The Evening: The Baltimore bridge collapse

Also, the Supreme Court seemed skeptical of an effort to curtail abortion pill access.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 26, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Tuesday. The Baltimore bridge collapse A challenge to abortion pill access Plus, Beyoncé's country album The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.  Streamtime Live, via YouTube A Baltimore bridge collapsed after a ship collision 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. For more, we have maps and photos that show where and how the bridge collapsed and a video of the moment it happened. Demonstrators supporting reproductive rights outside the U.S. Supreme Court today. Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times 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. Donald Trump will go on trial on April 15 in New York.  Doug Mills/The New York Times 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. In related news, shares of Trump's media company gained 16 percent today during their first day of public trading, adding billions to his wealth. In 2015, Barack Obama suggested to then-Vice President Joe Biden that he should not run for president in 2016. Tom Brenner for The New York Times 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. More top news Russia: The country's Federal Security Service said, without providing evidence, that the Moscow concert hall attack was "facilitated by Western special services." Brazil: The police opened an investigation following a Times report that former President Jair Bolsonaro had sought asylum at the Hungarian embassy. Texas: Ken Paxton, the state's attorney general, agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution as part of a deal to avoid a criminal trial on security fraud charges. Elections: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. picked Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley lawyer, as his running mate. Julian Assange: British judges put the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder to the U.S. on hold and asked for more guarantees about his treatment. New York: A 24-year-old man was charged with murder after pushing another man to his death in front of a train. Business: Visa and Mastercard agreed to cap the swipe fees they charge to merchants. Money: A new rule will require financial professionals who handle retirement funds to be held to the highest standards. TIME TO UNWIND The "Cowboy Carter" album cover. Parkwood/Columbia, via Sony, via Associated Press 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. Weston Wei 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. For more travel tips, we have advice for how to reduce bloating on your next flight. Looking for entangled seals near Walvis Bay, Namibia. Alan van Gysen, Now Now Media Dinner table topics Saving seals: A group in Namibia disentangles baby seals from fishing lines and plastic. It has millions of fans online. Olympic storm: Aya Nakamura is one of France's most popular singers. But right-wing critics say she should not perform at the Paris Games. Off-putting drawls: The movie industry is full of strange, unnatural Southern accents, even from good actors. Why? Running high: Can marijuana improve a workout? Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Matt Taylor-Gross for The New York Times Cook: This bacon and egg don isn't traditional, but it sure hits the spot. Watch: A documentary about Alex Jones airs on HBO tonight. Here's what else is on TV this week. Read: Our columnist reviewed a few spicy new romance novels. Shop: We talked to 81 men about where they buy their suits these days. Listen: Our writer believes that classic rock can change your life. Move: Simply walking around can be good for both your mental and physical health. Compete: Take our quiz to see how well you know novels and their screen adaptations. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ONE LAST THING Adara Sánchez 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 We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

Fareed on Why Biden Is Unpopular Despite a Strong Economy

Fareed's new book, 'Age of Revolutions,' has one answer. Plus: Can the Gaza rift be closed?; Putin and the attack; and emerging markets keep emerging …

