AUSTRALIAN TYCOON TO BUILD TITANIC 2.0: WHO WILL DARE TO BUY A TICKET?

A handout picture received from Southampton City Council on April 4, 2012 shows the Titanic leaving Southampton on her ill-fated maiden voyage on April 10, 1912 (AFP Photo / Southhampton City Council)

One Australia’s richest men has unveiled plans to launch a Titanic replica in 2016 and promised the ship won’t repeat the fate of her predecessor. Clive Palmer is not obsessed with prejudices but will he find passengers free from superstitions?

Just weeks after the centenary of the sinking of the ill-fated Titanic, mining magnate Clive Palmer announced he would build a new one. The replica liner will be as close to the original as possible.

It will have the same dimensions, with 840 rooms and nine decks.

The billionaire aims to reconstruct the ship in design and specifications, but equip it with modern technology.

The liner would run on diesel rather than coal power.

"It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st Century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems," Mr Palmer announced.

The original ship that sunk in 1912 killing more than 1,500 passengers and crew was the world's largest liner of the time.

The giant vessel measured nearly 270 meters long, 53 meters high and weighed approximately 40,000 tons.

Like many replicas this one will have a “Made in China” marking. Mr Palmer says he has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese CSC Jinling Shipyard to construct the cruise liner.

The cost of the project is not known, a spokesman for Mr Palmer told the Australian media.

"Titanic II will be the ultimate in comfort and luxury with on-board gymnasiums and swimming pools, libraries, high class restaurants and luxury cabins," Mr Palmer said.

The mining magnate from Queensland has a fortune of $5.3 billion and is Australia’s fifth-richest person, according to BRW magazine rankings.

Mr. Palmer also has strong business connections with China and recently expanded into tourism.

The billionaire owns a luxury resort on the Sunshine Coast and has plans to build a fleet of luxury liners.

40 YEARS IN SOLITARY FOR EX-BLACK PANTHER PRISONERS IS ENOUGH, PETITION SAYS

A photo of Herman Wallace (R) and Albert Woodfox (L) in the early 1970s

Amnesty International has urged Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to remove two former Black Panthers from 40 years of solitary confinement in a state penitentiary.

On Tuesday, the London-based human rights organization delivered a petition to Governor Jindal asking him to remove 65-year-old Albert Woodfox and 70-year-old Herman Wallace from isolation on humanitarian grounds. 

The petition, signed by 65,000 activists from around the world, described the solitary confinement of the two men as inhumane. 

"The 40-year isolated incarceration of these two men is scandalous,” said Everette Harvey Thompson, the Southern Office Regional Director of Amnesty International USA. 

“It pushes the boundaries of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and flies in the face of international standards to which the US is a party,” Thompson added. 

On April 17, 1972, Wallace and Woodfox were placed in an isolation unit in the Louisiana State Penitentiary -- known as Angola Prison. They were charged, and later convicted of, the murder of a prison guard -- something they have consistently denied. 

Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the two men's transfer to solitary confinement. Except for brief periods, Wallace and Woodfox have been in solitary confinement for 40 years.

TSUNAMI WARNING CANCELLED

TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 007
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 1318Z 11 APR 2012

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.

... TSUNAMI WATCH CANCELLATION SUPPLEMENT ...

... UPDATED SEA-LEVEL MEASUREMENTS ...

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.  ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

 ORIGIN TIME -  0839Z 11 APR 2012
 COORDINATES -   2.3 NORTH   93.1 EAST
 LOCATION    -  OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
 MAGNITUDE   -  8.7

MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY

 GAUGE LOCATION        LAT   LON    TIME        AMPL         PER
 -------------------  ----- ------  -----  ---------------  -----
 MALE MV               4.2N  73.5E  1223Z   0.19M /  0.6FT  06MIN
 GAN MV                0.7S  73.2E  1212Z   0.03M /  0.1FT  48MIN
 HANIMAADHOO MV        6.8N  73.2E  1235Z   0.25M /  0.8FT  06MIN
 PADANG ID             1.0S 100.4E  1208Z   0.09M /  0.3FT  34MIN
 KO TAPHAO NOI TH      7.8N  98.4E  1143Z   0.05M /  0.2FT  06MIN
 ENGGANO ID            5.3S 102.3E  1104Z   0.12M /  0.4FT  04MIN
 TRINCONMALEE LK       8.6N  81.2E  1129Z   0.06M /  0.2FT  16MIN
 TELUKDALAM ID         0.6N  97.8E  1044Z   0.22M /  0.7FT  14MIN
 COCOS ISLAND AU      12.1S  96.9E  1102Z   0.08M /  0.3FT  18MIN
 SABANG ID             5.8N  95.3E  1010Z   0.36M /  1.2FT  06MIN
 MEULABOH ID           4.1N  96.1E  1007Z   1.06M /  3.5FT  12MIN
 DART 23401            8.9N  88.5E  0956Z   0.03M /  0.1FT  06MIN

