A 948-foot cargo ship that left the Port of Baltimore early this morning collided just minutes later with a pillar of a major bridge, quickly causing much of the bridge to collapse into the water. Divers and other emergency responders searched for six construction workers who had been fixing potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it fell and are now missing. Two other workers were rescued from the water.
Here’s the latest.
Federal officials said they had launched an investigation into how the crash occurred. The crew of the ship, a massive vessel headed for Sri Lanka, had issued a warning that it had lost power before the collision. That heads-up gave officials enough time to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge. It “undoubtedly saved lives,” President Biden said.
Biden also said that he expected the federal government would pay to rebuild the bridge, which had a four-lane highway that carried more than 30,000 commuters each day. It can take years to rebuild after collapses of such magnitude.
The governor of Maryland called the episode a terrible accident, adding that there was no credible evidence of a terrorist attack. An inspection last year of the ship, called the Dali, reported that it had a deficiency related to “propulsion and auxiliary machinery.” Other recent collapses have raised questions about the ability of bridges to withstand crashes.
Justices seemed wary of an effort to curtail abortion pills
A majority of the Supreme Court today appeared likely to side with the federal government in its effort to preserve widespread access to the drug used in most abortions throughout the country.
Most of the justices, regardless of ideological position, voiced skepticism about arguments to severely curtail access to the abortion pill, mifepristone. The justices repeatedly questioned whether the group of anti-abortion doctors and organizations at the center of the case even had a right to challenge the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the medication.
The conservative justices Samuel Alito, and, possibly, Clarence Thomas were the only members of the court who appeared to show clear support for the anti-abortion challengers. A decision is expected in June.
A Manhattan judge imposed a gag order on Trump
The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York imposed a gag order prohibiting the former president from attacking witnesses and prosecutors in the case.
Under the order, which was requested by the district attorney who brought the case, Trump cannot make, or direct others to make, statements about witnesses’ roles in the case. The trial, which is set to begin next month, will be the first criminal prosecution of a former American president.
Obama is worried that Biden could lose
President Biden has made a habit of calling Barack Obama to catch up on the race or to talk about family as his re-election bid heats up. But the former president is also making calls to Biden’s top aides to strategize and relay advice about the campaign.
Senior aides say Obama is gravely concerned that Biden could lose in November, and is gearing up to be regularly involved in the effort to defeat Trump. It is perhaps the first time that Biden and Obama have been on the same page about Biden’s future. My colleague Katie Rogers looked back on their once-contentious dynamic.
Beyoncé is embracing country music, but not the industry
This Friday, Beyoncé is going full country. Her eighth solo album, “Cowboy Carter,” will be released, testing the boundaries of modern country music.
Fans have debated whether Nashville will be welcoming to a Black female star of Beyoncé’s stature. But that’s the wrong question, our music critic Jon Caramanica writes. Beyoncé is adopting country music for the art and inspiration, not the industry. “This ain’t a Country album,” she said. “This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”
For more: Beyoncé is joining a long line of Black pop stars who have gone country.
A travel guide for the climate-conscious
One way to shrink your carbon footprint while traveling is to rent a vacation home instead of staying in a hotel, because rentals offer you more control over your environmental impact. Our travel columnist has some tips for finding the best options. Just mentioning sustainability to a host can have an effect, she wrote.
Do birds dream?
Many birds do not sleep the way we do. Some species rest with one eye open, even during flight. Others keep one half of their brain awake while the other half sleeps.
But recent advances in technology have helped scientists discover that birds and humans probably share an ability to dream. Brain scans of sleeping zebra finches found that they appeared to practice their songs while dreaming. A similar study of pigeons found that they appeared to be dreaming of flying.
Have a vivid evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
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