View this email in your browser  Insights, analysis and must reads from CNN's Fareed Zakaria and the Global Public Square team, compiled by Global Briefing editor Chris Good   Seeing this newsletter as a forward? Sign up here.   March 26, 2024 Fareed on Why Biden Is Unpopular Despite a Strong Economy Why are President Joe Biden's approval ratings so low, when the US economy is doing so well? On Sunday's GPS, Fareed shared an answer from his new book, "Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present," which was published today.   In the book, Fareed outlines dramatic changes, past and present, that are shaping our world today. A big one is this: Politics are now being driven by social issues—like abortion, gay rights, and immigration—not by economic interest. "In recent decades, globalization and technology have moved so fast that they have left many people in advanced societies deeply anxious," Fareed said on Sunday's GPS. "And when people see their world in flux, they often move not left on economics but right on culture. They want the world to stop changing so fast, and they listen to politicians to promise to take them back to 'the good old days,' to make America great AGAIN. The left's instinct is to solve this problem by spending money. Biden's policies have disproportionately helped people in rural areas without college degrees—in other words, Trump voters. But I doubt this will make them into Democrats. The left needs to play more effectively on the new crossroads of politics, where culture and class have replaced economics." Can the US and Israel Agree on a Plan? The US and Israel have split openly over the war in Gaza: On Monday the US abstained from a UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire resolution, allowing it to pass. As Israel's military continues its campaign against Hamas, in retaliation for the terrorist group's Oct. 7 massacres, commentators doubt the US and Israel can find agreement on how to proceed.   The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. "We are about to witness (the) most intense famine since the second world war," humanitarian activist Alex de Waal writes in a Guardian op-ed. (Not the biggest, given Gaza's population size, de Waal writes, but the worst.) "The Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) system, set up 20 years ago, provides the most authoritative assessments of humanitarian crises. Its figures for Gaza are the worst ever by any metric." And yet, New York Times columnist David Brooks points out, Israel's military estimates thousands of Hamas fighters remain in Gaza. The White House wants Israel to stop its military campaign; Israeli leaders want to launch an operation in the Gaza–Egypt border town of Rafah and fight Hamas to the finish.   Talking with security experts, Brooks hears no workable strategy to both protect Gazan civilians and destroy Hamas. A classic counterinsurgency strategy—clearing an area of insurgents, holding it, and rebuilding it—wouldn't work, as Gazans would view those areas skeptically, Brooks writes. A more limited, targeted operation might not defeat Hamas's remaining force. Simply stopping would allow Hamas to retain Rafah as a "beachhead," Brooks writes. Practical solutions are missing, some say: At the Middle East Institute, Brian Katulis laments that "neither the United States nor Israel has sufficiently answered key strategic questions about the conflict, including how to define victory over Hamas, how to address the growing humanitarian crisis for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and what both countries see as a realistic outcome when the war is over." Putin and the Attack After ISIS-K—the Afghan offshoot of the global terrorist organization—claimed responsibility for the horrific attack on a Moscow-area concert venue, the Financial Times editorial board notes that Russia is not immune to jihadist violence. The rest of the world should take note, too, the FT warns: "While Isis itself may be somewhat diminished, events in Moscow show the threat of violence from its offshoots remains very real."   Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to blame Ukraine, citing very thin evidence, The Economist writes; the magazine predicts "the Kremlin is unlikely to deal with its security vulnerabilities systematically" after the attack. At The New Yorker, Joshua Yaffa writes: "As for what Putin does now, the 2004 terrorist attack in Beslan"—where a Chechen-separatist group took hostages at a school—"may be instructive. In the aftermath of that tragedy, Putin moved not to reform Russia's security agencies, for example, or to hold an independent inquiry on the security forces' decision to fire heavy explosives at the school but, rather, to roll back nascent democratic reforms. The Kremlin cancelled direct elections of regional governors in favor of Presidential appointments; it also abolished single-mandate districts in the Duma, removing the last independent voices in parliament." That said, Yaffa writes, "it's hard to imagine the Kremlin doing more to empower the F.S.B." or to escalate attacks on Ukraine. Emerging Markets Keep Emerging Pointing out a global-economic bright spot, Rockefeller International chair and former Morgan Stanley head of emerging markets and chief global strategist Ruchir Sharma writes in a Financial Times column that several large emerging markets look encouragingly stable. Recent years have featured warnings about fiscal stability and potential debt defaults in the developing world, but Sharma cites a series of countries—some of them erstwhile causes for major concern—that have shored up their finances and are looking better.   "Emerging world powerhouses such as India and Indonesia weathered the turbulence of recent years in solid shape and are widely recognised for their success," Sharma writes. "Now many of the emerging world's most troubled economies are reforming their way towards recovery as well, and markets are starting to reward them for it. They include most prominently Turkey, Argentina, Egypt, Nigeria and Kenya, and they carry some weight. All five of these reforming countries are in the 40 largest emerging economies, so their turn for the better is reinforcing the global economic recovery as well." What did you think of today's newsletter? Send ideas, questions and feedback to globalbriefing@cnn.com   You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for Fareed's Global Briefing. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or sign up to manage your CNN account   Learn more about the CNN app |  Get CNN web alerts  |  Sign up for a free CNN account   ® © 2024 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. 1050 Techwood Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30318