 LAT  - LATITUDE (N-NORTH, S-SOUTH)
 LON  - LONGITUDE (E-EAST, W-WEST)
 TIME - TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT (Z IS UTC IS GREENWICH TIME)
 AMPL - TSUNAMI AMPLITUDE MEASURED RELATIVE TO NORMAL SEA LEVEL.
        IT IS ...NOT... CREST-TO-TROUGH WAVE HEIGHT.
        VALUES ARE GIVEN IN BOTH METERS(M) AND FEET(FT).
 PER  - PERIOD OF TIME IN MINUTES(MIN) FROM ONE WAVE TO THE NEXT.

 NOTE - DART MEASUREMENTS ARE FROM THE DEEP OCEAN AND THEY
        ARE GENERALLY MUCH SMALLER THAN WOULD BE COASTAL
         MEASUREMENTS AT SIMILAR LOCATIONS.

EVALUATION

 A SIGNIFICANT TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED BY THIS EARTHQUAKE.
 HOWEVER...SEA LEVEL READINGS NOW INDICATE THAT THE THREAT HAS
 DIMINISHED OR IS OVER FOR MOST AREAS.  THEREFORE THE TSUNAMI
 WATCH ISSUED BY THIS CENTER IS NOW CANCELLED.

 FOR ANY AFFECTED AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES HAVE OCCURRED FOR AT
 LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME OR DAMAGING WAVES
 HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
 CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL
 STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS.
 AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE
 ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL
 AUTHORITIES.

THIS WILL BE THE FINAL BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BECOMES AVAILABLE.

THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR THIS EVENT. IN THE CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION...THE
MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.

TSUNAMI WATCH LIFTED AFTER TWO BIG EARTHQUAKES

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A massive earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra Wednesday afternoon, triggering a tsunami watch for the Indian Ocean, which was later canceled.

The quake struck about 434 kilometers (270 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia's Aceh province, and had a magnitude of 8.6, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It took place at a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles).

A second large quake, with a magnitude of 8.2, occurred off the west coast of Sumatra about two hours later, the USGS said.

Gary Gibson from the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia, said the location of the second quake reduces the possibility of a tsunami.

There was also a series of smaller quakes off the west coast of northern Sumatra with magnitudes between 5.1 and 5.4.

There were no immediate reports of destruction or deaths Wednesday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on local television that there were no reports of casualties or damage in Aceh.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch for the entire Indian Ocean.

A few hours later, the center announced the tsunami watch was canceled.

"A significant tsunami was generated by this earthquake. However, sea level readings now indicate that the threat has diminished or is over for most areas," the center said.

DR. KIJAZI, THE DIRECTOR OF METROLOGICAL AGENCY IN TANZANIA: COAST OF DAR ES SALAAM WILL BE HIT BY TSUNAMI WAVES

Dr. Kijazi, the Director of Metrological Agency in Tanzania, said today that the coast of Dar es Salaam will be hit by tsunami waves. According to her, the incident is expected to happen at the Dar es Salaam coast strip between 1900 hours EAT and 2100 hours EAT. She was interviewed via telephone by TBC.

TSUNAMI WARNING IN THE COAST OF EAST AFRICA , ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME IN TANZANIA 5 PM

TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0845Z 11 APR 2012

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.

... AN INDIAN-OCEAN-WIDE TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT ...

