- 'Little Gregory' murder haunts France 40 years on
- Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments
- Americans get their belief back as Pochettino makes his mark
- Vietnam, China to boost economic, defence cooperation
- Winning start for Pochettino's American adventure
- Tariffs, tax cuts, energy: What is in Trump's economic plan?
- Amazon wants to be everything to everyone
- US firms brace for more tariffs as election approaches
- Winning start for Poch's American adventure
- Morocco's tribeswomen see facial tattoo tradition fade
- Centre-left set to win as pro-Ukraine Lithuania votes
- Colombia guerilla group urges delegations not to attend COP16 in Cali
- Pakistan frets over security ahead of SCO summit
- Ronaldo scores 133rd Portugal goal in Nations League win over Poland
- 40 nations contributing to UN Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn 'attacks'
- Eight dead as heavy rain thrashes Brazil after long drought
- Jewish school in Canada hit by gunfire for second time
- Morocco crush Central African Republic, Guirassy scores hat-trick
- Dupont scores quickfire hat-trick on Toulouse Top 14 return
- Ronaldo scores in Portugal's Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
- Interim boss Carsley has not applied for England job
- Mets hurler Senga ready to take on Dodgers in game one of NL Championship Series
- Ronaldo on target again as Portugal defeat Poland in Nations League
- Guardians rip Tigers 7-3 to advance in MLB playoffs
- AFP, BBC win top French war reporting awards
- Carsley goes back to basics as humbled England face Finland
- Alex Salmond: the man who took Scotland to the brink of independence
- Scotland's former leader Alex Salmond dies aged 69: party
- UN warns of catastrophe as Israel fights a two-front war
- Croatia extend Scotland's losing streak
- South Africa, New Zealand boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes
- 'Very challenging': Israel faces Hezbollah in tricky terrain
- Farrell begins to feel at home as Racing 92 beat Toulon
- South Africa boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes with Bangladesh win
- Samson ton powers India to T20 series sweep after record total
- Djokovic to face Sinner in Shanghai final with 100th title in sight
- UN peacekeepers to remain in Lebanon: spokesman
- Pro-Conquest film fuels debate in Mexico over colonial legacy
- Samson ton powers India to record 297-6 in Bangladesh T20
- New Zealand enjoy perfect start to America's Cup defence over Britain
- Pogacar emulates icon Coppi with fourth straight Il Lombardia triumph
- UN warns against 'catastrophic' regional conflict
- New Zealand crush Ineos Britannia in America's Cup opener
- Djokovic to face Sinner in blockbuster Shanghai Masters final
- With medical report Harris seeks to play health card against Trump
- Sri Lanka seeks to match success in W.Indies T20s
- Sinner reaches Shanghai final, will end year number one
- China-EU EV tariff talks in Brussels end with 'major differences': Beijing
- Sabalenka downs Gauff in three sets to reach Wuhan final
- Israel warns south Lebanon residents to 'not return'
Sweden splashes out to save its unluckiest warship
Sweden is embarking on a colossal four-year project to safeguard a nearly 400-year-old warship that is the centrepiece of its famous Vasa Museum.
The ship, one of Stockholm's main tourist attractions, sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and remained at the bottom of the sea until it was salvaged in 1961.
"We want Vasa to be preserved for the future," project manager Peter Rydebjork told AFP.
Despite the long delicate recovery operation, the ship "started to deteriorate faster" once it emerged from the sea after three centuries, he said.
In one of the most embarrassing naval calamities ever, the Vasa capsized only 15 minutes into its maiden voyage because of a design flaw, costing the lives of several dozen crew members.
- Stopping the movement -
After being protected by mud and the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea for three centuries, preserving it while on display at one of Stockholm's most popular museums has proved more complicated.
The wood has contracted over the years, and the ship is being compressed due to gravity. It is also tilting slightly to port.
"We have to stop the movement," Rydebjork said.
Work on building a new support structure began in April to replace the fragile current one.
The first phase of the project, dubbed "Stotta Vasa" (Support Vasa), is to stabilise the wreck.
Then comes the creation of a structure to support its weight and finally the ship will be righted.
- Steel skeleton -
By 2028 -- if all goes well -- the hull will be supported both externally and internally and the current 17 external struts will be replaced by 27 steel cradles with fixings under the keel.
Because the Vasa currently has difficulty supporting its own weight, a type of steel skeleton will be installed inside the ship.
Rydebjork said it has taken more than a decade of research to prepare for the ambitious project -- which is expected to cost upwards of 200 million kronor ($19 million).
"It's a really interesting job," Rydebjork added.
Despite its age, the ill-fated vessel is still well-preserved, with 98 percent of the original parts intact.
Polish tourist Lukasz Szyszka told AFP that the ship was in great condition and worth seeing, despite it being "freezing inside" the museum.
Its main hall is kept at a temperature of between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius (between 64 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit) with a humidity level of 55 percent to slow the deterioration.
The 43-year-old shopkeeper said work on the wreck was needed, saying it was also part of Polish history.
Swedish king Gustav II Adolf (1611-1632), who commissioned the Vasa, wanted to use it so he could to control Poland's ports on the Baltic.
P.Stevenson--AMWN