Cranes arriving to clear Baltimore bridge wreckage; concerns over immigration; Major League Baseball season begins

Hot Off The Wire

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted March 28 at 6:45 a.m. CT:

BALTIMORE (AP) — The largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard is arriving by barge so crews can begin removing the wreckage from the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says the crane can lift up to 1,000 tons. It will be used to clear the channel in order to resume the search for four workers who remain missing and reopen the key shipping route. Another crane is also on the way. Moore says “the best minds in the world” are working on plans to remove the twisted metal and concrete remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. It was struck early Tuesday by a cargo ship and quickly fell into the river.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are more worried about legal immigrants committing crimes in the U.S. than they were a few years ago, a change driven largely by increased concern among Republicans. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Democrats continue to see a broad range of benefits from immigration. Overall, about 4 in 10 Americans say that legal immigration to the U.S. is beneficial to the economy and culture, but that sentiment is down since 2017. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say that immigration is an important issue for them personally.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The top United Nations court has ordered Israel to take measures including opening more land crossings to allow food, water, fuel and other supplies into Gaza to tackle crippling shortages in the war-ravaged enclave. The International Court of Justice issued two new so-called provisional measures in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of acts of genocide in its military campaign launched after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. Israel stringently denies it is committing genocide and says its military campaign is self defense. Thursday’s order came after South Africa sought more provisional measures, including a ceasefire, citing starvation in Gaza. Israel urged the court not to issue new orders.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's armed forces say Moscow launched a large-scale attack on energy infrastructure Friday, with a mass barrage of 99 drones and missiles hitting regions across the country. Ukraine's Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, said air raid warnings across the country continued through the night as the strike targeted 10 separate regions. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine in recent days, launching several missile barrages on the capital Kyiv and hitting energy infrastructure across the country in apparent retaliation for recent Ukrainian aerial attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod. Such sporadic attacks, however, have been common throughout the war.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Haiti now needs between 4,000 and 5,000 international police to help tackle “catastrophic” gang violence which is targeting key individuals and hospitals, schools, banks and other critical institutions, the U,N, rights expert for the conflict-wracked nation says. Last July, William O’Neill said Haiti needed between 1,000 and 2,000 international police trained to deal with gangs. Today, he said, the situation is so much worse that double that number and more are needed to help the Haitian National Police regain control of security and curb human rights abuses. O’Neill spoke at a news conference Thursday launching a U.N. Human Rights Office report.

In other headlines:

• Donald Trump attends wake of slain New York officer, calls for 'law and order,' to show contrast with Biden.
• Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison.
• Home Depot buying supplier to professional contractors in a deal valued at about $18.25B.
• Ford to trim workforce at plant that builds its F-150 Lightning as sales of electric vehicles slow.
• Russian veto brings end to UN panel monitoring enforcement of North Korea nuclear sanctions.
• The White House expects about 40,000 participants at its 'egg-ucation'-themed annual Easter egg roll.
• It's a bittersweet Easter for chocolate lovers and African cocoa farmers but big brands see profits.
• US changes how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity. It's the first revision in 27 years.
• The NCAA basketball tournament holds its first four Sweet 16 games, the NBA has a couple of games with playoff implications, the NHL regular season nears its completion and the Major League Baseball season begins in earnest. Correspondent David Schuster reports.

—The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.