Beverly Hills. The LA District Attorney’s Office said that it is taking the allegations

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Beijing. His arrival marks the first visit of a top American diplomat to China in five years, as relations between the two countries have become increasingly frosty. Having postponed a February trip after a suspected Chinese spy balloon flew over US airspace, Mr Blinken is set

Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked classified documents around the Vietnam War known as the Pentagon Papers, has died at 92. Mr Ellsberg, who had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in February, died at his home in California, his family said. Long before WikiLeaks or Edward Snowden, the Pentagon Papers were one of the most famous

The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies player Ja Morant for 25 games next season for brandishing a gun in a social media video. In a statement, the NBA said the 23-year-old was suspended without pay “for conduct detrimental to the league”. It said Morant “posed with a firearm in a car during a live-streamed video”