A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR

 INDONESIA / INDIA / SRI LANKA / AUSTRALIA / MYANMAR / THAILAND /
 MALDIVES / UNITED KINGDOM / MALAYSIA / MAURITIUS / REUNION /
 SEYCHELLES / PAKISTAN / SOMALIA / OMAN / MADAGASCAR / IRAN /
 UAE / YEMEN / COMORES / BANGLADESH / TANZANIA / MOZAMBIQUE /
 KENYA / CROZET ISLANDS / KERGUELEN ISLANDS / SOUTH AFRICA /
 SINGAPORE

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.  ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

 ORIGIN TIME -  0839Z 11 APR 2012
 COORDINATES -   2.0 NORTH   92.5 EAST
 LOCATION    -  OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
 MAGNITUDE   -  8.7

EVALUATION

 EARTHQUAKES OF THIS SIZE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A
 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN AFFECT COASTLINES ACROSS
 THE ENTIRE INDIAN OCEAN BASIN.

 HOWEVER - IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED.  THIS
 WATCH IS BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AUTHORITIES IN
 THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE
 POSSIBILITY OF A WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI.

ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS
WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL
ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN
SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.

 LOCATION         FORECAST POINT     COORDINATES     ARRIVAL TIME
 --------------------------------    ------------    ------------
 INDONESIA        SIMEULUE            2.5N  96.0E    0921Z 11 APR
                  BANDA_ACEH          5.5N  95.1E    0931Z 11 APR
                  SIBERUT             1.5S  98.7E    0941Z 11 APR
                  PADANG              0.9S 100.1E    1017Z 11 APR
                  BENGKULU            3.9S 102.0E    1038Z 11 APR
                  CILACAP             7.8S 108.9E    1205Z 11 APR
                  BANDAR_LAMPUNG      5.7S 105.3E    1213Z 11 APR
                  BALI                8.7S 115.3E    1253Z 11 APR
                  KUPANG             10.0S 123.4E    1338Z 11 APR
                  BELAWAN             3.8N  98.8E    1348Z 11 APR
                  BALI                8.7S 115.3E    1253Z 11 APR
 INDIA            GREAT_NICOBAR       7.1N  93.6E    0937Z 11 APR
                  LITTLE_ANDAMAN     10.7N  92.3E    1016Z 11 APR
                  PORT_BLAIR         11.9N  92.7E    1032Z 11 APR
                  NORTH_ANDAMAN      13.3N  92.6E    1052Z 11 APR
                  CHENNAI            13.4N  80.4E    1127Z 11 APR
                  KAKINADA           17.2N  82.7E    1205Z 11 APR
                  TRIVANDRUM          8.3N  76.9E    1208Z 11 APR
                  MANGALORE          13.3N  74.4E    1336Z 11 APR
                  BOMBAY             18.8N  72.6E    1608Z 11 APR
                  GULF_OF_KUTCH      22.7N  68.9E    1634Z 11 APR
 SRI LANKA        DONDRA_HEAD         5.9N  80.6E    1039Z 11 APR
                  TRINCOMALEE         8.7N  81.3E    1051Z 11 APR
                  COLOMBO             6.9N  79.8E    1120Z 11 APR
                  JAFFNA              9.9N  80.0E    1231Z 11 APR
 AUSTRALIA        COCOS_ISLAND       12.1S  96.7E    1045Z 11 APR
                  NORTH_WEST_CAPE    21.5S 113.9E    1314Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_INSPIRATIO    25.9S 113.0E    1413Z 11 APR
                  PERTH              32.0S 115.3E    1420Z 11 APR
                  AUGUSTA            34.3S 114.7E    1440Z 11 APR
                  GERALDTOWN         28.6S 114.3E    1459Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_LEVEQUE       16.1S 122.6E    1506Z 11 APR
                  ESPERANCE          34.0S 121.8E    1615Z 11 APR
                  KINGSTON_SOUTH_    37.0S 139.4E    1748Z 11 APR
                  HEARD_ISLAND       54.0S  73.5E    1802Z 11 APR
                  EUCLA_MOTEL        31.8S 128.9E    1836Z 11 APR
                  HOBART             43.3S 147.6E    1901Z 11 APR
