FBI opens criminal probe into Baltimore bridge collapse that killed six – US media reports
The FBI has opened a criminal probe into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, according to the Washington Post.
On 26 March, the Dali, a cargo ship, lost power and crashed into one of the supports of the bridge, causing it to collapse.
Video captured the moment the huge structure collapsed into the river, killing six men – all roadway workers who had been on the bridge at the time.
The criminal investigation will be at least partly focused on the Dali cargo ship and if its crew left port knowing it had serious problems with its systems, the US outlet reports, citing two officials.
The remains of the bridge are still in place across the stranded cargo ship. Pic: NTSB via AP
Salvage crews have since been trying to clear the wreckage.
The remains of the bridge still lie across the cargo ship, blocking the shipping lane.
Following the collapse of the bridge, US President Joe Biden toured the area and saw first-hand efforts to clear away the debris.
He greeted police officers who helped block traffic onto the bridge in the moments before the ship struck, and spoke to the families of the victims.
Pic: Maxar/Reuters
He also promised the state of Maryland that it wouldn’t be left alone.
Mr Biden said: “I’m here to say your nation has your back and I mean it. Your nation has your back.”
The White House previously said that the current intention is to open a limited-access channel for some barge container ships by the end of April.
By the end of May they hope normal capacity will have been restored to Baltimore’s port.
The bodies of three of the six workers who died have been recovered and the other three are presumed dead.
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DHL Express is suspending some shipments to the US as Donald Trump’s new tariff regime takes effect.
From 21 April, shipments worth more than $800 (£603) to US consumers from “any origin” will be temporarily suspended.
New rules that came into effect at the start of April made such shipments subject to increased customs checks.
“This change has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock,” said the parcel delivery service.
Shipments going from business to business worth more than $800 aren’t affected by the suspension, but DHL warned they may also face delays.
Shipments under $800 to either businesses or consumers are not impacted, but one British cycle manufacturer suggested its US customers may need to split orders over $800 into “smaller shipments” to avoid the red tape.
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From May, shipments from China and Hong Kong that are worth less than $800 “will be subject to all applicable duties”, according to the White House.
“President Trump is targeting deceptive shipping practices by Chinese-based shippers, many of whom hide illicit substances, including synthetic opioids, in low-value packages,” it said in a statement.
Until now, deliveries worth less than $800 didn’t incur any duties, which allowed low-cost companies Chinese like Shein and Temu to make inroads in the US.
Both have warned their prices will now rise because of the rule changes, starting on 25 April.
Anti-Trump protests took place across America on Saturday, with demonstrators decrying the administration’s immigration crackdown and mass firings at government agencies.
Events ranged from small local marches to a rally in front of the White House and a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration of the start of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago.
Thomas Bassford, 80, was at the battle reenactment with his two grandsons, as well as his partner and daughter.
He said: “This is a very perilous time in America for liberty. I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.”
At events across the country, people carried banners with slogans including “Trump fascist regime must go now!”, “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state,” and “Fight fiercely, Harvard, fight,” referencing the university’s recent refusal to hand over much of its control to the government.
Some signs name-checked Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian citizen living in Maryland, who the Justice Department admits was mistakenly deported to his home country.
Read more: Donald Trump’s deportations explained
Pic: AP
People waved US flags, some of them held upside down to signal distress. In San Francisco, hundreds of people spelt out “Impeach & Remove” on a beach, also with an inverted US flag.
People walked through downtown Anchorage in Alaska with handmade signs listing reasons why they were demonstrating, including one that read: “No sign is BIG enough to list ALL of the reasons I’m here!”
Pic: AP
Protests also took place outside Tesla car dealerships against the role Elon Musk ahas played in downsizing the federal government as de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The protests come just two weeks after similar nationwide demonstrations.
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Organisers are opposing what they call Mr Trump’s civil rights violations and constitutional violations, including efforts to deport scores of immigrants and to scale back the federal government by firing thousands of government workers and effectively shuttering entire agencies.
The Trump administration, among other things, has moved to shutter Social Security Administration field offices, cut funding for government health programs and scale back protections for transgender people.
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