Americas

Washington: Six workers who died when a container ship struck a bridge in Maryland 20 months ago might have survived the disaster if they'd been alerted immediately, US safety officials said Tuesday. One minute and 29 seconds elapsed between the time police were told to block bridge-bound traffic and the moment the bridge collapsed, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials said, as investigative findings were presented and endorsed at a public meeting. Had they been notified at about the same time police were, "the highway workers may have had sufficient time to drive to a portion of the bridge that did not collapse," officials said. On March 26, 2024, the Dali, a 984-foot Singapore-flagged container ship, suffered a series of electrical problems and crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River in Maryland, which collapsed like a house of cards. Six workers on the deck of the bridge, all Latin American immigrants, fell to their deaths. The NTSB found that the "probable cause" of the disaster was loss of electrical power due to a loose signal wire connection, resulting in the vessel's loss of propulsion and steering as it approached the bridge. Maryland authorities had failed to conduct a vulnerability assessment of the bridge -- according to a previous NTSB report published in March -- which would have set the stage for repairs, the latest report said. "Also contributing to the loss of life was the lack of effective and immediate communications to notify the highway workers to evacuate the bridge," it said. The NTSB has compiled a list of about a dozen American bridges that are at risk of collapse in the event of a collision with an ocean-going vessel. They include both spans of a bridge across the Chesapeake Bay east of Washington, two bridges in the Philadelphia area and four over the Mississippi River in the southern state of Louisiana. Vulnerability assessments are still underway for about 30 other bridges out of 68 that the NTSB earlier identified as potentially at risk of collapse in a similar scenario. On Monday, Maryland authorities said that the cost of repair of the Francis Scott Key Bridge had more than doubled to between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, with completion now envisioned in 2030 instead of 2028.

Americas

Washington, USA: Saudi Arabia will invest up to $1 trillion in the United States, Saudi Crown Princeand Prime Minister, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saudtold US President Donald Trump during their meeting at the White House on Tuesday. "I believe, Mr. President, in today and tomorrow, we can announce that we are going to increase that $600 billion to almost $1 trillion for investment, real investment, and real opportunity," the prince said as he appeared with Trump in front of reporters at the Oval Office. "Now, you're saying to me now that the $600 billion will be $1 trillion?" Trump said, to which the Saudi royal replied: "Definitely."

Middle East

Cairo, Egypt: The Arab League said the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council late Monday to end the war in Gaza reflects an international commitment to rebuilding the territory, which has suffered destruction rarely seen in modern history. In a statement Tuesday, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary-general of the Arab League, said that the resolution marks "the beginning of the road, not its end," noting that extensive work on all fronts will be required in the coming phase to translate its provisions into tangible improvements in the lives of Palestinians. He added that the resolution contained a key reference to a credible path toward establishing a Palestinian state, expressing hope that all parties supporting a two-state solution would work to turn this commitment into concrete progress toward an independent Palestinian state and an end to the Israeli occupation, as the core of the problem and the source of instability in the region. Aboul Gheit also voiced hope for a swift move to the second phase of the 20-point plan on Gaza, and said the Security Council's decision should ensure that the occupying power allows the entry of humanitarian aid and essential materials needed for reconstruction.