                  DARWIN             12.1S 130.7E    1935Z 11 APR
 MYANMAR          CHEDUBA_ISLAND     18.9N  93.4E    1149Z 11 APR
                  CHEDUBA_ISLAND     18.9N  93.4E    1149Z 11 APR
                  PYINKAYAING        15.9N  94.3E    1150Z 11 APR
                  SITTWE             20.0N  92.9E    1226Z 11 APR
                  MERGUI             12.8N  98.4E    1316Z 11 APR
                  YANGON             16.5N  96.4E    1507Z 11 APR
 THAILAND         PHUKET              8.0N  98.2E    1118Z 11 APR
                  KO_PHRA_THONG       9.1N  98.2E    1223Z 11 APR
                  KO_TARUTAO          6.6N  99.6E    1256Z 11 APR
 MALDIVES         GAN                 0.6S  73.2E    1137Z 11 APR
                  MINICOV             8.3N  73.0E    1210Z 11 APR
                  MALE                4.2N  73.6E    1211Z 11 APR
 UNITED KINGDOM   DIEGO_GARCIA        7.3S  72.4E    1153Z 11 APR
 MALAYSIA         GEORGETOWN          5.4N 100.1E    1311Z 11 APR
                  PORT_DICKSON        2.5N 101.7E    1810Z 11 APR
 MAURITIUS        PORT_LOUIS         20.0S  57.3E    1455Z 11 APR
 REUNION          ST_DENIS           20.8S  55.2E    1512Z 11 APR
 SEYCHELLES       VICTORIA            4.5S  55.6E    1516Z 11 APR
 PAKISTAN         GWADAR             25.1N  62.4E    1536Z 11 APR
                  KARACHI            24.7N  66.9E    1644Z 11 APR
 SOMALIA          CAPE_GUARO         11.9N  51.4E    1539Z 11 APR
                  HILALAYA            6.4N  49.1E    1540Z 11 APR
                  MOGADISHU           2.0N  45.5E    1558Z 11 APR
                  KAAMBOONI           1.5S  41.9E    1623Z 11 APR
 OMAN             MUSCAT             23.9N  58.6E    1540Z 11 APR
                  SALALAH            16.9N  54.1E    1547Z 11 APR
                  DUQM               19.7N  57.8E    1556Z 11 APR
 MADAGASCAR       ANTSIRANANA        12.1S  49.5E    1544Z 11 APR
                  TOAMASINA          17.8S  49.6E    1551Z 11 APR
                  MANAKARA           22.2S  48.2E    1610Z 11 APR
                  MAHAJANGA          15.4S  46.2E    1653Z 11 APR
                  CAP_STE_MARIE      25.8S  45.2E    1713Z 11 APR
                  TOLIARA            23.4S  43.6E    1733Z 11 APR
 IRAN             GAVATER            25.0N  61.3E    1546Z 11 APR
 UAE              FUJAIRAH           25.1N  56.4E    1621Z 11 APR
 YEMEN            AL_MUKALLA         14.5N  49.2E    1626Z 11 APR
                  ADEN               13.0N  45.2E    1726Z 11 APR
 COMORES          MORONI             11.6S  43.3E    1644Z 11 APR
 BANGLADESH       CHITTAGONG         22.7N  91.2E    1651Z 11 APR
 TANZANIA         LINDI               9.8S  39.9E    1659Z 11 APR
                  DAR_ES_SALAAM       6.7S  39.4E    1732Z 11 APR
 MOZAMBIQUE       CABO_DELGADO       10.7S  40.7E    1701Z 11 APR
                  ANGOCHE            15.5S  40.6E    1720Z 11 APR
                  QUELIMANE          18.0S  37.1E    1841Z 11 APR
                  MAPUTO             25.9S  32.8E    1959Z 11 APR
                  BEIRA              19.9S  35.1E    2016Z 11 APR
 KENYA            MOMBASA             4.0S  39.7E    1706Z 11 APR
 CROZET ISLANDS   CROZET_ISLANDS     46.4S  51.8E    1733Z 11 APR
 KERGUELEN ISLAN  PORT_AUX_FRANCA    49.0S  69.1E    1815Z 11 APR
 SOUTH AFRICA     PRINCE_EDWARD_I    46.6S  37.6E    1907Z 11 APR
                  DURBAN             29.8S  31.2E    1910Z 11 APR
                  PORT_ELIZABETH     33.9S  25.8E    2006Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_TOWN          34.1S  18.0E    2109Z 11 APR
 SINGAPORE        SINGAPORE           1.2N 103.8E    2351Z 11 APR

ADDITIONAL BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT AS MORE INFORMATION
BECOMES AVAILABLE.

THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR THIS EVENT. IN THE CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION...THE
MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.